Israel - Wednesday - Petah Tikva and Jaffa

Woke up to a somewhat less than stellar hotel breakfast, but it sufficed.   We noted that there were a lot of American young people in the dining room.   Richard stayed in the hotel today working on getting more sleep while I took a sherut to Petah Tikva to visit dad's cousins Nira and Shlomo Elnatan.  They were expecting us both for the "big" meal, so it was all up to me to gorge myself.   The food was amazing of course, but way too much for just me, and especially with it being so hot out in the middle of the day.  Their English was rusty, so it was a good opportunity to practice my Hebrew, which was coming back to me.  They have a woman who comes to do massage every wednesday, so they treated me to a massage in their back bedroom (ahh!)  I spoke with their sons by phone: Mony, Guy, and Tomer.  I'd never met Tomer.  He came over with his 18-month old son Itamar.   Mony was laid off from a telecommunications company and was excited to talk with Richard about Apple when he felt well enough to visit (which would turn out to be on our last day in Israel).  All the boys have families, and we remembered how it was when I cam to stay with them on my trip in 1994.   At that time, Eyal had recently married Lillian from Toronto.  She is now a doctor at the local Bellingson Hospital.   Shlomo later told us about being #19 and last born to his father, and father's 3rd wife - in Bukhara.   They had girl after girl after girl, and then finally, "the Moshiach (Moshe)", then David HaMelech, then Shlomo HaMelech.

At night, cousin Amir Kaminer came to meet us at the hotel and take us by taxi to Jaffa for dinner on the newly renovated wharf.   We were treated to a free concert by Mika Carny; there were TV cameras also filming.  Amir brought us to the Fisherman restaurant.  He is a restaurant and  film critic for Ynet; and has a local following.
Richard said he heard singing - in the hotel - while he was trying to sleep - turns out that an international collegiate choir was staying at our hotel - they are on your and will be singing with the Israel Philharmonic - Verdi's Rigoletto - for several days.

Richard with Amir at the Jaffa wharf

Central Jaffa - clock tower