Jerusalem Temple Wall
I just finished hanging out in Italy on the island of Sardinia for the spring and summer. I did not have much money, but it was time to move on to a warmer place, because it was getting cold. I jumped on the train in Rome and was hoping a conductor would not come around to check my ticket. I had none.
I was able to stay on the train all the way to Geneva, Italy. There a train conductor kicked me off. You see in Europe you can ride trains for free, that is if you get caught they just kick you off the train. I spent a few hours walking around in Geneva, had my lunch, and got on a train to the French border. At the border I went through the visa check, this was before EU, and got on a train to Spain
On the train to Spain, I met a bunch of young guys who were vagabonding Europe, same as I was. They told me that you need a visa to get into Spain and it costs 40 usd. They said to me that they do not want to pay the money and will attempt to cross illegally over a small mountain path. I did not have much money, and what I had I needed it to buy food, so I agreed to join them.
We got off the last station in France and proceeded to cross this hill. The hill was deserted except some goats running around grazing on the grass. When we got to the top of the hill, all of the sudden, Spanish border patrolman screamed at us, “Parado.” We stopped. He came over to us and examined our documents. Checking our passports and realizing we had no visas, he stamped “Entry Denied” in them. I was really angry and upset that we got caught. He said that we must go back to France, because we will not be able to enter Spain. There was a fire burning in a metal barrel next to the checkpoint house, where he brought us to examine our papers. In anger, I took my Israeli passport and threw it in the fire. The Spaniards laughed, as if it was a joke.
I came back over to the French side and pondered what to do. A few of my new mates recommended walking through the train tunnel from France to Spain. They said that it was only about 5 kilometers, and they have done it before. Not wasting any time, we commenced to walk to the train tunnel. Once inside, it got a bit dark and cold, but things were all right. There was still some daylight coming in at the beginning, as well as, a few light bulbs shone some light here and there. We managed to get through the tunnel without an incident. At one point a train did plough through, but we just hugged the wall for about 5 minutes. It was not too bad.
Once outside the tunnel, at the first train station in Spain, we boarded a train to Barcelona. No problems with the border patrol, I was free to go where I wanted. I arrived at Barcelona and found a hotel for 10 usd a day. In the mid 80s Barcelona was really cheap, that was before it became part of the Euro zone. Now you pay 70 Euros for the same hotel. After staying 6 months in Italy and not having any Sex, I was wild and picked up a few hookers for 10 usd a shot. I tried to make some money by selling umbrellas on Las Ramblas, but when police stopped me they took my merchandise away. After it happened too many times I gave up.
After a week in Barcelona my money was running out. I was thinking what to do. Every time I have a hard time and do not know what to do, I think of going back to Israel. As a Jew Israel is always my home; and I decide that is what I am going to do. Hook or crook I will get back to Israel. I took a train to the south of Spain and arrived at the bottom of the European continent. I crossed over Gibraltar by ferry to Ceuta, a Spanish city on the African continent. I was out of money and had to move quickly. I tried to cross to Morocco via the border, but they denied me entrance, because I did not have a passport.
I was in dire straits, no food and no money. I did the unthinkable. I swam 10 kilometers in Mediterranean Sea of Gibraltar to get from Spanish territory to Morocco. I tied my sneakers to my waste and jumped into the water a few kilometers away from the border. The sea was dark. The waves were strong. The water was cold. I swam a few kilometers out and proceeded to cross. I was a good swimmer and swam about 10 kilometers before in the Caribbean Sea, but I rested midway, before turning back. Out in the sea, I got scared. What if the sharks would attack me? I had no choice. I was committed. I had to suppress my fear and keep going. After hugging the coastline for a while, trying to avoid being spotted by Moroccan border patrol I finally felt safe enough to climb out of the sea onto some rocks. I was safe on land.
My body was shaking and convoluting from fear and exhauster, but I was safe. As soon as I climbed out on to the precipice I met a Moroccan kid. The kid was carrying some bread loaves, and I motioned to them speaking in Spanish, “Tu puedas me dar uno?” Not only did the kid give me one of his breads, but he also gave me some change. He also warned me not to stay too long in the little village but to keep going. I thanked him and dug into the bread with my ferocious teeth. It felt good. I have not eaten anything all day. I started my swim crossing at noon and it was around 7 pm now.
I walked into the village and found a coffee shop. They were not too happy to see me but sold me coffee. It was kind of scary. They were all staring at me. My clothes were all ripped from climbing the rocks. I drank my coffee quickly and left. It was dark and I could not see too well where I was going. I got to this chain hanging between two poles and froze. I saw an international sign for mines, a skull with two cross bones. I thought I was in the minefield. As I stood there not knowing what to do, two soldiers approached my direction. First they did not notice me, but being scared I coughed. They came over to me and I was apprehended. They took me to a truck, and I was taken away.
I was in this truck with other people who were picked up in the area. Many Africans try to cross from Morocco to Spain and came to this area to do it. The soldiers took us to this valley in the woods. In the middle of the field there was a commander sitting at his desk interviewing detainees. It looked like a scene from a movie. I thought I was going to get the firing squad! People are being separated in two groups. One group would stay on the field while others would be put on another truck. I came to the commander’s desk. He asked me in Spanish what I was doing here. I told him I gut high on hashish with some Italian friends and went swimming in the sea. He asked me for documents. I said I have none. I lost my American passport. He motioned to a soldier. I was put onto a truck and driven away.
I did not know where we were going, but at least I was still alive. They brought me to a police station and explained to me that I will be taken to court where it will be determined as to what to do with me. I was given a baguette sandwich with beef. I really loved it. A few hours later I was taken to court. At court, they determined to deport me out off Morocco. I was happy!
I was brought to a detention center, which was one room in a basement of a building. There were over a hundred people in the room. No beds or mats. It was a nightmare. I was told by one of the officer that a USA consulate is sending someone to talk to me, and I should be patient. When the consulate employee arrived, I told him I have a USA green card. He told me it might take a couple of months to verify it. I said, “Shit, “ “where would I have to wait?” He told me I would have to wait in this room for the duration of the time. I am like WTF? Quickly I came up with an idea! I said to him, tell the Moroccan authorities that I came from Spain and they know me at the border and will let me back in. 10 minutes late I was in a truck being driven to the Spanish Moroccan border. At the border, I just walked by and waved at the immigration saying, “Hola, recordes me?” which in English means do you remember me! They said nothing, but let me pass.
I wanted to quickly get away from Ceuta and get back to mainland Spain. Right away, I went to the ferry peer. I had no money to board the ferry. I asked people for spare change to get enough to board. I saw a Jewish rabbi. I was happy, thinking he would help. But he did not believe I was Jewish and told me to come around to his house later on to talk. When I came to his house, later in the afternoon, he talked to me through his window on the third floor. After a whole bunch of questions he told me he would not help me. I felt angry. I went back to the ferry. I was told I could buy a ticket on the ferry; so I decided to board the ferry and try to ride it for free. On the ferry I met a couple German ladies who I offered to sell an Alexandria rig to. I bought the Alexandria ring from Russian Gypsies in Rome, really cheap. I did not want to sell it. Some Alexandria stones are very expensive, worth up to 10,000 usd for a stone the size I had. I still remember the stone because it changed colors depending on the temperature, sunlight, and mood when you held it.. But I needed the money to pay for the ferry ticket. I got 40 usd for it. What a waste.
Once I disembarked from the ferry, I got on a train for Madrid. I had no train ticket as usual, and I got kicked off at some station in Andalusia. There, I met a beautiful Rubia at the train station platform. I was heading to Madrid but she was going back home south. I spoke very little Spanish so could not say much. My attire was in disarray, because I had a bad experience in Morocco. My pants were full of holes, and I must have smelled like a sewer. Instead of taking the train to Madrid, I turned around and got on the train with the Rubia. We did not talk much, and at her station I got off and got on her moped. We drove up the mountain to her little house. As I walked into the house the girl got a small tub and placed it in the middle of the room. She told me to undress and get into the tub. I followed her instructions to the tee. She washed my whole body, and later we went upstairs and made passionate love. For the next few days all we did was make love without even eating! I was 25 years old when this happened. Anyone who has been to Spain probably knows how passionate Spanish women are, and “Rubia” has a special meaning for a Spanish woman! All you guys out there go to Spain and find out what is a Rubia!!!
After spending a few wonderful days with a beautiful charming Spanish lady, I left for Barcelona. In Barcelona it was cold. I had no money and was only able to buy a bit of food to eat. That night, I slept on the street by a library. In the middle of the night, a policeman awakened me. He asked me to move. I felt sick and was tired. I told him to fuck off, in Spanish. He arrested me. I was taken to court, and it was decided that I should be deported. I was taken to a deportation detention center to await the process. For the next two months, I smoked Duros – black tobacco, ate shit food, and was made fun of by Arabs. Finally I was deported to Israel.
I did not get to cross into Israel by dessert from Morocco, but I flew into Israel by Iberia airline. I went to Jerusalem and prayed at the Temple Wall. I thanked God for bringing me safe to the Holly Land.
