My new love of the Tel Aviv beach

I realize it's been a long time since my last post - and as one friend said, "I feel like the window into your world is closing". Tad melodramatic, but I get the point.

So what have I been up to? Weeeell... I'll tell you: going to the beach in Tel Aviv. About a month ago, right around Purim, the weather took a suddenly springtime-y turn, and while it was lovely in Jerusalem, the promise of sun and sand that lay only 45 minutes down the hill won out. Purim weekend, ages ago now, I know, afforded me my first 2008 opportunity to hang out on the beach in Tel Aviv. I hadn't really been there since August, and to be quite frank, Tel Aviv in August was too much heat and humidity for this pale-faced girl from the Pacific Northwest. But Tel Aviv in March... ah... that's something different!

A few friends and I decided to spend a part of the looooong Purim weekend (Purim fell over Shabbat, so it was super long... Purim Meshulash)
The beaches were absolutely packed, and many people were dressed in costume. Although beach attire in Tel Aviv is suspect on a regular day - so we played a fun game: Costume or No? At any rate, that weekend was the start of my love of lying on the beach and doing nothing. Growing up in Portland, and spending beach time at Cannon Beach, Gearhart, and Seaside, didn't really afford me any love of loafing in the sun. While mom was turning Nubian in the Cannon Beach sand dunes, I was usually complaining and wanting to play in the ocean. I was always a water-baby and hated sunbathing. Probably because I would always get burnt (thanks to the dad-genes winning out over the darker and more melatonin-filled mom-genes). But ah... the joys of SPF 15!

Anyway, I sort of regret not having spent more time in Tel Aviv this year - I mean, it's a REAL city. The paragon of Israeli-ness. Jerusalem often feels like a village - I see the same people everywhere, I go to the same restaurants and cafes, and tend to just take advantage of the fact that I live here and am here during the week. Fridays have turned into my Tel Aviv days. In fact, if there's a week where I cannot get to TA, I'm usually not particularly happy about it (read: I am like a petulant 5 year old who isn't getting what she wants). So I look at it this way: I know the Jerusalem that I know and love, I've formed a bond with the city - we have an understanding of sorts... and now I'm starting an additional relationship. It's not that I'm cheating on Jerusalem, I'm just broadening my appreciation of Israel... and the beach.

That being said, when we do go to Tel Aviv for the day, we tend to hit the same spots: the Mexican restaurant (YES! Mexican food!!!! Well, as close to the real thing as one is going to get in Israel - it's owned by two sisters from Pasadena), Rehov Sheinkin (a shop and cafe lined street near the heart of town), Nachalat Binyamin (the artist's market that sets up shop every Tuesday and Friday), and Frischman beach. As beach culture is foreign to me, my funny bone is completely struck by the regulars who appear every week at this particular beach. There's the "old Artik (Ice cream) guy", the "young and cute Artik guy", the "massage guy" (yes there are roaming masseurs on this beach - kinda gross, but also kinda hilarious), the "Elvis guy" who roams around with his guitar on his back and crazy Elvis hair and sideburns who will serenade you - probably for a fee... I don't know, we've never availed ourselves of his services. There's "creepy curly haired guy" - unfortunately we've had the pleasure of his conversation... once. And the list goes on... and while it is funny, it's also sort of comforting.

We get to the beach, usually after lunch, find ourselves some loungers (and an umbrella for me, for as while SPF 15 certainly does help - this Souther-girl still needs her shade), and sleep, read, do homework - so as not to feel so guilty about being in Tel Aviv - and enjoy the sunny side of Israel.

So, in brief, that's what I've been up to: studying in Jerusalem during the week, and then getting to Tel Aviv as soon as possible (i.e. when I am willing to get out of bed) on Friday morning.

Tonight starts the holiday of Pesach (Passover). I've got some ruminations on that one up my sleeve, so stay tuned.

Hag Sameach (Happy Holiday) and Much love from the Holy Land.