kibbutz kitties

  i have seen a lot of cats in israel so far.   5 fat ones swatting one another on the dumpster near where we ate falafel this afternoon, a few dirty street kitties darting underneath cars in downtown haifa yesterday, & there are a half a dozen or so kitties that wander around the kibbutz i am staying at right now.  the kibbutz kitties are little & loud & scrappy.  this kibbutz is like many others in israel, founded on communist/socialist ideals, & in this modern age, resorting to capitalist endeavors such as lodging american tourists like me to survive.  on the kibbutz for profit are both a store & bar, making it even more hotel like.  the most impressive thing about the kibbutz so far is the kitties, & the giant playground that seems always full of raucous israeli youth.

during a hike through golan heights today i saw waterfalls & some very strange large rodents.  golan heights is the farthest most northeast part of israel, & it resembles oregon quit a bit.  on its border is seria.  seria & israel have an impermeable border unless you are a druiz looking for a bride & you go through the UN station. the countries are not friends, but have had no active agression or conflict since the 6 day war in `67.  

also today i visited a vintage israeli army bunker at the top of an inactive volcano on the serian/israeli border.  the site has been turned into a tourist attraction, complete with coffee & gift shop, funky recycled-scrap metal sculptures, & dozens of international tourists milling about.  it was a great victory for the israelis to gain possession of this site, formerly occupied by seria.