A Tel Aviv day (Israel, Day 8)

[rhu]

We drove out to Tel Aviv this morning. We spent two hours at the Diaspora Museum, which hasn't changed much since the last time we were there. The kids loved the exhibit of dioramas of synagogues from around the world, and for the first time in the four visits I've paid there, I actually got to see all of them. (No pictures because photography was forbidden there.) The kids, especially Tani, were very interested in the exhibits that dealt with the flow of history; less so the stuff about culture.

We drove down to Dizengoff Center for lunch.



We wandered through the mall. There were a whole bunch of food carts all over, but none of them was kosher:



Then we found a place whose name screamed "Bashert!" (Foredestined!)



It was kosher, and not really deli, and very good. I found myself wondering how people who don't keep kosher choose what restaurant to eat at --- normally, we know the entire set of available choices in advance, and we know each restaurant's strengths and weaknesses. When a normal person walks into an unfamiliar setting and has to choose where to eat, how do they assemble the information and make a decision? On the other hand, as H pointed out, the stakes are higher for us --- this is our one chance to eat out like that, and if we miss it, that's that.

Anyway, after lunch we walked up to Dizengoff Circle and admired the Agam fountain:



and Tani chased pigeons. Then we walked down to the beach:

 

So yesterday we saw the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, and today the Med Sea.

Alissa wrote "I love Israel" in the sand, and Tani tried digging a deep hole while I made shadows on the sand:

 

Then we walked back to the car and drove to Old Jaffo




A statue of the "whale". (Jonah's ship departed from Jaffo)

It was nearing sunset, and the colors were beautiful.

 

We passed three different sets of brides and grooms having their wedding pictures taken:



  

There are canons still in place from when they defended the city during the Ottoman empire




Tel Aviv at sunset (time exposure)

Then we drove to El Gaucho, an Argentinian style steak house, to meet marthag8 for dinner.



It was great to see her again and catch up on old times, and the food was pretty good. We then went back to see her apartment and her cats, and then we drove back to Efrat.

And now, to bed.

Tomorrow, we will participate in Dig for a Day. I'm really psyched.

Comments

[sethg]

How is Martha doing?

There are canons still in place from when they defended the city during the Ottoman empire

Are they Catholic or Anglican canons?

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

I was going to ask that! :-)

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

Yeah, yeah. You try typing this stuff up as fast as possible after a long day and not enough sleep and on a 92% keyboard and see how many typos YOU make.

[sethg]

But I hold YOU to a higher standard. :-P

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

I found myself wondering how people who don't keep kosher choose what restaurant to eat at --- normally, we know the entire set of available choices in advance, and we know each restaurant's strengths and weaknesses. When a normal person walks into an unfamiliar setting and has to choose where to eat, how do they assemble the information and make a decision?

I'm reminded of the day I was host-family for a young girl from Shanghai, who had never left her city of birth before. We took her to a grocery store, and she boggled at the choices: "How do you choose? How do you choose?"

You choose by asking friends, by reading reviews, by trying and tasting, by looking at menus. It's just the same as picking one box of breakfast cereal out of hundreds.