Under the Boardwalk

Woke up in our comfy Tel Aviv Hotel. It is called the Port Hotel and near the port, north end of the city. Also one block from the beach with the Tayalet, promenade, that goes all the way to Jaffa.

We went for breakfast and found a delightful room with indoor and outdoor seating. Nice display of foods and we were happy. We got in the car and drove a half hour to Netanya. We were surprised to see how the city has grown.

We walked along the main street with shopping, cafes and tons of people.

There are wide plazas and colorful flowers are planted in beds, pots and planters. Fountains spew precious water and there is even a panda jumping pillow for the kids.

At the beach end we walked along a promenade that looks over the Mediteranean. There are more flowers and cafes here.

The city is built high on a cliff with the beach below. A large elevator is ideally located near the action to take you down to the beach.

We met Hana here and proceeded to a shady cafe on the beach. 

All around us were families, teens and everyone else enjoying the hot day and many were swimming. A father and son were playing kadima near us. This is the popular Israeli paddle and ball game and you always hear click, click, click on the beach or at a park. Lots of bikinis and speedos. Hana said there is a separate beach for religious people further north where they can swim on separate days.

We enjoyed sitting and talking, and, of course, eating. With only one day left I have a lot of hummus and tehina to eat. Afterwards Hana drove us to our car and we all went back to her apartment. It has been so many years since I have been there and it looks the same. Meir had driven in and was there to greet us. He is taking his mom for some medical tests tomorrow.

We spent a short time talking and then had to drive back to Tel Aviv. Traffic was heavy, but we kept moving. Saw this bird in the grass, a common myna.

After a short rest the phone rang and it was Hannoch and Shulamit. They had driven in separately to see us one last time on this visit. They suggested we walk a few blocks to the old port which is now a renovated entertainment area. Apparently it is the newest place to be in Tel Aviv and we didn't even know about it. They have taken the abandoned warehouses and turned them into chic restaurants and boutiques. There were people everywhere walking, talking, riding bikes, jogging and eating. There was a special place for kids with a carousel, crafts  and superheroes.

We walked a bit and people watched. Shulamit and Hannoch had picked out a tapas place for dinner. We sat outside watching the sun sink into the sea and shared some interesting "small plates." 

Hannoch had been on a 12 day business trip to the US since we saw him and we wanted to hear all about his adventures. We had a few stories to share also. After a long time of chatting we enjoyed the sunset and found the best place for gelato to finish off the night.

L'hitraot. Goodbye for now dear friends.