We had a very ambitious morning beginning with a hike before breakfast up one of the nearby mountains. Although not a great distance, it was very steep and extreme care had to be taken. Shacharit services were held once we reached the top. We then toured Kibbutz Yotvata which is described by Nic Levy, followed by a tour of the Arava Power Company, which harnesses the energy from the sun and is used to power the entire kibbutz. On the bus, our guide, Yuval, announced that he is getting married on Lag B'Omer, and everyone is invited. At our home base, Kibbutz Ketura, Yuval showed us a number of important current projects at the kibbutz. The first is a very substantial plant using Algaetechnologies; pure antioxidants are made from algae, and they are so good that many drug companies and food companies are willing to pay well for the antioxidants. Very, very fascinating. We also saw the numerous date trees where over 400 tons of dates are grown each year. Trees from Morocco and India have been planted on the kibbutz to make medicine and cosmetic oils. Finally, there is a very substantial solar energy plant that produces 5 megawatts of power, which is enough to supply 3-4 kibbutz communities.
Needless to say, we have eaten very well. We had a wonderful breakfast outside after the hike. The temperature now is in the 70s and sunny. It gets much cooler at night. We are off to the Kasui Dunes for play and a powerful solo experience.
Many pictures from this morning will be published in a Picasa web album. Stay tuned for more information
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