recycling bin on Rechov Dizengoff
UN vehicle
"Gilad" sign on boulevard
Old and New in Neve Tzedek
I woke up this morning with no special plans. Just had coffee and yogurt in my apartment and decided to take a walk on Dizengoff. It's an especially beautiful day so I'm glad that I have some free time to just roam around and discover. One of the first things that caught my eye along Dizengoff was a huge wire basket filled with empty plastic water bottles. What a simple idea! Just place a container in the middle of a street filled with pedestrians and you've got a wonderful and easy way for people to recycle their empty bottles. I love it! I began to notice them everywhere I walked, even in the middle of neighborhoods filled with apartment buildings. This is one of the reasons it's wonderful to walk the streets -- it's a great way to see things that you wouldn't normally pay attention to if you were in a car or bus. Another interesting sight that caught my eye was the appearance of cars and SUV's with the "UN" emblem. We all know that the UN is involved in the Middle East but it's not often that Americans see UN vehicles on the road. Just another reminder that you are in Israel. As I continued my stroll, I eventually made my way to the Beach Promenade. Somehow, I always end up on this stretch of walking path. The beach is such an integral part of the city that it just feels calming to walk this route. Along the way towards Jaffa, I noticed a colorful display spelling out the words "Gilad". This refers to Gilad Schalit, the young IDF soldier who was kidnapped and is being held by Hamas. Again, another reminder that this is not a country at peace. In spite of the beauty and the seeming normalcy of life, there exists an undercurrent of instability that every once in a while rears it's ugly head. I finally realized that my feet were desperate for a rest. Being near Neveh Tzedek, I took a turn onto a side street to look for a coffee shop where I could sit and have a snack. At one point, I looked upwards and glanced towards the sky. I saw old and new buildings appearing together. This sightdescribes the city of Tel Aviv -- an old city yearning to be contemporary at the same time.
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