The beach or the mountains...if you had to pick

In 1971, our parents moved from the flat lands of central Indiana to the mountains of Colorado.  I think most people "blamed" dad.  They thought he was the one who wanted to move.  But it was mom.  She often said that she either wanted to live on the ocean or in the mountains....and they picked the mountains.  Dad was an amazing guy because he allowed her to do what she wanted most.  I often wonder how our lives would have been different if they had picked the ocean.  And what ocean they would have picked.  So while we live in the mountains, this week, we are enjoying the beaches of Tel Aviv.

Last night was a spectacular sunset.  You can see how calm the water was and the sun radiated through the evening haze (ok, dust from the winds blowing in the desert around here!)

 

I lived close to the beaches in San Diego for almost 10 years and I really do miss it.  But I remember how dirty the water was, murky, and there was seaweed in the water and washed up on the beach.  Not here.  I do think this is the cleanest beach I have ever been to.  Even the sand is clean.  Not a trace of seaweed  anywhere.

 

More than a hundred sail boards in the sea today.  Slight breeze, about 85 degrees.  I zoomed in to get a few close up.  These are sails on surfboards.  We sat and watched them come in to the harbor.  I don't know how they lifted these....some were more that twice the height of the kid on them.  And they were out to sea all day.  Would take a lot of muscle power to ride one of these!

 

When mom said she wanted to live by the ocean, I don't think she meant one as active and populated as this.  I think something more like the shore cliffs in Portland or Washington.  But this was nice today.

 

Lots of volleyball and paddle ball being played. And nice that we could sit and watch.  

 

You can walk out pretty far here and it doesn't get deep at all.  The rock barriers create the sand bars and you can literally see from the color of the water where you can walk and how far.  But there are very few sea shells here.  

 

This morning we started out the day with a walk down Dizengoff street.  It is a rather fun street filled with coffee shops, outdoor eateries, boutiques and little shops.  The fountains are under repair and I was disappointed, but we have seen them on prior trips.  It will take a full year for them to be modernized.  And I just wonder if all this construction is to coincide with the new high speed train that will go from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 28 minutes - it's supposed to be finished in 2018.  And I'm already planning my next trip to come back and ride the train.

So, while I live in the foothills in Colorado, this week, I am relaxing on the beaches in Tel Aviv while we walk the streets, explore the shops, continue our great food adventure which never seems to end.   Pretty sure I'm over my craving for pita and hummus!  LOL!!!