After breakfast we decided to walk off the calories we’ve been piling up while here eating all this great food.  While all the stores were closed for Shabbat, café’s and convenience stores remained open.  As we meandered down one of the main shopping streets I started laughing after we had traveled a good ½ mile.  Worldwide, women have the same fetish…shoes!  It seemed every 4^th store was a shoe store and they were all women’s shoes.  Thank goodness they were all closed or we would have not strolled very far and I would have been bored out of my mind.

As we continued our walk I was struck by the amount of Jewish fathers out alone with their children.  Often Dad was on a bike with one child riding in front of him and the other on the back.  As hard working as men are here and the long hours they put in, it was heartwarming to see Dad’s spending quality time with the children.  After heading south for a few miles we turned west and headed for the sea.  Once we got there it looked like the whole of Tel Aviv was out enjoying the sunshine and warm weather.  The seaside was a bustle of activity from young to very old.  The water was a bit cool so no one was swimming just sunning themselves on the fine sand.  I did see two crazy Africans out past the “No Swimming” sign bathing.  I think it was one of those “Lost in Translation” moments.  

As we headed back north towards the hotel from afar we thought we saw people line dancing.  As we got closer we realized that it was Jewish Folk dancing and it was happening outdoors right by the beach.  We stood there for quite awhile mesmerized by the music and jealous we didn’t know the dance steps so we could jump in.  Elizabeth commented that the music and dancing seemed to come from a place deep in their souls.  I enjoyed seeing the joy on people’s faces as they were totally into it!  The whole experience reminded me of the celebration scene in Otto Preminger’s movie “Exodus.”  We then decided to try an Israeli McDonalds for the experience.  This of course put back on all the calories we had just walked off. They had dinner meal choices of “The Big New York” or “The Big Texas” and trust me they were big!  I couldn’t believe the size of the burger.  One thing we did learn…must ask for cheese.

We arrived back at our hotel around 4PM and had not heard a peep from anyone at Elizabeth’s company.  I was bemoaning the fact we are leaving in a few days and my heart was pulling me back to Jerusalem.  OK, it was my camera calling.  When we were here last week it was with Elizabeth’s clients on a tour and the guide kept moving us along.  It was getting irritating as he needed to make sure we saw all the sites and I wanted to take pictures of the people and the culture. Elizabeth disappeared downstairs for awhile and came back asking “how would you like to go to Jerusalem?”  I love my wife!!!  We threw on fresh clothes, packed a small bag and headed out the door for Bus #4 next to the hotel.  After a Sharuot ride to Jerusalem, a train ride to the Damascus Gate and a walk to the Hashimi Hotel here we are.  In fact as I write this Elizabeth is asleep next to me.  I best sign off and get some shuteye as we have adventures in Jerusalem awaiting us in the morning.