Then we walked along the Tayelet, promenade, bordering the beach and Meditteranean sea. There were many sunbathers, joggers and bicycle riders. We saw groups playing volleyball and passed a huge lap pool with every lane filled with a swimmer.
The sights and sounds of Israel are amazing. The flowers seem brighter here and they fill the air with their fragrance. Bakeries are everywhere with beautiful loaves of bread on the shelves and magnificent aromas wafting out into the street. Near the sea you can smell the water, although Jeff says it is rotting seaweed. Every sense seems heightened here and I love it all and will miss it so.
After we walked a long time we headed inland to see the Agam fountain in Dizengoff Center.
The whole area is tacky, but the colorful fountain is a landmark. There is shopping all around the city and this area has large complexes and lots of people milling around. We walked again this time heading to the Carmel Market. This is a huge place with clothes and home goods in the front and food stands after that. I had my last glass of fresh squeezed orange juice for this trip. I bought some halvah to take home since it is impossible to find near our house.
Walking again we headed to Jeff's schwarma place. He liked it so much he was determined to try it again. We passed through the old Neve Zedek neighborhood seeing many historic houses built by the early immigrants. Finally found the place and Jeff enjoyed the lamb schwarma almost as much as before.
Next adventure was finding a bus to the Museum of the Diaspora. This great museum is located on the campus of Tel Aviv University in Ramat Aviv, a suburb just north of Tel Aviv. Jeff used his phone app to find the correct bus and where the closest stop would be. Worked like a charm. We rode out to the large campus and found the museum with no problem. Signage is very good in Israel.
Spent a few hours walking around the permanent exhibit which we remembered fondly. It starts with the destruction of the second temple and follows Jewish communities around the world. One area has large models of synagogues from around the globe. Rituals, holidays and everyday life in varied communities are shown. We enjoyed a music presentation by Leonard Bernstein and several other videos and movies. All in all we found the exhibits a bit tired and shabby. A few displays were broken or not lit and it was difficult to find your way around. Still happy that we went. Afterwards we walked on the campus watching the students lounge on the lawns and we admired several large sculptures. Got the bus back to our hotel.
Now we rest a bit and then it is time to pack. We took everything out of our suitcases and completely repacked. Hoping our checked bags will not be overweight. Took a short walk for dinner and I had Hungarian blintzes. I had been looking at this place every day and thinking I would like it. Turned out to be kosher and dairy so Jeff was not interested. I had eggplant and cheese inside fluffy blintzes. It was piping hot and delicious and served with a small salad. Jeff had pizza on the run as now it was getting late.
Back at the hotel we gathered our suitcases and Jeff went to collect the car and fill it with gas. We drove to the airport, returned the car and took a shuttle to the departures terminal. There we waited in the security line for about an hour. Finally got to our gate, onto the plane and here I am at 6:23 Israeli time. We are on Delta and it is a nice plane. Jeff and I are in the window, middle seats and had dinner on board. Very few religious people on board and no one praying in the aisles, yet! We have taken naps and each watched a movie. Only six more hours to go!
Back in South Carolina and it is so good to be home. There is nothing that compares to sleeping in your own bed. We were thrilled to see Sirius and he was so happy to greet us and go home. He must have had fun running with the dogs and is now ready to retire to his couch and snuggle in our bed. He did come home with hookworms and a few ticks, but that is all fixed now.
Back in South Carolina and it is so good to be home. There is nothing that compares to sleeping in your own bed. We were thrilled to see Sirius and he was so happy to greet us and go home. He must have had fun running with the dogs and is now ready to retire to his couch and snuggle in our bed. He did come home with hookworms and a few ticks, but that is all fixed now.
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