Just as Hot, Twice as Humid

The calm I had last night before getting on the plane for Tel Aviv is still here. I'm in an internet cafe at Mapu and Ben Gurion Streets, about a ten minute walk from the Olimpia Hotel, my home for the next 18 hours.

I wasn't bumped to business class, but did have two seats to myself - very sweet - and a very quiet flight...because everyone was sleeping. I didn't have any pharmaceuticals to help my sleep, but I did snooze a little and all in all, the time passed quickly. With those little screens on the seat in front of you, you can CHOOSE what movie you want to watch. The Other Boleyn Girl was included in that list...I caved and watched "Definitely, Maybe" - pure shit, don't waste your time. But! On a very cool note, in the genre 'Canadiana' the first of your choices is...wait for it..."Maple Flavour Films"! Mazel tov, Michael, you've made the big time! Who needs a distributor when you're a featured flick on international flights with aircanada? I didn't have any problems with my ears, as I have had in the past. Maybe I'm growing out of it, or it seems to me that I'm always in the most pain upon landing if the flights are too close together, e.g. going to NYC for a weekend. At any rate, I drank lotsa water and chewed my gum and it worked so I'm happy.

The flight was on time, and I was in my hotel room by 7:30 pm in this time zone. (note to self: find out what timezone this is...any ideas out there?) While at the airport, the Ministry of Tourism desk is right beside the carousels so I got my superheavy bags from hell (did i really need to bring the yoga mat? yes! yes, i did!) and then the man at the desk hooked me up with Olimpia. (it's killing me to spell it with an 'i' not a 'y'.) It was kinda funny, I go up to MofT dude and start my usual pleasantries, "Hi, how are you?" and he just looked at me - not unfriendly, but with this, "you approached me so what do you want?" look. I got to the point, he helped me and here I am.

The hotel clerk, Michael, pointed me in the direction of the cafe and to a little supermarket. I picked up kiwi yogurt, hummus and flatbread, nectarines, apples, pomegranete (sp?) juice and water. I spent 75NIS = 25$Cdn. So far, comparable. It was so much fun trying to navigate the labels in Hebrew, and seeing all the different foods.

Ok, speaking of different foods, I'm now starving. I will hopefully be online at the kibbutz. A big shout out to Dan - wouldn't you know it, they're playing James Taylor here, now. And, while I'm shoutin' - thanks to the fam, and to Julie, Daniele and Brandon for coming to see me off. And thanks to everyone else who couldn't make it to Pearson but were there in spirit.