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Breaking the Ice team breaks open the Vodka
13:37 p.m. EST Jan 12, 2004
The Antarctic Mountain that the 4 Israelis and 4 Palestinians plan to climb is now within sight. At the top, the team wishes to make a joint statement about the expedition. They’ve had some problems coming up with a statement that they can both agree upon, “But the atmosphere began heating up when Suleiman al-Khatib suggested that the resolution be more specific, including an objection to the separation fence Israel is building between it and the Palestinians. Doron Erel argued that adopting a political stance was not the expedition's goal…”
"The longer the conversation continued, the more bitter the debate became.. Olfat Haider, sitting off to the side, appeared transfixed by the anger in the air. Later, she broke down in tears.”
The Ukrainians however, know how to fix all the problems. When the boats were anchored near shore, 4 of them came aboard from a nearby station, Vernadsky, bringing a gift of Vodka. “…when the music began blasting from the loudspeakers in the ship's saloon, any pretense of hardship on the high seas completely evaporated. With only three women on board, compared with about 25 men, the dancing got off to a slow start. But when Genya (he'd been Yevgeny before the drinking began) did his impression of John Travolta's 'Pulp Fiction' disco dance, the ice was truly and fully broken. Within minutes, the entire crowd was on its feet…. What followed (until some indeterminate hour of the morning) is difficult, and perhaps unwise, to describe… even in Antarctica, it's never too cold to take off your shirt.”
Can you believe what some Vodka and a John Travolta impersonation can do? Can the Ukrainians hold the secret for world peace?
The Breaking the Ice group is part of the ‘Extreme Peace Missions’ organization. The idea behind the ‘Extreme Peace Missions’ group is that, “memorable extreme experiences can bring people together for life.” For this organization’s maiden project they chose the Israelis and the Palestinians.
4 of each are heading down to Antarctica via sailboat where they’ll attempt to make a first ascent of an Antarctic peak.
Image of probably the furthest south any Hooka has ever been courtesy of Breaking-the-Ice.de.
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