Shalom from Tel Aviv

It seems only fitting that after such a long break from blogging - months! - that I should take up the metaphorical pen again from an exotic location.

And so I say shalom to you from Tel Aviv, Israel. I'm here for a couple of days, just passing through on my way to other exotic climes .... Portugal, Copenhagen, and then back to the warm embrace of Dubai for a week or so. How wonderful! I shall fit in a side trip to Bahrain to see the new baby and spot signs of the continuing Arab Spring resistance that continues there.

This is my first visit to Israel. I came close a few years ago when I spent a few days of Eid in Jordan - I stood on top of Mount Nebo (where Moses was apparently born) and looked at the sign the pointed to Jerusalem only 34 kilometres away beyond the Dead Sea.

But now I'm actually here, though in Tel Aviv instead. I do want to visit Jerusalem but when I suggested this to My One True Love he winced a little and said concernedly: How about having a massage in the hotel spa instead? I love his worries sometimes. It reminded me of when I told my mother I was going to move to Dubai for three months (three months that turned into nearly two years) and she said: If you want a holiday darling why don't you just go to Adelaide instead?

But no! Adelaide may well be the murder capital of Australia but I wanted adventure. The hotel spa might be nice but I want adventure!

Unfortunately though, this visit there isn't time to get to Jerusalem even though it's only a short distance away - I'm busy doing other things instead.

This morning, for example, I went for a 10km run along the shoreline of Tzuk Beach, and I'm pretty proud of that if I do say so myself. I may need to visit the hotel spa for a massage after all ... dearie me, could My One True Love's words be coming to life in front of me ....?