I really didn’t know what to expect. I went to Um-El-Fahem, Israel, to stay with the parents of someone I only knew over the Internet. Who takes in that kind of stranger? Who stays with those kinds of hosts? The answer is Saleh and Luda took in the stranger. And, the stranger was me.
Um-El-Fahem is a large town built on a series of hills. Up the sides of every hill were buildings of concrete and limestone. All roads twisted and curved around these buildings in whatever path the terrain would permit. If there were two roads at an intersection forming perfect right angles anywhere in this city called The Mother of Charcoal, I didn’t see them. Intersections had two, three, four, or even five roads meeting up. All the streets seemed too narrow for all the traffic crammed into the place. I was so relived that I didn’t have to drive. I was much happier peering down curving alleyways, watching scooters zoom in and out around the cars, and hoping nobody hit any of the many, many cats in the area.
Staying with a family in Um-El-Fahem is such a gracious introduction to Arab hospitality. Saleh and Luda could not possibly have done more for me than they did. It didn’t take long to turn from complete stranger to part of the family. I so thoroughly enjoyed them.
The family lives in close proximity to other family members. Luda and neighbor Amina made sure I had a taste of Palestinian cuisine. Additionally, since Luda is originally from Ukraine, I put in a request for borscht. I think she was very pleased. I know I was.
Now, I never really think of breakfast as something to write home about, but that isn’t the case in Um-El-Fahem. There was fresh bread with herbs cooked on top, assorted cheese, sour cream, olives, pickled vegetables, coffee and/or tea. Given the choice, I always prefer tea over Arabic coffee. I like my coffee as a brown food coloring for my vanilla creamer and sugar. Arabic coffee comes in a tiny cup. There is no cream, no sugar. It’s incredibly strong. And, most likely, chances are good that there will be some kind of sludge with coffee grounds at the bottom of the cup. Tea is a much better choice. There were no bags of tea in this house. It was a blend of herbs, spices, and dried flowers that were boiled and strained. Absolute magic in the mouth!
And that was just breakfast! Throughout the week, I was introduced to all kinds of treats that I couldn’t pronounce. However, potatoes are always my favorite food. It’s worth researching Kubet Batata at Palestine in a Dish. It was potatoes stuffed with meat. Perhaps the best way to eat potatoes anywhere (except for possibly fries).
So, yes, the women cooked amazing food and washed my clothes. But, Saleh was invaluable as well. He was my main translator as well as my chauffeur. He drove me back and forth to school for each day of the mural. And, when I had one tourist destination that I wanted to visit on my one free day in town, he took me to Megiddo.
When I travel, I have a very short “to do” list. I only wanted to go to Megiddo. Anything else is considered “extra dessert”. I had such a wonderful experience with this family, unlike anything you could ever have in a hotel. There are travelers who like to stay at a bed and breakfast. In Um-El-Fahem, I stayed at a bed and breakfast and lunch and dinner. I certainly had a lot of “dessert” on this stay. Shukran (thank you), Saleh and Luda.
