heading home

Well, here we sit in the club lounge at the airport in Tel Aviv waiting for the first leg of our trip home. TLV to LHR to JFK (sleep over) to SXM and a ferry back to AXA.  It is 6AM now. We've been up since 3AM. The security at the airport here was certainly thorough but leaving is not nearly as interrogative (if that is a word) a process as coming into the country.

Yesterday we relaxed a little. Walked back around the old city of Jerusalem for a couple of hours. Went back to the wailing wall in the daylight to see three different Bar Mizvahs taking place. And went in search of a simple little dreidel. Could not find one anywhere - and it's Hanukkah. Even the woman in the hotel said she had just commented to a friend that you really don't see them anymore. So in the old city we kept asking. Apparently, don't ask in the Armenians or the Christian sections. Sure they sell yarmulke and menorahs but no dreidels. Even in the toy shops, no luck. Michael asked one man, Isn't htis Israel? Finally we found a guy who had them. Cheap little wooden ones and he wanted 120 sheckels which is like $38US. Michael said 20 sheckels so the salesman acted all indignant. Were we implying that he was profiting 100 sh? Well, yes we were. Why you have to be like that? He asked Michael. Michael answered, Why YOU have to be like that? After much hollering and walking away, one little dreidel worth probably $1.50 was finally purchased for $5.00. It's still very hard to get used to that system of commerce. Just put a price tag on it and let me decide, that's what I say.

Then we needed to get back to Tel Aviv in the afternoon. Called the hotel that I had chosen specifically because it was nearer the airport than any I had found AND has a shuttle to the airport. That meant that we'd take a cheaper shuttle to the airport (rather than a taxi to the hotel itself) and then catch their shuttle to the hotel. When I called the hotel, however, to find out how to find their shuttle at the airport I was informed that I misunderstood. They do not have a shuttle from the airport. Pardon me? Your website says you do. Oh no, go back and read it, it says they have a shuttle TO the airport. Only TO. Not FROM. So that's a new one.

That meant that we had to negotiate a cab ride from Jerusalem to the Hotel itself. That went from 350sh to 300sh to finally 250sh. UGH! In their defense, though, it was the very first hotel of this entire stay that offers FREE internet access. Every other one charges $20US/day. And they have free Happy Hour at 6PM. Of course, it consists of tea and coffee and juice and crackers but it was a thought. Finally, we gathered at 4AM with a couple from India on their way to Athens while the desk clerk called the cab to take us to the airport. Four adults, four large bags and three carry-ons and they called a teeny tiny cab so that we had to sit with luggage on our laps while the driver strapped bags to the roof! Luckily the hotel had signs all over asking patrons to go to TripAdvisor and post comments on the behalf....so perhaps I shall !!!!

Meanwhile, let us eat cake (here in the lounge) and wish ourselves safe travels.