Tel Aviv/Herzlia Day 3 Tuesday part 1

Shalom all.

Even with the early jetlag rise, and after going back to bed, I woke up at sunrise. It was beautiful. I took a series of pics across the city, literally in a lateral, horizontal fashion across Tel Aviv at sunrise.

Now there is a new ship out in the water. An ELAL 747-400 came from the East, assuming Bangkok? buzzed around T/A, to the ocean, then out over the ocean turned around and into Ben Gurion. I would love to know the routing and where in the East did it come from?
I know it didn't fly over downtown Jeddah, that is for dang sure.

I actually did catch some more shuteye, then morning tv, buffet , and shower.

Meeting Dov at 1030 am in the lounge. Saved me lot's of time. I am supposed to meet an American/Israeli guy with an Australian cowboy hat on. Ok.............

Got up to the lounge with a shopping bag:camera, film, and some airline goodies for them flyertalker people. Was able to grab some food but no computer, it was spoken for, oh well, the lovely ladies at home had to wait. LOL

I was watching a mix of Israel 2, Steiiiin, and CNN. Orange juice and morning goodies were great. This is a busy lounge. I happened to be standing up and this guy walks in with a cowboy hat. I look at him, wave him over, Dov??? nice to meet you. He looks familiar and can't put the face. Ahhhhh, when I lived in Ohio I became very close to a guy named Art, both are lot's of fun and they look alike.

He sat down with me and we shmoozed. Not what I expected, to be honest, we saw no pics, but he was even more fun in person. I like him. He kept making me laugh and that will get ya points. He needed a smoke so we took in the sights of sprawling T/A from the outdoor balcony. He told me some very interesting stories, I will let him chime in here if he wants!? to share and then I will add those comments to my e-mail list, if he wants. Up to you, bro.

With that and my heavy leather jacket, finally didn't need it, we set off for a long walk.

I took pics of everything. Earlier on my walks I was afraid to cross the busy street, terrorfied, to be honest. These are Israeli drivers . He said the rule is you walk out into the street and they stop. I let him be the guinea pig. They actually stopped. I was shocked. During my walks, well, I was afraid. But I guess they actually do stop.

There were kitty cats everywhere and as you may know, I love cats. Hmmm an Israeli cat!? US customs would love that one.

We hiked over to one of the major boulevards, I snapped pics, and loved it. I did see a major supermarket that I wanted to go in but never made it. That I regret.

I had left my watch at home, seldom wear one, use my cell here to see the time.
The dear Sheraton Moriah did not believe in clocks in the room, the Renn. did, that drove me crazy and I had to call down to reception to check on the time. They were fine with it.

So we walked into a small shop and I bought a small, travel sized clock, can always use, eh? I didn't like the watches I saw at Heathrow or anywhere else, including here. I am very picky when it comes to watches. I have a beloved Qantas watch which their Duty Free has now discontinued selling, so now I am reluctant to wear it as I wouldn't want anything to happen to it. I know, buy a cheapie, I will, give me time, ha ha ha. Too funny!

We walked through the shops and enjoyed the scenery. It was wonderful.

We passed an ELAL office. Yeah, we're going in. They had a small security check but then inside it was great. Masses of ELAL timetables AND ticket jackets. No inflight magazines, darn. Yeah, I took a few, as many as my bag would handle! As many of you will now see circulating in your goody bags and Karl you will have a package shortly, when I get around to it.

Then Dov had to stop at the Delta ticket office. He spoke Hebrew and was duly chastized, in fun, as it is a US airline but they are Israeli, so I was just playing. They did have some interesting brochures, but didn't want to drag them, the ELAL goodies too rare.

He then saw my suffering with my coat and all and offered to drop things in the car. Bless you, my son. That was very nice.

It was freezing the first day, warmed up the next day, now it is beautiful and don't need a coat, go figure. The LY goodies needed a rest as well. We were near the Dan Hotel but didn't go inside.

Back up into the city we hit an AM PM, says that on the receipt. They had the cutest girl there and I asked her if she spoke English!? she chastized me, of course I speak English!
Ok..... I had that in Sweden when I first landed, actually I love it. Wish more people in the world could say that.

They had the usual rounds of Israeli chocolate, most of which I could get at home at the Israeli market here, in fact stopped by 2 nights ago as I was homesick, and bought a (few) chocolates as well.

Finally, the find of all finds, a Perrier bottle, not just cause it is beloved, sweet, tasty, wonderful, delicious Perrier, but now a Perrier bottle in Hebrew with English, duly added to my collection of bottles and cans from around the world. Toda

We ended up at the outdoor bazaar and Dov said he needed to tell me something right before we went in but would wait. Okkkkkkk Yeah, I knew what he was going to tell me. And if this were Jerusalem, I never would have gone.

Outdoor shops, goodies, loud music, some really good Israeli techno type, I wanted that song. I have tons of Israeli cd's, fyi. Lo and behold, kippot/yarmulke, the skulcap. What you wear Friday nights. I know/thought I took mine out at home and hence, it is still at home. I wanted to buy a new one anyway, and so for 5 shekels, it was mine.

Dov told me something that I won't repeat here, only that T/A is secular and might not be a good idea. I understand.
It stayed in my pocket but I did want to wear it. Oh well.

They did have watches but I didn't like them, sorry. Would have loved to have bought a watch in Israel. I am picky.

More goodies, more pics. I wore my lapel pin. They were playing an American song and some women were singing to the song in English, I was impressed.

-Reminds me when we were stuck in a traffic jam leaving Italian Switzerland/Locarno for Interlaken. Everyone inched along the highway nearing the famous tunnel. A carload of Dutch youth saw we were Yanks, yeah, we stand out, LOL, so they started singing a song in English just for us, we laughed and waved. This reminded me of it. I loved that.-

They were good, too.

More pics, more touring. They also had the Christian souvenirs and Dov told me another cool story, but will let him tell if he wants. I didn't see any Christian souvenirs that I specifically wanted. If I had gone to Bethlehem, too dangerous, fyi, that would have been different.

He then tells me as we leave that the place we just left is one of the biggest targets for suicide bombings in Israel. I think he said # 2. I knew it, I cringed, I ignored it, I moved on.

In Jerusalem I would NOT have gone there, I can assure you. I guess you are playing a game with the odds in Israel, like in the old Northern Ireland, like in Colombia now. ouch But you have to live your life. If it be God's will...

More walking, more touring, getting late.

It is getting time for the first Flyertalk lunch in Israel, which I had been looking forward to.

Back to the car and out of Tel Aviv. We drove past the US Embassy, which I had seen on the news at home &. I waved.

This drive was actually a good tour of Tel Aviv itself. Out to the Northern suburbs and into
Herzlia. An Orange County/Silicon Valley suburbia of glass office buildings, nice homes and flats, and even a Coffee Bean, but no Starbucks, oh well.