Day 3: Tel Aviv, Market and Jaffa

On our first full day in Tel Aviv, we slept in a little, but not too much because we knew there was a lot we wanted to see.  We headed downstairs for breakfast.  The hotel had a great spread and there was plenty for all of us to enjoy.  

Starting at the top we had hummus, tuna salad, avocado and tomato salad, and then cheeses on the bottom tray.

We had a nice basket of breads and muffins.

Some fish, which tasted good, but super salty so I really couldn't eat more than a bite.

A nice salad!

Shakshouka, which is an egg dish in tomato sauce.

Broccoli and muffins.

Some more muffins.

Cereal and yogurt fixins.

Then we headed to Carmel Market.  Here are some pictures from the various vendors selling a variety of things: clothing, breads, spices, produce and more.

After the market we took a walk along the beach on our way to Jaffa.  This is the ancient port city from before Tel Aviv was built up.  It was a little overcast, so the water is hard to see, but trust me, it is a shade of blue.

On the way we stopped at the old railway station, which now serves as a shopping center.

Here I am with my sister.

After a short stop to look in the stores, we kept walking along the beach.

There were tons of surfers out in the water.

Off in the distance you can see Jaffa.

Looking this way you can see Tel Aviv.

Here I am, enjoying Mediterranean Diet Month by standing next to the Mediterranean Sea.

If you look closely you can see the Israeli flag on a rock out there.

Then we finally reached Jaffa.

I love that they had this whale fountain there.  It is very fitting since this is the city from Jonah and the Whale.

While walking through town, Rachel found a new friend.  She tried to convince him to leave his post, but sadly, he wouldn't budge.  Sorry Rach, maybe next time.

This is a fountain with animal sculptures.

I loved the paint of the building with the pink flowers below.

Great view from Jaffa.

An even better view!

We stopped for lunch at this place.

Pickled veggies to start.

Some hummus too.

Then some falafel to top it all off.

After lunch we kept on walking around in Jaffa.

Good news for Rachel.  She found a new friend.  Of course when it was time to go, he just couldn't bring himself to move.

That's alright though.  Rachel didn't give up!  Who wouldn't love a monkey on a banana!

Heading out, we came across this restaurant.  Feeling sick?  Maybe you should consult Dr. Hummus!

When we arrived back at the hotel I was very pleased to see that the fruit platter I ordered for my mom for Mother's Day had shown up.  She was very surprised and really enjoyed the fruit, as did the rest of us because this platter was huge!

After a quick rest, we all headed down to the beach.

Here is Joe (step dad), my mom, and Rachel (sister).  You just can't beat spending an afternoon walking along the beach in Tel Aviv, or any other Mediterranean location.

Here I am with my sister.

I even let my shadow come out and play!

This is the hotel next to ours.  I love all the pretty colors.

The sun was magnificent as it was shining above the sea.

When we got back to the hotel, the afternoon snacks were ready, so of course we enjoyed some.  There were veggies and olives, and bread topped with either egg or mushroom.

They also had some sweets and breads.

Later that night we headed out to look around, but we were so full we couldn't bring ourselves to eat anything.  Instead, we visited a cafe and had some coffee drinks.

We wished we were hungry because on the way back to the hotel we discovered this place called the Stickhouse.  Any ideas what they sell here?

Popsicles!  But we were so full we just couldn't eat them.

It was a fun and relaxing day.

QUESTIONS:  When was the last time you visited the beach?  Have you ever been to a popsicle store?  Have you ever heard of shakshouka?