Never thought I'd love them so much
When you need something, ya go get it. And I was missing Christmas and family, so on a whim I jumped on a bus with some friends to Bethlehem. We didn't do much in a day.
First we arrived at an organic farm with a restaurant inside. After being poked at for twenty minutes to have a taxi chauffeur all day...Of course. A man stood in the drive way, seemingly confused as we walked down the hill. We asked if this was a restaurant because it literally looked like a beaten up shack on the side of a hill with a little hand made sign telling us we were supposedly in the right place. We ducked our heads (literally) inside to find a cozy room with old wooden tables and cushion benches with single handmade candle sticks on each table. After our "server" came in, he had no menus just told us what they could make/what was in season. So, I had some amazing humus to share, tea with home grown herbs and spices, and zaarb, a classic arab dish. They lit a wooden fire and the candle and we stayed there for a good hour or two. It was quite lovely. As we were leaving we were showed where they make their wine and their Aarak, a typical black licorice flavored Israeli drink, and they gorgeous view. Remember how I said it was on a hillside? Well, a large hill. Gorgeous.
We made our way to Manger Square. As we approached the church where it is believed Jesus was born, the doors shut in our faces. So we resorted to enjoying the lights and Christmas atmosphere, while making some friends telling us some tales o being a Palestinian in an Israeli territory. I was so taken aback by the beauty of the square and the Christmas energy and the feeling of possible snow (yeah for real!) that I definitely teared up.
Lastly, we ate some baklava because you can't go to the Middle East without having some good baklava. Or at least in my case because I love baklava. AND I tried an even more traditional dessert of Arabic descent: kanafeh. Cheese, cornbread type stuff and then sugary syrup. Sounds weird, I know, but its lovely.
Newest Decor: itchy hats, butt sprayers, and tea by the fire.
First we arrived at an organic farm with a restaurant inside. After being poked at for twenty minutes to have a taxi chauffeur all day...Of course. A man stood in the drive way, seemingly confused as we walked down the hill. We asked if this was a restaurant because it literally looked like a beaten up shack on the side of a hill with a little hand made sign telling us we were supposedly in the right place. We ducked our heads (literally) inside to find a cozy room with old wooden tables and cushion benches with single handmade candle sticks on each table. After our "server" came in, he had no menus just told us what they could make/what was in season. So, I had some amazing humus to share, tea with home grown herbs and spices, and zaarb, a classic arab dish. They lit a wooden fire and the candle and we stayed there for a good hour or two. It was quite lovely. As we were leaving we were showed where they make their wine and their Aarak, a typical black licorice flavored Israeli drink, and they gorgeous view. Remember how I said it was on a hillside? Well, a large hill. Gorgeous.
We made our way to Manger Square. As we approached the church where it is believed Jesus was born, the doors shut in our faces. So we resorted to enjoying the lights and Christmas atmosphere, while making some friends telling us some tales o being a Palestinian in an Israeli territory. I was so taken aback by the beauty of the square and the Christmas energy and the feeling of possible snow (yeah for real!) that I definitely teared up.
Lastly, we ate some baklava because you can't go to the Middle East without having some good baklava. Or at least in my case because I love baklava. AND I tried an even more traditional dessert of Arabic descent: kanafeh. Cheese, cornbread type stuff and then sugary syrup. Sounds weird, I know, but its lovely.
Newest Decor: itchy hats, butt sprayers, and tea by the fire.