Tel Aviv

[Andy Rabagliati <andyr@wizzy.com>]

Israel ? I thought it was South Africa ..

Flying courtesy El Al from JFK, takes a day and a half.
Larry thinks it is a ridiculous amount of effort and time for a small
savings on air fare .. but it is really a part of the trip.

JFK - ElAl security must have interviewed me for a whole hour - I got
to JFK 2 hours before my flight, and was so close to missing it that my
clothes will arrive another day. How do they make money ?

A six hour layover in Tel Aviv - where transit passengers are supposed to
stay in the airport lounge - gave me not enough time to visit Jerusalem,
but plenty of time to quaff 3 beers in a Tel Aviv bar and discuss Jewish
politics with the owner and a Bulgarian immigrant bass guitar player.

The conclusion ?

Israel will stall for as long as it possibly can over any settlement.
The Palestinians need peace as much as Israel. When things are played
out as far as can be, it will return to war.

I spent a little time (looking for the bar) walking round Tel Aviv.
The coastal strip is big hotel land, with coffee bars as well.
You have to go back 3 or 4 streets to find the old town, and you
are back to the Old World - streets and funny little shops that
were built centuries ago.

Drivers drive badly, and will often stop in the middle of the road,
get out, just to inform another driver about their road skills and
mothers parentage.

Another leg to Johannesburg, to discover a bag missing, and to
take a much-needed shower and change.

Cheers,     Andy!

--
Andy Rabagliati  .  andyr@wizzy.com  .  http://www.wizzy.com/andyr/