The desert is so beautiful. Looking out over the canyon I admire the setting sun lighting up the cliff faces and mountains in the background.

I wander along, finding peace and cleanliness after a delicious shower and water polo game. There are so many birds, crested doves and flycatchers. Ibex wander the grounds of the kibbutz of Ste Boker, near the communal pool and dining hall. I sit on the dairy side of the hall accidentally with Karin, our group’s security guard, but we share a nice veggie meal and talk about the benefits of the communal lifestyle and some disadvantages.

The meat meal on the other side is delicious, which I return to after running back to the cliffs to watch them glow red with the sunset.

I bus down in the morning with the group, hiking through the sandstone/limestone canyon along the river that carved it out over the millennia. This is one of the few places in the desert with freshwater, so it is well protected for all the wildlife that come drink here, like the ibex along the cliffs. I see a freshwater crab poking out of the river and lots of snails.

There is a nice waterfall, creating a beautiful reflecting pool of the canyon. Climbing on it requires scrambling over slick stairs, but there are hand holds which make it easier.

After a discussion with a park ranger, we continue up the steep steps to the top. It is hot, but the view of the canyon and unique cliff-face at the top is worth it.

We leave Ste boker for a city populated by North African Jews. Though settled by Romanians in 1951, the government had a discriminatory policy of tricking immigrants from Morroco and Tunisia into settling here. They were misinformed that they were being dropped in Jerusalem or Ashkelon, when instead they were brought to this town in the middle of the desert.

It is beautiful to learn about the arabesque mosaics and I get to paint one using a tape outline, but I meticulously mix the colors. It is like art therapy, and we have a great time in the A/C after a hot morning hike.

Lunch is at a the house of Leah, a Tunisian resident whose parents came in the 40s when Israel was formed. Her hospitality and generosity of her sister, who came here on her vacation to assist in cooking (which she did for all 30 of us by hand the night before) was amazing. I had a delicious spicy eggplant appetizer with a crisp bread and salad plate. The main course was vegetables and lamb patties that are so delicious. She tells us how she maintains her traditions, though her sister lives in a kibbutz where they all mix and share their Jewish traditions.