Israel the Beautiful

I have put off blogging about this vacation- not because I have been so busy or have not been thinking about it, but because I was able to see and do so much, that it is nearly impossible to condense the highlights into a blog post. Be warned… this will be a long one. It was difficult NOT to include all 642 pictures (I wish I was joking).

Our Israel adventures started off with Tracy and I being picked up at the Tel Aviv airport by one of my oldest and dearest friends, Kyler Kronmiller (and his ultra lovely wife Melyn). They immediately began playing the role of the hosts with the most by taking us on a driving tour of the area. Although Tracy and I were exhausted after nearly 28 hours of traveling, we were eager to see some stuff. That night found us at the Mount of Olives and then walking around the Jewish Quarter in Old Town Jerusalem. As it was Saturday evening (the Jewish Sabbath) we were unable to take any photos or stay long. We knew we would be back in Old Town later in the week and just enjoyed our first experiences in Jerusalem.

Knowing we only had 4 full days in Israel, we were determined to make the most of it. Our first morning started at 7:00am when Kyler and Melyn took us on a drive out of the city. We hit Masada (the site of King Herod’s Palace which was destroyed by Roman Soldiers), Qumran (Site of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the ruins of an ancient Hebrew Monastery), and a swim in The Dead Sea.




That night Kyler was giving a forum talk about the history of Christianity in Jerusalem at the BYU center. Fascinating discussion.

The next day Tracy and I had made arrangements to go on a tour of Northern Israel- Galilee area. We were picked up at 5:45am (WHAT?!?!) and enjoyed a full day of sightseeing in Nazareth, Capernaum, Sea of Galilee, and took a dip in the Jordan River.







By the time we returned from our long day, we were exhausted and went directly back to Kyler and Melyn’s where Kyler and I started talking about life, families, friends, etc… but quickly became involved in a shared pastime- playing brick breaker on our blackberry’s.

The next two days we were finally able to get back to Old Town Jerusalem. We walked the Via Delarosa and saw all 14 stations of the cross. This is traditionally believed to be the route taken by Jesus, on his way to the crucifixion. This included the Gardens of Bethesda and the ancient Pools of Bethesda.
We saw several groups (mostly Italians) reenacting this walk and carrying large crosses on their backs. Tracy commented that it seemed a bit ridiculous to recreate this experience and who would do something like that… until I pointed out the common Mormon practice of pulling handcarts and covered wagons across the Midwest plains. :)




That day we also went to several Christian sites, including: The Garden Tomb, The Garden of Gethsemane, and St. Peters Cathedral, and Tombs in Kidron Valley. We also found a plaque that looked very familiar (I am sure my Mormon friends would agree).





Thanks to Kyler, we were able to go on a guided tour of the underground tunnels beneath the Jewish Quarter in Old Town Jerusalem. This tour included the underground remains of the Western Wall- below the outside Western Wall- the holiest site of the Jewish faith.



Other sites of interest include:
The Dome of the Rock

Walk around the Ramparts on the Jerusalem City Wall



Kyler highly recommended the City of David underground tunnel tour. He was right, this was a great way to cool off from the killer heat, as well as experience these preserved tunnels. For most of the tour you are walking through about 18 inches of water in a very tight, enclosed space. The only thing keeping this from being 100% exhilarating, was the family behind us singing in full voice what sounded like an Eastern European version of 100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall THE WHOLE TIME!



Since I am not one to go someplace new and NOT see everything, it seemed foolish to return from Israel without visiting Bethlehem. As Bethlehem is in the West Bank, Kyler was not permitted to go with us. However, as independent American tourists- the only thing between us and the city of Christ’s birth was the border patrol and, thankfully, a healthy sense of adventure.

Tracy and I took a bus (and our passports) to the West Bank border. We went through the border crossing station on foot and with very little delay, caught a cab on the other side. Our cabbie tried to double the cost of the trip upon arrival in Bethlehem, but thankfully we had met a lovely French couple who happened to speak Arabic and we able to escape being conned.




Tracy and I spent the afternoon exploring Bethlehem- The church of the Nativity, and the Milk Grotto (where apparently Mary spilt a drop of breast milk and the walls turned white). Like many of the sites we visited- this was one of the moments I found myself saying “Prove it.”




Overall, this was an amazing experience in a land that is so full of history and culture. Thank you to Kyler and Melyn for being the best hosts ever!

Oh What a Circus, Oh What a Show!

The day after I returned from my amazing and indescribable 19 day vacation to Israel and the Baltics (posts and pics coming soon), all I wanted to do was crash and stay close to home while I recovered from jet lag. Of course, instead of spending the evening unpacking, I was handed a pair of tickets to the Britney Spears concert at Madison Square Garden.
Now, I don't care how tired you are... if you are handed free tickets to what will surely be the biggest spectacle in town- YOU GO.
Carlos and I joined every trashy teenager from Jersey and Staten Island and thoroughly enjoyed watching Ms. Spears give a solid 30% for two hours.
I have to admit, while her 'showmanship' was lacking- the production was spectacular!

There's No Place Like Home

It is no secret that the older I get the fonder my affection grows for my lovely home town of Rexburg, Idaho.
Imagine my surprise and ecstasy when I walked in to Five Guys Burger in midtown Manhattan and saw this sign.

A Harlem Reunion of Childhood besties

I had the loveliest of lovely lunches yesterday.
My dear childhood friend Amy came to visit me near my office in Harlem.
It has been close to eight years since we have last seen each other, but honestly, once we saw each other and started talking, it was like no time had passed at all.
There are no words for how much I adore this girl.

Our families were best friends for nearly my entire childhood and adolescence. Our families shared nearly every holiday meal for 15 years, her parents were my 'emergency contact' every year at school, I knew her house almost as well as I knew my own. The Bice family will always hold a very very special place in my heart.
Amy dear, thank you for being my friend. Thank you for being so extraordinary. Thank you for being so much like a sister (I think one main thing that bonds siblings is their mutual understanding of the parental dynamic). We have that.
BTW, I totally support the idea of a Mann/Bice reunion (Russ, Nancy, Amy, Molly, Nathan, Taylor, Chris, Barbara, Kymberly, Kyle... if you are reading this... let's make it happen!).

Ohhh Oh, I'm Halfway There...

Yesterday marked my last day of my first year of grad school.
One down... one to go.

To celebrate, I decided to treat myself to a little vacation.
Naturally, by 'little' vacation I mean a 20 day extravaganza adventure to Israel, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Germany, and Russia.

I figure I won't be going anywhere for another year, so I might as well make the most of the free time when I have it.

Bonjour! Aug Weidersehen! Vi ses! Shalom! Do svi-dan-niye!

Holy Guacamole Patrick!

July 14th is Patrick's birthday. Since there was no way we could top his birthday last year (zip lining in Costa Rica), we did the best we could here in NYC.
Once again, it was proven that it does not matter what you do, only, who you are with. A friendly dinner gathering with Paul, Patrick, Joe, Gaelen, Joey and Scott.
Oh, and Rosa Mexicana guacamole made right at your table... not THAT'S a party!!!

Dinosaur BBQ and Lessons Learned the Hard Way

Last Friday after work I went out with a group of co-workers to the famous Dinosaur BBQ. The call of macaroni and cheese and fried green tomatoes was too great to refuse (not to mention the exceptional company).
The celebration was in honor of Javon's birthday, but really, this group does not need an excuse to gather after 5:00pm and nurse our frustrations with conversation and libations.



After dinner, I was feeling full and content and decided that since it was such a lovely summer night, I would walk a few blocks before jumping on the bus/in a cab/on the subway. As Dinosaur BBQ is right next to the Hudson River, I decided to take advantage of the bike bath that runs along the river. I entered at 131st and planned to walk to 125th (it was dark and I was more concerned about safety than the distance). Unfortunately, I did not realize that once you get on the path, there is not an outlet until 96th Street!!! Once you start, the Henry Hudson Highway is on your left, and the Hudson River on your right.
Fortunately, it was a lovely night, and the view of the Jersey lights and the river made for a gorgeous view. Since I was wearing my work shoes, I ended up walking barefoot by the end (carefully avoiding dog poop and needles) but I did finally make it home.

Happy Birthday America!

Those who know me well know that I LOVE the 4th of July. Besides Christmas, it is my all time hands down favorite holiday.
Family, parades, fireworks, summer, BBQs, watermelon... seriously, it's like all the best things in life on one day. The past 8 years or so I have not been feeling too patriotic, however, some of that USA pride is starting to return and only adds to the celebration.
The past two years I have been able to go home to Idaho for the 4th. Oh, I love it there so much! Due to work/school schedules this summer (as well as the 2.5 week vacation I have coming up in August) I was not able to get away. However, I had a spectacular time with my NYC family.
Joe had a great view of the firework show from his private roof deck. We had a BBQ, all the fixings, and Paul singing "God Bless America" in full soprano voice during the fireworks (I think he was trying to compete with Audra for the vocals).
Here's to another great holiday surrounded by the people I love. If only Avery, Wyatt, and Mitchell could have been there- that would have made it perfect.

Joey, Patrick, Robyn, me, and Paul enjoying the fireworks


Yes, that is Patrick with a watermelon and arugula salad with balsamic reduction.

Prince Recker Comes Home (temporarily)

Former roommate and dear dear friend Chris Recker snuck away from the Spring Awakening tour and came back to NYC to visit last week.
Naturally, both of the two nights out found us at Therapy- the usual watering hole.
It's always nice to have old friends back in town- but even nicer to know that although miles may separate us... this friendship is strong enough to handle a few years of distance and minimal contact.
Chris my dear, you are missed. Hurry home. Your friends miss you.

HIStory

It was a big week for celebrating diversity and individuality here in NYC (and around the world). On June 25th the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, made his transition (no disrespect, but I kind of thought he died like 5 years ago). In my semi-professional opinion, the man was clearly mentally ill, most definitely a severe substance abuser, and may or may not have had a string of inappropriate relationships with minors. Regardless, he sure could dance, sing, put on a spectacular show... and throughout his career, created a ridiculous amount of amazing music.
I work a block away from the famed Apollo Theater in the heart of Harlem. The streets were packed all weeks with mourners coming to pay their respects, write messages of love, and leave gifts. I have not seen anything close to this kind of memorial since 9/11. Way to steal Farrah's spotlight, MJ.


Continuing with the theme of celebrating individuality, Sunday the 27th was the annual Pride Day Parade. This year was significant as it was the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots of 1969 (by most accounts, the official kick off of the gay rights movement). It is sad (and a little sickening) to think that 40 years later so many of our gay brothers and sisters are still fighting for basic civil rights. Yet, I am glad to see that progress has been made and will continue until these gross inequalities are rectified.




My friend Kelsey giving ATTITUDE!

Jaslene Gonzalez- American's Next Top Model winner




Me, Clark, and Joe heading home after a long day of Pride Celebrations

Another One Bites the Dust

New York is a very transient city, and living here, I have become used to friends coming and going. Sometimes (let's be honest) it's good riddance. Some folks are not cut out for city living and begin counting the days until their exit almost as soon as they arrive.
Others come to NYC to make the city their home. They put down roots, build their network, and join in the ridicule of the ones who just cannot take it.
(For the record, I fall somewhere in between... I love this city and have no immediate plans to leave. However, once my knees start to go and I can no longer tolerate 5th floor walk-ups, public transportation, and noisy neighbors- I am OUT).
This last week I had to say goodbye to my dear friends Carly and Neil (my more faithful readers may remember the blog about their SLC weddng last summer). This was a rough one. Carly has been a friend for over a decade- since the BYU days. Neil was a friend in the city and I played a big role in setting them up (Neil stole my phone and sent texts to Carly asking what she thought of him under the guise it was me). Sneaky, but effective.
They were seduced by opportunity outside the city and we had a final night of laughs and stories before their bitter departure.
While some friends come and go, these are friends I am confident I will see again.
Love you guys!

Working IT... 9 to 5

I finally saw the new musical 9 to 5.
Our talented friend Gaelen was going on for the Judy Bernly role (played by Jane Fonda in the movie), so Paul, Patrick and I went to see her.
She was amazing (as expected) and the whole show was fun fun FUN!