Tel Aviv, Friday

The Mediterranean from the Hotel

 After a night in Luton, we headed for the airport anticipating delays due to the stringent security measures which we had been told characterized El Al, the Israeli national airline. These measures took the form of fairly extensive and detailed questions about why we were going to Israel and whether we knew anyone there. Despite this we were through to the boarding area in less than 45 minutes. The plane was about 30 minutes late arriving and once we were finally on board, there was a further delay. We had taxied out and were waiting in the queue to take off when they found an unidentified mobile phone on board.  This, of course, was a security issue and we had to go back and off-load it, losing our place in the queue.  Security with El Al is very tight.

Once on our way, the flight was completely uneventful and after about five hours we found ourselves in Israel. Ben Gurion airport is very modern, clean and pleasant.  The only trouble was, like so many airports around the world, long walks and no luggage carts.  We came through immigration where we were quizzed again and then, with nothing to declare, straight through with our bags and on to the hotel in Tel Aviv, about twenty kilometres from the airport.

This morning we went down to breakfast.  There are three elevators, two of which are quite ordinary.  The third is what is called a "Shabbat" elevator.  This is set up so that the user does not have to touch any of the buttons and therefore does not violate the injunction against working on the Sabbath. There are a number of different ways in which this is accomplished with the simplest probably being to have it stop automatically at every floor.  Naturally there is a lot of debate over whether this really avoids work.  What seems to be the greatest criticism is that it is almost a form of cheating.

Back to breakfast, however.  Of course the hotel is Kosher, so there was no meat on the buffet.  But there were about ten different cheeses, all sorts of breads and at least a dozen fish dishes.  I could go on, but you get the idea.  It would be easy to gorge oneself.

In the afternoon we went to the biggest shopping mall in Tel Aviv.  Our main reason was to go to the top of the building for what was described as a spectacular view of the city.  Unfortunately the viewing area was closed!  As for the shopping mall, well it wasn't much different from the malls in other big cities.  If it wasn't for a few different shops and the writing being in Hebrew, you could just as easily have been in Sydney, Melbourne, Miami, Los Angeles or New York.

Statue in front of the Mall
IDF airman drinking

No matter where you travel, you have the basic needs.  Foremost is getting your clothes cleaned and since the hotel doesn't have a "laundry room," and since it is Friday, the start of the Sabbath, the hotel doesn't have a service.  We took a walk and found a place which would do our dry cleaning and laundry.  Of course it will be closed on Saturday, but the clothes "should" be ready by Sunday evening.

We finished our first full day in Tel Aviv in the hotel bar with an old friend who settled here twenty-five years ago.  Miriam and I were in high school together and the last time we saw each other was more than ten years ago at our 45th high school reunion.  Have to say, it was a long time between drinks!