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Israel Israel, November 2018
- Thread starter Pauline
- Start date
Pauline
Forums Admin
I forgot to say that Mitzpe Ramon is at higher altitude and it is cold tonight. It is a relief to feel cold. The town reminds me of Santa Fe with its big sky, adode like houses and all the barking dogs. I smelled smoke in the air, from a fireplace, and it brought me back to Santa Fe in winter.
ItalophileNJ
100+ Posts
I read your post to Steve and he said he had noticed the logo for that group. He knew the JNF but not the KKL. He took this photo of a memorial at Paran.
JNF, Jewish National Fund, is the fund established a century or so ago to buy up land in Israel. All those "A tree was planted in Israel in your relative's memory" are JNF. And the little blue charity boxes in so many Jewish homes and stores. KKL, Keren Kayemet L'Yisrael, is more or less the Hebrew translation of JNF and is/was the Israeli partner. Without going into politics, the relationships have shifted in some way and now it's "JNF-KKL" whose current mission is not entirely clear to me.
There's a funny Israel movie from the mid '60's called "Sallah", with Topol as star, about a poor immigrant family of Yemenite Jews who are more or less stranded by the Israeli government ... anyway, one funny scene is when he is working in a JNF Forest and whenever a group of wealthy American Jews come to visit they change the sign as to who the forest is named for.... Very very successful movie, until maybe the past 15 years the only popular Israeli movie.
Pauline
Forums Admin
The transition from sleepy Mitzpe Ramon to lively Tel Aviv is staggering.
We had a lovely breakfast on our balcony enjoying the warmth and sun. We saw the Ibex again as we were leaving. They were sitting in a field near the crater edge.
On the 2 hour drive to Tel Aviv we stopped at two National Parks. Avdat, ruins of a town high up on a hill. It was a post on the Incense Route. First built in 3rd century BC by Nabataeans, taken over by Romans, then Byzantine, then destroyed in an earthquake. We were the only people there, exploring the ruins.
Then we drove down to Ein Avdat, a narrow canyon with a lake and waterfall. Many tour buses here loaded with school kids and tourists. We did the short walk out and back (40 mins) and it wasn’t that crowded. You can do a long hike through the canyon and up to the south side but there are many ladders and it is one way, so you have to have transportation back. The canyon was really beautiful. We had lunch from our breakfast leftovers.
Then on to Tel Aviv on a busy highway with aggressive drivers. I did the driving today. Waze wanted to take us on Highway 6 which I read was a toll road where you have to have some electronic pass, so we instead went route 40 which not as fast moving traffic.
We wanted to drop our luggage at the apartment in Neve Tzedek before returning the car but I would not turn down the very narrow lane where our apartment is. We circled the area in thick car and pedestrian traffic before giving up, going in thick traffic to Hertz and taking a taxi back.
The guy at Hertz explained that we could not get a taxi there because the road was too busy for a taxi to stop and we would have to take our stuff to the hotel across the wide and busy road. No chance! Then he proceeded to flag down a taxi, make sure the guy knew where to take us and negotiate the price.
The apartment is lovely! We got settled then went to a vegan restaurant for dinner. There is another by vegan restaurant nearby and a vegan deli!
I am so tired from the driving! Tea and cake tonight courtesy of that big breakfast. You only need one meal a day here, the Israeli breakfast. We are also enjoying Joe’s dates!
We had a lovely breakfast on our balcony enjoying the warmth and sun. We saw the Ibex again as we were leaving. They were sitting in a field near the crater edge.
On the 2 hour drive to Tel Aviv we stopped at two National Parks. Avdat, ruins of a town high up on a hill. It was a post on the Incense Route. First built in 3rd century BC by Nabataeans, taken over by Romans, then Byzantine, then destroyed in an earthquake. We were the only people there, exploring the ruins.
Then we drove down to Ein Avdat, a narrow canyon with a lake and waterfall. Many tour buses here loaded with school kids and tourists. We did the short walk out and back (40 mins) and it wasn’t that crowded. You can do a long hike through the canyon and up to the south side but there are many ladders and it is one way, so you have to have transportation back. The canyon was really beautiful. We had lunch from our breakfast leftovers.
Then on to Tel Aviv on a busy highway with aggressive drivers. I did the driving today. Waze wanted to take us on Highway 6 which I read was a toll road where you have to have some electronic pass, so we instead went route 40 which not as fast moving traffic.
We wanted to drop our luggage at the apartment in Neve Tzedek before returning the car but I would not turn down the very narrow lane where our apartment is. We circled the area in thick car and pedestrian traffic before giving up, going in thick traffic to Hertz and taking a taxi back.
The guy at Hertz explained that we could not get a taxi there because the road was too busy for a taxi to stop and we would have to take our stuff to the hotel across the wide and busy road. No chance! Then he proceeded to flag down a taxi, make sure the guy knew where to take us and negotiate the price.
The apartment is lovely! We got settled then went to a vegan restaurant for dinner. There is another by vegan restaurant nearby and a vegan deli!
I am so tired from the driving! Tea and cake tonight courtesy of that big breakfast. You only need one meal a day here, the Israeli breakfast. We are also enjoying Joe’s dates!
ItalophileNJ
100+ Posts
Enjoy Tel Aviv!
There’s a lovely restaurant with an outdoor dining area that is probably near your apartment. Not vegetarian but lots of vegetarian choices and with a nice vibe. Susana, very near the Suzanna ? Dellal arts center.
There’s a lovely restaurant with an outdoor dining area that is probably near your apartment. Not vegetarian but lots of vegetarian choices and with a nice vibe. Susana, very near the Suzanna ? Dellal arts center.
Pauline
Forums Admin
The young man working at the Tourist Office also recommended this restaurant. It must be popular. Thanks!
ItalophileNJ
100+ Posts
An Israeli friend whose husband used to work in the government (NOT the present government) recommended it and we had a lovely long lunch, walked over to the center, and so on. I don't really know many Tel Aviv restaurants, except that I had a nice lunch at the Jaffa port with one of my cousins. I think it must have been "The Old Man and the Sea".
Pauline
Forums Admin
We didn't do much today. After moving around for the last 9 nights it is really good to be in one place for a week. The apartment is really nice and is one of those places where you feel at home immediately.
We walked out this morning to have coffee and bagel, even though bagels are not that popular in Israel. I found Famous Bagels on Rothschild on Google Maps and we headed there but it was no longer there. Replaced by a juice bar. Instead we went to Aroma, a coffee place chain and paid way too much for a toasted bagel with butter because all they sell are bagel meals - like with eggs or cream cheese and with salad. We ended up with a butter bagel and a salad and paid the meal price. Next time - order off the menu! Still, worth it to have a coffee and something to eat. The salad was good and suits this warm weather.
It was sunny and almost hot all morning, overcast in the afternoon. A bit muggy.
We continued up Rothschild Boulevard which is a very wide street with a tree lined walkway in the middle. They have set up park like things - hammocks, loungers, sand areas where people were playing boules. We walked into the center of town. We are staying in a southern neighborhood, Neve Tzedek, which was there before Tel Aviv was built. Originally the city here was Jaffa, but at one point it was decided to build a new city north of it.
We found the natural foods shop we were in on the last trip (a very good one, same "brand" as the one we like in Jerusalem at First Station) and got a few things. Found a good bakery and got bread and some foccacia for lunch.
Then we walked to the sea. Steve's joke - on this trip we have been to three seas - the Dead, the Red and the Med. People were swimming. We walked back towards our neighborhood along the sea. Then we went into the bottom part of the Carmel Market (fabulous), looked around, picked up a few more things at a natural foods store there because now we were close to home, then went home. Lunch and then just being lazy all afternoon. I cooked dinner tonight.
We talked to a Tourist Office guy in the morning and he gave us some advice and maps and brochures. I think we will spend the week just puttering around Tel Aviv. So far, I like it!
We walked out this morning to have coffee and bagel, even though bagels are not that popular in Israel. I found Famous Bagels on Rothschild on Google Maps and we headed there but it was no longer there. Replaced by a juice bar. Instead we went to Aroma, a coffee place chain and paid way too much for a toasted bagel with butter because all they sell are bagel meals - like with eggs or cream cheese and with salad. We ended up with a butter bagel and a salad and paid the meal price. Next time - order off the menu! Still, worth it to have a coffee and something to eat. The salad was good and suits this warm weather.
It was sunny and almost hot all morning, overcast in the afternoon. A bit muggy.
We continued up Rothschild Boulevard which is a very wide street with a tree lined walkway in the middle. They have set up park like things - hammocks, loungers, sand areas where people were playing boules. We walked into the center of town. We are staying in a southern neighborhood, Neve Tzedek, which was there before Tel Aviv was built. Originally the city here was Jaffa, but at one point it was decided to build a new city north of it.
We found the natural foods shop we were in on the last trip (a very good one, same "brand" as the one we like in Jerusalem at First Station) and got a few things. Found a good bakery and got bread and some foccacia for lunch.
Then we walked to the sea. Steve's joke - on this trip we have been to three seas - the Dead, the Red and the Med. People were swimming. We walked back towards our neighborhood along the sea. Then we went into the bottom part of the Carmel Market (fabulous), looked around, picked up a few more things at a natural foods store there because now we were close to home, then went home. Lunch and then just being lazy all afternoon. I cooked dinner tonight.
We talked to a Tourist Office guy in the morning and he gave us some advice and maps and brochures. I think we will spend the week just puttering around Tel Aviv. So far, I like it!
Pauline
Forums Admin
This is the description of the apartment we rented for the week:
Quiet and Vibrant neve tzedek
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/751204
Expect a truly unique stay right in Neveh Tzedek. It is located on the first floor of a small house very typical or the area.
Everything is accurate except “quiet”. The street is very narrow so doesn’t get much traffic. We are on the top of the house, second and third floor, so no noise from above in the building, but way above, lots of noise. We are under a flight path and the flights go all day and all night. Also, this neighbourhood is still “transitioning” so there is a lot of construction. They started today around 5am. There is a construction lot right across the street but they seem to be using it only to park vehicles while they work on a building further away. At the end of our road they must be building a high rise based on how deep they have dug.
It is the weekend tomorrow so hopefully no construction noise. And you get used to the flight noise. Tourism in Israel is way up in the last few years (probably because there have been no attacks or suicide bombings in recent years) and you can tell by the flights, the crowds at the airport and the tour buses at all the Christian religious sites.
Quiet and Vibrant neve tzedek
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/751204
Expect a truly unique stay right in Neveh Tzedek. It is located on the first floor of a small house very typical or the area.
Everything is accurate except “quiet”. The street is very narrow so doesn’t get much traffic. We are on the top of the house, second and third floor, so no noise from above in the building, but way above, lots of noise. We are under a flight path and the flights go all day and all night. Also, this neighbourhood is still “transitioning” so there is a lot of construction. They started today around 5am. There is a construction lot right across the street but they seem to be using it only to park vehicles while they work on a building further away. At the end of our road they must be building a high rise based on how deep they have dug.
It is the weekend tomorrow so hopefully no construction noise. And you get used to the flight noise. Tourism in Israel is way up in the last few years (probably because there have been no attacks or suicide bombings in recent years) and you can tell by the flights, the crowds at the airport and the tour buses at all the Christian religious sites.
Pauline
Forums Admin
Even with the noise mentioned above, we really like the apartment and neighborhood. The apartment is like a big loft - one room with kitchen, dining area, living room. Then a bedroom and bathroom and a second bedroom and bathroom us a spiral staircase. We are not using them. The owners live in Paris but the apartment is furnished like they use it occasionally. None of their stuff around, but a well equipped kitchen, piles of towels, lots of interesting books. Not cluttered but looking lived in - I felt at home immediately. (Of course I did, this place is probably worth $1 million - Tel Aviv is super expensive).
I was up early today, with the construction workers. We had breakfast in the sunshine on the terrace and enjoyed the early morning, then headed out around 10am to walk to the Levinsky Market which is south of us in the Florentin neighborhood. A few blocks into our walk dark clouds moved in and for the next several hours it rained a bit, on and off, and the rain was never heavy. We hadn't bothered to bring our rain jackets on the walk and we didn't regret it. It is still warm - in the low 70sF.
The Florentin neighborhood is run down with lots of small shops selling odd looking clothing and electronics. Different from the very upscale shops and restaurants along Shabazi Street in our neighborhood. The market is a few blocks along Levinsky Street of shops selling spices, nuts, beans, etc. Very interesting and lots of people and cars out.
We hoped on a bus - using our Rav Kav cards which we had not used since Jerusalem - and went uptown to the modern and less chaotic part of Tel Aviv at Rabin Square. It was a large, two-part, bus and crowded. A woman about my age nodded to me to take her seat because she was getting off. Then a young woman sat beside me. When she realized I was with Steve and he was standing, she gave him her seat. This has happened to us a few times on buses here. We must be looking older. Twice young women have given their seats to Steve.
I had almost rented an apartment in that area so we walked along the street it is on to see what it would be like. It is a quiet street and close to the more downtown things, plus the Art Museum. I think it would have worked for us. Maybe next time. Here is the link:
NOYA'S GARDEN MIDTOWN APARTMENT, BEST LOCATION!
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/17274107
A very quiet neighborhood, walking distance to the main streets, close to the Tel Aviv Museum, the Opera House, HaBima square, City Hall etc.
From map on AirBnb: on Dubnov Street, off Sderot Sha'ul HaMelech, east of Shlomo Ibn Gabirol St.
We walked over to Sarona Market which is the opposite of the Carmel Market near us. It is more like an American mall if all the shops were either food shops or restaurants. There were a lot of people.
We were looking for the bagel place in the Market but did not find it, so left and walked a few blocks to Tal Bagels, where we had an excellent lunch. The guy serving us was friendly and entertaining. Steve had a bagel with baked salmon, I had the bagel for one which is a bagel, choice of 3 spreads, salad, fresh juice (I had pomegranate), and coffee (which I gave to Steve). The price was 53NIS I think, about $15. When you consider that a coffee is usually 10NIS and a fresh juice 10NIS, the meal was a bargain. For spreads I had a vegan eggplant, cream cheese with garlic and chives and avacado. They gave us a plate of pickles and two brownies complimentary. It was just like being at a deli in New York City!
It was starting to rain harder and google maps pointed us to a nearby bus stop for the 25 bus which would take us a few blocks from our place. We walked to the bus stop but there was no list of the numbers of buses stopping there, like there usually is. I asked two women at the stop if the 25 stopped here and a teenage girl jumped in to tell us it was a small bus and would be coming in a minute. It was and it did.
I couldn't drink my pomegranate juice after that huge lunch, so brought it with me. I did not bring enough warm weather clothing on this trip, so was wearing my light colored linen trousers that I wore all the time we were in the Negev. You can guess what happened on the way home - bright red stains. But I didn't spill the drink, it just leaked, and everything washed out.
The washing machine in this apartment smelled perfumey because of the scented laundry soap they use. When we arrived I ran a cycle with white vinigar in the machine and it removed all the fragrance (I did this in the Jerusalem apartment too). There is a dryer but I don't know of any easy way to remove fragrance from a dryer, so I have been drying clothes on a rack. I thought I would have to hand wash things (which I really hate doing because I am so lazy) so am very happy I can use the machine.
I travel with our own set of sheets and needed them for this apartment. In Jerusalem they provided unscented sheets for us, but no such luck here. The owner of this apartment assured me that they never use scent sticks or scented candles, but he would not ask his cleaner to do fragrance free sheets and towels (that was going too far and I had offered to bring our own sheets). Of course, when we arrived I found scent sticks in the bathroom and several scented candles around the apartment. I hid them away under the sink.
By the time we got back to the apartment, after 2pm, the rain had stopped and it was sunny. We hung around for a bit, then walked the length of our Shabazi Street looking at the shops, and ended up at the Old Train Station. This is where Jews arriving in Israel on boats in Jaffa Port took the train to Jerusalem. We stayed near the Old Train Station in Jerusalem. They have done the same here, turned it into shops and restaurants. Amazing to stand there looking at the tracks and the station and think about the people coming here to start new lives before Israel was even a country.
Dinner in tonight.
I thought Jerusalem was the only city where buses stop on Friday afternoon and start again Sunday morning, but I was wrong. All the cities do that, I think, except Haifa, where buses run but it is a reduced service. Good thing Steve looked it up. I was assuming we could use the buses this weekend.
Walking around the Florentin this morning, Steve remembered visiting his grandparents in Toronto in a similar looking neighborhood. He said it was like a European shetl (I must be spelling that wrong). His grandfather had a "shmata" shop (I am sure I have spelled that wrong - I could ask Steve but then he would know what I am writing) - clothing and rags. This trip has been amazing for Steve. At one point he said he likes being in a place where people look like him and his relatives. Steve is one of the most un-Jewish Jews you will meet, but Israel is having an effect on him. And me.
I was up early today, with the construction workers. We had breakfast in the sunshine on the terrace and enjoyed the early morning, then headed out around 10am to walk to the Levinsky Market which is south of us in the Florentin neighborhood. A few blocks into our walk dark clouds moved in and for the next several hours it rained a bit, on and off, and the rain was never heavy. We hadn't bothered to bring our rain jackets on the walk and we didn't regret it. It is still warm - in the low 70sF.
The Florentin neighborhood is run down with lots of small shops selling odd looking clothing and electronics. Different from the very upscale shops and restaurants along Shabazi Street in our neighborhood. The market is a few blocks along Levinsky Street of shops selling spices, nuts, beans, etc. Very interesting and lots of people and cars out.
We hoped on a bus - using our Rav Kav cards which we had not used since Jerusalem - and went uptown to the modern and less chaotic part of Tel Aviv at Rabin Square. It was a large, two-part, bus and crowded. A woman about my age nodded to me to take her seat because she was getting off. Then a young woman sat beside me. When she realized I was with Steve and he was standing, she gave him her seat. This has happened to us a few times on buses here. We must be looking older. Twice young women have given their seats to Steve.
I had almost rented an apartment in that area so we walked along the street it is on to see what it would be like. It is a quiet street and close to the more downtown things, plus the Art Museum. I think it would have worked for us. Maybe next time. Here is the link:
NOYA'S GARDEN MIDTOWN APARTMENT, BEST LOCATION!
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/17274107
A very quiet neighborhood, walking distance to the main streets, close to the Tel Aviv Museum, the Opera House, HaBima square, City Hall etc.
From map on AirBnb: on Dubnov Street, off Sderot Sha'ul HaMelech, east of Shlomo Ibn Gabirol St.
We walked over to Sarona Market which is the opposite of the Carmel Market near us. It is more like an American mall if all the shops were either food shops or restaurants. There were a lot of people.
We were looking for the bagel place in the Market but did not find it, so left and walked a few blocks to Tal Bagels, where we had an excellent lunch. The guy serving us was friendly and entertaining. Steve had a bagel with baked salmon, I had the bagel for one which is a bagel, choice of 3 spreads, salad, fresh juice (I had pomegranate), and coffee (which I gave to Steve). The price was 53NIS I think, about $15. When you consider that a coffee is usually 10NIS and a fresh juice 10NIS, the meal was a bargain. For spreads I had a vegan eggplant, cream cheese with garlic and chives and avacado. They gave us a plate of pickles and two brownies complimentary. It was just like being at a deli in New York City!
It was starting to rain harder and google maps pointed us to a nearby bus stop for the 25 bus which would take us a few blocks from our place. We walked to the bus stop but there was no list of the numbers of buses stopping there, like there usually is. I asked two women at the stop if the 25 stopped here and a teenage girl jumped in to tell us it was a small bus and would be coming in a minute. It was and it did.
I couldn't drink my pomegranate juice after that huge lunch, so brought it with me. I did not bring enough warm weather clothing on this trip, so was wearing my light colored linen trousers that I wore all the time we were in the Negev. You can guess what happened on the way home - bright red stains. But I didn't spill the drink, it just leaked, and everything washed out.
The washing machine in this apartment smelled perfumey because of the scented laundry soap they use. When we arrived I ran a cycle with white vinigar in the machine and it removed all the fragrance (I did this in the Jerusalem apartment too). There is a dryer but I don't know of any easy way to remove fragrance from a dryer, so I have been drying clothes on a rack. I thought I would have to hand wash things (which I really hate doing because I am so lazy) so am very happy I can use the machine.
I travel with our own set of sheets and needed them for this apartment. In Jerusalem they provided unscented sheets for us, but no such luck here. The owner of this apartment assured me that they never use scent sticks or scented candles, but he would not ask his cleaner to do fragrance free sheets and towels (that was going too far and I had offered to bring our own sheets). Of course, when we arrived I found scent sticks in the bathroom and several scented candles around the apartment. I hid them away under the sink.
By the time we got back to the apartment, after 2pm, the rain had stopped and it was sunny. We hung around for a bit, then walked the length of our Shabazi Street looking at the shops, and ended up at the Old Train Station. This is where Jews arriving in Israel on boats in Jaffa Port took the train to Jerusalem. We stayed near the Old Train Station in Jerusalem. They have done the same here, turned it into shops and restaurants. Amazing to stand there looking at the tracks and the station and think about the people coming here to start new lives before Israel was even a country.
Dinner in tonight.
I thought Jerusalem was the only city where buses stop on Friday afternoon and start again Sunday morning, but I was wrong. All the cities do that, I think, except Haifa, where buses run but it is a reduced service. Good thing Steve looked it up. I was assuming we could use the buses this weekend.
Walking around the Florentin this morning, Steve remembered visiting his grandparents in Toronto in a similar looking neighborhood. He said it was like a European shetl (I must be spelling that wrong). His grandfather had a "shmata" shop (I am sure I have spelled that wrong - I could ask Steve but then he would know what I am writing) - clothing and rags. This trip has been amazing for Steve. At one point he said he likes being in a place where people look like him and his relatives. Steve is one of the most un-Jewish Jews you will meet, but Israel is having an effect on him. And me.
ItalophileNJ
100+ Posts
Enjoying your trip! I think Haifa is the only place in Israel where public transport runs on Shabbat, because of status quo ante, they were running before the State was established. But many if not most restaurants are open, as most Tel Aviv restaurants aren’t kosher.
Florentine —- I walked briefly through this funky neighborhood. There is an interesting Graffiti Tour of the neighborhood that I had wanted to take, with this guy —- named Guy—- whose podcasts I sometimes listen to. Not sure if it’s your thing, and he only does it a couple of days a week.
Tomorrow the Nachalat Benyamin market will be on; a really interesting crafts market that runs for the length of that street. Also the best granita outside of Sicily is on that street (Arte Siciliana???). I can check the name later.
Florentine —- I walked briefly through this funky neighborhood. There is an interesting Graffiti Tour of the neighborhood that I had wanted to take, with this guy —- named Guy—- whose podcasts I sometimes listen to. Not sure if it’s your thing, and he only does it a couple of days a week.
Tomorrow the Nachalat Benyamin market will be on; a really interesting crafts market that runs for the length of that street. Also the best granita outside of Sicily is on that street (Arte Siciliana???). I can check the name later.
Agree with you completely! Arte is the name. Started by a young Italian couple a few years ago. Imo probably the best ice cream in the country, takes you to Italy without the strikes in Alitalia...
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ItalophileNJ
100+ Posts
A year ago May I was in Tel Aviv and the temperature was above 95 F. Just a short walk through the Nachalat Binyamina crafts market wiped me out and when I saw that teeny place with granita I thought it might be a mirage. I went inside, ordered, sat down, wow. Everything was wonderful, the granita, servers....
Another good ice cream place in Tel Aviv is Buza ("buza" is a Mid-East type of Arabic ice cream) . The original shop opened in Tarshicha in the Galilee, as a joint business venture between an Israeli Jew and an Israeli Arab. The Jewish guy is a gelato freak, went to learn the ropes in Italy, and found his partner when he returned. The shop in Tel Aviv is on Hashmonaim Street. I think they have two or three other shops in the country.
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Pauline
Forums Admin
Thanks for this recommendation! It took us to an interesting part of town!
It rained heavy in the night, with lightening and thunder. It was still raining in the morning. Once it stopped we went out to buy groceries and food for Shabbot. (I feel like I am playing at being Jewish! Oy!) The location of this apartment is excellent (except for the flight path which I am getting used to - there goes one now). It was a 5 minute walk to the southern end of Carmel Market. This market is incredible! The southern end has all the food stalls. The northern end is clothes, purses, household things. Places to eat are scattered around.
The market was packed today with people buying food for the weekend. We bought challah, some fruit and vegetables, juice and then we went to a place where you buy prepared meals. It is open all week but on Friday morning they had twice the amount of food out because religious people buy food for Shabbot when they can’t cook. We bought vegetables, salad and a piece of fish for Steve.
We took everything home in case the rain started again, then headed out again.
We walked up to the Nachalat Benyamin market that @ItalophileNJ suggested. There were not that many crafts booths, probably because of the rain, but what a great area! It is several blocks that is pedestrian only and it is on one side of the market. This time we went into the market at the north end. This market is huge, maybe 10 blocks long and 3 or 4 across. It was even more crowded than earlier so we looked around a bit the cut out of the crowds to a side street.
It was quite a street scene at the entrance with musicians playing and people listening. The people watching is amazing. You see young and old and in between, religious, non religious, normal looking people, people in very young, hip outfits, people of many ethnic groups. Mostly Jews I imagine but Arab women in traditional dress too, so there must be Arab men too.
At each end of the market is a table with several orthodox Jewish men asking other Jewish men to pray with them and wrap Tiffilen. Steve was “caught” by one of these guys at the Western Wall at the start of our trip and I was moved seeing him do the prayers. This time though he stepped sharpish to the side and avoided them.
I had an amazing juice at Uzi Elie, a place @joe recommended. He makes juices combined with herbs for their healing powers.
Next, lunch. There is a falafel place we read about near the market, Razon, but when we joined the long line we were behind a vaper spewing his scent chemicals in the air, so we decided to do a 20 minute walk north to Falafel Gabay which Joe had recommended. It was really good. We sat out an outside table.
By now it was around 2pm and the skies were darkening. We walked home along the seafront. We dashed back into the market for some cookies (yes, for me) and the rain started. Rain jackets on and we dashed home.
I saw there was flash flooding in the Judean Hills near Jerusalem. Tel Aviv was nice after the rain. Interesting smells from the plants and it was cooler. I got to wear a cotton sweater for the first time since Jerusalem.
We had a bit more rain but the weather for our last few days here is forecast to be sunny and dry, temps in the low 70s.
Before we left on this trip we got several rooms ready to be painted but our painter was sick and not able to paint so we will return to a house with furniture pushed away from the walls and my squares of painted samples on the walls. You know you are coming to the end of a trip when you start remembering about home.
ItalophileNJ
100+ Posts
I'm so glad you had an enjoyable day at the Nahalat Binyamin crafts market; it's generally got a surprising number of nice handmade things (and I am NOT a big shopper, whatever little gifts I got on my last trip I bough there).
The Chabad Lubavitch puller inners are quite a phenomenon, in so many cities, in New York of course and lately even in Montclair on warm Friday afternoons. One of my friends, when asked by a Lubavitch if he's laid tefillin that day likes to say "no, but my wife has", which in his case is true, But he can't get a rise out of theChabad guy. (There are quite a number of women who daven and put on tefillin daily; remember the scene in the first season of Srugim where Nati has fallen asleep and slept over at Yifat's apartment and has no tefillin but refuses to borrow them from Yifat's female neighbor, whom he refers to as an American reform lesbian....) Oy.
Looking forward to reading about how you spend your Shabbat in very secular Tel Aviv. ;-)
The Chabad Lubavitch puller inners are quite a phenomenon, in so many cities, in New York of course and lately even in Montclair on warm Friday afternoons. One of my friends, when asked by a Lubavitch if he's laid tefillin that day likes to say "no, but my wife has", which in his case is true, But he can't get a rise out of theChabad guy. (There are quite a number of women who daven and put on tefillin daily; remember the scene in the first season of Srugim where Nati has fallen asleep and slept over at Yifat's apartment and has no tefillin but refuses to borrow them from Yifat's female neighbor, whom he refers to as an American reform lesbian....) Oy.
Looking forward to reading about how you spend your Shabbat in very secular Tel Aviv. ;-)
They are a stubborn and pesky bunch, but OTOH if you are even an eighth of a Jew and stuck somewhere in the world with a flat tire or a sick companion, chances are that they will be there to help you long before the rental company, the local police, the embassy or Delta Force...
Pauline
Forums Admin
Today we did almost nothing. The rain is gone and it was sunny and warm. We walked along the seaside in a nice park area, down to Jaffa. There were a lot of people out walking and biking. It was too crowded to do a fast walk so we strolled.
The water was rough and there were a lot of surfers.
We walked back through our neighbourhood. Most shops were closed for Shabbot but some galleries and cafes were open. Lots of people out walking.
I’ve forgotten how crowded cities can be on the weekend. We spent the afternoon enjoying the sun on our terrace.
The water was rough and there were a lot of surfers.
We walked back through our neighbourhood. Most shops were closed for Shabbot but some galleries and cafes were open. Lots of people out walking.
I’ve forgotten how crowded cities can be on the weekend. We spent the afternoon enjoying the sun on our terrace.
Pauline
Forums Admin
Today we walked and walked. Almost 9 miles.
We walked from our apartment in Neve Tzedek to the seaside promenade and walked north to The Old Port. It was a port until the 1960s but now is an outdoor mall that would not be out of place in an American city. We had coffee sitting at an outside table in the sunshine. Perfect weather today, sunny and warm. Wearing short sleeves - and it is almost December!
Then we turned inland, east, along the Yarkon River. There is a park along the river, on both sides, and the Israel National Trail follows this route. We walked all the way to the next suburb of Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan (perhaps it is a city). By now it was 2pm and we had walked over 7 miles. We stopped at an Aroma (chain restaurant) and shared a huge sandwich. They had several vegetarian options. We got “Sabich” which I though was street food but their version was a sandwich with potato, egg, eggplant, and red pepper spread. The young woman asked if we wanted white or black bread. People are so confident in their English here that it is funny when they say something so obviously wrong. We chose black.
Then we walked down the Main Street of Ramat Gan for about 30 minutes to the street where a friend lived 44 years ago. The apartment building that he lived in was about to be torn down! We got there just in time! We took photos and emailed some to him. Ramat Gan was noisy and busy where we started, but down here it was quiet, peaceful.
We hoped on a bus that took us through more of this area and then into central Tel Aviv where we got off at the natural food shop we like. I bought things to take home - tahini, sesame seeds (@Amy says they are really fresh here), organic olive oil, halvah in small packages, dates for friends (Joe gave us enough dates to last for months). Then back on the bus and home. By now it was 5pm, dark out and cooling off.
We went out for dinner to the vegan restaurant we went to our first night, Zakaim.
Yesterday I was overwhelmed by the city and tired. I am happy that we rested most of the day. I really enjoyed today.
I am liking Tel Aviv, but Jerusalem is my city.
We walked from our apartment in Neve Tzedek to the seaside promenade and walked north to The Old Port. It was a port until the 1960s but now is an outdoor mall that would not be out of place in an American city. We had coffee sitting at an outside table in the sunshine. Perfect weather today, sunny and warm. Wearing short sleeves - and it is almost December!
Then we turned inland, east, along the Yarkon River. There is a park along the river, on both sides, and the Israel National Trail follows this route. We walked all the way to the next suburb of Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan (perhaps it is a city). By now it was 2pm and we had walked over 7 miles. We stopped at an Aroma (chain restaurant) and shared a huge sandwich. They had several vegetarian options. We got “Sabich” which I though was street food but their version was a sandwich with potato, egg, eggplant, and red pepper spread. The young woman asked if we wanted white or black bread. People are so confident in their English here that it is funny when they say something so obviously wrong. We chose black.
Then we walked down the Main Street of Ramat Gan for about 30 minutes to the street where a friend lived 44 years ago. The apartment building that he lived in was about to be torn down! We got there just in time! We took photos and emailed some to him. Ramat Gan was noisy and busy where we started, but down here it was quiet, peaceful.
We hoped on a bus that took us through more of this area and then into central Tel Aviv where we got off at the natural food shop we like. I bought things to take home - tahini, sesame seeds (@Amy says they are really fresh here), organic olive oil, halvah in small packages, dates for friends (Joe gave us enough dates to last for months). Then back on the bus and home. By now it was 5pm, dark out and cooling off.
We went out for dinner to the vegan restaurant we went to our first night, Zakaim.
Yesterday I was overwhelmed by the city and tired. I am happy that we rested most of the day. I really enjoyed today.
I am liking Tel Aviv, but Jerusalem is my city.