The Swimming Hole Hike

We went on an AM field trip, and by the time 1pm rolled around, I was not thrilled about going for another hike.  Plus it cost 10 sheks.  Since when do you have to pay for nature?  It would have been easier to lounge at the beach and get some good reading done.  But my love for nature and motto "you can sleep when you're dead" kicked in and I found myself trapsing through the Golan Heights.  This is Eric:  our guide from the Kibbutz.  He is actually an American, who came to Israel curious about Kibbutzen, and ended up staying for 35 years... This guy was intense!
The hiking part of it was really fun.  It was super windy and so green!  Granted, I did feel like a horse, walking nose to tail, but that close proximity made our jokes and medlies all the more fun.  
This is a view of the waterfall from above:

So the water was FREEZING!  Not chilly, not really cold... it was freezing.  Splashing around reminded me of the waterfall sliding in Samoa with my parents and Ali last year, and finding Ching's pond with the fam a few years back.  Have I mentioned how desperately I want to go to Havasupi?  Bottom line is:  I love swimming holes.  I love absolutely everything about them.  

These girls were hard-x-core and stayed in the FREEZING cold water with me until the last minute.  I was ashamed for all the boys (I hope you guys are reading this)!  They tiptoed into the water, clinching with every step, and then once they were in, they just had people on land take their picture doing manly poses. No swimming around or tricks or anything!  Lame.   

And here is a view of the Golan Heights.  This is the land of Christ's 3 year ministry.  What a beautiful place!
I'm sad Cate isn't in this picture... But these are my other 2 Galilee roommates: Christine (left) and Whitney (right).  I LOVE THESE GIRLS!  We were definitely friends beforehand, but there's just something about being roommates that brought us even closer.   Notice how we are wearing shorts?  Yeah, it's awesome.  Even b-ball shorts are totally against the dress code.  We got a special exception for hiking, and it helped that we were in Galilee as opposed to Jerusalem.  Ultimate modesty is the standard.   
This hike was AWESOME.  Looking back, I can't even BELIEVE that I debated on whether or not to go.  It was a highlight of Galilee, and of this entire study abroad.  Don't get me wrong, visiting churches and and going to mass in Latin is very enlightening, but I love to spend my time in nature, among creation.