Autobus

The autobus - pronounced "autoboose" - the daily mode of transportation for the majority of Israelis in Jerusalem.  Not the normal way for most tourists to get around, they usually have their own tour busses, or if on their own, take taxis or sheruts (bigger than a van, but smaller than a bus - most common transportation to and from the airport).  Some adventurous tourists, who've been several times may venture out and ride the busses.

Mom with stroller

From our experience - and we've been here a whole month now :) - it's the locals who you see on the bus the most - moms with strollers, soldiers (fully armed we might add), people on their way to work, students, religious men & women, children, etc.


We mentioned the bus a little in previous blogs.  It's amazing how something so simple could turn out to be such an adventure! And we get to do it every day! Twice a day in fact....Any of you who love "people watching" - this is the place to do it.  There are so many different kinds of people from so many different backgrounds, with so many different styles of dress - all descent and moral, we're in Jerusalem, not Tel-Aviv :)  Some are sleeping, some knitting, many are listening to ipods, and many in the morning are reading aloud from their prayer books (you don't see that in America).

When you get on the bus, if you aren't sure if it is the correct one for you to be on, you ask the driver if he's going to your destination - in Hebrew of course!  But the good thing is that most of the streets in Jerusalem have Hebrew names anyway.  Once he says ken (yes), you show him your monthly bus pass or punch card, or pay cash (shekels) on the spot.  If he says lo (no), get off quick!!

Sometimes the busses are fairly empty, or at least have seats available.  Many times, though, they're very full - with standing room only. Remember that old childhood song - The Wheels on the Bus Go Round & Round? Well the driver in the song says, "Move on back!"  Sometimes that's the only way we can all squeeze in!  So as we're cruising along down the road and making turns, we're holding on to make sure we don't topple onto our neighbor - which Linda almost did one time when the bus driver suddenly started moving very quickly just as she was slipping into a seat.  She jerked forward and literally landed in a woman's lap - OH! Slicha! (excuse me!).  It's amazing how these drivers drive like it's a sports car, yet it's a double length bus!

The way the seats are set up, some in the front face toward the back of the bus, so we are facing all the people on the bus and somehow it seems to be the only available seats when we get on.  It's a very interesting seat to have - with a great view of all the people - but that also means they have a great view of you, too!  What an opportunity to smile away at all those sleepy faces :)  One disadvantage is then we are riding backward on a sometimes fast moving bus - just after eating breakfast - it's like being on a roller coaster after eating too much at the amusement park!


One morning we had an adventure on the bus.  We were a little more than half way to our destination when we heard - and felt- a very loud explosion, and then the bus came to a screeching halt.  Our first thought was that we blew a tire.  Our next thought (and probably everyone else's first thought) was - we're in Israel, that may be a bomb.  This, of course, must have brought some bad memories to many on the bus.  Happy to say, though, we did blow a tire as you can see in the picture.  The tire that blew was directly under our seat.  Jim confirmed to Linda that she was not the only one on the bus to scream.   It was then very interesting to see how everyone reacted to having to find a new bus - we stopped, everyone immediately got off with no complaints or grumbling, consoled the bus driver, and continued on to find the next bus stop.  We decided to walk the rest of the way - it was all down hill from there :)


Tonight was a new adventure :)  We got on our normal bus, but it didn't go the normal route!  We heard things like this could happen - one day we could wake up, walk to the bus stop, and it not even be there any more :)  But in this case, the routes had changed because they are putting in a new light rail train down the main roads (Herzl & Yafo).  So tonight the bus routes have officially changed forever!  Busses will no longer be allowed on Yafo Street - only the light rail when it begins running (sometime in Spring?)  Guess that will be another post in the future...

There's so much to say about the bus...guess there'll need to be a part 2 sometime...

THE WHEELS ON THE BUS GO ROUND AND ROUND - ALL AROUND THE TOWN :)