Today was the day of the trip I was most excited about. I got to meet my cousin, Tal. She and I have corresponded (largely via email) and, when I was a child, I used to exchange letters regularly with her mother and her aunt (who are technically my father's first cousins, but around my age). We had a chance to exchange a little family info, which reminds me of my need to find more time to work on genealogy.

Tal is a lovely young woman and proved to be an excellent tour guide. We walked a lot, eventually going to the Kotel (the Western Wall) , which was very crowded. I have this idea about how people endow places and objects with power, which I will write about another time, but I felt it there. We had lunch at a bookstore / cafe (very atmospheric and good food) and then she had to leave. I went on to the market and, basically, walked my feet flat.

Tomorrow I pick up a rental car and head to the Dead Sea. I am a little nervous about driving here, but will manage.