The Garden of Gethsemane

The Garden of Gethsemane – such a sad, beautiful place.

Poppies everywhere

Dinner/Breakfast at the Ramada Hotel, Israel

Of all the hotels we stayed in, we stayed the longest at the Ramada Hotel. We ate buffet breakfasts and buffet dinners and it was all very fattening. Here was a typical Ramada dinner:

Awesome baby potatoes (like no other potatoes I've tasted – as I've said, there's something magical about Israel).

Falling in Love with Israel

It was love at first sight. 

It's pretty amazing how quickly things changed across the border from Egypt to Israel. It was like there was suddenly magic in the air!* It was just like finding my one true love – all it took was one stunning, heartbreaking smile, through which the light of a million and one suns shone!** Israel was so beautiful. It is almost my new favorite country.***