The Adventure of a Lifetime

One week! One full, busy, amazing week.
We went to the HaCarmel shuk and rubbed shoulders - really - with lots and lots of people.
I learned new words like todah (thank you) and bavakasha (please; you're welcome), slicha (excuse me) and kama ze (how much).
We saw the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee.We enjoyed a fish dinner in En Gev, fresh fruit shakes in Tel Aviv, and McDonald's on Ben Yehuda Street.
 We prayed at the stone retaining wall of the Temple and I sat on a lion statue over 2000 years old.
We walked and walked in Tel Aviv (well, I sat in Nayna's purse most of the time) and we drove through the Jezreel Valley.
And now it's time to pack up and go back to America.

We wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to go through security and passport control at the airport, so we left our hotel by taxi at 9:30 pm.
After smooth sailing through security questions and luggage check, passport control and carryon security we had more than enough time before our plane left. With shekels to spend, we ate a late dinner and did some last minute shopping.

But now what do we do? It was past our bedtimes and we were all getting sleepy.

Finally we were able to board the plane and settle in for our 15 and a half hour flight to Los Angeles.
Nayna tried several times to upgrade us to business class or at least a bulkhead seat where Papa and Nayna could stretch out their legs, but the plane was full and no one canceled their ticket.
I'll have to admit, while Papa watched movies and snoozed and Nayna listened to a recorded book and took cat naps, I snuggled into my cozy purse bed and did the bear thing - hibernation. What a wonderful gift God gave us bears. When I woke up, we were on the ground.

Jet lag again!
Our bodies still think it's 10 at night, but the clock says it's 8 in the morning. Time for breakfast.
After waiting for about a half hour for a shuttle, we were driven to our next terminal on the other side of the big airport.
By 11 am we were in the air again for our short flight home.

 Papa couldn't keep his eyes open. Nayna took a 15 minute power nap and then snapped pictures of the patchwork scenery.

Yay! We made it home safe and sound.
I was welcomed with open arms.

What an adventure! 

People, People Everywhere

Friday in Israel.
Unlike where I live in America, Friday and Saturday are different here. Friday is preparation day because on Saturday - Shabbat or Sabbath, most things close down and people take a day of rest.
Nayna and Papa had shopping to do and knew that by four in the afternoon, stores would close and the buses and sheruts wouldn't be available.
Back to the Hacarmel shuk to find treasures. A sherut ride up Ben Yehuda Street to Allenby Street and we were there.
Wow! I thought it was crowded on Monday, but now EVERYBODY was out shopping. Here's a picture from when Nayna was there several years before. She said not as many people were there then as they were this time.

 The long narrow street was wall to wall people on a mission. People who live in Tel Aviv went to buy food for their Shabbat tables. Tourists were there to find one more good deal before everything closed up. I took one look at it all and burrowed myself into Nayna's purse only to take an occasional peek. And - besides it being a warm morning anyway, all those extra bodies made for discomfort when wearing a fur coat.
Papa and Nayna made their purchases in the main shuk area and then made a mad dash down a side street and out to the open area. On Fridays, people bring their homemade things to sell and set up tables along the street. There were jewelry and toys, paintings and wall hangings, wind chimes and clothing. Anything you could ever want.

After finding our gifts, and one more yummy fruit shake we walked back down Allenby and caught a sherut for Frishman Street - one more time. Nayna had a hankering for a shawarma and knew a place on Ben Yehuda street near the supermarket.

I found out, a shawarma is thinly shaved lamb or turkey meat stuffed into a pita with Israeli salad, sauces and fries piled on top. Okay, my mouth was ready for this treat. But it was closed! As in not there anymore. And so, after a stop in the market for some packaged spices and Bugles chips, we decided to walk to our hotel and find another shawarma place on the way. We walked, and walked, and walked. No shawarma. We were hot and tired and we walked, and walked and walked some more. And then we were at our hotel. Oh bother.
Time for a nap!
More about Shabbat in my next blog.

Tel Aviv'n

Jet lag. Uch!
I was sooo tired last night and fell fast asleep. But around 2 am, my eyes popped open and I was awake. I finally fell back to sleep a few hours later, but by 7 am I was ready to begin my day.

I went to the hotel dining room for my first Israeli breakfast. It was a buffet with lots of choices. Yogurts and cheeses, eggs and potatoes, humus and breads and a salad bar! Salad for breakfast? OK, I'll be a brave little bear and try it. Of course, being a bear, I saw smoked salmon and pickled herring. Even for breakfast! Papa, Nayna and I found the orange squasher and made ourselves glasses of fresh orange juice. That was the best!
Today we explored HaCarmel shuk and met Nayna's friend.She works at a clothing shop.
To get to the shuk we took a sherut. The first one was full and passed us by. We waited another 5 minutes and saw one coming down the street. Nayna held up her hand and the van pulled up to where we stood. We didn't have exact change, but we got in, found seats and Papa passed two coins - 10 shekels each to the man in front of him. Because we were near the back, he passed it to the next person who passed it to the driver. He made change and the whole thing began again with the passing back until Papa held out his hand to receive the coins.
I stayed tucked in Nayna's purse so I was safe while Nayna and Papa stood up before the sherut stopped. That way the driver knew where to let us off.

Now for our adventure into the shuk. Lots of people, lots of voices and lots of little shops. We passed clothes, shoes, hats, school supplies, as well as jewelry and housewares. The further we walked down the narrow street with booths on both sides, the more I smelled food. Fruit and vegetable bins, spices, olives, fish, meat, cheese. But my favorite was the candy! Lots and lots of candy.
 It smelled so good.

We found a side street that took us away from the hustle and bustle and we were in a section of the shuk that was open and wide. There were still shops on both sides of the street, but there were also cafes with outside dining and benches to sit and people watch.
We passed a very old door and both Nayna and I decided we'd like a picture in front of it. I think maybe it was the door to a synagogue a long long time ago.
After our shuk walk we went across the street and got a fruit shake. Frozen fruit blended in orange juice slid down our throats and cooled our bodies. Mine especially. I'm still wearing my fur coat, don't you know.
We met Nayna's friend, shopped a little and then she told us we should walk to the Dizengoff mall. It was a short walk down King George Street, she said. Papa and Nayna walked and walked and walked some more. Thankfully I rode in Nayna's purse. My little bear legs would never have made it.

We walked inside the mall after the security guard checked Nayna's purse (with me peeking out) and the mall was huge. Three stories of stores! It was almost dinner time and we found a yummy cafeteria, got our food and sat at a tall table were we could watch the people as we ate. Fish, cole slaw and spaghetti for Nayna and me. Between us we still couldn't finish our plate - there was so much food. Now I'm really a stuffed bear.
As tired as we were, we needed to walk back to Ben Yehuda and Frishman to catch our sherut to the hotel. But which street would take us there? Thank goodness we had a map.

By the time we got back to our room, we'd walked a lot and it was still warm even though it was around 6 pm. We had a busy day. Maybe I'll sleep like a bear tonight. Tomorrow we go to Jerusalem!