511 Days Around the World OR Welcome Home, Got Drugs?

511 days passed since I left Israel intending to not come back the same direction. I did it. Went around the world for the first time. While time zones often went ahead, a memorable day would be my 36 hour day nearly a year ago. The last flight from London to Tel Aviv went smoothly.
The welcome to Israel wasn't as smooth. I breezed through immigration to realize I'll have to wait some 15 minutes for my backpack. As Dana's father was already waiting for us, I told her to meet him and I'll join her as the bag arrives. It finally did and happy me continued with a cart carrying my guitar, coat and medium size backpack towards the green lane at customs.
Some guy from the side approached me and told me something. I wasn't even sure he addressed me and since as a traveler I develop a habit of ignoring people I don't know, I didn't answer and continued walking. "An Israeli police officer requests that you stop, so stop" he then said. He showed me his badge and I was quite shocked at him jumping me like that. He insulted me as his second sentence, something along the lines of "stop hovering around, you need to focus, I know your type". "No, you don't" I should probably have answered. Not to bore you with the whole conversation he said he's looking for drugs and continued to ask questions in a very aggressive way, as if he's sure I'm guilty of some illegal drug possession. It's part of the standard scare technique. I told him I never carry illegal drugs and he can search the bags if he wants. He didn't and continued to ask stupid questions to which it was clear he is not intelligent enough to understand the answers. Kind of like a hound trying to smell if I'm hiding something rather than listening to the words. When I gathered my wits back and started being brazen, like a good Israeli, it was better. He said "impossible you've been a year and a half only with that bag" and I replied "obviously you never traveled". After checking I have no criminal record, he let me go. Not being polite about it, not searching my luggage. Just an asshole.

Not really a drug lord

OK, so I understand that to the untrained eye I may look like some stoned hippie that might have a bit of weed in his bag that he forgot to throw away coz he was too stoned before the flight. The annoying thing is that such an effort would be made to catch a person who obviously wouldn't be a smuggler. I've watched an interesting documentary series about drugs in Israel and one episode was about the failure of law enforcement. One thing to see it in a documentary and in front of your eyes. There was a drug dealer interviewed for the documentary that said he'd always dress nicely and pass through the red lane in customs, declaring some bullshit he bought to pay the tax and so he has never been inspected. But yes, this policeman would be so proud if he manages to fuck up the lives of a few stoners that did actually forget some illegal drugs in their bag. Amazing success. The truth is that the great majority of drugs smuggled through the airport are not caught (I read the estimate is about 3% are caught) so they make sure the punishment is very severe to deter others from doing it. Oh well, hope Israel would eventually sober up and legalize the use of drugs that cause much less damage than alcohol. A few places in the world are doing it but Israel may go there only after most of Europe or the entire US does. Israel's good at adopting fashions with an elegant delay.

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy if you've actually read through all this (or just skipped ahead):

The Mediterranean near the Israeli coast

Israel has some well planned cities. Don't worry, it's rare...

I was amazed at the green, first time I see this color landing in Israel

The variety of veggies is great

So now I'm sitting by the computer with a cold. Haven't gotten sick in a long time. Vegan diet is surely helpful with that. Perhaps staying in nice warm climates as well. Maybe the return shock. Maybe the still-too-cold-here-for-me weather... Soon about to recover.