I made it back from Israel alive. Some of my friends were genuinely worried, but they needn't fear as I felt completely safe. Well, when we were visiting IDF soldiers at security checkpoints in Jerusalem at night I was a little nervous, but everything was fine.

This was my second trip to Israel and the country is magnificent. If it had no historical or religious importance, I would want to visit again purely because of the landscape. There has been more rain than usual this winter and the desert was in full bloom, as you'll be able to see on my photo page or at flickr. Of everything I saw, I really enjoyed Masada. The combination of history and breathtaking views made for a memorable experience. I should mention that the Western Wall is easily the most amazing place in Israel, but I had seen that before.

Unfortunately, after returning from my trip excited to get back to work and talk about everything I saw, I had to delve into one of the most tedious tasks I'm responsible for. As of right now it is finished, but I couldn't exactly ease into my week. Now that it's done I can enjoy my weekend and get back onto a regular sleep schedule. Next week I'll get to put some of my newfound knowledge to good use.