Happy Birthday Bob!

Sam's 1st Christmas Tree Picture (Baumer Family)

Fellow Intel Portland Ex Pats celebrate Bob's Bday in Israel

We celebrated Bob's birthday a night early at a pub called Bourbon Street.  A non-kosher restaurant/bar.. We enjoyed shrimp and bacon po boys!  Yum!  The pub was also having a Christmas Celebration (with a visitor from the North Pole).

1st of many photos with Santa for Sam

Sure I will let the man in the red suit hold me.

Intel Haifa

Went to work with Tracy today. She is at Intel and I am at the mall across the street!

Tacos

So I have been craving ground beef tacos for the last month or so. Last night I got them at a bar/restaurant here in Tel Aviv. While I gobbled down. Bob told me he was going to take back my "I lived in Texas card" if I thought they were good tacos. Sheesh Bob gotta lower your standards when you have only seen tacos/fajitas on a menu twice in the last 3 months. So those of u out there that are close to Mi Tierra's (San Antonio), Hole in the wall Mexican restaurant (Georgetown TX), or Porque No (Portland). Go savor some real Mexican for me..

Homesick

I miss home.. Need to find something other than studying Hebrew and spending money... Hmmm.. Tried a crafts store today.. They don't have classes or socials.. Going to try and find something to volunteer with..

Israeli Business Lunch

I love exploring the restaurants of Tel Aviv on reduced price options with prix fix menus. Had a cup of artichoke soup, spinach quiche and Diet Coke today. Also it's so nice cause they don't rush you so #1 verify they have wifi #2 Fara can sit all afternoon people watching and listening to Hebrew around me! #3 I can consider it an investment in our future dinner options as I "preview" the restaurant at lunch!. A= afternoon Fara entertainment, B= better breakfast/lunches than I would prepare at home, C= cafe people watching and listening to Hebrew conversations around me. Well you have your A,B,C's and 1,2,3's for today!

Bob Bowls in Croatia

So our hotel had a bowling alley..  I had to check it out..  So I took along the PBA Coach Bob (aka: team mate of Trophy Husbands at Sunset Bowl).  Then I being the good wife I am.. Goaded my husband into bowling Croatian style..  No holes in the balls..  Hook shot didn't work so well.  And the ball would fit in the palm of his hand..  And for the video take a look at Youtube.. I couldn't get it to load here.

http://youtu.be/SCndsVpgc-M

Drive from Zagreb Airport to Plitvice National Park, Croatia and hiking at park

Church along the Road from Airport to Plitvice Nat. Park

Old House/Barn along the Road from Airport to Plitvice Nat. Park

Guessing this is a grave?? along the Road from Airport to Plitvice Nat. Park

Cows IN THE Road from Airport to Plitvice (Would this be considered a HOV??)

Bob at Plitvice (fake smile for his camera happy wife)

Bob is TALL..  Incase you haven't noticed..

Boat that takes you across the lake..

Bob poses to show how you walk right along the waterfalls at Plitvice National Park

Fishies (look at how clear the water is) at Plitvice National Park

Bob poses infront of waterfall at Plitvice National Park

Happy Grims at Plitvice National Park

Three roads diverged...

Bet you can't guess where this is??

Path over the water..  Several of the trails take you right over the water.  And "No" I didn't fall in.. ;)

It was so pretty!  Of course I will smile for the camera!  :)

Now those are some tall roots! ;)

Simply Breathtaking!

Take a picture of me.. :) Not just scenery Bob.. ;)

My favorite waterfall.. ;)

Yes! It was hard to focus on the trail with the beautiful surroundings! 

Yom Kippur - day of atonment IT is the holiest day of the year

Yom Kippur ….   (courtesty of Intel Relocation Department email)

Friday Oct 7th  -   starting around sun set ~ 4:30pm   (no driving from 4:30pm) to Saturday 0ct 8th  - till sundown – 5:30pm (no driving till after 5:30pm ) 

Yom Kippur  - day of atonment     

IT is the holiest day of the year -- the day on which we are closest to G-d and to the quintessential core of our own souls. It is the "Day of Atonement" -- "For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before G-d" (Leviticus 16:30).   
 For twenty-six hours, we  “afflict our souls“,   fast and abstain from driving 
Yom Kippur is probably the most important holiday of the Jewish year. Many Jews who do not observe any other
Jewish custom will refrain from work,   fast and/or attend synagogue  services on this day.      
The name "Yom Kippur" means "Day of Atonement," and that pretty much explains what the holiday is. It is a day set aside to "afflict the soul," to atone for the sins of the past year

      

Yom Kippur in israel..  

what goes on….

•  all stores/ shopping centers/ restaurants and any entertainment places close up from  Friday  around noon till  Saturday after dark....   
• No TV …
•  people don’t drive - only in emergencies !! (so everyone walks on the streets..but be carefully.. anyway)
• no public transportation at all (no taxis, buses, trains...) 
• pls. refrain from eating in public..    as it is a fasting day 
• most people fast and prey all day in the synagogues

 best to do on yom kippur   

• time that we ask for  forgiveness if we have sinned....     
• take out lots of video movies home ...
• stay in bed and read ... 
• enjoy the peacefulness all over...  
• roads are empty... so its the best time for :   rollerblades  -  bicycle  - scooters... jogging, walking, aerobics....   (but be carefull... from all the kids on the bikes..) *** Great! Bridge Pedal but with a half of a million people!  Good times.. ;) Note to Auntie Fara.. Consider staying in bed.. ;)

if you want to read more about yom kippur:

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template.asp?AID=4687

HOLIDAY CUSTOMS

Fast - The Torah states that this is a day on which Jews are to “afflict their souls” - by observing a total fast, abstaining from both food and drink. There is also a prohibition against all physical pleasures, wearing leather shoes, washing any part of the body (including brushing the teeth). The fast, which lasts from sundown on the eve of the holiday until the stars come out the following night, is intended to not only cause physical discomfort, but to relieve a person of involvement in physical matters so that he can concentrate on the prayer and spiritual introspection required on this day.

Kaparot - atonement ritual. On the day before Yom Kippur there is a customary atonement ritual, in which a live chicken is swung in circles above the head of a person, in the belief that the person’s sins will be transferred to the chicken, which is then slaughtered (the ritual is, of course, accompanied by special prayers). The chicken is customarily given to the poor or sold, and the money given to charity. 

Selichot - asking for forgiveness. In addition to the prayers during the days of repentance preceding Yom Kippur, on the holy day itself or before it, it is customary to ask forgiveness from anyone whom one might have offended. According to Jewish belief, Yom Kippur atones for the sins between man and God, but not between man and his fellow man - people must grant one another forgiveness individually.

The meal before the fast - on the eve of Yom Kippur there is a religious precept to eat a holiday meal that ends before the beginning of the fast at sunset. The fast begins immediately after the meal.

Prayer - Religious Jews spend the whole of Yom Kippur day in synagogue devoting themselves to prayer. The prayers include a general admission of sins, and each person silently adds his own personal sins. One of the important prayers is Kol Nidrei - All Vows, named after the opening words of the first prayer, which cancels any vows that a person has made. It is customary to go to synagogue dressed in holiday clothing, and many people wear all white clothes, symbolizing purity.

The blowing of the shofar - At the close of Yom Kippur, the shofar - a ram’s horn - is blown to mark the end of the day of prayer and fasting.

 
IMPORTANT INFORMATION

On Yom Kippur there is almost no traffic on the roads, and many families go for walks along the city streets. Even in Tel Aviv, a city with a clearly secular character, where there is hardly a day or an hour when businesses are not open and the street are always full of cars, car owners respect Yom Kippur and avoid driving on this day.

Children of all ages, on the other hand, take advantage of this day when the streets are empty and are out on their bicycles, roller blades and skateboards. All businesses are closed on Yom Kippur, including those that are usually open on Shabbat. All Israeli radio and TV broadcasts are also suspended, and only the foreign stations have programming as usual.

If you are visiting Israel during this period, take advantage of Yom Kippur for a stroll through the city. It is also a good idea to visit a synagogue, to watch the congregants or to participate in this special prayer experience. In any event, take into account that in the Jewish cities everything is closed, there is no public transport (not even taxis) and the atmosphere is different than on regular days.

Israel Census Figures.. 2.2 kids and 2.1 cell phones per family

Wide-scale Population census taken in 2008 bears fruit. More than half of Israelis go to work by car. Most live in apartments with four rooms or less

For the full scoop..

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3884633,00.html 

And if you are asking.. what is this four rooms stuff.. ;)  
http://howtobeisraeli.blogspot.com/2009/05/35-rooms-for-your-22-children.html
 

"THE" Remote Control

In many households across America the TV remote is "THE" Remote Control..  Not so here in Israel..
The Air Conditioner remote is FAR, far superior..  And ours wont work right now.. 

Weather for Tel Aviv  Thank God its stuck on versus the melting alternative (although it has gotten a lot cooler recently). And actually with the "cooler" temperates we don't "really" need the AC..  ;)

82°F | °C

Wed

Thu

Fri

Scattered Clouds

Wind: NW at 13 mph

Humidity: 42%

84°

68°

82°

68°

82°

66°

I KNOW it could be.. 

http://www.weather.com/weather/today/Portland+OR+USOR0275

Bob, We have a problem.. And this one has "your" name on it..  I am not touching it..  But I will get new batteries.. :)  And maybe a pair of gloves so your hands don't get eaten away..  Do I need to buy any other ingredient to help with this infestation?

And I guess I am left with no other option than to leave the AC on when I leave our apt! The AC's in Israel aren't supposed to be ran all the time..  Ie: you turn it off when you leave the house..  And then turn it back on when you come home.. 

Shocking realization!! We aren't DINK's.. Right now..

I just realized we are not DINK's (dual income no kids).. We are SINK's (single income no kids) now.. ;)  Forgot about it!  Thank you Intel for not giving me an opportunity to work over here  "I love that stamp 'Not Authorized To Work' on my Visa!".  I know.. "Stop rubbing it in!!"  Really.. I wish you could all be in my shoes..  but right now they only fit me.. :) 

How do you tell if someone enjoyed their vacation?

Would taking 750 pictures of Croatia and Slovenia indicate I had a good time and liked it there?   Frame of reference..  We were there five nights..  And that doesn't count the pics that Bob took with his camera..  

Israeli Klutz

Your friend the Israeli Klutz missed a step going down the stairs in the dark and twisted my ankle right before we go on a hiking vacation.. ;)  It could have been a lot worse though.. I only missed one step.. And Bob was there.. So now I am under strict orders from Bob that if the hall/stair light turns off when he is with me.. I do not proceed but freeze and wait for him to turn the light on again.

 

Girls Night

Tracy Ross (a wife of one of Bob's co-workers and my "family" here in Israel) and I went out for Girl's Night last night (Sunday).  We first stopped at Max Brenner.. This is a restaurant that specializes in chocolate.. 

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150480039633289.455594.653323288&l=064180ed01&type=1

 

Sample Menu:
http://www.maxbrenner.com/menus/menus_usa/sweets_092010.pdf
Locations:
http://www.maxbrenner.com/branches.html

Afterwards we went shopping.. Perfect activity for estrogen bonding.. :)

I decided that I needed to take the pictures below to show how expensive the sunscreens are over here..

Careline SPF 30 60 NIS = 16 USD
Dr. Fischer SPF 45 100 NIS = 27 USD
Avene SPF 50+ 200 NIS = 54 USD

So it really makes me wonder what is in the Avene that warrents the outrageously high price..  When I looked up this product to see if it had "gold" in it..  (Nope don't see any gold it in..;)

Active Ingredients: Octoxynol (10%, Sunscreen), Octinoxate (7.5%, Sunscreen), Titanium Dioxide (3.8%, Sunscreen)

Inactive Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Polydecene, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl 2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Butylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Ethylparaben, Fragrance, Isobutylparaben, Magnesium Aluminium Silicate, Methylparaben, O Cymen 5 OL, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Trimethoxycaprylylsilane, Xanthan Gum , Zinc Oxide

I can't find the SPF 50+ on a US website but if you were going to purchase the SPF 20 from Drugstore.com it would be $21 dollars..  Still expensive for sunscreen but not Israeli expensive.. 

Note to anyone coming to visit us in Israel.  Bring your own sunscreen from the US! ;) 

First Nightlife Experience in Tel Aviv

So my friend Ilyse our friend back home put me in touch with one of her Israeli friends..  I have went out with her twice..  Her name is Shimrit and she is really nice. Her husband is on his two or three week military duty but normally he works for Cisco.  So when he gets back we will have to get the geeks together around town.. ;)

Last night Shirmrit, one of her other girlfriends and I went out for dinner our reservation was made for 9 pm. By the time we found "free" parking we might have got to the restaurant at 9:30 or 10. The Israeli girls ordered hamburgers and loved them.  I had salmon and greens..  They told me that the meat was not just hamburger but had better parts of the cow in it..  I couldn't think of it then but now I guess we would call that a sirloin burger. 

And then we met up with one of Shimrits friends who owns a winery here in Israel.  There was a huge area with couches outside on the boardwalk.  I think there were 3 bars that you could have went to but we had table service..  The Israeli's don't drink a lot and will nurse a drink for a long time.  Its much more about the social to them.  And they all have their phones out.. Texting doesn't seem as popular over here.. I swear they are more addicted to talking on their cells than we are in the US..  There wasn't really a dance area but people danced between the two bars inside and there was a DJ.  The inside of the club was smoke free which was really nice cause lots of people chain smoke over here.


Another funny thing is I was getting introduced as "Not Jewish but from America". Can't say that has ever been how I have been described before.. ;) Not sure if she was saying that to explain my lack of Hebrew or just to label me incase I did something silly.  Shimrit had told me that the winery owner was religious but not..  So his family is of the very strict Jewish religion. I think they are called Hasidic.  they always are seen in black suits with hats and they have beards with a part that is a curl coming down..  Anyways.. this guy he had the full beard but I guess when he goes out to the clubs he uses gel to slick the curl behind his ears.. And he wears a baseball hat..  It was very interesting..  I guess normally men in this sect of Jewish don't touch women even for a handshake.  All the guyes we were out with seemed to be ok with handshakes and hugs though.. But I guess thats not normal.  Good thing cause taking the hugging out of Fara..  What do you have left?? ;)

So the group we met up with at a club called Gallina was about 6-8 people 3 of us girls and the rest were different guys that wine guy knew who came with him from Jerusalem.  I guess they say Jerusalem doesn't have clubs so they come to Tel Aviv and it sounds like on a fairly regular basis.  It's 78km between the two cities or 48 miles.  They think you only need 3 hours of time to see Jerusalem..  I think I could take three weeks based on all the sites I have seen in the tour guide books.

So lets see here what was the dynamic of the group I went out with..  Shimrit works as a PR contact for a municipality/city.  Her friend is a video editor for a well known firm over here that does a lot of work with business groups from various companies.  There was the winery owner. One guy owns a Sushi restaurant in New York..  And another is a driver for the Minister of Health.  There was also a guy that worked for the winery that seemed really cool.  I tried to learn about all of them but only talked to a few..  And they kept talking in Hebrew.  They all spoke English and sometimes they would try to translate for me..  But I spent most of the night just listening to them talking in Hebrew..  Shimrit apologized at the end of the night about the continued Hebrew conversations.  She thought that since they all spoke English that they would use it.. But that wasn't the case.  

Its so awesome though cause the place where we went out is like 5-10 min from my house walking..  And so I learned a new place..  And the winery guy introduced me to the owner of the club..  So I will have to take Bob back there.. Bob was at a soccer game with our friend Stace from Intel. 

Time to break out the winter clothes?

The forecast today is 87 for a high. Bob decided he would wear jeans in honor of the cooler weather! I on the other hand do not spend my entire day in ac and can't even think of wearing jeans! Or any long sleeved or full leg piece of clothing.

Fara Salad

Many of you know that I was involved in a car accident (rear-ended and then pushed into the car in-front of me) right before I left the States.  As a result I am still having muscular tightness.  I have contacted our insurance co to let them know that I still need treatment here in Israel. 

Today I went for my first massage appointment.  I wasn't sure how to find a massage therapist over here.  I ended up finding a Nail Salon that said they had medical massages.  And the lady spoke English. 

It was a really relaxing massage.  Not the deep tissue that I was getting in the US before I left. 

But the really funny thing is.. She used Olive Oil on me.  Hence.. Fara Salad.. :)  I am sure its good for my skin..  It was just kinda interesting to have someone spreading olive oil over my skin. 

The room that was used for a massage was the size of a broom closet.. :)  With my arms outstretched i could reach both walls.  And the length wasn't much bigger.  The table was a waxing table rather than a massage table.  They didn't use a sheet but used a towel instead.

Regardless, I feel relaxed so that is good.  Just wanted to share my experience with you.  Oh.. the cost.. was 280 NIS or 75 USD. 

Bacon!

Week 1 – According to Bob

So we've been here a week now and it's time for me (Bob) to make my first post to the blog.  Since this is the first time I've lived in a different country and have really been trying to live like a local, I thought I would share my thoughts on a few things I've learned/observed during this first week in Israel.

Driving

The key here is _defensive_ driving.  Rule #1, if you think someone is going to try and fit their car between you and the car in front/behind/to the side of you, then you're right.  If you're lucky, they will signal or honk their intention, but for the most part they just change lanes and expect you to get out of their way.  I guess this this brings me to rule #1.a, even if you don't think someone wants to cut you off or turn into you, expect them to do it anyway.

There is a high percentage of motorcycles/scooters on the road, even outside of the urban areas.  I'm sure this is for the obvious reasons: they're cheaper, you can park them anywhere and most importantly, when the roads are congested, you can split the lanes and pass the traffic.  This is not a new concept to me, driving in California taught me to be prepared to have motorcycles weave between traffic when the freeway is gridlocked.  As you might guess, Israelis like take it to the next level.  Even when traffic is moving at its (typically) 10-20 km/h above the speed limit pace, there are still plenty of two-wheeled enthusiasts playing a game of high speed slalom where the pylons (cars) are moving at well over 100km/h (65mph+)!  To make it even more interesting, many of the riders aren't wearing much more than a helmet, T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops.  Whenever I see one of these donor-cycle riders coming up behind me, I make sure to move myself as far to one side of the lane as it is safe to do so to give then a relatively wide "gate" to shoot through.

I mentioned Israeli drivers using their horn as a method of making their intended lane change or turn known.  There are many other reasons why the horn is used while driving the city streets, most of which are not done out of anger (like in the US).  For example, when sitting at a red light, other courteous drivers will use their horn to tell you that the light is about to change just in case you hadn't noticed it.  Other times, the other driver is just being friendly and use their horn just to make sure you know where they are.

One last thing...  To clarify how other drivers know the light is going to turn green (and therefore honk to make sure others are also aware of the fact).  The progression of the traffic lights here is:
1. red
2. red and yellow (honk, honk)
3. green
4. flashing green
5. yellow
6. back to red

Parking

No matter the size of the town or city you are in, it appears that parking is at a premium in Israel.  Drivers will try and shoehorn their cars into whatever space is available.  In many cases, private parking lots will require you to leave your keys with the attendant so they are able to park cars 2 or 3 deep and jockey cars around as people come and go.  Street parking has its own set of rules that I'm quickly learning.  The color of the curb signifies whether it is ok to park there or not.  If the curb is unpainted or grey, then it is legal to park at any time for free.  If the curb is blue and white then it is sometimes free, sometimes you have to pay, and sometimes it is illegal, it all depends on what day and time it is and whether you have a residential parking permit.  This is all explained clearly (in Hebrew) on a sign at the beginning of the street.  :)  In our neighborhood, there is a lot of blue-white curb and once we have the parking permit it will be legal for us to park there at all times.  Without it, you will get a ticket if parked there from 7pm-9am.  The rest of the time it is either free or pay parking (I'd know for sure if I could read Hebrew).  Other curb colors are red-yellow, red-white, and black-white which each have their own meaning, but are all illegal and will result in a ticket and/or getting your car towed.  One unwritten exception to this rule appears to be where in some neighborhoods it is "legal" to park in a red-white zone if you can park the car entirely on the sidewalk.

The parking problems even extend themselves to my office complex.  The business park in Yakum that Intel resides in consists of several buildings leased by a number of local and international businesses.  One would think that such an establishment would have ample parking for all the employees expected to inhabit the office building.  Well, I thought that and I was wrong...  There are parking lots, but not nearly enough to handle all the cars.  As a result cars line both sides of the road leading up to the complex (parking in the red-white no less, another example of where it is "legal" to park there).  I end up parking in a dirt lot across the street from the business park, where the "park where ever there is space" mentality thrives.  If you aren't careful, you may get boxed in and not be able to leave until others have moved their cars.  I haven't had it happened to me (yet), but I was warned about it the first day I got here.  To get a space in one of the gated lots on site, Intel holds a lottery (I think) quarterly.

Prices

We were warned ahead of time that cost of living here is high, but it didn't prepare us for the roller coaster of emotions every time you pay for something.  For me, it normally starts out with extreme sticker shock at how high the total is, followed briefly by elation once I realize that I'm looking at it in Sheckles (there are roughly 3.5 Sheckles to the Dollar), then finally buyer's remorse when I realize that I just spent over $9 on a glass of orange juice (at least it was freshly squeezed).

So far, we've noticed that prices tend to be 1.5-2.5x what they are back home.  I've filled up the tank once in my car and it was about $8/gallon.  Meals out can easily be over $40 a plate for a nicer restaurant and even McDonalds is $10/person (so we've been told).  A beer to go along with your dinner is $8-9, a glass of mediocre wine is $12, mixed drinks $15-20.  We've gone to the large supermarket twice and it has been over $150 each time (although we're still buying a lot of one time items like dishes and cleaning products).

But I'm not complaining

Don't get me wrong.  Despite, or maybe because of, the quirks I've written about here both Fara and I have found Israel to be a very warm and intriguing place.  Most everyone we've encountered have been friendly and very helpful in making the move here as easy as possible.

Technical Delay Adding Pictures

I am having problems uploading pictures to blog.. I have put in a request with my technical advisor.. Adding them to Facebook in the meantime.  Hope to have it figured out soon.

Blog Delay.. Sorry

Sorry y'all haven't been getting blog updates.. It took me a few days to figure out how to turn Hebrew off on this blog account and give me English.. Argh what an endeavor..  :)  Ok now I will start working on blogs.. ;) 

Apartment

Yeah! We got the apt we wanted in Israel! In a few days we will be in our new home.

OUCH!

Yesterday we met with the movers for a pre-move meeting..  The moving consultant told us that we still have room in the container if we want to pack more..  Guess he didn't get the memo that Fara likes to pack.. ;) 

But the reason for this post is..  I got rear-ended last night coming home from my friend Sheila's house.  It happened on Hwy 10 in Raleigh Hills/Portland near the Fred Meyer.  The teen that hit me didn't notice that traffic had slowed/stopped.  My car got plowed into from behind and then I hit someone in front of me.  Thankfully none of us were hurt to require medical treatment.  Please keep your prayers with the teen though she was really shook up.

My body has been feeling the after effects.. OUCH!!  And my car had to get towed away..  Shivelsticks!  I have a lot to get done this week!  But right now it will be taking care of insurance stuff and getting checked out by the doctor's.  A few more things just got added to the "To-Do List".