Biblical Zoo, Shoveling Dirt, and Feet-Nibbling Fish

 Major catch up before I post about my trip to Jordan and this week. We went to the biblical zoo here in Israel, where they have all kinds of animals, especially the ones mentioned in the scriptures. By each they would have a scripture

Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye
escape the damnation of hell? - Matthew 23:33

We went in a bird house area with all kinds of exotic birds.

The bears were very active and walking all around despite the hot weather.

 

We took pictures like bears.

We had some fun at the bird of predators cage.

My favorite picture of the day. Catching Devery giving the stink eye to the bird .
I would NOT want to steal that PBJ from her! :)

We peeped in and said hello to the meer cats.

We got to feed and hold sheep and goats.

At the zoo is an ark like Noah which is super cool.

It was so dang hot when we got to the ark we stood by the doorway where the AC  rushed down. It felt so nice!

The Biblical Zoo was very fun and I had a great day. Also that week we went to help Father Sebastian, a Father to a Church on the Mount of Olives, fix his garden next to the church that needed some reworking. A group of us came to help him, which he was so grateful for that he went and made lunch for us, the most wonderful I've ever had since being here!! 

Jerica is a very had working girl.

Under half of the little garden was old cement when they enlarged it so Father Sebastian brought out the big guns and gave me the jack-hammer. He said you want a turn? I was like do I ever!? So I broke up the old cement. In a skirt. It was great.    

Our awesome group...and Anna Marie, haha.

Jerica is the best bed roommate ever!

Evidence of the best lunch ever.

Father Sebastian is beside me. He was a great guy and so nice. He wants us to come
back sometime and make a barbecue for us.

The next Sunday we went to Tel Aviv. This was my second time and it was wonderful. We rode bikes, ate at the best Hummus Place that is recommended from people all around the world, and really is the best place for hummus ever, and laid out on the beach. 

Maddie is so wonderful. I can't wait to meet her fiance!

Us girls had our "model pose" by the sea.

Israel's playgrounds are the COOLEST, way cooler than the ones back home.

There is so much cool graffiti here and riding bikes on the coast was so fun.

Emily and Jon got a tandem bike so I got to try it out! Dwight was the only one we trusted to steer in the front and we all got to try it out. So much fun! :)

Devery dropped her pita. Sad day. I love this picture!

The end of the week I got to check off something on my bucket list I've been dying to do (no pun intended). We were walking around West J and found a place that did a fish pedicure. Yes, you put your feet in water and fish nibble your feet and eat the dead skin off. I heard about it a year or two ago and I had always wanted to try it so bad. And now I got to! It was sooo awesome and cool.

Best 20 shekels I've ever spent. 5 dollars for 20 minutes!

Devery and I getting in.

It tickled so bad, but once you got used to it it was fine. Devery is the best person ever. I love her so much and I am glad she came to Jerusalem and proud to call her one of my close friends. :)

Some people might think it's nasty but I think it's just cool.

 I had a wonderful two weeks in between all the studying and craziness of midterms and finals week (finals was a week after midterms, who does that!?) I love being here, I've learned so much which may or may not have shown through my final grades, and I'm experience so many things that I will never get to have or do anywhere else.