there was absolutely nothing welcoming or friendly about it.
ezzeddine dropped me at the border, i checked out of jordan and then walked to the bridge crossing to israel. nope, i was not allowed to cross on foot. i had to turn back and take a border bus. an hour and a half later we drove the 5 minutes it took to get to the border. we crossed the short bridge and then had to pull over to wait another hour, the only vehicle in the lot. we were finally motioned forward 200 metres where we could get off the bus. i put my bags thru the x-ray and they had a look at my passport.
can you come this way.
then the questions started. fast and furious.
what was i doing in lebanon? traveling. what else? taking a yoga course. why can't you take yoga in canada? why were you in syria? did you talk to any palestinians? did they give you anything to bring over? do you have palestinian friends? why do you want to enter israel? why aren't you traveling with your parents? (the pretty little thing drilling me was barely 20) are you aware of the security problems in the westbank? and on and on and on and on.
finally she asked to look in my bags. but as i started pulling things out, she became disinterested and wandered off.
on to the next stage, the visa guy. what is your plan? do you have friends here? do you have reservations? why not? why are you traveling alone? this too went on and on and on.
he came out from the back room and said because you don't have any reservations or friends here i am only going to give you a visa for 2 weeks. but the beautiful city of jerusalem needs at least 2 weeks. please give me at least one month.
more waiting as he went to the back room again. he finally stamped my passport, i walked away and checked... he gave me the usual 3 month visa.
2 weeks later and i can't wait to get out. i've experienced enough here and i'd rather spend my time in egypt.
halas.
ezzeddine dropped me at the border, i checked out of jordan and then walked to the bridge crossing to israel. nope, i was not allowed to cross on foot. i had to turn back and take a border bus. an hour and a half later we drove the 5 minutes it took to get to the border. we crossed the short bridge and then had to pull over to wait another hour, the only vehicle in the lot. we were finally motioned forward 200 metres where we could get off the bus. i put my bags thru the x-ray and they had a look at my passport.
can you come this way.
then the questions started. fast and furious.
what was i doing in lebanon? traveling. what else? taking a yoga course. why can't you take yoga in canada? why were you in syria? did you talk to any palestinians? did they give you anything to bring over? do you have palestinian friends? why do you want to enter israel? why aren't you traveling with your parents? (the pretty little thing drilling me was barely 20) are you aware of the security problems in the westbank? and on and on and on and on.
finally she asked to look in my bags. but as i started pulling things out, she became disinterested and wandered off.
on to the next stage, the visa guy. what is your plan? do you have friends here? do you have reservations? why not? why are you traveling alone? this too went on and on and on.
he came out from the back room and said because you don't have any reservations or friends here i am only going to give you a visa for 2 weeks. but the beautiful city of jerusalem needs at least 2 weeks. please give me at least one month.
more waiting as he went to the back room again. he finally stamped my passport, i walked away and checked... he gave me the usual 3 month visa.
2 weeks later and i can't wait to get out. i've experienced enough here and i'd rather spend my time in egypt.
halas.
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