Jun 11: last day in Israel

Today was our last day in Israel, and we are all a bit sad to be going home. This has been an incredibly fun and relaxing vacation. 

Cris, Ted and I  started the day with a stroll to the north, along Dizengoff up to Basel square and Yermiyahu. The more northern parts of the city feel more upscale, leafier, and with way fewer run-down buildings. 

Along the way, I saw a familiar site... 

zebra stencil...I've seen this as grafitti a few times... I wonder what the story is...

Once we got back to the hotel, we changed into our bathing suits again. 

on our balcony at the Sheraton

Joshie and the view looking south

paddle ball--this is what it looks like much of the time - one of us going to fetch the ball

Josh is always busy, and he's good at getting other people to play with him.

Sam was surprised I could take this shot, with me in it

me and Josh and Sam on the inner tube

towing the boys, except Josh appears to have fallen off the end of the chain. I was getting my exercise by jogging around in the waves

today's sand castle

We spent a long time at the beach today. Then we strolled back to Basel square to eat a very fine meal at Rustico. It was the best food we had in Israel, and this is a charming, upscale neighborhood. 

midnight final trip to the juice bar at Rothschild and Herzl

Tomorrow we face the long flights home, and then it's back to work for me. 

I'm already thinking about how and when I'll be back. Maybe I'll come for a year, and work here. Maybe we'll do it when Josh goes to college, or maybe when he is in 9th grade. We have time to figure it out.

I covet an apartment in this brown steel and glass building, across HaYarkon from the Sheraton. The big windows look out across the Sheraton pool deck to the sea.