The bus system in Israel is the largest in the world. This is because while most large cities have a public bus system, the main bus provider here, Egged, serves the entire country. There are hundreds of routes that criss-cross all over. Usually the buses are half full of Israeli soldiers carrying automatic weapons, either going or coming to their base, so in a way you have a an armored escort!
Maggie and Levi are becoming experts on the public transportation/bus systems. I don't think I rode a bus until I was an adult but these kids are figuring out bus routes and tranfers to travel all over Jerusalem. They can tell you where and when a bus picks up, where to transfer lines, and learning how to wait! Remember, we don't have a car, so most of our traveling wherever we go, consists of buses, trains, taxis', Dolmus (Turkish mini-buses) or just plain walking. Emma (10) is now requesting her own bus card so she can keep one in her wallet.
The other day we were riding the bus home and Zoe (4) went straight to the back. She likes to sit back there because the seats are higher and she can see out the window. Lily (6) sat quietly next to her. I had to stand up by the stroller with Miles. Only five minutes into the bus ride, Zoe had the whole back 2 rows of teenagers and adults intently listening to her. She was telling them all about herself and our family. She had explained that we lived on a boat and then went into all her favorite movies. She then began to quote funny lines from each one. I was laughing and I was nervous at the same time! Sometimes you never know what she might say. I could hear people laughing at her from where I was standing. Guess what........we were the last stop..........It was a long ride home. ;)
Some of you may have seen or heard we've been calling Sarah, "Zoe" , let us explain....... Sarah is a name that means 'princess' and while she is that, at times, she is more often 'full of LIFE' which is what the name "Zoe" means.
It's not unusual to find her in two sets of clothes with a crown and one glove and two different shoes, of course on the wrong feet.
When the ferry boat driver asked her what her name was she told him, "My name is Sarah, but they've been calling me Zoe for about 10 years now"
She also informed us last week that her favorite actor is "Tarzan", what a coincidence that her idol is a wild man running around half naked in the jungle.
She loves exploring and climbing all over the boat and she likes hiding in closets and lockers and giving us heart attacks when we can't find her.
So, if you read the blog and are wondering who this new child is....it's Zoe. It seems, as we've been living so close together, that we are really able to see her personality up close, and it's been fun to watch her grow!!
