A Visit of Biblical...Proportions

Today we went to the Biblical Zoo. It's located near Malcha, a neighborhood I know because I spent a lovely Friday night at a house there in January. Getting there took forever, but when we arrived, the student rate (33 sheqels / $8.25) gave us admission to my favorite activity. No, not seeing wild animals. Hilarious pictures with SBB!

After the zoo, Rachel and I visited another mall, where I continued my search for the perfect backpack. I, once again, came up with nothing. We did find success in the mall, however, in the form of a chocolate croissant and Shoko Cham (hot chocolate). Also, we visited the grocery store, which of COURSE is located in the ground floor of the mall (where else would it be?), where I bought some Shanah Tovah Diet Coke for Allison and me. I also got "Gevinah Krem" which I hope translates literally to "cream cheese," otherwise there's going to be some gross stuff to put on bagels at break the fast on Saturday night.


Big and lazy...and there's a tortise in the picture, too!


Keeping cool with the lady on the ice cream truck!


Thinking about a Maplewood Elementary School Owl / Being Wise in Nivonim 2006 / Harry Potter's pet owl, Hedwig.




Time for a tangent. Shanah Tovah Diet Coke is one of the best things I've seen thus far in Israel. The spirit of the Jewish New Year (it started last week) is very similar to the Christmas spirit in the states. The Diet Coke labels are adorned with icons of metallic ribbons and shiny rimonim (pomagranates) and they visually sing out "Shanah Tovah!" (Happy New Year!) In stores -- from the hippie skirt store to the massive grocery store -- and in movie theaters, from OFFICE DEPOT to Burger King, from cabs rides to chats with the cell phone company, everyone wishes you "Shanah Tovah!" The holiday spirit is alive and well here in Ha'aretz! (The Land).

As I go into Yom Kippur, I know I should be looking forward to feeling holy and renewed for a year of life and happiness. But to be honest, as good as it's going to be, I am just really excited that after YK, Rafi will get to Israel. Yay!



This is what will be awaiting Rafi at the airport:










PS-This is me at the Palmach Museum, looking scandalous in my tube top!

I Wanna Tel You Something...

Today, the girls and I went to Tel Aviv. We didn't take a lot of pictures (any), but we had a great time. I introduced them to the store that my friend Shiran showed me in January, we visited the craft fair at Nachalat Binyamin, and delighted in the Palmach museum. The museum was intense and fabulous, a wonderful experiential education experience. If you're in Tel Aviv, make the call and reserve a spot on the guided experience! You'll love it!

Other highlights of Tel Aviv: shoe shopping (And not buying anything! I know my parents don't believe me, but it's true.), feeling comfortable in a tube top (I ditched the bikini idea for something MORE revealing!), getting fisherman pants (and figuring their name because I deciphered the Hebrew tag on their shelf.) and having dinner with my Sackler School of Medicine friends in Ramat Aviv!

Tomorrow I go back into the land of red tape -- except this time, I'm taking my figurative, ceremonial, ribbon-cutting shears. I say figurative, of course, because I have to get checked by no fewer than 3 Bitachon (security) people, walk through a metal detector, flash my student visa and passport, and, of course, announce once again that "No, I am not carrying a gun."

In other news: This link makes me slightly homesick for my old apartment.