Family outing

I started a laundry wash in preparation for packing and going back to NJ and then saddled up for a day outside.

 Nomi and I took back roads through the local neighborhood (small alleys through the residential area with names like Yosef Chaim and Givon). We walked down Strauss on our way to Powerwash coffee (or whatever it is called) for a coffee and a donut. Once I knew that the donuts were not deadly, I wanted to spend every spare moment there. But they had no donuts yet so I walked away sad and without coffee. I can get coffee anywhere so why spend their prices when it isn't accompanied by a donut, right?

We cut across streets and headed to Geula and Me'ah She'arim (Nomi was concerned because she was wearing pants and those are very religious areas - I had planned fo rthe event and wore black pants and a white shirt so I blended in, which I don't, with my fleece and dad-holstered phone). We stopped at the Brooklyn Bake Shop in the hopes that their donuts had no nuts. Nomi trusted them to know their wares. We arribved an hour before their donuts did and the woman working there recommended that I not buy anything anyway. So, yeah, more sad. We walked past Yad L'kashish which sells arts made by senior citizens, past the Italian Hispital and a bunch of other buildings with plaques on them signifying that I should have written their names down, but didn't. Without coffee, I'm a mess.

We met up with David and walked into the old city. I was able to point out the men's room that I have used. They were very proud. We walked through the Jewish quarter to the kotel and stopped for a brief conversation with Nomi's friend (Tova Hametz). Nomi spoke with her and I petted the dog Lolly who is, by all accounts, a good girl. She is a big doggo and a happy one, as she did not eat any of the babies who went buy. LIke I said, a good girl.

We stopped in the square by the Churva and discussed lunch plans. First, I left the two of them and went down to the Kotel to fill up the old spiritual battteries. It is amazing how stone of a wall that has no particular religious or ritual value is so affecting spiritually and symbolically powerful. It really helps me. Bar mitzvahs, families feeling connected to their religion, rich and poor, religious and not all mixing and feeling the same thing in the same place. Quite something. I highly recommend it.

I headed back -- 139 steps on the way back up. This might be more than last time but I'm not sure, but if I go anain, I have a benchmark. I ran into the Bromberg family on the way up (hi Bromberg family!) and an Alter passed us by (Brian?) and gave a quick "how are you." Next, I saw the Schwartz family again. Hi guys! I found N and D and we decided to go to "Holy Cafe." Nomi got fish and chips, David got a fettucini (however you spell it) in a rose sauce and I got "Cheesy Eggplant" because, heck, "cheesy eggplant." Right? I had visions of eggplant parm or at least rolatini. I also got a smoothie with strawberries, mango, bananana and orange juice. I like saying that. SMOOOOOTHIE.

The food arrived. The fish and chips looked like fish and chips. The pasta and sauce looked like pasta and sauce. Mine? Not so much. Their idea of cheese is a white yogurt like substance so there was a piece of eggplant swimming in this white stuff. It wasn't at all what I had expected. I ate it anyway because I'm wired like that. I watched school groups get whipped into a frenzy of Zionistic song and then march en masse to the Kotel. Hundreds of children of various ages, in groups some coed, some not, all flowing through the square to see that same wall. It is impressive.

I saw R. Reuven Taragin and said a brief hello (he was engrossed in a conversation) and even say R. Ronn and Ovadia Yaish from a distance). I got a 5 shekel coffee from Cofix (and Americano...I failed at explaining how decaf doesn't have to be an Americano so I said whatever and got the Americano).

On our way out, David guided us through more of the Jewish quarter than I have ever seen before. Winding alleys and small "streets" (too narrow for cars, some in ersatz tunnels, some up and down stairs) composed neighborhoods through which tourists, some lost, some not, gawked at everything. These areas were marked as archeological digs, heroic battles, and historically significant moments, and they were people's homes. Signs reminded us to respect the quiet and decorum of the area while we acted the tourists in front of private homes. It was weird. History isn't in a museum -- it is on the street, all around us.

We exited through the Zion gateand walked past a memorial to a murder victim (in 1989, I think) and to fallen soldiers from 1948. We continued next to the walls of the old city, reading the explanations about the various strata of the visible areas, tracing the development of the walls from the early 20th century back to 1100 BCE and earlier.  To see the actual walls built by the Hasmoneans right next to us, not beyond a gate or glass was humbling. History lives here.

We walked past Jaffa gate and up to Yaffo street. N and D decided to take the light rail up to Davidka as they had shopping to do for a house warming gift at a particular store. I opted to walk because I'm hard wired that way. I sat on a bench and watched people. I also saw the Cohnens (hi Cohnens!) and we chatted about life and stuff and then, as I continued to sit on the bench, I made plans to meet a co-worker later for coffee. It turns out that the bench I chose was just out of visual range of the corner at which N and D waited for me for 20 minutes. It was comical. They started walking around looking for me so I snuck up behind them. A wonderful time was had by all. We wound our way through back streets on the way back to their house.