Pleasures in life
Travel is glorious, exhausting, enlightening, frustrating and inspiring.
This past year I had a strong desire to visit Israel.
I loved wandering the mysterious streets of the old city in Jerusalem, getting lost, exploring the holy temples and religious sites, rummaging around the souks, looking for just the right scarf or pair of earrings or shawarma eatery.
Tel Aviv is more metropolitan, with the feel of a small big city. . . . with malls, a beach front, the old section (Jaffa), hipster areas and chic enclaves. It’s very bicycle friendly, citibikes are everywhere. Everyone is bilingual, English is their second language so communication is no problem. Eating is no problem either!
The Middle Eastern and Mediterranean diet is healthy and incredibly fresh; consisting of vegetable based dishes, distinct flavors, biblical ingredients (eg. honey, figs, olives, goat and sheep cheese, pomegranates, herbs) small portions of meat and daily baked bread. *TIP* Don’t pass up a run down, dicey looking restaurant in the Old City . . . it may have the creamiest hummus, most divine tabouli, crispy felafel and grilled pita on Earth.
The tomatoes pictured above were part of my breakfast at the Norman Hotel. I refer to tomatoes in Israel as crack cocaine because I could not resist them.