Its my last week here! I am so sad I dont want to leave! There really is a high that comes with being in this country. I dont really know how to explain it. But, nonetheless I dont want to leave and my friend Elissa has already told me shes going to do everything in her power to steal my passport :)

Since I am done with working, I now have time to explore even more! Yesterday I rented a bike in Tel Aviv (and a helmet too!) and rode up the coast. There is a nice bike path all the way up through north tel aviv and then some. I took lots of scenic pics which you can check out on the photo album page (Coastal Bike Trip). At the north end of tel aviv is the Namal--or the port. Its a really cute area with lots of little restaurants and shops and a huge wooden bike/run/walk path all along the water. Going farther north is a nice stretch of desolate beach which was a really scenic ride. A friend had told me there is a path all the way to Herzylia (a neighboring town) but unfortunately when I got to where I think was Ramat Aviv the path ended. Im sure there was a way to continue I just had no clue how and the bike map I had ended there. So I decided to bike through Ramat Aviv a little--and it was beautiful. Lots of really nice and new looking high rise buildings. A bit cookie cutter but pretty nonetheless (especially compared to the somewhat run down appearance of most of tel aviv--tho inside they are often nicer). Then I took the path back to north tel aviv and went to hayarkon park which is basically tel aviv's "central park" though definitely not as big as in NY! It was very nice though, with a river running through the middle of it. Lots of trees and grass for relaxing as well as extremely elaborate play structures (so elaborate it deserved a pic in my photo album) as well as a random enclosure of wild animals (again, see photo album). All in all it was a great trip and I didnt fall off the bike at all!!

We shall see what adventure today brings, hopefully will update tonight or tomorrow AM again with today's happenings

Miss you all but definitely not ready to return to real life!

Love,

rachel