Hardly any pictures from Jerusalem this time.
Spring has sprung and the almond trees are blooming.
Then I went down to the coast to stay with friends in Kfar Saba. They recently moved into an apartment in the center of town.
Up on the roof of their 8 story building, they have a very nice rooftop room and patio. I took pictures. This part of Israel is the narrowest, 12 miles, from the sea to the Palestinian area. Looking northwest towards Netanya which is on the sea, right beyond those tall buildings.
The big water tower in the middle of town, I could almost reach out and touch it.
To the east, where the trees are is the edge of Kfar Saba, right beyond is the very large Palestinian town of Kalkiliya. I could have done a pano photo, 12 miles is really nothing at all. I have to drive further than that to get to my son’s house in LA.
On Street level in Kfar Saba, lovely old trees. This community started with the First Aliyah in 1898. Most people think modern Israel started with the creation of the State in 1948, not so. In the late 19th century the Jews started returning to settle in Israel, at the time, under the Ottoman Empire the land was mostly empty. A few ancient cities (Jerusalem, Hebron, Safed) that has mixed populations of Jews and Arabs, and a lot of empty swampy, malarial lands. Young Jews came to be farmers, started the Kibbutz movement, started places like Kfar Saba which were originally agriculture in nature. Through the early 20th century, more Jews arrived, as well as many Arabs from Syria and Egypt, the population changed drastically.
Today, Kfar Saba is lovely suburbia, with a lot of High Tech companies nearby. I am interested in things like fabric and yarn stores.
I found two yarn stores, chock full of acrylic yarn, a little bit of cotton as well as sewing supplies and embroidery thread. No real fabric. The sign on the door says: Air conditioning, it gets very hot and muggy. So I understand why wool is scarce. I also understand why there isn’t bamboo or other natural fibers. It’s just too expensive, and knitting in Israel is like it was in America in the 70s. Those who are up to speed with what is going on get their yarn elsewhere. Israelis are the most traveled people around.
Someone took one of the old homes downtown and created a compound. A new home for themselves while using some of the older structures as a delightful antique store. The red sign is pointing towards the store.
How cute is this?
There is an area where they offer free coffee.
There is a little workshop, I could see they are painting pots, pans and other items that look like toadstools. Here shown with its own toad.
You can make a cup of coffee and sit out here enjoying the yard.
At a more modern bar, I found this decor. I love how Israel is really getting into bright happy colors.
Next post, food.
Leah