So, we didn't win the lottery....

I must mention it because even though it was so gross, I could appreciate it. Although, some friends of mine would have thrown up everywhere and never eat out again in Tel Aviv, I'm sure. I saw three different people; two of them being my taxi drivers, and one of them being a tour guide, pick directly out of the buffet. It wasn't a sneaky thing either; it was in plain view of the workers and no one said a word. I thought it was hilarious, but pretty gross at the same time. It's one thing if people I know are eating off of my plate, but I don't want strangers doing it!

Israelis had a wonderful way of saying what. To them, it's not a short, simple word that accentuates the t at the end, it a long progressional phrase (or so it seems) where the a is accentuated. So it sounds like "whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?" which increasingly gets higher pitched at you get to the end of it. Towards the end of my trip, I found myself wanting to speak very quietly or very quickly just to get them to say the word, or "phrase" and I had to laugh ever time I heard it. It was a great sound. I told one of the people at the front desk I loved the way they said it, and she said "oh yes we have been told that it's rude to say that, so we have been trying to remember not to say it", so I said, no, really,it's perfectly OK!

I went out one night by myself before Beth arrived , and for dinner, I ordered grilled fish thinking I was being really good. My fish came with a side salad. So, the waiter said he would bring it out for me. Well, my side salad consisted of EIGHT bowls of different kinds of salad. I, ME, I could not finish the salads and could barely eat any of my meal once it came. And, I left feeling absurdly full. So much for healthy eating!

Beth and I had a cab driver who asked us to pic numbers, because he wanted to play the lottery and we were having a lucky day (I think one of his reasons was that we had him for a cab driver, but anyways)... so Beth and I picked, and then he made us write down the exact room information where we were staying so that he could contact us and we could split the winnings if he won. Clever eh? But, we never got a call or a knock at the door, so I guess we're not as lucky as he hoped.