The scenic route

I forgot to take my map with me this morning when I went to Jaffa, so possessing my father’s unerring sense of direction, I enjoyed the scenic route back.  Jaffa is amazing, the local stone is a bright orange colour and the Muslims traditionally paint the insides of inns and public buildings a deep brown.  I always wondered why they called those lollies jaffas.

The city is 4,000 years old.  Conquered by Thutmosis the third 3,800 years ago and is the biblical Joppa.  Perhaps the lollies should be called joppas.  There is a really old section including the house of Simon the potter where Peter actually stayed.  The real house, not just a later one built on the site.  Parts of the city, especially on the beachfront, are bombed, burnt or earthquaked out.  The city has been conquered I don’t know how many times, last in 1948 I think but it was probably bombed in 1967.  A few bombed sites are restaurants at night, and some locals clearly have a sense of humour with a fake scene of a bombed jeep and its occupants at the foot of one restaurant.

Caught a bus down to Jaffa after going to the Ben Gurion museum which is in his house.  He was the first PM of Israel.  Plenty of books, paintings and photos – must have been decent people.

Walked back via the aforementioned scenic route and visited the Carmel market.  Biggest one I have been in so far I think, though quite narrow.

Tel Aviv is much like any other modern city to walk around, not sterile like West Jerusalem or neglected like East Jerusalem. 

I have changed my wallpaper picture to one Eleanor sent me of Isabel dressed for her first formal.  I should take the computer to the north tomorrow and see how many camels I am offered for my beautiful daughter.

After lunch, went to Tel Aviv’s famous Gordon Pool, no I’ve never heard of it either.  Its on the beach, sort of an upmarket Manly Pool.  I still have my wrist band on in case I want to go back.  Tight or what?  Almost as bad as last night when I walked 1-2 Ks with two bags of washing, and back, just to save the equivalent of about 8 bucks.

Went swimming at the beach too, the water was unbelievably warm.  This evening I will be looking for a famous hippie hummus restaurant.  The great thing is -if I think I have found the right one, I am more than happy to go on thinking I found the right one, and label the photos accordingly.

PS only kidding about the colour of the stone in Jaffa.

                                                 Old Jaffa