Palestine, Israel and Peace - Let's Shift the Focus NOW!

This is my travel blog and not a political blog but to save some of my time repeating my opinion in public, I've now decided to shout it out online.

Focusing on who's right and wrong in this conflict will not help us reach a solution. Focusing on love and peace rather than hatred, violence and righteousness will. I'm against the objectification of the other side. All who want peace and co-existence are on the same side, regardless of the side of the border they were born on.

I'm proudly pro-Israel, pro-Palestine and pro-peace. I don't accept and wish that we'll all denounce anyone who wishes death to Jews, Arabs or any other group. I wish a happy and full life for all.

I have friends with a wide range of political views. This conflict seems to be one that so many people feel so strongly about and many know way too little about it. Those who chose a side are so eager to defend it and attack the other side. This isn't helping. Really, it doesn't. You might have good intentions but you're just helping this shit go on.

One of the biggest reasons, in my unsubstantiated opinion, that propagates this conflict is the ongoing meddling of outside powers that have clear interests in keeping the conflict unresolved. Many politicians in countries that shouldn't even be a part of the whole issue make political gains over its existence.

First and foremost though, I blame the extremists that somehow manage to drag us all down with them. Driven by fear, we end up hating the others and wishing them horrible things. Let's climb back up and wish them only good things. You'll quickly find out that more people believe in love than in hate. It sometimes is hard to see when people are enraged after another despicable murder but I want to believe we're all capable of making that change.

Resolving the conflict and restoring peace will not be done by governments that thrive on the desire for power and control, it'll be done by people on both sides rising and saying NO TO VIOLENCE, YES TO PEACE.

Uncooked Burning Man Food - Easier and Healthier

Soon I'll attend the first official regional Burning Man event in Israel. This post is meant to share some food tips that will make your diet easier and healthier on the playa. No cooking and no cooling needed. During the nevada Burning Man event, I didn't need to cook any food and thus saved myself the needed settings for cooking and the time spent with it. Not that I say you shouldn't cook if you want to, but I personally prefer to experience other things on the playa. So, here I go with ingredients and then with some "recipes":

Nuts, Seeds, Muesli and Cereals

Natural and even roasted nuts and seeds can be eaten anytime anywhere. Often containing some good fats and proteins. Recommended: almonds, cashew nuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and whichever rock your boat.
Muesli and Cereals can be eaten throughout the day, either dry or with water (preferably cold). If you think one must add milk to it, think again. They're often sweet enough.

Dehydrated Fruits and Sea Weed

Try to focus on things you like and don't have much food coloring and preservatives. Peaches, Dates, figs, raisins, pineapple, banana and what not.

Sprout it all UP

Sprouting is so easy and ensures you have the freshest food at your finger tips. The effort is minimal and the results amazing. If you've never sprouted before, experiment with it at home first. To sprout lentils, for example, all you need is some container (a plastic box is fine), something to wrap it (a t-shirt or towel would be fine for that) and a sieve (you could use your hands if you don't wanna bring one). Cover the lentils with enough water and let them soak for a few hours (4-15 hours is fine). Use the sieve to drain the excess amount of water and cover the lentils in the container. Within 24-48 hours you'll see the sprouts and will be able to enjoy a fresh meal. If you leave them around for longer, consider rinsing them and draining the water every 24 hours. Eat them as is or dress them up and let them dance a bit before.

Sugar and Spice

Your favorite spices and dressings are a must. I recommend olive oil, chilly powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin. Some like playa dust flavor or sparkles from a pony.

 

Fresh Produce

While fresh fruits and vegetables might not last long on the playa, it won't be a bad idea to bring them for your first and second days. Keeping them in a colder environment would mean they'd last longer. You don't need a cooler but can wrap them boxed (or not boxed) in your clothes to keep their temperature. Cucumbers, carrots, apples, oranges and whatever you like with slight preference to the harder ones that won't get crushed.

Tahini

Making tahini is quick, easy, tasty and full of calories and health. All you need is a bowel and raw tahini that you should be able to get at the store. If you're in the middle east, whatever you get is good. If you're anywhere else, try to get something from the middle east. Raw tahini can be used as is or to dress up some other foods. To make tahini sauce you simply mix the raw tahini with the following: water, lemon juice, salt, cumin, black pepper, chilly and paprika. The last 3 spices are not commonly practiced but be special and bring your own weird spices.

Canned Food

Perhaps not the healthiest choice but might be the easiest to handle as it'll be pre-cooked. Sweet corn, beans in tomato sauce, cooked chickpeas, green peas and many more. Mixing contents of different cans is a great way not to get bored.

Snacks

Energy bars and all sorts of of things in a wrap are easy to access and consume. Often much less healthier and more expensive than the previous options so it's only a good choice for the really lazy and sweet tooth oriented people.

Alcohol

While warm beers are not so much fun, red wine and a good scotch are. Alcohol has a lot of calories and while perhaps not the healthiest for your body, might be good for your mind. Remember to stay well hydrated while on the playa.

Tools

Can opener, plastic boxes, plastic bag for trash, spoon, bowel and possibly a knife are all you'll need to eat in style.

Recipes

Not really. Improvize. As long as it's made with love, it'll be good.

Memorial Day 2014

Israel has two national memorial days: one to remember the holocaust and the other to remember the fallen soldiers. Both of them, unfortunately, are well connected to my family and thus to myself. My grandparents on both sides have lost most of their family thanks to the Nazis. My father's brother died in the Yom Kippur war, never living to be 20. I can't even start to write anything of use about it. Amazing how the ultimate loss, like a stone thrown to a pond, affects all its surroundings.

So even if nowadays I don't live in Israel and am only visiting it, the personal family issues are always here.

Here's something I made and played some years ago, when my father was still alive. I composed a poem written by his brother Raanan. Raanan wrote the poem before starting his mandatory military service. My lame translation follows the video


"When you find my nose distorted,
lain on earth clods whose taste gone sour,
don't shed a tear.

Allot me a place
little and tiny
sealed by a seal
in a secret room.

Promise me only this
that at least once a year you'll remember me
and to the (soccer) field I've loved you'll take me back.

Let all know:
I've loved life
the thrill
the excitement
the winning

In the battle I've marched with no hesitation
Because the reasons and motives were clear to me.

Am I one of the many in whom the ideals have sunken in the flood of words?
Am I one of many who feel the depth of things? if at all...


"

511 Days Around the World OR Welcome Home, Got Drugs?

511 days passed since I left Israel intending to not come back the same direction. I did it. Went around the world for the first time. While time zones often went ahead, a memorable day would be my 36 hour day nearly a year ago. The last flight from London to Tel Aviv went smoothly.
The welcome to Israel wasn't as smooth. I breezed through immigration to realize I'll have to wait some 15 minutes for my backpack. As Dana's father was already waiting for us, I told her to meet him and I'll join her as the bag arrives. It finally did and happy me continued with a cart carrying my guitar, coat and medium size backpack towards the green lane at customs.
Some guy from the side approached me and told me something. I wasn't even sure he addressed me and since as a traveler I develop a habit of ignoring people I don't know, I didn't answer and continued walking. "An Israeli police officer requests that you stop, so stop" he then said. He showed me his badge and I was quite shocked at him jumping me like that. He insulted me as his second sentence, something along the lines of "stop hovering around, you need to focus, I know your type". "No, you don't" I should probably have answered. Not to bore you with the whole conversation he said he's looking for drugs and continued to ask questions in a very aggressive way, as if he's sure I'm guilty of some illegal drug possession. It's part of the standard scare technique. I told him I never carry illegal drugs and he can search the bags if he wants. He didn't and continued to ask stupid questions to which it was clear he is not intelligent enough to understand the answers. Kind of like a hound trying to smell if I'm hiding something rather than listening to the words. When I gathered my wits back and started being brazen, like a good Israeli, it was better. He said "impossible you've been a year and a half only with that bag" and I replied "obviously you never traveled". After checking I have no criminal record, he let me go. Not being polite about it, not searching my luggage. Just an asshole.

Not really a drug lord

OK, so I understand that to the untrained eye I may look like some stoned hippie that might have a bit of weed in his bag that he forgot to throw away coz he was too stoned before the flight. The annoying thing is that such an effort would be made to catch a person who obviously wouldn't be a smuggler. I've watched an interesting documentary series about drugs in Israel and one episode was about the failure of law enforcement. One thing to see it in a documentary and in front of your eyes. There was a drug dealer interviewed for the documentary that said he'd always dress nicely and pass through the red lane in customs, declaring some bullshit he bought to pay the tax and so he has never been inspected. But yes, this policeman would be so proud if he manages to fuck up the lives of a few stoners that did actually forget some illegal drugs in their bag. Amazing success. The truth is that the great majority of drugs smuggled through the airport are not caught (I read the estimate is about 3% are caught) so they make sure the punishment is very severe to deter others from doing it. Oh well, hope Israel would eventually sober up and legalize the use of drugs that cause much less damage than alcohol. A few places in the world are doing it but Israel may go there only after most of Europe or the entire US does. Israel's good at adopting fashions with an elegant delay.

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy if you've actually read through all this (or just skipped ahead):

The Mediterranean near the Israeli coast

Israel has some well planned cities. Don't worry, it's rare...

I was amazed at the green, first time I see this color landing in Israel

The variety of veggies is great

So now I'm sitting by the computer with a cold. Haven't gotten sick in a long time. Vegan diet is surely helpful with that. Perhaps staying in nice warm climates as well. Maybe the return shock. Maybe the still-too-cold-here-for-me weather... Soon about to recover.

RIP Babulinka

"Life is what happens when you're busy making plans"
"People plan and god laughs"

Dana's grandmother died a few days ago after a long time of less than perfect health. She was a dear and kind woman and very much loved by her family and friends. Dana & I actually previously discussed what we'll do if that happens and unfortunately it did. So now Dana's on her way back to Israel to support her family through these hard times. I am staying in Mexico for now. Expecting to visit the UK and then Israel in a few months.

Picture from the last time I saw her

Dieda RIP

Babulinka RIP

Hong Kong, Israel, Jordan, Thailand

This blog hasn't been updated in a while. Maybe not such a long while but we've managed to change our plans drastically. The trip to Hong Kong was supposed to be a visa run from Yangshuo, China. It's such a lovely place with marvelous scenery and nice nightlife that even the hordes of tourists visiting it cannot completely spoil. We've decided to stay there for a few months after getting a new visa in Hong Kong. Yes, Hong Kong belongs to China. Yes, you can get a Chinese visa in Hong Kong. Something about a SAR (Special Administrative Region)...

Anyway, we've left a bag full of stuff in Yangshuo and then, about a week into our Hong Kong time, being too lazy to visit the embassy and get a new visa, we've decided to fly to Israel for a visit. There have been many good personal reasons for that visit. We took the risk of never seeing the bag we left ever again but luckily, a day before our flight we got it from a nice Israeli guy who just came from Yangshuo to visit Hong Kong.

A few hours on a plane and it's a different world...

Desert totem in Israel. If you know where it is, you've had a great time there ;)

Yes, I went to the naked festival again. Thinking about making a tattoo that says "Tattoo" in Hebrew. Long story...

Desert sunset in the south of Israel

Delicious middle eastern vegan food in a steak restaurant in Israel.

Frognector went to TechAviv to hear some more encouragements to the Israeli hi-tech industry.

Tel Aviv sunset at yet another "Goodbye party". I kinda like these parties

While in Israel, I realized I should get out of the country soon. There were many options for a mew destination but Thailand came through as a very comfortable place to stay for a bit while focusing on Colnect. We got tickets from Amman to Bangkok and set off to meet cool friends in Jordan for two days. It's been really great and I expect more short Jordan visits in the future.

Falafel, Hummus, Foul in Amman, Jordan

A branch in the dead sea, this time from the Jordanian side of this sea.

Falafel in Amman - when the Jordanian Tourist Police asked me why I am going to stay in Amman my reply was "to compare falafels". I was only half-joking ;)

There have been many new cool stories on the way but this blog is largely being ignored but people who actually care about what I do so it'll keep being a picture blog with a few comments. Now in Pai, Thailand and a new post is coming up.