Now that Israel has finally moved on from its dreary days of rain and overcast, and has fully accepted sunshine and cloudless skies, it has officially become time for weekend adventures jammed packed with sightseeing, culture, and, of course, the quintessential abroad Facebook albums loaded with scenery. That being said, this week, my friends and I traveled up north to the city upon a hill, Haifa.
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On Saturday morning, with our fingers crossed, we boarded a sherut in hopes that it would actually take us to the right place this time around. Simply saying âHaifaâ wasnât exactly the most precise location to give the driver, but we thankfully ended up at our destinationâŠor close enough.Â
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Our first activity was horseback riding at the Beit Oren kibbutz. Iâve personally never been one to outwardly love horses. Although I still have fond memories of crying on a horse during a 6th grade field trip,
I tried to overlook my apprehension towards incredibly large animals that could easily throw me off their backsâ, and âlive in the moment.â And as it turns out, like these kinds of situations always do, it was amazing.Â
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My horse Nemo and I fell in love at first sight, and if it wasnât for the multiple trees he decided to walk me into, I would have adopted him and brought him home to America to play with my chocolate lab. His attitude and unwillingness to listen to instruction made us a perfect matchâand ironically enough, I had just finished watching Finding Nemo two days before. Together, we trekked across the heart of the Carmel mountain range and bonded over the fact that I knew little Hebrew, and he knew little EnglishâŠand Hebrew for that matter. While I was sad to say goodbye, I wonât lie in saying that I was ecstatic to plant my feet back onto solid ground (or a pool of mud, in actuality).  From an hour galloping (in my mind at least) through the mountains, I learned that if journalism doesnât end up working out for me, I definitely have future as an equestrian in the middle-of-nowhere-Israel.Â
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With muddy feet and sore legs, we moved onto our next stop: the Bahai Gardens. Â
The Gardens are known to be the main attraction in Haifa, and are the center of the Bahai Faith. Â Emphasizing the spiritual unity of humankind, Bahai states that one day, everyone will live in peace, no matter what his or her religion may be.Â
Standing high at the bottom of the gardens, is a shrine to the Bahai founder. With its golden dome, it cannot be missed and adds a royal mystique to the area, in my opinion. The gardens themselves are absolutely breathtaking. Inspired by the doctrines of the Bahai faith, they were designed to create and instill harmony on the slopes that they rest on. Â
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My friends and I took a tour of the gardensâstarting from the top we walked down more than 700 steps, mystified by the beauty of it all.  Between the fountains, the landscape, and the overall view, I was in awe.  Iâve heard in the past that the Bahai Gardens have been deemed the title as the eighth wonder of the world, and after experiencing its grandeur first hand, I can only agree.Â
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Overall, tucked away in the mountains, away from the hustle and bustle of Tel Aviv, Haifa was the perfect weekend escape.Â
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Catch up on my Israeli Life:
Purim Madness & A Taste of Israeli Cinema
Lost in Translation
Jerusalem: Teen Tour Edition
Blame It On the Rain
You ‘Shook’ Me All Night Long
Surviving Week One
Ma’a Salama America, Shalom Israel