What I have been up to

Hello folks. Sorry for not writing in a very long time. I will update everything that has happened so far.

Pretty much I have been running around and about. I have visited family and had a chance to catch in a few sites. Also went to a few soccer games (more on that in just a bit).

The first weekend I was here I picked up my niece and nephew from their grandmother and went back to Ashdod. I took them to the beach and then to a soccer game between Sports Club Ashdod and Maccabi Herzliyya. This game was the first of the season for both clubs. The Herzliyya team is a team that was just promoted this year from the second division and they played with a lot of heart. Ashdod was absorbing a lot of pressure all game long and then they scored an 82nd minute goal that was quite exciting. My niece and nephew jumped out of their seats as well.

The next day I took the kids back to their parents by train. It took quite long with a train switch in-between. About 5 hours because someone got hit in the train station just ahead of Ashdod. Resulted in a 1.5 hour delay. Some things are slow in Israel.

After taking them back, I caught up with my nephew in Tel Aviv and we went to a game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem. We sat in the section devoted to the most hardcore fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv. They had co-ordinated cheers, flags, drums, flares, etc. It was quite something. Here is a photo:


The Jerusalem fans were no less co-ordinated and news reports claim there were 7,000 away fans in all. That must have put our number at around 9,000 (Tel Aviv fans).

All in all it was a good game. The visitors struck first midway into the 1st half. But the fans in my section did not relent. They just sang louder and all game too.

Jubilation as around the 60th minute, Tel Aviv tied it up and looked like they could have another. But alas, Jerusalem got a winning goal around the 70th minute that ripped the hearts out of all the Tel Aviv fans. The final whistle came and Beitar Jerusalem had its first victory in Bloomfield Stadium (Maccabi's home) since 1987. Guess you can say they were due. At least it was only the first week of the season. 32 games left for Maccabi to erase this loss.

The next day I went back to central Israel with my brother in law. I finally got to see my sister and her new home. She bought a house in a place called Tel Mond. It is a quaint little settlement about 25 minutes in good traffic from central Tel Aviv. Anybody who is familiar with Kfar Saba or Raanana.. it is just 10 minutes up the road with a sign clearly marked.

Here are some photos from the new house:

















She doesn't have grass yet but I am sure she will soon. Neither does she have a kitchen which will be a bigger chore. But no sweats, she has a mother in-law who will gladly cook for her.

This is the view looking outside. As you can see, there is much space to fill but no worries since all their stuff came from Canada the same day.

That particular day the painters were still painting the house and everyone was put to work. I had to chip paint off floor tiles and walls in the bathrooms and on the main floor. It wasn't particularly pleasant, but when family needs you, you roll up your sleeves and work.





Here is where the kitchen is supposed to be:


It will get there I am sure.














Next post will be about northern Israel where I am right now.

My free day in Paris and getting to Israel

After saying goodbye to everyone, I had a free day in Paris before flying to Israel.
Spent the day touring Notre Dame Cathedral and the Latin Quarter of Paris. Nothing major seen, just perusing the streets. After about an hour of walking, I took a cruise around the River Seine where I got a closer view of the city. After the cruise, I walked to Place de la Concorde where an obelisque from Luxor stands. It is 3,300 years old with a golden top. Amazingly, it was brought to France in one piece. A gift from Egypt.

Place de la Concorde is also where people were guillotined during the French revolution. There is a plaque commemorating the bloody execution spot that sealed the fate of the likes of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

I got to Charles de Gaulle Airport on time and managed with help to find my check-in desk. After receiving my boarding passes, I was subjected to a demeaning search which consisted of taking my shoes and belt off and being hand frisked. The same process was repeated in London on my connecting flight to Israel.

The plane was 1 hour late getting off which left me with 90 minutes to catch my connection in London. Thankfully, I was there on time and I am here in Ashdod writing this to you.

Landed in Israel and was simply amazed by how the airport changed. It looks very modern now and the passport control is less strenuous. There is a rail link from the airport so I was able to conveniently get to Ashdod by changing one train.

I will publish my contiki review later.

Paris Days 1 and 2

The day we left Lyon, we arrived in Fontainebleau where Napoleon once spoke on the steps of a castle. Had a good pizza lunch with Boyd and Kelly and we talked about what they do in Australia. He works for his family business which sells tinted windows and she works as a grocer in a supermarket.

Got to Paris around mid-Afternoon straight to the hotel. The hotel itself is quite big and relatively cheap: 59 euros a night from mid June to end of August. I imagine it's cheaper the rest of the year. Quite a good rate for Paris.

The only drawback is that the area around the hotel is quite Arab so it was difficult to get everything I wanted done in the internet cafe. There were actually hizbullah backers in the internet cafe. I know because they had a poster of Nasrallah on their computer.

The evening of the first day, we went on a city tour of Paris by bus. Helen started off by telling us a love story of two people she knew. Long story short it's about a guy who is a total perfectionist who wanted to propose to his girlfriend in Paris but he didn't get a perfect ring. He decided to put off the proposal. So he worked real hard at it to get a second crack in Paris without letting her know that they were going there for a proposal. If you want the story, drop a comment.

We started off seeing Notre Dame and surrounding points of interest before we headed to the Eiffel Tower. We climbed the tower and I got all the way to the peak of it. Really neat views up there. When we got down, there was a light show on the tower. I took a video clip of it. It was very spectacular. The bus tour concluded with a peak at the Arc de Triomphe.

The next day I started off at the Louvre where I saw Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa among others. I spent about an hour and a half there. The place is massive. You need a map to find your way out. And few people actually know that it used to be a royal palace.

After the Louvre I went to the Champs Elysees via the metro. Paris subway is incredibly efficient but the subway map will make you go dizzy. I found London's subway system easier to navigate. I saw the Arc de Triomphe and went up and down the Champs Elysees which is a fabulous street to walk on. Many pricy shops like Louis Vuitton and Giorgio Armani.

That evening we had the cabaret show. Since many people opted to go to Moulin Rouge, the cabaret I went too had only 13 people from my group. No matter. It was still fun and about 38 euros cheaper than Moulin. I didn't feel I lost anything by going to that one instead of Moulin. There was comedy, acrobatics, singing and dancing. The women sometimes were bare-chested but it was really tastefully done. The meal that came along with the show was tasty. Steak with potatoes and veggies.

After the cabaret, I said goodbye to the group at an irish pub close to the Moulin Rouge. I took a bunch of pictures of the people I referred to as friends for the 15 days prior and whom I shall continue to do so. The contiki tour has officially ended.

Lyon

I made a vow to complete this blog and so I am doing so while the memory is still fresh.

We began the day with a drive to a perfumery where we learned how they make perfume. Helen the tour manager said that the reason we are going to girly spots like a diamond factory, a crystal shop and a perfumery was to make us "all around gentlemen," whatever that means.

After the perfumery, we arrived in Avignon which used to be a papal city during the Great Schism of the 13th Century when there were popes in Avignon, Rome and Pisa (3 popes at once). Each contended they were the true pope.

We were there for one hour and I had a crepe which turned out to be nothing but blintz dough with some sugar over it. 6 euro for that?

There was a guy near the palace who could sing like a female opera singer. It was really wild so I gave him all the change I had.

When we got to Lyon, I inquired about the nearest shul in the hotel and I took the subway there. The subway in Lyon is very clean and nice to ride. 10 minutes later, I arrived at the shul which turned out to be a sephardi one. No matter. When I got to the entrance, I was asked a bazillion questions by a guy in the front and he looked at my ID. I guess they experience anti-semitic attacks.

After the service, I was invited to someone's house for shabbat dinner. The husband happened to speak hebrew which was good. His father was there along with his wife and two young girls. One of the girls was adopted from Vietnam when she was 3 months old.

The evening consisted of details about Lyon's jewish community and the family's aspirations to move to Israel ASAP. They have family in Raanana and they simply feel that Israel is their home and not France. I sympathize with them. Shabbat dinner was really delicious with yellow rice and curry chicken with olives.

Not much to talk about Lyon as I didn't get to experience the downtown but I am happy that I got to spend Shabbat the proper way.

French Riviera Day 1 + 2

Got to the French Riviera around mid-day after a stop in Pisa and a rest stop in Italy. The Leaning tower of Pisa indeed has a significant lean. It's worth checking out just to get up close. I got me a photo of myself trying to push the tower back to its place (visual effect of course).

Feeling kinda shitty lately, even losing my voice but still trying to have fun out there. The evening was spent in Monaco which is absolutely breathtaking. Go there if you want to see the best cars and yachts. Money does grow on trees in Monaco or so it seems. There were a bunch of Ferraris parked outside of the Monte Carlo Grande Casino.

There was a dinner in Monaco which was alright. Wasn't as spectacular as the Tuscan dinner but at least I can say I had dinner in Monaco and add to it, gambled. I lost 50 euros in the Sun Casino but it's alright. My roommate Darren won 300 euros on a one euro bet so at least somebody won. Two other people won 100 and 200 euros respectively.

Day 2 in the Riviera has been a chill-out day. Would have gone to the beach if I was feeling better but I am not. Instead I will just go back to the hotel to lie down and recuperate from this cold that seems to engulf the entire group. Maybe spending a long time with the same people is not so good for one's health.

Florence

I really liked Florence for its undying commitment to art. So much so that there is a plaza full of statues. I took some photos of them.

We left Rome that morning and got to Florence around mid-day. Had a group photo taken and then had a chance to explore the city. I went to the Bargallo museum which is a little less known than what else there is in Florence. It was full of renaissance statues and art. Quite neat.

Some people made the effort to wait in the queue for Michaelangelo's David which was a whopping 2 hours and 30 minutes. I decided not to this time and I vow to return to Florence to see the statue which those who saw it described as massive and magnificent.

Around 2:30 pm, we were treated to a guided tour of the city by an art expert and local. He pointed out how to spot a greek statue from a roman one. Greek statues emphasize a perfect body, a roman one is not shy to show flab. Also saw the Ponte Vecchio, Florence's most famous bridge. It's full of shops so you would never realize it was a bridge. Worth checking out.

Our evening was packed with entertainment. We had a Tuscan dinner with music and opera singing. The opera singer was absolutely amazing and she finished with a rendition by Andrea Bocelli. People gave her a standing ovation. I also got to do some dancing like something that resembled a hora. Later that night I went to a disco which was fun too.

I am a little under the weather even in Nice where I am writing this. I hope it will be over with by the time I get to Paris.

Venice and Rome

Hi guys.. sorry for not posting in the past while.

I will combine Venice and Rome together as I am bound by time.

Venice was a really cool city. When we came there, St. Marks square had been overflooded by high tide so I had to carry my sandals in my hand. The gondola ride was fun as well but the rower did not speak any english so he did not explain anything. But I do think the gondola is an overrated thing as much of the canal-side buildings are chipped and look crummy.

There were a lot of beggars and illegal immigrants selling knockoff louis vuitton bags. This was expanded times ten when I got to Rome. Rome kicked off with a walking tour that took us from the Colloseum to the Trevi Fountain and the Parthenon. We actually got to see a lot in a short time. Had a pizza dinner near Piazza Nevona which was absolutely delicious. 15 euros which included mineral water and bruschetta. Some makeshift band made their way near the patio where I was sitting with friends and wanted tips. Dan (Canadian friend) gave him 40 cents and the guy gave him an evil look. We did not ask them to come there. He should be thankful for what he got.

Rome is also littered with graffiti, especially their crummy subway system that comes by once every 7 minutes even at rush hour. But I got to see what I wanted to everything was good. Even saw the Titus arch.

A sad point was that Jason and Cat had to leave us early because Cat`s father died. Really sad. We said goodbye to them this morning.

Now I am off to explore Florence. Next time I post will be in France.

Austria

I call this post Austria because we went whitewater rafting about 45 minutes out of Innsbruck and then arrived later in the city.

Quite the day. Liechtenstein was stop number 1. A very tiny country about the size of the GTA. Got my passport stamped for 2 swiss francs. After that we went rafting. Whitewater rafting was amazing. We were guided by an instructor who was super great and he was Welsh. Nobody fell out of our raft. I got a souvenir photo for my troubles.

After that, we ended up in Innsbruck. I saw the ski jump that is next to the cemetery. It was used during the 1976 olympic winter games that were here. But when the competition was going on, they put a billboard to cover the cemetery. The jumping distances greatly improved after that.

We then walked into the downtown where I went to Swarovski Crystals. I bought this beautiful necklace that I may give as a gift someday. It is just so much cheaper here than to buy in Canada.

Tomorrow we are off to Venice. Should be quite good. First time in Italy.

Switzerland Day 2

I conquered Mount Titlis today. I apologize for saying it was 7,000 metres above sea level. Not even Everest is that high. It is 10,000 feet high which is 3,020 metres.

I got to the very peak of Mount Titlis. It was snowing and foggy. Some people went tubing up there but I elected to go with Jason and Kat on a hike from the middle of the mountain to the base. It took us 2 and a half hours with a stop for coffee. On the hike we saw cows with cowbells. Unbelievable how some people have cow herds at 5,000 feet above the ground.

There was also a beautiful lake that was crystal blue. It looked like a large swimming pool but it was all natural. The entire walk itself felt like something out of Lord of the rings with winding trails and high peaks.

Getting to the peak of Mount Titlis was slightly scary with cable cars that were an 80 degree incline in some spots. It took three cable cars that were getting larger by capacity as I was going up. The very last cable car was run by a Swiss woman who could speak a few languages including hebrew. She said "welcome to the only spinning cable car in the world" in hebrew and even said that the weather was "al hapanim" which means not good.

I heard about the news out of Heathrow. I am not particularly alarmed. I am still going with plans as usual. I have faith in the Israeli airport security.

I called my aunt and she told me I should stick to my plans. My aunt is very wise so I will listen to her.

I should lend some words to last night. Most of the group went to a local bar which is like a club. It was really nice times and with the franc being close to par with the Canadian dollar (94 cents to the franc), drinks are somewhat the same as they are in Canada at 7 francs a pop.

Everything else though is expensive as heck. The Swiss pay all their employees double what they could make here and then charge alarming rates at their touristy spots and most shops. But you can trust that everything is pretty high quality and you should be relatively satisfied with your purchases.

I was going to be very frugal with my money when I began this trip but our tour guide encourages us to throw caution to the wind and act as though this could be my last ever trip to Europe. That is how I am treating things and it is the best way to go about it. I am not destitute anyway.

Switzerland Day 1

Wow it is so amazing here. The mountains are lush and beautiful. The hotel in Engelberg is fantastic. We are surrounded by mountains.. some that go beyond the clouds.

Today was filled with shopping and a cruise on Lake Lucerne. I took some really nice pictures of Lucerne and Lake Lucerne. I had a chance to bust out the french I have learned for 9 years with some success. I was able to ask how much something cost and which way to enter the church. It was one of those huge cathedrals that adorn Europe and it was quite the sight.

I bought two bull horns and some chocolate for family in Israel. Speaking of Israel, I hear they are no where near ending the war. This pains me.

I learned some really cool things about Switzerland. For one, they are very paranoid. They have bombs strapped to all the bridges and tunnels leading into the country. This is in the event of an invasion attempt on their country. By bombing the bridges and tunnels, they can prevent an invading army from moving in. They have the capacity to mobilize 750,000 troops in 48 hours. Swiss nationals are conscripted and later on they are routinely called for duty including target practice. All this for a country that is neutral.

Tomorrow I climb Mount Titlis by cable car. It will take 3 cable cars to get to the peak. Supposedly it is 7,000 metres above sea level. Makes sense since we are pretty high up here in Engelberg.

St. Goar

We are only here for one day in Germany. Already went on a fabulous Rhine Cruise. Really have to see it
to appreciate this beautiful river.

Started the day at a rest-stop just into Germany. Had schnitzel and mashed potatoes.. a really delicious meal. Then we were off to the boat. Had beer in a giant glass like Germans enjoy doing. Then when we got to shore.. I bought some beer steins and sent them home.

While most of the group went wine tasting, I joined a few folks from South Africa for an excursion to an old castle. It was on top of a high mountain and you could get more nice views of the Rhine.

There are awesome people on this trip, particularly the Aussies. But the people I hang out with the most are Graham and Gillian, a South African accounting couple.. and most of the Canadians. There is a married couple named Jason and Kat who are a lot of fun. They are from Vancouver.

Dinner was fabulous. While everybody else had pork, I had a veggie quiche. It was delicious. No need for trife meat.

The hotel is the best yet. Really high class save for no TV. But who needs TV on a trip like this?

St. Goar the good: everything
St. Goar the bad: Saw a swastika spray painted on a road sign and a memorial to a Nazi soldier. Also, most things are in German including touristy things.

Tomorrow we are off to Switzerland.

Amsterdam Days 1 and 2

I have to compact these together because last night there was no internet access. By the time Day 1 was complete, the internet cafes were closed. But now I discovered that the hotel had internet access all along.

Day 1's major thing was the canal cruise and the free beer. The tour guide was funny. He is a big soccer fan and said that the way Ajax goes, so goes the Dutch team. Since Ajax sucked this year, so did their national team.

Amsterdam is definitely an interesting city and I encourage all to go. Beautiful canals, plenty of thin but high houses and quite the vibrant nightlife. Saw the Anne Frank museum (very powerful) and the Van Gogh. They also took us to a live sex show which I can say wasn't worth the money (45 euros). Not that I'm sure what would have made it worth that much.

The city itself is a culture shock. Drugs and prostitution are readily acceptable. You walk down a street in the red light district and you see girls standing in the windows. It's quite something and it's in a way.... sad.

City is very un-pedestrian friendly. Between the streetcars, the bike-only lanes (there are plenty and they're like roads) and the cars, you are lucky at times to get off in one piece. Supposedly if you get hit by a bike, it is your fault and you will get deported as a foreigner.

Believe the bias that Dutch all have bikes. The story is that the Nazis took all the bikes from the Dutch in WWII and after the war, the government gave every Dutch person a bike. That is why they have their bike-only roads and they dominate the downtown and even the country-side.

Day 2 was filled with a morning of biking across Edam, a village famous for its cheese. Then it was off to see an exhibition on cheese making and clogs. I learned that smoked cheese uses 2-3 year old cheese melted down. Good thing I never liked that stuff. I bought plain cheese and I will give it to my aunt.

After returning to town, I saw a diamond exhibit, went to Anne Frank's and then the Van Gogh. I had lunch at a kosher establishment where they spoke perfect hebrew. Then I had dinner at a falafel stand where the owner was Israeli. I learned that it's a very Israeli city. In fact, there were signs in hebrew in a few places.

I also saw a Hizbollah supporter. Someone asked a man what his cap written in Arabic meant. He proudly chanted "Hizbollah..terroristas" Gross!

Amsterdam the good: Vibrant nightlife, easy-going ways. multi-cultural.
Amsterdam the bad: unfriendly to pedestrians

Off to Germany.

London Day 2

What a day. Took the train all the way to Hampton Court which is 35 minutes out of central London. It was literally end of the line. There was no rail beyond the station. And just as advertised, train conductors whistle when the doors are about to close.

Hampton Court is a palace that was first inhabited by a Cardinal Wolsey who did all of Henry VIII's affairs of state because Henry was too lazy to. Then at some point, Henry VIII decided that he wanted the cardinal's palace and took it to himself. Later on, the palace was ruled by other kings until King William II. There is an interesting contrast of styles in all the rooms reflecting everyone who lived there.

There were actors portraying themselves as Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and other lesser known people from that era. The actors played a game of lawn bowling and all observers were given a coin to wager on who would be closest to the "jack" or golden ball. I won my bet so I got to keep the coin.

Then I went on to the Tower of London which was quite interesting. Saw the crown jewels.. quite breathtaking I must say. The tower is an example of English multi-tasking. The tower has been used for coronations, as a prison, as an execution spot, as burial ground (for Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey and others) and as a place where the crown jewels are stored. Quite the many uses.

Finished up the day in Piccadilly Circus where I made a few Brazilian friends and went into a club with them.

So in summary I say this...

London the good:

1. A wide range of transportation options making it impossible to get lost and to get to your destination in quite rapid time.
2. A rich sense of history. Many museums to visit along with the usual big spots.

London the bad:

1. The hotel was terrible. Europe's sense of budget lodging is roughly 1-star by our standards.
2. People at the club were rude and it was 10 pounds to get in.


I will talk about Amsterdam soon....

London Day 1

It's 5:30 pm almost over here. What a day it's been already. Sat on the plane next to a guy from Malta who had bad breath but otherwise was very interesting to talk to. He unfortunately lost his son to cistic pibrhossis (sorry for the spelling) a few years ago.

Landed in London and I have to say the view on the landing was of damp houses. The periphery of London looks quite impoverished. The walk from my plane to the customs inspection was about 1 km... not joking. It was long. Then I hopped on a bus to a tube station. The coffee there was quite good and not too expensive.

Took the tube (subway) for about 50 minutes to my hotel. Couldn't check in so I put my bags in storage for 1 pound each. I took the tube to the bank of england to exchange some old notes so instant 30 pounds for free. Well worth the trip. In that trip, I became a veteran of the tube. I changed three lines and had to go up and down two flights of escalators! The escalators can be quite large.

After the bank, I took it to Westminster station where I took photos of London Eye, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. I then took the bus to Chelsea area and thought I missed the tour of their stadium. So I had some chinese food.. 5 pounds with a full plate and coke.. decent by London standars. When I got to the stadium, I was fortunate to catch a tour.

The tour guide was quite fun. She told us anecdotes about football like the fact that Totti spends 40 minutes in front of a mirror before a game. And it's actually in Beckham's contract that he get 20 minutes before a game. Silliness. There was also something about using the away team's dressing room to have a psychological edge for a home game (like cranking up the heat in their dressing room prior to a game).

The city seems very multicultural like Toronto. I heard a lot of French and even spanish on the way from the airport (maybe all tourists). A lot of colourful faces. It's neat.

I am off now to check out Picadilly Circus.

One day to go

That's it. Just one day to go and I am off to England, one of Canada's mother countries. I am off to London, England for two days to sightsee like a madman before my Contiki tour begins. I am getting chills. The things I plan to see in London are the usual biggies: Tower of London, Parliament, British Museum and some obscure ones like the Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea FC. One way or another, it promises to be quite the interesting roundabout and I hope to have the time and patience to blog all about it. If not, feel free to leave me a comment to egg me on for not writing enough.

On the European continent, I hope to see all the biggies where I am going. Cruise a canal in Amsterdam, climb a mountain in Switzerland, see the Vatican in Rome and take an elevator up the Eiffel just to name a few. It will be quite the hectic 18 days but it will be memorable for sure. I only pray that thieves and beggars will not spoil the fun.

I am pretty much packed everything. I have to pack not just for Europe but for Israel as well. After Europe, I am off to Israel on a mission of goodwill to renew relationships with family and friends. That is my first objective. My second objective is to touch the western wall in Jerusalem one more time. After that, everything is an absolute bonus.

I say with a heavy heart that my relationship with two of my 3 cousins, my uncle's daughters, has been strenuous at best. It's probably due to lack of communication but I really hope to change it. Lately I have begun to talk to his youngest daughter Efrat who is actually really cool and I have admired her a lot growing up. With his oldest daughter though, it's still dead air. I am not sure how to break that one.

Then there are distant cousins in Petach Tikvah that I should visit and lastly but no least, my sister and her family who have returned to Israel just recently despite everything. So there you have it, a bunch of people to visit. Plenty of things to get done in a month. A sweet break from the usual routine I have become accustomed to.