After 2 days back in Rehovot, I went to Tel Aviv! Did not really see much in the 2 days, except a lot of the beach, and a lot of the sun. I managed to get a tan and avoid getting burnt!!! The weather is beautiful - sunny, with a high of 30ish and a low of 20; not a single cloud in the sky! Wednesday night was White Night (Layla Lavan) in Tel Aviv. There were people out all night along the beach and the boardwalk as well as some of the main streets. The White Night was also tied into the fact that 2009 is the 100th birthday of the city of Tel Aviv!
I bumped into 2 more people I knew in 2 seperate occasions while out for dinner before White Night, bringing the total of unexpected encouterns to 5.
After 2 days of sitting on the beach, it was time to get out of the sun. I came back to Rehovot for Shavuot and Shabbat. On Sunday I am heading back to Tel Aviv to sit on the beach yet again.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Birthright again
Today I had the day off before meeting up with my friends on Birthright. I decided to go to the market on my continuing quest to find the BEST beet soup ever. I know what your thinking - eeeeeeeeew. However, this soup is worhty of a quest of this magnitude. When I was on Birthright 2 and a half years ago I was taken to this restaurant and told to eat the beet soup. My response to this was eeeeeeeewwwww. I ended up ordering it and it was amazing! A year later I came back looking for the restaurand for over 2 hours but I couldn't find it. So my quest continues. The 3 clues I have to finding this restaurant are as follows:
1. It is a restaurant.
2. They serve the best beet soup ever.
3. The restaurant (see clue number 1) is located on a street corner near the market.
I had all day to find this place, and I was determined to do so. If you did not already think that I am crazy, now is as good a time as any to reevaluate.
I managed to find the place relatively quickly this time in only 20 minutes. With the potential for overhyping the meal, this bowl of soup did not disappoint.
The holy grail! The soup included other vegetables and some sort of meat knish.
After walking around the market I headed to the new hotel to meet up with people on Birhtright. We went to the Wall to bring in Shabbat and followed that up with partying in the hotel. Saturday was a nice day to relax, where we hung out around the hotel. After shabbat ended we went out to Ben Yehuda St. and then a nightclub.
Sunday they took us to the Old City for a sub-par tour, and then to Gilo - a suburb of Jerusalem which was right beside the West Bank city of Bethlehem as seen in the picture below.
The security barrier that separates the West Bank from Israel can be seen in (1) and (2). The majority of the barrier is a chain link fence, while only 7% of it is a concrete wall. A wall (1) is only used when the two communities are very close together to prevent terrorists from shooting at their neighbours in Israel. A fence (2) is used in all other situations. Despite this added security, the houses and apartment buildings 100 meters behind where the picture is taken from are reinforced with bullet proof windows and there are concrete barriers around the communities to protect people from sniper fire from Bethlehem which was at an all time high in 2001 - 2003. An Israeli lookout post is seen in (3).
1. It is a restaurant.
2. They serve the best beet soup ever.
3. The restaurant (see clue number 1) is located on a street corner near the market.
I had all day to find this place, and I was determined to do so. If you did not already think that I am crazy, now is as good a time as any to reevaluate.
I managed to find the place relatively quickly this time in only 20 minutes. With the potential for overhyping the meal, this bowl of soup did not disappoint.
The holy grail! The soup included other vegetables and some sort of meat knish.After walking around the market I headed to the new hotel to meet up with people on Birhtright. We went to the Wall to bring in Shabbat and followed that up with partying in the hotel. Saturday was a nice day to relax, where we hung out around the hotel. After shabbat ended we went out to Ben Yehuda St. and then a nightclub.
Sunday they took us to the Old City for a sub-par tour, and then to Gilo - a suburb of Jerusalem which was right beside the West Bank city of Bethlehem as seen in the picture below.
The security barrier that separates the West Bank from Israel can be seen in (1) and (2). The majority of the barrier is a chain link fence, while only 7% of it is a concrete wall. A wall (1) is only used when the two communities are very close together to prevent terrorists from shooting at their neighbours in Israel. A fence (2) is used in all other situations. Despite this added security, the houses and apartment buildings 100 meters behind where the picture is taken from are reinforced with bullet proof windows and there are concrete barriers around the communities to protect people from sniper fire from Bethlehem which was at an all time high in 2001 - 2003. An Israeli lookout post is seen in (3).
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Yom Yerushalayim
Today was Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day), commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem. In accordance with the Jewish calendar, 42 years ago during the 6 Day War, Israel was able to capture Jerusalem after Jordan engaged Israel in war. Prior to the 6 Day War, Jordan was occupying the city which was declared an international city upon Israel's creation in 1948. I took a bus from Rechovot to Jerusalem to partake in the festivities (most of which I missed) and meet up with friends who were on an organzied trip. There was a walking flag parade through the main streets followed by a concert and dancing at the Western Wall and fireworks to follow.
I started by walking to the wall because I was a bit early for the parade. As I was sitting to rest my legs from the long walk (appx 5 km) I bumped into someone that I went to Israel with in December. I had no idea she was still in Israel! - expect the unexpected! I later went back to the city center to find this parade, which I could not find. After walking and waiting aimlessly I decided to go back to the wall and wait there. After more waiting I finally met up with my friend as more people started to fill the Western Wall Plaza. Eventually (almost 8PM) the band started playing and people started to dance. As more and more people started to show up we decided it would be best to leave before it became too crowded to move. We had our taste of the atmosphere, and we didn't want to get stuck there all night. As we were leaving the Old City we passed by the massive parade thankful that we decided to leave when we did. We then headed to dinner and out to a bar, and ended up missing the fireworks.
In lieu of always bumping into random people I know in Israel, I figure I should keep count. I will break it down into 2 categories. First will be people that I know, but had no idea they are in Israel. The second group will be people that I know are in Israel, but I unexpectedly bump into them having not made prearranged plans to see them.
To start the countoff, in only one day in Jerusalem the tally is:
People I did not know were in Israel: 2
Unexpected encounters: 3
The day was fun but exhausting. I had hoped to see more of the festivities, but it was okay. It was a hot day I ended up walking about 15km with a backpack packed for 4 days of travelling clothes. I packed as light as possible knowing that I would be wearing it, but it was still really heavy.
Dancing at the Wall
I started by walking to the wall because I was a bit early for the parade. As I was sitting to rest my legs from the long walk (appx 5 km) I bumped into someone that I went to Israel with in December. I had no idea she was still in Israel! - expect the unexpected! I later went back to the city center to find this parade, which I could not find. After walking and waiting aimlessly I decided to go back to the wall and wait there. After more waiting I finally met up with my friend as more people started to fill the Western Wall Plaza. Eventually (almost 8PM) the band started playing and people started to dance. As more and more people started to show up we decided it would be best to leave before it became too crowded to move. We had our taste of the atmosphere, and we didn't want to get stuck there all night. As we were leaving the Old City we passed by the massive parade thankful that we decided to leave when we did. We then headed to dinner and out to a bar, and ended up missing the fireworks.
In lieu of always bumping into random people I know in Israel, I figure I should keep count. I will break it down into 2 categories. First will be people that I know, but had no idea they are in Israel. The second group will be people that I know are in Israel, but I unexpectedly bump into them having not made prearranged plans to see them.
To start the countoff, in only one day in Jerusalem the tally is:
People I did not know were in Israel: 2
Unexpected encounters: 3
The day was fun but exhausting. I had hoped to see more of the festivities, but it was okay. It was a hot day I ended up walking about 15km with a backpack packed for 4 days of travelling clothes. I packed as light as possible knowing that I would be wearing it, but it was still really heavy.
Dancing at the Wall
The sea of people at the Wall as we were leaving. The party just started, and there were thousands more people still on their way!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
It's official!
So I could start by writing all the things I love about Israel, but then I would never finish the blog, so I guess I will briefly touch upon the things I have just discovered that I dislike.
1. Google Israel. It's in hebrew, and its weird. This blog is supported by google, and its extremely hard to navigate because of the backwardsness and the hebrewness.
2. Everyone has the right of way. I like it much better in Canada where I as the pedestrian always have the right of way. Here, it becomes a game of chicken with the vehicles. Sometimes I win, and the other times I decide not to play. I NEVER LOSE!
3. The work week starts on Sunday. I'm still undecided if I actually dislike this. I guess you will have to keep reading my blog to find out the verdict :-P
And that's it. Not a heck of a lot to dislike.
I don't have too many plans until Thursday when I go to Jerusalem for Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) and meet up with my friends on a birthright trip. Until then I am just hanging out in the streets with not much to do, and still unsure of how to spend the next few days before Jerusalem. Today I went into Tel Aviv and ran some errands. One of which was to officially enlist in the IDF!!! I still have other paper work and stuff to do, but the process has begun!
Oh by the way, I'm not actually living on the streets - I am not THAT crazy and unorganized (although I'm sure some beg to differ). I'm in Rechovot with family - Rechovot means streets in Hebrew! Mom - CHILL OUT!
1. Google Israel. It's in hebrew, and its weird. This blog is supported by google, and its extremely hard to navigate because of the backwardsness and the hebrewness.
2. Everyone has the right of way. I like it much better in Canada where I as the pedestrian always have the right of way. Here, it becomes a game of chicken with the vehicles. Sometimes I win, and the other times I decide not to play. I NEVER LOSE!
3. The work week starts on Sunday. I'm still undecided if I actually dislike this. I guess you will have to keep reading my blog to find out the verdict :-P
And that's it. Not a heck of a lot to dislike.
I don't have too many plans until Thursday when I go to Jerusalem for Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) and meet up with my friends on a birthright trip. Until then I am just hanging out in the streets with not much to do, and still unsure of how to spend the next few days before Jerusalem. Today I went into Tel Aviv and ran some errands. One of which was to officially enlist in the IDF!!! I still have other paper work and stuff to do, but the process has begun!
Oh by the way, I'm not actually living on the streets - I am not THAT crazy and unorganized (although I'm sure some beg to differ). I'm in Rechovot with family - Rechovot means streets in Hebrew! Mom - CHILL OUT!
Friday, May 15, 2009
I'm here!
I finally made it back to Israel! Since I am going to be here for almost 2 years I had a lot to pack. My sister is coming in 2 weeks, so I will be getting some more clothing that will be useful for the winter, but not necessary now. As you can see in the picture below, my life has been packed into a suitcase, traveling backpack and a carry-on equaling 108 pounds.
The flight was much better than previous ones for 2 main reasons:
1. It was a direct flight. This is what can happen when I have a connecting flight. I was able to relax prior to the flight and hang out at the Air Canada VIP lounge.
2. The seat beside me was empty for half the flight - extra leg room!
The flight was much better than previous ones for 2 main reasons:
1. It was a direct flight. This is what can happen when I have a connecting flight. I was able to relax prior to the flight and hang out at the Air Canada VIP lounge.
2. The seat beside me was empty for half the flight - extra leg room!
Monday, May 4, 2009
First post
Hi everyone,
So this is my Israel blog. I haven't left yet, but I figured I could not start off with an empty blog. I will try my best to update this as often as possible. I am sure that my travels will be blog-worthy, and that you can expect regular updates. I don't have too many definite plans for the next 3 months, so I'm sure that will lead to some crazy stories, so check back regularly.
You can also follow me on twitter.
I also have skype, so email me and ask for my username.
So this is my Israel blog. I haven't left yet, but I figured I could not start off with an empty blog. I will try my best to update this as often as possible. I am sure that my travels will be blog-worthy, and that you can expect regular updates. I don't have too many definite plans for the next 3 months, so I'm sure that will lead to some crazy stories, so check back regularly.
You can also follow me on twitter.
I also have skype, so email me and ask for my username.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)