Day 1 in Tel Aviv

Our first full day in Israel was a whirlwind of activities. We arrived after midnight, so technically it was already Sunday morning. Our luggage had been left behind in various cities. The only bag that came was the empty one - ready for Swedish candy.

After a few hours of sleep, we headed out to a local grocery store for breakfast provisions which we ate in the lobby waiting for the non-existent ride to our next hotel. Fortunately, there are taxis in Tel Aviv.

We enjoyed a stroll through the local open-air market in a futile attempt to pick up a few replacement articles of clothing. The bulk food stalls were enticing until we noticed the uninvited guests pecking away. It was surprising to see such large candy stores - almost rivaling the ones we have come to associate with Sweden. A few shekels allowed tasty bites of Middle Eastern pastries - and yes we made sure no birds were joining in the feast. The market closed up quickly as the sun set, leaving in its wake a pitiful sight of trash which we carefully navigated over and besides as we exited out on to the street. One of our first lessons is that stores are not open late and religious Sabbath days offer a slim selection of open restaurants. The sunset over the Mediterranean was the crowning event of our first full day.

One restaurant that was open and would not cost us a partial mortgage payment.