Don't worry be happy

This has been a trip of firsts, but I never thought I would see this when we signed up for this adventure. It seems that the Israelis do indeed have the genes of their forefathers, and are quite happy to make light of a couple of mere rocket attacks. We find ourselves in Haifa for our last weekend and wouldn't you know it, the day we come here Haifa is attacked by a couple of rockets lobbed over the border by Hezbollah millitants. Now before anyone becomes alarmed, these are not scud missles or anything, they are of the variety of a katusha rocket only with a slightly longer range. I will tell the truth that we stubble jumpers from the prairies of Canada were a bit rattled that we were in a city that had just been attacked. This doesn't happen every day in Alberta. But a funny thing started to happen as we began moving around the city. Everyone seemed determined to just get on with life and not be the slightest bit rattled by any of this. From the taxi driver to the waitress at supper last night the sttitude was the same. "Don't worry be happy." Our driver said one piece of advice I can give you, don't let this affect anything you were going to do. Have fun and enjoy our city. Wow! I wonder if the cab drivers in Edmonton would think the same if they were under rocket attack.
We went out today to see Mount Crmel and a couple of Old testament sites relating to Elijah's time spent here, and our cab driver actually took us us on a detour to go and see where one of the rockets crashed hrmlessly into the side of Mt. Carmel. We joined the throng of other Israelis taking pictures and looking at the crater left in the side of the hill. Traffic was backed up because of all the hubub and horns were honking with impatient drivers wanting to get somewhere. I think for this day the crater became the most popular site in Haifa, and Elijah"s cave played second fiddle.
It's all a bit surreal as we relax in our comfortable seaside hotel listening to the waves, and the roar of jets flying missions overhead to go and pulverize Lebanon, all mixed together in what could only be an experience one could have in this part of the world. Truthfully, one could wax political about who is right and who is wrong here, but for now it feels good to be safe, and be on this side of the border. Our cab driver eloquently put it today, "No be fraid in Israel, but in Lebanon be fraid." Shalom.