Tel Aviv

Last week Eric took Monday off from school and we hopped a bus to Tel Aviv.  In good traffic it is only about a 45 minute drive from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, which is kind of incredible when you consider it would often take me this long to drive from my house in Echo Park (Los Angeles, CA) to the beach and in this case we were driving across the width of the whole country.  Israel, you're so tiny and adorable. 

Tel Aviv is situated along the Mediterranean coast and is at a much lower elevation than Jerusalem, which means that the weather in each city can be drastically different.  I wore what I considered a light dress based on the chill in the Jerusalem air, but once we got to Tel Aviv I was completely overheating.  This is November, people.  I was not prepared for weather that rivals Seattle summer temperatures.  But, ultimately we had a lovely day walking around town and ended up perched at the beach for sunset. 

 We started the day at my favorite coffee shop in the German Colony (the neighborhood closest to our house).  I come here often enough that the barista always knows what I want to order and helps me when other people working there do not understand what I am saying.  But, let's be honest...the best thing about this place is the tiny free shortbread that comes with the coffee.

 Tel Aviv is certainly more modern than Jerusalem, and you get this sense as soon as the tall buildings of the city are visible from the freeway.

 Being in Tel Aviv really made me feel like I was back home in California.  The beach is littered with little cafes where you can eat in the sand and there is a great bike path that follows the road along the water.  There are actually bikes you can rent, so I think we'll have to consider this next time we go (especially since I felt like I was going to collapse after walking everywhere for a couple hours and the breeze would be a welcome addition to the direct sun!).

One of the few beach cafes where you can sit in the sand.  We thought about indulging, but ultimately opted for a delicious (and cheaper) pita and hummus shop.

 One of the great things about the beaches here is that there are FREE chairs and umbrellas all along the beach that are up for grabs.  I can imagine it being tough to snag a seat during the summer, but we had no trouble.

 The water in the sea is very shallow for quite a ways, so I was able to take my camera into the water and snap a couple shots from a different direction.  It was strange to be so far from shore and hardly wet up to my waist.  The water was incredibly warm (warmer than Lake Washington probably ever gets) and the beach itself was covered in super fine sand. 

  Eric made a quick run to the store to pick up some beer for a sunset happy hour :)

 Right before sunset, this man rode up to the beach on his horse.  This was funny not only because it is not something you see everyday, but also because the only signs we saw along the beach said that no animals were allowed. 

It was a gorgeous evening and the sunset was lovely.  Everything was sweetened by the fact that we were sitting outside on the beach in November in tank tops.  I am not sure this could even happen in California!  When the weather actually gets colder in Jerusalem, it will be fantastic to have this beachy get-away within an hour's drive.  'Til next time, Tel Aviv!