A ride into the sun set.

On Thursday we took a break from the normal grind of life on the Kibbutz and we took a bike ride. We rented bikes (Nice ones) and we went for a ride. We left the kibbutz and went towards the border with Jordan, and about 5 kilometers latter we stood at the border, with Jewish farms rolling behind us and Jordanian orchards before us. We then road farther north along fish ponds and through freshly tilled fields till we got to our destination, a ma'ayan (Hebrew for spring) and we stripped off our shoes and shirts (for the guys) and jumped in. The water was cool, and the bottom was muddy, very muddy.

After a cool swim in the water we crawled out and but our shoes and shirts back on. We then began our ride back to the kibbutz. As we road we were facing the mountains of Yehudah and Shommron (Judea and Samaria) with the sun crawling behind them as it sets. In America you cant watch the sun set, it moves too slowly, but in Israel tou can and its stunning. Slowly, bit, by bit the sun slipped behind the mountains leaving them a dark hazy outline to ones eye. It reminded me our an expressionistic style painting, except this was real life. Finally as the sun was slipping the last few inches of its head below the mountain line we stopped our bikes to daven mincha (afternoon prayers)in the field. We then picked our bikes back up and finished our ride back.

Its funny really, the only place I have even ridden a bike is Israel. I think buying one here would be a good idea. the ones we used usually go for about 1500 Shekel, but one of our madrich's (counselors) does some work for a bike shop and could probably get me one for less, 1200 maybe? Time to start saving.