Israel: The South

My last Israel post includes some of my favorite parts from our entire trip! We ended our trip in the South of Israel. During our time here we were able to experience many different cultures celebrated in Israel.

Our first stop in the south was at a gorgeous plant nursery, which was located between the borders of Egypt and the Gaza Strip. During our time here, we had the opportunity to pick fruit and vegetables and try them! The food was delicious, and I learned a lot about agriculture and the geo-political conflicts in this area. The last picture is from the town of Sderot, which is less than three miles away from the Gaza Strip. One of the Israeli Soldiers on our trip grew up in this town. He explained what it is like to live so close to such a feared enemy. This picture shows many of the missiles shot into Sderot from the Gaza Strip.

Yes, I did sleep on a mat on the floor (it was actually not that bad!)

Next, we drove into the middle of the Judean Desert where we stayed over night at a traditional Bedouin camp! The Bedouins are nomadic Arabic tribes who live in the Negev region of Israel. We slept in a tent, ate their traditional meals (which was my favorite meal of the entire trip), rode camels, and spent the night looking up at the stars in the middle of the desert. If you know me, then you know I am not a very outdoorsy person; however, this may have been one of my favorite parts of the trip! I loved being pushed outside of my comfort zone and learning new things about myself.

We hiked up this trail to the top of Masada

The view of the Dead Sea from the top of Masada

Go Gators, Go Israel!

The next morning, our group hiked to the top of Masada. This ancient fortress in the middle of the Judean Desert is the location of King Herod's palace, and a Jewish civilization which was forced off of this mountain by the Romans. Our amazing tour guide helped us to understand the history and importance of this location.

Thank you so much UF and Birthright for allowing me have this amazing experience and meet all of these wonderful people!