Saturday on the Beach

If you slightly adjust the lyrics to Chicago's "Saturday in the Park" to Saturday on the beach, then you have a fairly perfect description of the atmosphere in Tel-Aviv. I wasn't sure what to expect on a Saturday in the city, I'd heard that Tel-Aviv is different from most other cities in Israel in that there is a lot that stays open on this Sabbath day. However, I'd also heard that people mostly go to the beach on Saturday to either be seen or nurse their hangover from the night before. So I walked to the beach - just so you know there are no buses on Saturday until the evening after the Sabbath gets out [there are, however, taxis and Sherut (I believe)]. On my walk I noticed that mostly restaurants and Quick (Kwik)-E-Marts were open; all of the stores I passed were closed and there was some sort of plaster statue gallery open. Once I got to the walkway of the beach I was promptly asked if I had a cigarette. I've also heard cigarettes aren't sold on the Sabbath, not a 100% sure if this is true, but needless to say the man went on to ask others for a smoke.

"Saturday in the Park (on the Beach)

I think it was the Fourth of July (Third)

People talking, people laughing

A man selling ice cream."

My first destination was a refreshing drink at Yotvata, which is known for its dairy products. So I ordered a Strawberry Banana Milkshake (1/2 liter = 25 NIS). It did not disappoint. I then decided to hop over to Mike's Place to check out the soccer game of Argentina vs. Germany. I am personally a huge Messi fan and supported Argentina as a whole. So donning my Messi Barcelona jersey I walked down the street into the overly crowded tourist destination. I had heard of Mike's Place, but I had never entered it before.

Two years ago, I saw the film "Blues by the Beach" at my college presented by the film's producer Jack Baxter. An American, Baxter, was at Mike's Place when a homicide bomber entered the bar/restaurant on April 30,2003 (during the second Intifada) and blew himself up killing himself and 3 others and injuring around 50 people (including Baxter).

It has been several years since this tragic event and Mike's Place is still going strong. Today for instance, there had to have been about 200 people there, if not more. There were television screens everywhere and a huge projected screen. I was amazed at how many Germany supporters were in the crowd. Luckily, my jersey seemed to draw the Argentinian supporters around me, including the loudest and most obnoxious of the Argentinian fans who seemed to enjoy consistently yelling in my ear whenever Argentina messed up, which if you watched the game was a lot! With an end score of 4-0, unfortunately, in favor of Germany. I left in disappointment - to say the least.



























Somehow forgetting I was wearing my Messi jersey; I got approached by soccer enthusiasts on my walk back either asking me what the score was or discussing their own disheartened feelings on Argentina's incredible loss. Or my favorite the German fans, who I believe were actually German, coming up behind me and saying something to the effect of "Hey Messi, don't cry." Receiving my fair share of taunting at this point, I slipped in my Ipod headphones and ignored the nutty soccer fans. Until, I heard the soothing yet bizarre musical stylings of Hare Krishna. Alert again to my surroundings, I walked over to this hippie dippy going on, on the opposite side of the street. Like any person with a camera in hand I began filming the performance.
For your viewing pleasure, I give you the Hare Krishna band: (Video to be posted later)

"People dancing, really smiling

A man playing guitar (or in this case the accordion)

Singing for us all

Will you help him change the world..."

As I said it truly was a Saturday at the beach.