A confession: it wasn't the most comfortable night I ever had. But I was too tired from walking all day, thighs were burning, so sleeping made me feel good. Washing my face with cold water, even better. It looks pretty, sunny, warm. I packed my stuff and started to say good bye to people but Rafi thought I could not leave without tasting the tahini, Israeli nutella and the grape pectin on toasted bread. All right. Two slices of toasted bread with tahini and pectin, some nice morning chat, and I'm off to the old city again. Promised Rafi I'll be back soon. Here's how Tel Aviv looks like from the old Jaffo:
After a day, I feel like I can find my way anywhere in Tel Aviv. Weird. I was walking inside the old city when I saw this store, sitting in it an old woman, making clay owls. I bought some gifts to people and a giant cup for myself. All ceramic works are beautiful but too expensive. It's a compilation of local women artists. It took me a while to get out of there not only because the woman was taking her time, enjoying every moment of wrapping the gifts, but I also wanted see pretty much everything. I was going to take some pictures but didn't bother asking her. Wandering inside city, I took some pictures, such as some insignificantly curious doors:
Then of course I went to the light house as I planned:
One of the other two pictures above is the famous Jaffa Mosque by the sea. It looks very pretty, very close to the light house. Well, it actually looks like one. The second one is the Mediterranean Sea from the old city. Doesn't do any justice to the real beauty I know but that's the best I could do for now. I also visited the light house model maker's workshop but it was closed. Today is Saturday so not everybody is working. I hung around the port a little bit more, enjoyed my tea by the water. It's such a cozy day, and the old Jaffa is hosting a lot more people than yesterday. I just didn't want to leave but it was almost noon and I was getting hungry. I started walking back to the clock tower and took some pictures on the way. Even got a shot of a newly wed couple posing for their wedding photographer by the mosque:
After the old city, today's tour includes Suzanne Dellal Center and getting details on the gaga classes! Followed by strolling around the Rothchild Road. It's a famous road in Tel Aviv. But first I need to fill my belly. There was a cafe I saw yesterday by the clock tower that I wanted to try out. So I went in, ordered some nice lebane sandwich and coffee. I've been having problems with ordering coffee here. Whenever I say coffee, they either think I want instant coffee, aka nescafe, or cappuccino. You have to be specific that you want brewed coffee, coming from a coffee machine. So then they offer espresso or filter coffee. Or Americano, which is basically espresso shots with hot water. Viva Gelateria. Anyway. The waitress gave me a very good description on how to get to Dellal Center. (By the way, it started raining again, then it stopped, again.) She also recommended the coast road, said it is very nice. Indeed it was! It started drizzling on my way to the sea but still...
Across from the parking lot, by the sea, there's this grassy area. I saw a pair of white pants, going upside down, as in going into hand stands. I needed to make sure so I got closer and looked carefully. I saw two berimbaus! Four capoeiristas playing capoeira by the sea. How better can my day get than this? Carefully but shamelessly I run to them and from outside of roda, I started clapping and singing along. The berimbau player gives me a sign to come closer and join in. I filmed a game but then it started raining quite heavily so we had to run to find shelter. Later on we met, they're from Grupo Muzenza and Cordao de Ouro. Got all the info needed for classes in Jerusalem and Bet Sheva. I'm going to have to find rides for both. No more hitchhiking unless it's the only way. You'll know why soon. With bliss and a silly smile on my face I went to Dellal Center. This time I have a very detailed Tel Aviv map in my hand. I am the perfect tourist, drew routes on the map, following the lines with my finger tip, aware of my north, south, east and west. The Center is on Shabazi Street. Haven't seen Rothchild yet but I bet this will be my favorite. It's very subtle and elegant. It's not pretentious at all, some may not even like it. But not me, I love it. Very green with small cute cafes, small houses... The two pictures below is from Shabazi and dedicated to kadima-lovers:
I wanted to have something in one of the cafes but probably because it was Saturday, they were all filled with people. They could be actually be people who are here to see the show at the Dellal Center. The Center, by the way, is bigger than I imagined it to be. It's apparently the Chinese new year, spring time celebrations are on. And there's a show about it. I would have loved to see it but aside from it being very expensive, it's full house. Well, I'm only here for the gaga courses (speaking of which, check it out here:
http://www.batsheva.co.il/en/Gaga.aspx) This Batsheva Dance Company is organizing the classes.There was no one to talk to, then I walked in to the cafe area, found out that one of the waitresses is actually taking gaga classes. She gave me the class schedule. I'll be there at the end of this month. Yes.
I enjoyed Shabazi a little more and headed to the Rothchild. Or I thought I did. I saw a very cute cafe called Cafe 12 and decided that I just want a cup of coffee, read my book and doodle on my journal. The cafe has a winter garden overlooking the street. My lovely waitress with red ribbons behind her knees served me filter coffee and water. I was really tired. But had to leave after about an hour to walk around more and then catch the 5PM bus from Ramla to Neve Shalom. Walking around with my map, I must have looked confused at some point that an Israeli girl and a guy asked me if I needed help. I told them I'm trying to figure out the best way to get to Hashalom Train Station in about half an hour. They said they're driving that way and could give me ride now. I thought, what the heck Rothchild, I'll see you next time, I got a ride now. That's how I met Galit and Aviram. :) Galit is studying jazz music (she's a vocalist) and Aviram graduated from piano. According to what Galit told me, he's a great musiciain. We talked a lot, and it was quite fun. I'm glad I met them. We'll be hanging out soon I hope. They dropped me off at Hashalom.
And Hashalom is closed. As in, trains are not working. I love shabat. It's the perfect blue sky, skyscrapers, and me. And the high way. No one to ask how on earth I could go to the central bus station that was way south of where I was at that very moment. Had to walk around at least 30 mins to find a fellow human being who led me to the shared cab stop. I took one, it was again the Africans and Asians, and myself. There's a very sharp contrast between the financial district that I was at and this refugee neighborhood we passed right after. I tried filming the way from the cab but it's a very poor footage. The Central Bus Station is depressing and looked very neglected. Felt uncomfortable waiting an hour for my bus, which apparently would only take me to Ariel. I have to take another bus from there to Latrun junction where I thought Timo and a friend of his from the village were going to pick me up. Anyway, I met this really nice Korean guy, a photography student who was traveling in Turkey, and then in Jordan, followed by Israel. His next stop after here is Egypt. What a route! Taejoong and I had a very nice chat about Korean history, cinema, Turkish politics and photography. He is super nice, and I'm not saying that just because he said I look like how they depict Cleopatra in Korea, and that he hasn't "seen a girl in Turkey as beautiful as" I was, or that he hoped he would "meet a Korean girl as beautiful, as smart and as balanced as I am. :) We were sitting right behind the bus driver, a man in his late 50s. I told him to drop me off at Ariel and he told me to ask him again in 20 minutes. So I did. By the way, he's listening to Charles Aznavur, and singing along with him. He's got good voice! But when I reminded him of Ariel, he scolded me and said I was 5 mins early! What the heck is wrong with these bus drivers? AND he dropped me off at the wrong stop. In the middle of no where! I found 3 Nepalese women who showed me the way to another bus stop where I waited for at least an hour for a bus to take me to Latrun junction. During that time I met a very nice Israeli lady and we talked about pets! Yeah, I was freezing and what do you talk about when you're freezing? Of course, pets. After she left I had a nice chat with an IDF soldier who just finished his duty with a Taglit birth right tour from Chicago. He said it was the best time he had since he joined the army. We were getting into details when my bus arrived. In 15 mins I was at the Latrun junction, walking towards the Neve Shalom sign. Timo said he couldn't find anyone to come and pick me up from there so I had to either walk (impossible) or wait for someone from the village to take that turn and give me ride. So I waited. Ibrahim with his son drove by and gave me a ride to the volunteer house. Other than this whole trip back to the village, it was a wonderful experience. No more hitchhiking "to" the village though. I need a better strategy.
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