![At the Mitzpe Hayamim spa in northern Israel, Efrat and Udi Sharir relax on a terrace looking out over the Hula Valley. [Ruth Fremson/The New York Times]](http://www.e-marginalia.com/blog/uploaded_images/israel_spas-781249.jpg)
Sarah Wildman's "
Going to a Spa? Mazel Tov!" in the New York Times' Travel section offers up a welcome alternative to most of the coverage Israel receives in the press. The Israeli spa perspective. It's a good read, and Wildman's prose -- decidedly creative, almost literary in style -- will wisk you through the article effortlessly.
"[T]wo women sat on an expansive terrace with a view stretching from the Sea of Galilee to Mount Hermon, nursing teas brewed with fresh herbs - lemon grass, spearmint, hyssop, chamomile - from the farm of the Galilean spa Mitzpe Hayamim. Leaning back in a wrought-iron chaise, made comfortable by crisp white linen cushions, Irit Heruti twisted her thick, black hair into a knot at the base of her neck. It was evening, and this fourth-floor patio - a secret oasis reached after a short walk through a trellised garden - was cool and lush. The lights of nearby villages glittered below."
Nice, huh? I'll take that over exploding busses any day. Though the article doesn't overlook that darker side.
"Spas and Israel - let alone "relaxation" and Israel - might seem an unlikely pairing. Israelis are known for their aggressive driving, living and politics, in addition to the very real stress connected to terror and military maneuvers. But Israel has fully embraced the worldwide interest in spa vacations: well beyond the famous Dead Sea mud, hotels across the country now offer spa services, and a number of full-service spas have opened or expanded over the last decade."
Looks like it may be time to visit
El Al...
