Wed. Feb. 23 – swim in the sea; visit Ainat’s Playback group

Summary: another lovely day “off”, sunny and warm, with a Playback rehearsal in the evening.

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My happiest times today were enjoying perfect “Israeli” meals out on our rooftop, on a little plastic table spread colored cloth.  Breakfast: hot strong coffee, rice cake spread with avocado and smoked tofu, or with “cottage” (their rich cottage cheese), orange marmalade (which is also richer and thicker than ours) and thin-sliced strawberries. Outrageously good grapefruit.  Lunch: a plate piled with chunks of green  (Read more -- also videos)

pepper, carrot, fennel, goat cheese, sprinkled with salt and lemon.  Hummus and crackers.  Warm sun, cool air.  “Hey, what are all those white cylinders cluttering on every roof?”  Oh!  They’re hot water heaters sitting on top of solar panels!  Dozens of them on every building!  We feel friendlier towards the ugly skyline now understanding its noble purpose.

My exercise-dance in the morning was ecstatic, too – in the jasmine-smelling courtyard around the corner, in a hidden area behind the playground.  Oh, it smelled not only of jasmine but also of cat poop:  about five feral cats were my audience, staring with a harrumph as I invaded their habitual territory.   All over this city we see wild cats, picking hungrily at garbage or scurrying fearfully behind the underbrush. 

Between these good meals – hanging out in our nest, napping, writing on computer (me trying to catch up with this journal and Bolder Giving business, Christopher handling the complex logistics of all our Playback visits, including fielding more invitations than we can accept), plus our first dip in the sea --  too cold for a real swim, but enlivening.  Only one other crazy tourist in the water, but lots of naked young flesh out sunbathing.

In the evening we walked 40 min. or so to yet one more Playback rehearsal, with a quick dinner beforehand with the founder Ainat and her colleague.  Christopher and I were both feeling a little headachy and tired, but still enjoyed the eager exchange with 10 or so people in the company.  “We do such-and-such form!  Let us show you!”  “Oh, we have something similar, but it’s different in this way… watch!”  We could easily have gone back and forth until midnight, but Christopher and I took our leave around 9:30 so we’d be rested for our travels the next day. (Like most companies here, they rehearse from 8-11.)  The bus never came so we trudged our way back home, preferring to spend our sheckels on sampling Israeli treats along the way instead of on a cab ride.  

Rooftop view:

Morning dance spot: