Box of Chocolates - ***Asterisks

Ussifiyah to Oren with Al–Hashvil, guided by Rami Shemesh

Photo album: Israel Tra il Hike 2023-04-20

“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” ––Forrest Gump.

In the days before this hike, I only checked the weather forecast. I skimmed through the notice in our WhatsApp group. I took a quick look at the elevations in the Israel Trail app, and saw primarily a descent, with a bit of climb somewhere in the middle. I didn’t pay attention to the details.

Within the first hour, I realized this hike was like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates — a variety of trails, vegetation and vistas. This hike had a sampling of everything.

We descended in single file through a maze of thick bushes.

We went down even more along rock formations, using handrails and rungs.

A short walk through the canyon. The trail was covered in fallen leaves, and shaded by a thick canopy of trees. Birds chirping loudly.

For a while we had a nice wide trail for walking and talking.

Somewhat suddenly the trail became a steep climb.

As we huffed and puffed our way up, we began making comparisons to the climb up Mount Tabor earlier in our hiking season.

At the top — great vistas. Haifa to the north, the Mediterranean to the west, and the Sharon Plain to the south.

The abundance of wildflowers along the trail was a welcome surprise so late in April. A few rainy days during Passover had given them a boost. Unlike the bold reds and purples of winter flowers, these blossoms were lighter shades of yellow, pink and white.

Appropriately, dam hamaccabim (blood of the maccabees) were in blossom along the trail, the week before Yom Hazikaron. This dark red, delicate flower has become the icon of Memorial Day for Israel’s Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism.