Saturday, November 12th to Sunday November 13th

After being up too late Friday night with my Cousins, they agreed to pick me up at the later time of 930am for a trip to Caesarea, about 70 miles to the North.  Because Israel is a small country and, for many reasons including your own personal safety, you can't drive across any borders into Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, or Jordan, a 70 mile drive is considered to be real road trip.  Even though it was Shabbot in Tel Aviv, many less observant Jews go on such excursions so the highways were pretty crowded.  Caesarea was a complete surprise to me.  I hadn't heard of it at all.  Caesarea is an Israeli National Park containing ruins from as far back as 500 BC.  I'll present pictures instead of lecturing and putting you to sleep.  Anyone who wishes to see the brochure can stay after class:   

We spent more than two hours walking among these amazing ruins which included deluxe accomodations and a seaside pool for King Herod.  From Caesarea we drove to the town of   Zhiron Y'acov, a quaint small town established by Baron Rothschild, complete with it's own vinyard.  We had a bite to eat and headed home.  I slept comfortably most of the way.

Sunday, November 13th

I awoke, still with a bit of a cold sapping my chi, but determined to make something of my last day in Tel Aviv.  With my trusty map (provided by the Abraham Hostel/Hotel, basically a very well run hostel with a bunch of private rooms with baths) I headed for Jaffa, a small old city adjoining Tel Aviv.  On the way to Jaffa, as I walked the streets of Tel Aviv, I continued my charitable donating to the poor.  Pictured below are a Russian woman who tries to make a living as a street entertainer.  The next person, Richard, is a disabled Israeli Elite Force soldier who was injured in Iran in 1979 in a failed attempt to capture a scientist in Iran just after the Iranian revolution.  While looking like many other down and out people on the street, Richard was very smart, knowledgeable in world affairs and involved in civic matters in Tel Aviv.  I am better for meeting him.

 Jaffa has ruins of an old walled city, a famous clock tower, park area and narrow streets with shops and a flea market. Jaffa has a beautiful beach on the Mediterranean as shown below. 

 

Tomorrow I say goodbye to Israel until the next time....

WHILE I LEAVE MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR HOME, I WON'T GET HOME UNTIL WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.  I MAY STILL BE BLOGGING AND I EXPECT TO RECEIVE SOME MORE PICTURES FROM MY SAR-EL MATES WHICH WILL CAUSE MORE WRITING, SO PLEASE KEEP ON CHECKING UNTIL I LET YOU KNOW THAT THE BLOG IS FINISHED.