Since Shirley so graciously hosted me right after a big trip herself, she needed some time for meetings and errands, and I got pumped for a day on the town by myself. While I treasure traveling companions to share and make memories with, traveling alone comes as easy to me as talking too much. Well, maybe not THAT easy, but close. Having twice written for Let’s Go and being an only child, I’m more than happy to venture out one my own, armed with map, guidebook and wide open eyes and mind. I’ve even perfected the art of self-taken photos, serving as art director, photographer and model on all my shoots.
I started out late (around noon), going to the beach to figure out my plan. It didn’t take long, as I decided to walk down the beach to Jaffa, the old port city. I enjoyed the powdery white sand and omnipresent puck-puck-puck sounds of paddleball (”matkot” in Hebrew) which are an integral part of Tel Aviv’s fabulous beach scene. The beaches run the majority of the city’s length and provide a stunning stage for brilliant Mediterranean sunsets.
Braving the encroaching heat, I strolled down the beach a few kilometers until Jaffa loomed on the horizon, the tan rocks of the city seemingly rising out of the lapping waves. Out in the ocean, a visible reef supposedly houses Andromeda’s rock, where the virgin Andromeda was tied as an offering to Poseidon, the sea god. Before she met a watery fate, she was rescued by Perseus, riding atop that My Little Pony-inspiring winged horse, Pegasus.
Jaffa is one of the oldest — if not THE oldest — ports in the world. From here, Jonah set sail for his fateful voyage into the belly of a whale and much of the timber for the Second Temple passed. Like many places in Israel, Jaffa has been torn down and rebuilt many times as it moved from one ruler to another. Archaeological evidence shows people have inhabited the site for nearly 10,000 years.
Much of the current area is run down, consisting mostly of Arabs and older Jewish residents. But like many such neighborhoods, the gentrification has begun, with wealthy young Jews buying up residences. The tourist quarter includes a lovely park with panoramic views of Tel Aviv meeting the ocean, a few churches and mosques and twisting small walkways leading to many Israeli art galleries.
The best part of the area, however, is the flea market, a truly hodgepodge, yard sale type bazaar filled with bargaining Hassidim, countless tchotchkes and perhaps some truly unique finds, like the giant red Mao bust I spent twenty minutes trying to figure out how to get home. I grabbed a pita with zaatar (a mixture of herbs named after the main ingredient, a cousin of oregano, along with sesame seeds, olive oil and other tasty toppings), and browsed the crowded stalls.
Bummed that I had to say goodbye to the Mao bust (though I doubt they would allow that in China), I walked back to Shirley’s place, where we reunited then parted again; I went for a long sunset walk while Shirley attended an appointment.
Before I came, we made a pact to hold off on seeing the “Sex and the City” movie until I was in Tel Aviv, and tonight was the night. After a quick beer at a fun local bar called Bar Giora, we took in the film (subtitled in Hebrew). I enjoyed it. Yes, pure fluff it was, but boring it was not. Perfect night cap with one of my best girlfriends. It was fun to point out all the NYC places half a world away.
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| [08.06.23] Tel Aviv |
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