Tel Aviv Rooftop

The last blog on beaches really didn't begin to do justice to the subject and since on the these long, hot and humid summer days a visit to the beach after work is seriously recommended, I took some more pics this evening; this time on Frishman beach beneath the Dan Hotel. A short walk revealed a wide variety of active beach pursuits. (I'm having trouble uploading photos again so excuse the gibberish if it appears). The photo above is of course of a matkot (biff bat) player (click for detail). This is the national Israeli beach sport and great fun, if you're playing it. Less though if you get whacked in the eye with a squash ball travelling close to the speed of light. Zig-zagging adroitly between matkot players is therefore a skill that beachwalkers ignore at their peril. Looking for dad's car keys. There was lots of energy on the beach this afternoon. The air was balmy and the breeze not too strong . Just right for a brisk walk, jog or male bonding ritual. And since...

href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroHi6nqYStdQQnlE_Au23V8jcLsEL6JlR8bjjKp2QnafN40PA3bpt79BEVMHJfA8ZIoKr7j9zsbIC9yv_SoUX2xQnjY6Ss0yobW-CTBWbB-MYegYyVtezcwhjEK9You-hHOI4d0IqAcw/s1600-h/P5120010.JPG"> A in New York asked for more photos of Tel Aviv beach and since she is not to be refused here are two , both taken at the southern end (Alma Beach) where Tel Aviv meets Yaffo . I'll try to take some more further north. Above, some Arab kids are frolicking in the waves on a hot spring day. Yesterday we took our traditional Shabbat morning summer dip and cappuccino on Alma beach which, looking north, looked like this. The strong sea breeze played havoc with the the sunshades, ripping them out of the sand and hurtling them dangerously across the laps of alarmed families. The waves were high and the sea sometimes rushed unexpectedly across the carefully arranged family encampments. Swimming (officially forbidden on this beach since there'...

View of Yaffo from Alma beach at sunset A few days ago, on the shavuot holiday, we met friends for breakfast at Alma Beach. Alma is both the beach closest to the rooftop and also the prettiest beach on the whole strip. To the immediate south, a few hundred metres away, lies the Yaffo promontory with its church spires and ancient stone skyline gently descending to the old fishing port. This proximity to Yaffo , as well to south Tel Aviv in general, makes Alma Beach the natural playground for the diverse populations who live in the area. Yuppie Neve Tsedek parents pick at calamari and supervise their kids behind expensive sunglasses ; Arab women wade into the waves, their black dresses ballooning around them. Gaggles of Filipino women from the Neve Sha'anan area, home for most of Tel Aviv's foreign workers, giggle and take photographs of each other. Ruddy Russian families scorn the pricey beach cafe for a picnic hamper and cheap beer. On the wide lawns behind the beach...