Israeli Adventure: Part 6

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - Tel Aviv!

Wow - I've been dragging this out for so long, that I'm almost forgetting what I did on my trip! Let's see...

So when I last wrote about my Israel trip, I left you at dusk in Jerusalem. Following the emotionally draining trip to the Holocaust Museum, Jo & I went back to her apartment to shower and pack for Tel Aviv!

From Joanne's apartment, we headed out to catch a sherut to Tel Aviv. The same way I'd gotten from the airport to Jo's apartment, sheruts are 10-passenger vans/shuttles that run between popular destinations. I don't really think there's a schedule; they seem to run all the time and leave as soon as they're full (but no sooner!). It's a convenient, affordable way to get around.

The ride from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv is quick, so in about an hour we had arrived. Since we were again on the coast of the Mediterranean, I wanted seafood! We found a fun little place for a late dinner, and I enjoyed a stir fry dish filled with all sorts of yummy seafood. We had a great time, just chatting and enjoying the atmosphere, and making friends with the semi-sketch bartender, who gave us free drinks.

After dinner, Jo and I took a gorgeous moonlit walk along the beach and grabbed another drink at a bar right on the water before calling it a night.

Tuesday morning, we headed out to the Nachalat Binyamin Artist Market. Twice a week, local vendors bring their work -- pottery, paintings, leather, jewelry, you name it.

There were all sorts of beautiful and interesting things. It made for a nice morning stroll. I bought a handmade leather journal and a hilarious little magnet that looks like a falafel pita (yum!).

Looks like a bake sale... but really they're clay magnets!

Joanne, who was preparing for a class trip to Poland, found the most perfect journal. It was specifically designed for heritage/Holocaust tours for Poland, and it was like it had been made especially for Jo!

From the artist market, we wandered through the back side of the shuk on our way back to the sea and spent most of the afternoon walking along the coast of the Mediterranean on the boardwalk from Tel Aviv to Jaffa. It was a beautiful, sunny day - perfect for a walk on the water!
 

 
Tel Aviv is a far more modern city than others in Israel. Founded in 1909, Tel Aviv is the country's financial capital and a major performing arts and business center. Known as "the city that never sleeps," Tel Aviv is an internationally popular tourist destination, renowned for its culture, shopping, restaurants/bars and overall cosmopolitan lifestyle.

The beautiful, newly-constructed boardwalk connecting Tel Aviv and Jaffa.  Tel Aviv skyline in the background.

Jaffa, on the other hand, is an ancient port city. In fact, Jaffa (or Yafo, Japho or Joppa) is believed to be one of the oldest cities in the world. Now technically incorporated with neighboring Tel Aviv, the official city name is Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.

Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of Jonah, who was sailing from Jaffa when he was swallowed by the whale!

Approaching Jaffa

Just before reaching Jaffa, we stopped for lunch at an adorable seaside cafe, where our outdoor seats allowed for a beautiful view of the water. I noshed on a plate of hummus topped with seafood and enjoyed soaking up the sun and taking in the view.

view from the seaside cafe

By the time we finally reached Jaffa, we were both pretty tired and running short on time. We admired the view of the port, grabbed some delish frozen yogurt and hopped in a taxi back to Tel Aviv to catch a sherut back to Jerusalem.

In Jaffa, with Tel Aviv in the background

Back in Jerusalem, we walked to Joanne's school - Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies - where I met some of her friends and instructors. She stuck around for a meeting, and I walked back home with her roommates to catch up on travel journaling and relax.

That evening, Jo & I stayed in and enjoyed a dinner of fresh veggies and watched FRIENDS - just like our old college days :)

UP NEXT:  Last 2 days in Israel - and they were big ones! - Dead Sea, Masada, more Jerusalem, Bethlehem