Where We Be
We think the beach and promenade are the best thing about cosmopolitan Tel Aviv
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Tel Aviv & Old Jaffa, Israel
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We loved the view from our room at the Prima Hotel
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We spent an hour or so on the beach at Tel
Aviv and found ourselves surrounded by good-
looking young people in all directions. It made
us wonder whether anyone in all of Tel Aviv is
old or overweight. Judging from the beach
scene, apparently not. Maybe the warm waters
of the Mediterranean are a fountain of youth.
Without question the best thing about Tel Aviv
is the beach and the delightful promenade that
follows alongside it. You can walk all the way to
Old Jaffa if you head south for two or three
miles. The picturesque port makes for a great
destination for lunch or dinner. It's sometimes
called the oldest port in the world, with ruins
dating back to the 20th century BC. All along
the way you'll see young people out enjoying
life. They take Shabbat (the Jewish day of rest)
seriously in their own way, with an emphasis on
rest and relaxation. Our sense is that religion
takes a back seat to fun, sun, and nightlife in
this cosmopolitan city with its youthful vibe.
The beachside promenade is the pride of the city and the delight of every tourist who visits
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Looking north, you can see just how busy Tel Aviv's beach is on a sunny Saturday afternoon
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Looking south towards Old Jaffa, it's just as busy. On one side you have the beach, and on the other a major cosmopolitan city -- the best of both worlds.
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A happy couple relaxes on a rocky stretch of beach overlooking Old Jaffa
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During our walk we came across this odd piece of art -- a take on the Last Supper but with Jewish notables
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It's said that the apostle Peter once stayed at the house of Simon the Tanner in Jaffa and raised a woman from the dead
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We sat on a pier in the late afternoon and enjoyed this view of the restored port of Old Jaffa -- one of the oldest ports in the world
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Jaffa is a picturesque place to relax and have a bite to eat
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Closeup of the whimsical zodiac fountain shown in the photo above
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From an overlook in Jaffa you can see Tel Aviv's skyline along the Mediterranean Sea
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A final look at Old Jaffa as the sun sets and our one full day in Tel Aviv comes to an end
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We saw many people playing this simple game of beach paddle ball
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We walked back along the promenade at sunset
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If you climb the steps to the center of Jaffa, you come to a pleasant courtyard with restaurants and a relaxed vibe
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