Friday, June 17

So just after we posted the blog last night and headed up from our neighborhood wireless network on the park bench outside MiniGolf, the restaurant across the street that has nothing to do with mini-golf, we started hearing sirens go past our building on Nitza street. First three or four, then more and more. Once it got to about 15 or 20 we started to worry. As we did not want to return to MiniGolf at 1am, Mike turned on his very expensive 3G network and found out that there was an explosion in the main square downtown - seems to be due a gas leak. Fortunately not a terrorist attack. Unfortunately lives were lost and many were injured. We ate dinner at a place in that building on Tuesday night, when they guy sent us to his brother's and gave us 10% off. Pizza Hut is also in that building, so we will likely not be having pizza delivered to our door this trip.

Mike and Naomi and Sima were up quite late with the sirens and activity, but we still managed to get on the road this morning to Caesaria, Eitan's favorite spot in Israel. Even though we have been there before, the place is still amazing and beautiful. We climbed and explored the Roman ruins -- the hippodrome, a bathhouse, the palace, the ampitheater, and even drove over to the aquaducts. We had lunch at an amazing dairy place in the park, gorgeous view, delicious pasta, salads, and foccacia, only thing that could have made it better is if the bees has stayed away from Naomi who really doesn't like them. At lunch we reflected that Shabbat is coming and we have been here almost a week. Ilana's favorite activity so far was the dig at Beit Guvrin, followed closely by the science park. But, most favorite of all was Tova's wedding. Eitan's favorite activity was also the dig, followed by Castel and the Castel winery. Naomi's favorite was seeing the Perlmans. Noah's was Leket Israel (picking beets) and the dig.

Then back to Netanya where Ilana and Noami finally got to swim in the building's pool. Part of the reason we chose this apartment is thatit has a pool. Of course, we didn't know until we got here that the pool did not open until June 15th, and then only from 1-5pm.

Mark the landlord is still working on wireless, now he says we'll have it Sunday - morning he really is trying...
Soon we head for Ra'anana for Shabbat, and get to celebrate Dalia's bat mitzvah with the Hartsteins. Mazel tov, and Shabbat Shalom.