Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom.....

I have been camping throughout Israel at a number of different spots. I love camping. My parents introduced me to it before I was even born. Camping was a big part of my life growing up. Its hard for me to describe what I love about it.

I love the smell in the morning of breakfast being cooked by fellow campers. I love relaxing by the campfire. The taste of a marshmallow that are lightly browned, right off the stick. Shmores! Family, friends, and even the interesting people you meet that are camping around you. Being surrounded by nature. Being dirty and disgusting and not being bothered about it. The utter silence!

Well things are a little different here in Israel. There is always one thing you can almost always expect no matter where or when you go camping here. Most people that know me claim that I like to exadurate. That's true, but my kids are proof that what I am about to tell you is correct.

As I said I have been camping in Israel many times and 9 times out of 10 my camping experience was accompanied by loud thumping dance club music. All day and all night long!!!
Now you would think that the two don't go together. Well at least I don't see it. My kids are already used to it, they can even sleep through the night. Its a part of the experience for them. They have come to expect it every time.

At our last camping experience in Ashkelon there was actually a camping music tug-a-war between three different campsites. From three corners of the camping area each was trying to prove that their stereo was louder. It was a close fight. At about 3:30 in the morning one of them threw in the towel, or his car battery gave way. At about 6:00 in the morning the remaining contestant's sound systems were thumping away at full volume. We didn't hear any birds that morning. We didn't go to sleep to the sounds of waves breaking, not far from where we were sleeping. I woke up with a bit of a headache.

The time before that, we went camping in a small campground on the shores of the Kinneret. One camper equipped with an external electric supply to power his many sets of 20 inch woofers got the trophy with no competition. It wasn't even close! There was an elder Russian man who tried putting up a fight with his acoustic guitar. He quit early on due to the fact that he couldn't hear if his guitar was in tune or not.

I spoke to others about this as well. I am not alone on this one. I still don't get it though, it blows me away. The funny thing is that they do everything else though. They roast hot dogs, marshmallows, campfires, take walks, and swim. We're talking full fledged camping here. They just add this little extra element to have a complete camping Israeli experience.

Does it come to mind that maybe somebody else might not like "Dance Baby Dance" at full volume at 4:00 in the morning? If we have trouble conversing with each other at our campsite, can they hear each other at all? How long does it take to prepare a 24 hour straight set, song after song, no commercials, BASE inclined disc?

Maybe I'm outdated?? Maybe I'm missing the point? Maybe next time I go camping I should bring a stereo and pump some "Grateful Dead" back at them?