Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Ode to Tel Aviv

Today I'm checking out of the David InterContinental after a 18 nights stay.

First thing I saw in the mornings is the sea. Then I get out of bed, overlooking the beach from the 17th floor.

It's such a nice beach - you know, a proper aqua blue color, with proper yellow/white sand, and huge waves crashing on the rocks (where there are rocks, of course).



It's so different from Sandymount beach that I got to know quite well while in Dublin! And even though I really enjoyed Sandymount beach, I have to say that the Tel Aviv beach is just so much more beachie - so much more the right kind of beach... What can I say, I'm biased!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Donkey vs. Cinema

Here's a story I heard from a friend yesterday:

"You know my grandfather and his family used to live in Jaffa in the 1930s. They had a donkey back then.

However, when the riots started (mid 1930s), they had to run for their lives, and left their donkey behind. They went to seek refuge in the North of Tel Aviv. Can you imagine - seeking refuge in North Tel Aviv? Hilarious!

Anyway, when the riots had calmed, my grandfather and his family went back to Jaffa. They started looking for the donkey they left behind and someone told them he saw a donkey in the mayor's garden.

They then went to see the mayor's donkey and realized it was indeed theirs. They asked the donkey back. The mayor was reluctant to give the donkey back, since he grew fond of it.

After reflecting for a while, the mayor said: 'I want to keep the donkey. I am willing to give you Noga Cinema in exchange.'

Her grandfather was thinking of the mayor's offer for a moment, then made up his mind: 'Thank you for your generous offer, Mr. mayor. However, we want our donkey back'.

This is the story on how my family inherited donkey leftovers rather than a cinema that had become a successful, famous theatre (Gesher)."

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Goodbyes...

Goodbye gloomy weather and loads of rain (yeah, just had to start with the weather!)
Goodbye Saturday-Sunday weekends...
Goodbye bus-driver who greet the passengers
Goodbye Foosball tables
Goodbye huge, extremely comfortable bin bags
Goodbye free gym
Goodbye Sky news at the gym
Goodbye Grand Canal and Forbes Quay
Goodbye stupid drivers. Now I'll have to handle predictable Israeli drivers, then Aussies
Goodbye ATM machines that were fed with noodles and Veggies overnight.
Goodbye fresh blackberries straight from the bushes
Goodbye Sky news at the gym
Goodbye rogue police cars
Goodbye my private Blogger help (yeah, Pezzin, you!)
Goodbye my secret admirers
Goodbye drunk scumbags who threten to sue me
Goodbye DART
Goodbye urban foxes
Goodbye Dutchman and his jacket
Goodbye stupid Christmas parties and silly drunken people
Goodbye Region 4, you really are the best (one may think its a fraternity. he he)

And of course, goodbye Ryanair. Even though it's not fun travelling in Europe anymore, having the new baggage allowance restrictions...