Hike

Heading up north to kibbutz of the ghetto fighters and going on a hike and to Akko and Mayb Rosh Hanikra. Beautiful and sunny and it's a quiet Shabbat morning as we prepare to make our way out of the city

Memories

every year that we have come here we have knocked on the door of the apt Harold lived in here inBet Hakerem. And no one ever answered . This time we were lucky. An almost nude fat 36 year old guy reluctantly answered the door and let us in. Harold was transported back to another time And regaled this poor fellow with stories I am sure he never wanted to hear. But oh well -it was a great experience for Harold!!!!! After that we went to the super sol that he shopped at to get some groceries. the area has become very religious and any o e we asked for I for I formation refused to speak to us. Interesting experience. We took the new tram to the old city -fantastic new transportation mode and alleviates the hassle of traffic and fighting for a parking spot.Of course Iwas starving when we got to the old city and we bought a bagele from the man in front of the Jaffa Gate . I had always wanted to do that . it was delicious of course and he sells it with a delicious spice that you dip the pulled off pieces of bread into. Yummy. Spent time in the old city and at the Wall .
yesterday we picked up Bonnie and headed to Caeseria . On the way stopped at my favorite gas station called Yakum and they have the most incredible coffee shop there called Buono Cafe . We all got coffee drinks to go and were on our way again Caeseria is beautiful and it was very peaceful. Harold got Jule to climb the aqueduct !!! Then we headed over to the ruins. We saw many brides having their pictures taken there. At that point I decided I needed to eat again so Harold and Marsha continued to explore and Jule ,Bonnie and I sat down at cafe by the sea . We had hummus and grilled eggplant and pita . marsha and Harold got stuck in the rui s because they closed the gates and they had to climb over the ramparts to get out!!!!! last nite we had dinner with the Winnipegers and all met at an outdoor shwarma stand at Frishman and Dizengof . it was awesome Here we were in Tel Aviv having dinner with our childhood friends!!!! And of course then stopes for ice cream and walked along the beach .
Today Harold ran to the market and got fresh baked goods for breakfast and we are going to walk the streets and enjoy Tel Aviv as she prepares for Shabbat!!! The energy in the city grows and grows and the day progresses. Tonite is Dina's. birthday and we are all meeti g at a restaurant on the beach for a birthday party.

I love Israel

Have been so busy eating, visiting And touring that I haven't had a moment to write. Sitting in a cafe in Jerusalem waiting for our friends at who r at Yad Vashem Will start at the most recent and work back. Yesterday was the wedding And to say it wad amazing and exquisite is not to do it justice. It was called for 3:30 near Jerusalem so we left at 2:00 figuring that would give us plenty of time. Of course we didn't account for the massive traffic jam because of numerous accidents We finally arrived at 4:30 thinking we had missed the wedding -not so. An Israeli wedding time -which we didn't know-takes into account thar traffic. As a matter if fact the rabbi was stuck in the same traffic and she arrived after us. So in fact there is a pre party before and we were still there in time for drinks and appetizers. The bride and groom were there partying with everyone !!!!the ceremony took place on a terrace overlooking the valley. The trees were lit with flickering lights and it was sundown The groom wax so excited he literally danced down the aisle with his parents He was grinning from ear to ear lots of singing and participation during the ceremony. After the glass breaking and everyone shouting mazel tov the guest rushed to the couple before they could even walk back down the aisle amid many hugs and kisses and cheering. It was the happiest and most heartwarming thing I have ever seen The bride looked stunning in a simple lace gown and even tho she wasn't wearing a single piece of jewelry it seemed like she was sparkling with diamonds because she was glowing so much. After much dancing a delicious and copious buffet was served. Awesome Israeli band and a DJ who played European techno.
I will also try and remember other things we have done... The reversal dinner was Monday night at a restaurant cslled the rotisserie It wax just outside the New gate.
Unbelievable dinner. ... Many many courses. Started with an eggplant appetizer , mushroom brown rice risotto , sliced duck with cranberries, coquiles st Jacque , baby lamb chops, and stewed pears and mascarpone for dessert
After dinner we walked to the wall. The old city was deserted except for a few Haredim and it was truly magical. We were there t mist 2:00AMand didn't get home till the wee hours of The morning Thd next day we stayed close to home and explored Shenkin St , Carmel market and Neve tzedefk with a stop at at Dita for dinner and Anita's for gelatto.going to head to the old city today and mamilla mall
Ater

Shalom shalom!!!!

Well here we are in wonderful downtown Tel Aviv. the flight was good. Air France does a better job of meals on their flights than Delta. Arrived just around Shabbat so the airport wasn't that busy.. got our car with ease and we were "upgraded"to a ford focus And of course it's all relative but it feels like a huge car here-especially when you are driving down a very narrow street and there are parked cars on either side. Made to the apartment where we are staying by memory -yeah for me!!!!! Also very little traffic. the apartment-same p,ace we stayed last time has deteriorated"somewhat" and of course we couldn't reach the broker because he is religious . So today will be interesting.
the air conditioning was not working and I won't go on from there..... Some young boys were staying across the hall and they helped us get the air on at least one floor. very nice young, men who are here for a semester before they start college in January . they left today for 2 months on. Kibbutz and when Harold went out to get some baked goods from the market this morning they had left us a note and leaving some of their extra food and detergent -very sweet!!!!
Friday night we drove up to our Friend Rochie in Herzilyia and had Friday night dinner with her and her husband . She makes soup like no one else-and this time she made a sweet potato soup that was awesome!!!!She also gave us some supplies and we headed back very late -but that didn't stop us from taking a walk by the sea and in town at 12:30am -just in time to see all the kids lined up to get into the clubs.. many more things are open now on Shabbat than even 1 1/2 years ago.
yesterday morning we headed back to the airport and picked our friends from Winnipeg who are staying with us. We ran them ragged for the rest of the day .. took a glorious walk on the tayellit -board walk -along the sea to Jaffa. The weather is gorgeous .. We walked thru the old town and stopped for lunch -hummus and felafel at an Arab restaurant -it was delicious. Walked back -rested for a bit and went to a restaurant on Bograshov St for dinner about 9 ish Sat put side and watched the world go by. I had pea soup with chili in it!!! Harold had chicken schnitzel. can you feel me grinning in glee???????Walked along Dizengof and Ben Gurion sts and then got Gelatto on Ben Gurion. Finally home to bed .
Harold just came back from the market with bagelas and borekas Unfortunately our man -who was nasty as all get out and of course we loved him -was fired from pur bakery .so sad!!!!!
So I am going to eat and then we are off to Zichron Yaakov and the wine country and then tonite a dinner in Jerusalem at the rotisserie restaurant for the wedding !!!!

Getting confused

The days r starting to run into each other Yesterday we went to l' orangerie. An entire floor is given over to Monet 's water lillies in 3 rooms. Magnificent doesn't even begin to describe it It's like twirling in fantasy Also a new exhibit in the lower level of Spanish painters I am not familiar with them but have rarely been so overwhelmed and enjoyed s display as much Cound hardly drag myself away and wl have to really read up on these artists There was an early Dali find in hhe impressionist style -so odd for him.
We then headed to notre dame Stopped in the Latin quarter for lunch and hoovered an enormous gyro. Aldo saw the French in action a well dressed man just had to relieve himself against a wall in the middle of the street!!!
Walked home and harold unfortunately has a cold. So we just grabbed a cheese crepe on the street
Had to change rooms at the hotel there was a short in one of the light switches and it smelled like fire -of course they insisted nothing was wrong and still do but we had to get out of there. Today we walked down the champs élysées and arc de triomphe and saw the Eiffel tower. One of our favorite things to do is visit the car dealership on the champs. They show futuristic cars and were wonderful. And fun. Made our third trip to marais looking for a store I found the first day. Success!!! On our way to the hotel to pack. Leave tomorrow morning for tel aviv -yeah!!!!!

Le rive gauche

Well, l'orangerie is closed on Tuesday. Luckily we checked befor heading there. So we walked thru the tuilleries -so beautiful and serene There r chairs which lean back for people to bask in the sun -of course it was raining yesterday but ..., also lots of people jogging thru the park We walked across the Seine to the musee d orsay and stood in. Line for about an hour to get in Luckily I was wearing a raincoat with a hood as it was pouring out. Met a lovely young couple in line from Texas who r living and working in Singapore and whe there r traveling the world. The musee is being renovated so my favorite Degas ballet dancers were not on display but we saw some incredible tolouse lautrec van gogh, gaugin and Bonnard So a wonderful couple if hours spent It truly fills up the senses. Stopped for lunch at a bar and ordered a cheese omelette. No one makes an omelette like the French!!!!
Harold has a friend who lives here that he knew in Israel 40 years ago. Last night they invited us to their house fir dinner. We took the metro. They live in a very old house behind beautiful wooden gates. They r both professors at Paris university. While the house is in disrepair it was looked like professors lived there-walls and walls of bookshelves. Harlots friend cooked ad his wife had a late class. He made coquille st Jacques , rice , salad , bread , wine -all delicious. After dinner they brought out a cheese plate and one of the cheeses was an Italian pepper cheese with chunks of peppercorns in it wow !!! Also a fig tarte (poor harold ) for dessert but he managed to scarf some down We had a lively time -great discussion about politics and of course we talked about Dominique strausse Kahn !!!! Late night but lots of fun. Right now I am reduced to sitting in ( shudder) mcdonalds to use the Internet. And it is disgusting !!! Also this is the first time we have been confronted by how rude the French can be
The sun us shining and we r going to l'orangerie and perhaps notre dame we seem to have slowed down our eating We need to remedy that today !!!!! A bientot

Duexieme jour a Paris

It's so beautiful here. the city is just stunning.. We walked and walked and ate. Got a late start and grabbed a small breakfast at Starbucks because they have free Internet -to a point . They give u a card to sign in and then shut you off after 30 minutes and in order to reconnect to the Internet you need to buy another coffee . Hmmmm
ran over to Galleries Lafayette which is my favorite dept store ever. the line up to buy Longchamp bags wound around thru out the store. all foreigners -not EU get 10 % extra off and tax rebate. mayb the productivity is down on china becuz they r all here buying longchamps bags -ok that's a cheap shot. needless to say I did not stand in line but I can get the knock offs in NYC for next to nothing!!!!
Got some fabulous running shoes by a company called patogaus -and they actually are not sold in the US. the stores are busy -lots of tourists but mostly European W e r not hearing a lot of English .
headed over to La Marais to find a photography store that Carla recommendedbut we got there late so it was closed -but we will go back.
We realized we were letting our side down becua we hadn't been eating enuff -so we started stopping again to pick up pastries. Today many more stores were open and the beauty of the pastries isphenomenal ? At one store The pasttries were laid out and decorated and looked like jewels. While taking pictures of some gorgeous tortes I started talking to another couple who were also taking pictures of the same pastry -we r both nuts-and turns out they were Israeli and we had a great time . they r here on vacation and rented an apt and invited us to come back for dinner but we needed to trudge on!!!! We exchanged contact info and hopefully we will connect in Tel Aviv.
As we were walking we heard shouting and landed in the midst of a demonstration. A crowd of thousands was marching in memory of the massacre in 1961 of French Algerians who were demonstrating here agianstFrench rule in Algeria . the party line is only a few were killed but thousands are unaccounted for.and not forgotten. A banner stated the Jews and Arabs were marching together in this cause.
We r headed off to Orangerie now and I am tres excited as have not been to this museum yet.
A bientot

Arrive a Paris

We're here!!!! First time I have been in Paris when it hasn't been freezing cold and grey. it's beautiful today -the sun is shining and it's warm and the city is gorgeous Our flight was just bearable .. Flying to Paris from NYC is too long for dinner and a movie but not long enough to sleep for more than a couple of hours at best. And there were 2HUGE French women behind us who talked loudly would not shut up even with not so gentle nudges. But since I had a couple of glasses of wine I was more mellow than usual . As only we can we took the train from the airport into the city and transferred to the metro to get to our hotel. We actually found it -not too much yelling!!!! The hotel is ideally situated right near the Tuileries Gardens and right around the corner from Rue St Honorea-great shopping and around the corner from the the Opera. the hotel is well appointed but alas no wifi there so we r in a star bucks. I don't like not being connected.
We just dumped our stuff and tired as we were headed out to the streets. We stopped at our first patisserie brioches doree. I had a chicken et tomato baguette and cafe aulakit and Harold had his first apple tart of the day!!!! it was pretty good -not fantastic yet We wanted to head to Montmarte becuz I have a favorite bakery there that makes great apple tarts. Well we ended up walking all the way there. Stopped a few time s-please see facebook for pics -I don't know how to download pics to the blog yet. Another apple tar tine -to die for The pastry is unbelievable and the apples have just the right amount of sugar. I also had a tomato and olive roll and Harold also had a chocolate filled Beignet Oh and we stopped for macarons at a neighborhood bakery I had raspberry -sublime . Wait somewhere in there he had a chocolate brioches too. Stopped at Monmarte cemetery . Saw the graves of Emile Zola , Francois Truffaukt, Najinsky and many Jewish graves also and there was one head stone dedicated to several Jewish families who perished in the Holocaust .Very moving .
headed up to the church of sacre cour and found my bakery -another tart tar tine and they are all different while still being so delicious..
we walked back to the hotel and we were really whipped . rested for an hour and we r back out for dinner!!! Not sure where yet but am sure something will catch our eye. I actually can't believe we are going to eat again !!!!!

Vacation time

In the Delta airport lounge at Kennedy waiiting to board our flight to Paris. Five days of eating at as many patisseries and boulangeries as we can find ..Then onto Israel for 2 weeks of fun and food with friends from Winnipeg
I will try and blog every day so you can salivate with me!!!!