I’ve kind of been missing in action these days as I went to Israel and Italy for two weeks. To say I was busy would be an understatement. I seemed to have visited 6 cities in 14 days…Amsterdam, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Florence, Venice and Rome.
So please bear with me as I’m going to dedicate a few (just a few..LOL) blog posts about my travels. As you know, I’ve been to Israel before, but this trip was special for these 3 reasons:
1. I had the opportunity to celebrate my 50th birthday on the Tel Aviv beach.
2. I got the chance to spend time with my daughter who is studying in Jerusalem, since Jan 25th.
3. I was able to celebrate the Passover seder with my amazing daughter and amazing cousins.
This trip was by no means a “touring trip”. I was there to see family and friends and eat. LOL.
What really blew my mind about this trip is how different it looks from 3 decades ago. For example, their airport is one of the nicest airports I’ve ever seen. I could NOT have said this 30 years ago.
Plus there’s no shortage of modern buildings either. Take for example, this modern building in Tel Aviv.
I was only in Jerusalem for a day but I made sure to see the Western Wall, Mahane Yehuda (their famous food market) and go to my favorite restaurant (Caffit) for their insanely delicious Sweet Potato Salad. (36 Emek Rafaim, Jerusalem)
After my short stay in Jerusalem, I went to Tel Aviv. What did I do there? HANG OUT ON THE BEACH AS MUCH AS I COULD. LOL
Naturally food was a big part of my trip and I tried to eat Shakshuka as much as I could. I discovered that not all Shakshukas are equal. In fact, I still think the Shakshuka at Dr. Laffa (3023 Bathurst St) right here in Toronto is the best one!!
Israel is indeed a special place for me and I can’t wait to return.
What a great 50th Birthday present. Thanks MOM and Dad!
