Tel Aviv

I’ve been in Tel Aviv for two days now. It is a very different city than Jerusalem. For starters, I haven’t seen a single Orthodox Jew here. Zero. Everything here is much more laid back and secular than Jerusalem. In addition to a very large beach area, it also seems very artsy. Some of the neighborhoods remind me of San Francisco or Portland.

My laptop situation is looking much better. The issue was with my power brick. I didn’t think it was something that could break that easily considering there are no moving parts, but I was wrong. They also ran a diagnostic on my battery when I told them I could only get 2 hours of life out of it. I’m getting both replaced but I have to jump through some hoops by calling Apple, getting a case number than I can give the Apple Store here. As of now I have my laptop and a working power brick, but no battery. That means I have to be very careful about unplugging my laptop.

I’ll be here a bit longer than I had hoped because of the delays with the Apple Store and everything being closed for Passover. That will give me a chance to catch up on some photos I haven’t been able to work on in the last week.

Tel Aviv is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is supposed to be for its urban architecture. The problem is, I have no idea what exactly is so special about it. Tel Aviv is known as the “White City” but I’m not sure what I should try to take a photo of to capture it. It has replaced the Sydney Opera House as the lamest World Heritage Site I’ve visited on my trip. If anyone who has been to Tel Aviv has suggestions for a good representative Bauhaus building, let me know.

I’m going to use Tel Aviv as a base to do some day trips north to Haifa/Acre and to Nazareth. It seems cheaper and easier than the hassle of cabs and buses and moving all my stuff.

I was also mentioned in an article on MSNBC.com by Christopher Elliott. Please check it out.

8 thoughts on “Tel Aviv”

  1. In 1997 I visited the Deportation Memorial on the Ile de la Cite, right behing Notre Dame in Paris. It was as moving an experience as I think I have ever had. But speaking of bagpipes: When I started up the stairs to the street level I heard that “certain wail” and felt it was such an appropriate accompaniment to the experience I was having. And in the middle of Paris, no less. Only a bagpipe can merge the feelings of sorrow and joy in a single moment. When I walked by the young musician I just dropped all the loose francs I had with me into his cup. It must have been a significant amount because he seemed a bit excited about it. To this day, whenever I hear that singular sound I recall that day in Paris and the pity for what was lost during the Holocaust.

  2. Yeah, Jaffa is the place to visit and you can get the best view of Tel Aviv from the old port.

    Bus 10 will get you to Jaffa.

  3. You may want to check out the Dizengoff House for some history on Tel Aviv & Israel, and The Palmach museum which is just north of Tel Aviv.

  4. Didn’t spend much time in Tel Aviv–there wasn’t much for the tour to show I suppose. My friends from there didn’t do a great job at selling me on any part of the city either. I had no idea it was a World Heritage Site (guess it’s the lamest I’ve visited).

  5. I´ve been to Tel Aviv some couple of years ago. Yafo it´s a nice artistic neighborhood,. If I´m not wrong, I think tha there´s a flea market overthere. Don´t miss to visit Cesarea (an ancient acquadut) on the way to Haifa( I believe..) . The Kineret area it´s very interesting and don´t miss visiting the borders (always with a guide). In the beginning of May they will celebrate the independence day and I´ve heard that there´s a awesome outdoor party in Jerulasem.
    Enjoy your trip

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