Street Art
Tel Aviv’s graffiti is both intriguing and extremely creative. It’s almost always in the form of an illustration, rather than the normal scribbled or bubbly name tags I see at home in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
What I love so much about the street art pictured in this post is that each one conveys a message. Some are humorous, some are inspiring. There is always something new to see and half the time I don’t have my camera- so this is just a tiny sliver of what’s out there.
Spring Break
Spring is here! Israel, although located smack in the middle of a desert region, has pockets of lush countryside which is now covered in green and scattered with wildflowers. Though Tel Aviv is a beautiful and exciting place, there is nothing quite as refreshing as leaving the city and taking a trip to the North. Northern Israel is where all the country’s fresh water is located, in the Sea of Galilee and from the melting snow on Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights (yes, it snows here!).
The Golan Heights was captured from Syria during the Six Day War in the 1960s, and later Israel annexed this region in the 1980s (not recognized by the entire international community). Syria will demand this land back as part of any peace treaty, and Israel is willing to give back most of this land. The only point of contention is where to draw the border. We drove with 2 friends through this area last week, spotting many leftover hilltop & roadside bunkers, on the way to our hike.
Rolling hills of Ireland….i mean ISRAEL!
We hiked an area called Nahal El-Al. The 4 mile trail leads across a mountain ridge, down a valley to the White Waterfall, and then winds upstream to the Black Waterfall.
Both waterfalls are perfect for resting to eat lunch and to cool down with a swim. The white waterfall, above, is 46 feet high and the water has actually carved away the black basalt to reveal the white chalk stone underneath.
White Waterfall from the trail above.
Thistle – a wildflower or a weed? Either way, I like these prickly purple plants.
View from the trail, heading back to our car, of the a rocky cliff covered in prickly pear cactus.
Passover break definitely marks the beginning of tourist season. The amount of English speakers we hear in Tel Aviv has doubled and it will only continue to increase as the weather heats up. We had a great “holiday”: enjoying a delicious seder dinner at our friend’s house, going to the beach, exploring parts of town we’ve never been, and being active. Michael’s school break ends today and he will start on his last stretch of classes at Tel Aviv University. At the end of this semester, his business school is taking them all on a trip to China (lucky!!).
We have less than 4 months left in this crazy/beautiful country. Let the countdown begin….
Our love to you all!
Street Scenes
Here’s a look into the day-to-day happenings, lifestyle and atmosphere in Tel Aviv.
They take their plastic recycling seriously here and I love it! These bins are placed everywhere in this city.
By far, the MOST popular game in T.A. is paddleball. It’s not the light-hearted paddleball I’ve seen in California. It’s actually quite dangerous as players slam the ball as hard at they can at each other and wear gloves to prevent their hands from blistering! At almost any beach you will hear the pop-pop-pop of paddleball over the sound of the sea.
2nd most popular game is backgammon and pairs of older men speckle the sidewalks and beachfront picnic tables.
A gas station convenience store with an awkward slogan… Maybe they needed a spell checker? I’m wondering if they really meant “Refuel” yourself.
I think these contraptions are hilarious but really effective! When an apartment is being remodeled, these rainbow ‘garbage can’ looking plastic tubes are connected and demolition is dropped from more than 4 stories high. Bombs away!!
Who’s in charge here? A funny looking dog in a fabric store in the crafty district of Tel Aviv.
Inlaid doors to an apartment in Neve Tsedek, the first settlement of Tel Aviv
One night when wandering Jaffa’s alleyways, we turned the corner to this surprise- a suspended orange tree. Very dramatic!
Well, time is really flying! We can’t believe it is already March 1, but I bet a lot of you are looking forward to Spring just like we are. I wanted to share an article that follows up on some of the constant conflict I mentioned in my last post regarding Dome of the Rock. It’s frustrating that this happens all the time:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8541428.stm
Keep in touch! Love, Annie & Michael
Dome of the Rock
Temple Mount & The Dome of the Rock are the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City, and arguably the heart of Israel. It’s gold dome punctuates every panoramic photo of the city. This land has ignited centuries of passionate arguments and violence which has made it one of the most controversial, unique and sacred places on Earth.
A trip to the Temple Mount is either an amazing experience- or no experience at all! The security guards can decide to close entrance to non-Muslims whenever they please and sometimes turn away visitors at the gate even when it is open. According to one of the guards, the interior of the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque have been closed to non-Muslim visitors since 9/11 (I don’t entirely believe this, as I’ve read accounts of people visiting since then. I think they constantly change their stories).
On my third attempt, I was finally granted access to walk around the beautiful grounds. It was a freezing, overcast morning in December and we were lucky to be one of the only groups touring the Mount that day.
First glimpse towards the Dome of the Rock & the multi-colored marble columns.
The holy rock inside this building is also called the Foundation Stone. Jewish scholars believe that from this stone, God created the world. Later, it was the location where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son for God. It is the 3rd holiest place for Muslims, who believe it is the site where their prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven.
Can’t believe I actually got this photo without stray people wandering through!
Close up of the brightly painted tile & Arabic scripture across the top.
Carvings, mosaics, marbles, tiles, stripes, patterns….all under one dome…wow.
El Kas fountain,carved from one single piece of stone, is encircled with sacred washing stations for cleansing prior to prayer.
We left Jerusalem that afternoon to spend a day relaxing at the Dead Sea, and on the drive came upon this caravan of camels!
Well- The winter is officially over in Israel. Michael has started his 2nd semester of graduate school with an intense courseload. I’m trying to get back into shape after eating way too much on our trip to Italy, and am getting ready for the next wave of our friends who are visiting. If you have ever thought about visiting Israel & The Middle East….I urge you…the time to visit is NOW!
A whirlwind trip & a new year
It is hard to believe we are coming up to our 6-month mark of living in Tel Aviv. 2009 was a year of many gifts for us- one of them being our families’ visits here and the memorable travels we took together.
My parents flew to Tel Aviv on Christmas Day, readjusting our tradition of celebrating & hosting the holidays at their house. We did not waste a moment of the week they spent in Israel. Of course, we had to visit the “must-sees” of Israel (Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, and Tel Aviv) but we also were able to fit in some very unique trips down unknown roads and to smaller towns.
The first half of the visit, we only used public transportation to get around- trains, taxis, sheruts (vans which drive routes through town with the option of getting on/off wherever one wants). This is the real Israel experience 
One morning, we took the train up the coast to the town of Acre (pronounced akko in Hebrew) for an overnight trip. Akko, a UNESCO heritage city, is a blend of east & west. The walled, old city and citadel served as a stronghold in the Middle East for the Crusaders. Later, the city was inhabited by an Arab population who built the large mosque and Turkish baths marking the center of town. We saw all of this in one day and also managed to wander down the alleys at the local shuk, eat in a hummus shop, and find a great hotel in a historic building which once served as army accomodations, then a boys’ schoolhouse, and lastly the courthouse before renovation in 2000. Even though Akko was a quick day trip, it left a lasting impression all of us.
Hookahs of every color and size! It’s always fun to walk through the shuk. Every town sells something a little different, and Akko’s Arab population definitely influenced what was for sale here.
Fish! Lots of fish…I especially enjoyed this display’s creativity.
The dining room- one of the citadel fortress’ large underground rooms with ceilings arching upwards of 30 ft.
Underground tunnels connected Acre. The amazing story is these tunnels were just found in 1994, when a woman living above the tunnel called to complain of sewer blockage. Their discovery was the largest tunnel that was semi-destroyed, trashed and forgotten about for 800 years.
We emerged from the tunnels to this electric pink sunset!
Walking on top of the old city walls & looking back towards the West.
I still have so many photographs, stories, and trips I want to share. I hope to fill 2010 with many more blogs… L’Chaim (cheers!) to the new year and thanks to each of our friends and family for reading & leaving us thoughtful comments.
Now, I’m onto filtering through the tons of photographs I took while visiting the Dome of the Rock for my next post. Check back soon!
Blogs to come: Dome of the Rock, Camping Trip, Surfing in Israel and Tel Aviv Street Scenes.
PETRA: Red Rose City
After many failed attempts to extend my tourist visa, and with only 2 days left before I became an “illegal alien”- we had to scramble and leave the country! At Israel’s Ministry of the Interior, we had several people explain to us that the easiest way to get a new visa is to simply leave the country and cross back a couple days later (with a new 3-month tourist visa). Instead of paying $200 to the government, the money could be put towards a fantastic, quick vacation.
It was a no brainer- we were going to Jordan….to PETRA!!
Getting to Jordan: We took a short, 1-hr flight to Eilat after Michael’s last class of the day. A gracious friend-of-a-friend met Michael & I when we crossed the Israel/Jordan border down by the Red Sea. Our initial plans were to meet him, and then hire a driver to take us to Petra that night so that we would have the entire next day to explore. These plans were quickly ditched.
Why? Jordanians are some of the most hospitable, welcoming people we have ever met.
Our new friend (and his 14-yr old daughter as translator) invited us to stay at their house so that they could show us their town & help us arrange our trip to Petra. It felt rude to refuse their offer. SO, we spent the night drinking tea, dipping our toes into the Red Sea, smoking a little “hubbly bubbly” (hookah) and eating hummus on large flatbreads. We learned that the family is one of the largest and wealthiest in town as many people stopped on the street to greet them. At the end of the night, our driver & hotel in Petra had been booked and paid for by the father, and they gave us our own apartment to sleep in before waking early. We were up the next day before sunrise and our driver was waiting outside to take us to Petra…
PETRA
Petra was recently named one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World”. Its beauty, uniqueness and sheer size are beyond words.
“The Siq”, the entrance to all of Petra’s sights, is a long, narrow passageway which served to protect the ancient city. It was dramatic & breathtaking as we wound our way down the quiet corridor, anticipating the final turn and the famous view of The Treasury.
The Treasury, which is the most famous site in Petra (featured in Indiana Jones!).
After a full day of sightseeing, we had drinks and dinner on a rooftop while watching the sunset over the Jordanian mountains. Then, we put our hiking shoes back on (now orange from the dirt!) and went back to see “Petra by Night”. This night tour was unforgettable- the paths were candlelit until we reached the Treasury, where we sat on blankets around hundreds of candles. We listened to 3 Bedouin musicians and everyone was served hot tea.
WADI RUM
Wadi Rum, an area where huge rock formations rise out of the flat desert, is a large valley in Southern Jordan that used to be underwater. We came here the next morning for a couple of hours before we had to leave for the last bus to Tel Aviv due to shabbat hours. We hired a driver for a jeep tour and he took us to climb a sandstone & granite mountain, up a massive, red sand dune, and over a rock bridge- even stopping midway in a Bedouin style tent for tea. For as short as we were there, we loved what we saw and want to go back to Jordan as soon as possible…. who knows, maybe when this visa expires .
We hope everyone has a nice holiday!
Love & Miss you,
Annie & Michael
North of the Galilee
As we drove past the Galilee Sea for an overnight trip with Michael’s family and our close friends, we left behind the busy cities and entered the calm, peaceful countryside of Northern Israel. Rosh Pina, a popular vacation town for Israelis, was our destination– but we really had no idea what to expect because our friends arranged the trip. We pulled up to “Villa Tehila”, a farmhouse converted into a charming bed & breakfast which Tehila and her husband have owned for the past 40 years. This place had so much character and you could see the love and hard work they had put into it!
The treetop rooms for Michael’s parents & friends.
The inner courtyard looking towards the upstairs dining room where we were served a large, traditional Israeli breakfast. The view looked out across the valley to the Golan mountains.
Another courtyard shot looking towards our room which was once the mules’ stable!
This hotel had it all — sauna, jacuzzi, pool, underground game room, animals and even an Irish/Bedouin bar that unfortunately wasn’t open during our stay. A truly relaxing 24 hours!
The next morning, we drove through the town of Tsfat- the center of Kaballah and Jewish mysticism and down to the ruins of Beit She’an. This ancient city (like most in Israel!) was ruled by many groups over time- Egyptians, Christians, Romans, Greeks & Arabs. It was one of the 10 most important centers of Greco-Roman culture in the Middle East. During Roman rule, Pagans, Jews & Samaritans lived together and the thriving city expanded by adding magnificent public buildings.
This amphitheater used to hold up to 7,000 people with colorful granite & marble colums as its striking backdrop. Amazing acoustics here!
Doing a couple dance moves for the crowd..ha ha.
Intricately carved columns along the collonade leading from the theater to temples, the commerical center and bathhouses.
Another shot of the collonade, which was once lined with shops.
Floor of the Byzantine bath house. In this hall, fires along the outer rims would send hot air flowing through this floor to heat the water above for bathing.
Beit She’an was devastated by an earthquake in the 8th century and lost most of its population & importance… the city was almost forgotten. Archeological excavations began in the 1920s, but still only 1/10 of this city has been uncovered. We have found this similar theme in many of the historical sites in Israel, as they are preservering their history underground for future generations to discover.
Back in Tel Aviv….a block from our house is Hayarkon Park with a river running through all the way to the Mediterranean sea. Hayarkon to Tel Aviv is like the Golden Gate Park of San Francisco or Central Park of NYC. We are living a great life! What’s new: Michael’s business program has him very busy with group projects and he has joined an extracurricular group called “MBA Cares” that teams business students with local non-profit organizations. Annie got a writing gig reviewing performances, concerts and nightlife for the website Tel Aviv City. She’ll post a link to her first article once it’s published!
Our next update will be all about our trip to PETRA!!
Jerusalem
Where do I even start?
Our whirlwind trip to Jerusalem was 2 nights/3 days and it was way too short. This city is just incredible, and I am anxiously waiting for the next time Michael & I can return.
I can’t even begin to give a brief history of Jerusalem because nothing here is brief– there are layers upon layers of history and civilizations (not just Jews, Muslims & Christians- also Romans, Turks, Persians, Egyptians, British and more) have fought over this land forever . The only way to understand it all is to visit yourself
Large stained glass window by Marc Chagall inside Hadassah hospital’s synagogue (3 panels on each wall forming a square). Each window represents one of the 12 sons of Jacob from whom came the Twelve tribes of Israel. The fantastic artistry of Chagall portrays each of their stories. WOW- these were breathtaking and unlike anything I have ever seen.
View of the Old City from our hotel. I felt small and insignificant walking below these ancient, bullet ridden walls. We spent a full day inside the Old City, saw only some of the majors sites and wandered through its 4 quarters: Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian.
Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the holiest Christian site in Jerusalem. The energy inside this church was CRAZY, almost hectic, with so many denominations coming together in one place. According to tradition, this stone is where Jesus’ body was laid after he was taken down from the cross and prepared for his burial. There were many orthodox Christians rubbing, kissing and praying around this stone. On a side note: this is not your typical architecture of a church! It felt maze-like with rooms within rooms, and many arches, columns & domes of different styles everywhere you looked.
The famous wailing wall, with Temple Mount atop. This is the holiest site in the world for Jews, as this wall was once an outer wall of their Temple. There is a tradition is to write your prayer on a small piece of paper, fold it up and stick it into one of the cracks between the stones. When I walked closer up (women pray on the right/men on the left) the prayer papers were overflowing out of the rocks and onto the ground. This is an incredibly special place.
Michael climbing one of the Old City walls with part of the new city in the backfround. This area was a huge archeological dig.
At the market in Jerusalem…… we both could spend all day just taking photos here. Pomegranites are really popular here, especially at juice stands where they are freshly squeezed for your order & you can add a little orange, or pineapple, or apple, or carrot, or whatever you fancy.
Spice towers
Passionfruit
Barrels of seeds, spices, nuts
Let’s just say there is some great people watching
Back in Tel Aviv, Michael has started his MBA program (which he has been loving) and I have been taking Gaga/modern classes a couple times a week. We were finally given some fall weather, and there have been thunderstorms here for the past 3 days!
Happy Halloween everyone! We miss you!
Floating in יָם הַמֶּלַח (Yam Hamelach – The Dead Sea)
Jordan to the east, West Bank and Jerusalem to the north and Annie, Michael, Janet and Larry 400 meters below sea level, the lowest place on Earth. 8-times saltier than the ocean, the Dead Sea is one of the world’s saltiest bodies of water, with 33% salinity. The salty waters and surrounding desert make for a pretty harsh environment where no plants or animals survive…hence its name.
Bordering The Dead Sea is the popular tourist destination Masada, derived from the Hebrew word metzuda, meaning fortress. King Herod fortified the isolated rock plateau/mesa around 35BC as a refuge for himself in the event of a revolt. After the destruction of the Jewish Temple during the First Jewish-Roman War in 66AD, a group of Jewish extremists fled Jerusalem and settled on the mountain top – using it as a base for raiding Roman settlements. Roman governor, Lucius Flavius Silva, led a march against Masada and laid siege to the fortress. After numerous failed attempts to breach its steep walls, the Romans built an impressive rampart against the Western face of the plateau. When they finally entered the fortress, they discovered that its inhabitants had set all the buildings ablaze and committed mass suicide rather than face certain slavery, rape and death.
On our way to The Dead Sea, we stopped at my father’s good friend’s house for lunch. Amer is the mayor of Segev Shalom, a Bedouin town settled by his father in the 70′s. The woman in the middle, one of Amer’s 50 siblings, cooked us this enormous Bedouin feast!
View of The Dead Sea and the mountains of Jordan from our hotel in Kibbutz Ein Gedi. Located on an oasis, the lush gardens are a stark juxtaposition to the barren, salty surroundings of The Dead Sea.
Annie floatin’ in The Dead Sea. Swimming here is very surreal, YOU FEEL LIKE A CORK! You can literally stand straight up without treading water. Forget about getting your head wet, shaving your legs or peeing…or face the wrath of a salty sting!
The famous Dead Sea Mud! Thanks to all the salt and minerals, this mud is shipped all over the world. Rather than pay $10 an ounce at a beauty salon, all you need to do is DIG! It leaves your skin silky smooth, and Annie’s yellow bikini stained!
View of the Judean Desert and surrounding mountains from atop Masada.
After floating in the salty waters, bathing in the mineral mud and baking in the desert sun we took a hike to the refreshing oasis pools/waterfalls of Wadi David. Here we found a secluded pool all to ourselves.
CANNON BALL!!!
Kibbutz Life
Hi everyone! It makes us so happy to hear all the positive feedback on the blog. I have to give credit to Michael for a lot of the photos…he has a great eye too!
Well, a lot has happened since I last posted. We spent the Jewish high holidays, Rosh Hashana (new year celebration) and Yom Kippur (2 days of atonement & repentence), at Michael’s close family friend’s house in Kibbutz Mefalsim, located here- South of Tel Aviv on the edge of the Negev desert. Arahle & Mazal have generously opened up their home and dinner table to us many times since we arrived in Israel, and they were also a BIG help in securing our apartment. Then, about a week and a half ago Michaels’ parents visited us in Tel Aviv and we took a roadtrip around the country in Arahle & Mazal’s car…..we were able to squeeze a lot in: down to the Kibbutz for shabbat dinner, to the Dead Sea, Jerusalem, a Bedouin town in the Negev, and up to Northern Israel near the sea of Galilee. More on our travels in the post to come
I wanted to share some photos of their peaceful, Morrocan inspired home, the delicious dinners, and how life carries on in their precarious location so close to Gaza.
We’ve spend many hours just sitting here, relaxing, drinking coffee or Goldstar (Israel’s best beer).
Beautiful table setting for Rosh Hashana dinner….before the mass amount of food Mazal cooks!
Only a SMALL part of our dinner which included 4-5 salads, spicy fish, honey-barbequed chicken, beef brisket, fresh bread, brown rice with golden raisins & almonds, homemade baba ghanoush, beets, carrots, roasted red peppers & eggplant and more. Traditionally apples & honey are eaten on Rosh Hashana to welcome a sweet new year. This is followed by tiramisu, stewed figs w/ ice cream, and a berry cake!!!
We love their puppy… “Pitch”, which every Israeli pronounces “PEACH!”. For a good month we thought they named their dog after the fruit, but now we know the daughter named her “Pitch” because she came up with the idea when pitching a storyboard for a movie.
Memorial close to the Kibbutz for a soldier that went to Arahle’s high school. Haunting bells in front of the Gaza skyline.
Bomb shelters & children’s art at the Shar HaNegev school where Arahle is the principal
After dinner……stuffed, a little drunk, and very happy.
Keep your eye out for Michael’s post tomorrow which will highlight parts of our trip with a lot more photos.
