Shabbat trip to Akko!

Five friends and I decided to spend Shabbat in Akko which is a nice beach town in northern Israel. We found a cute hostel in the center of the old city and got a room with seven beds meaning that we made a new friend! Immediately after checking in, we explored the shuk and the port. We had dinner at a delicious restaurant with lots of seafood and hummus. Akko is a ton with a lot of Arabs and on our way back to the hostel, we stumbled upon a wedding! The groom and best man were on the shoulders of their friends and were singing and dancing through the streets! So cool! And then, we had baklava for dessert. The food in Akko was actually one of the best parts of the trip...

The next morning was another shuk day (things were actually open) and we took a really fun boat ride around the town! We could see Haifa on one side and Akko on the other. I'm surprised that I actually didn't get seasick. Then, we went to go see the Baha'i Gardens. There is on in Haifa and one in Akko. However, this garden is holier because it is the final resting place of their leader. We started talking to a guard who is from Amsterdam and of the Baha'i faith. He told us about how he is in Israel for the year volunteering at the garden as his own version of year of service (just like us). He also talked to us about his religion and it was really cool to actually learn about the religion and not just know that they have the most beautiful gardens. After that we spent time on the beach relaxing and taking in the beauty around us.

weekends like this make my yearcourse experience THAT much better :)