A bit about me too

Pam of Threading My Way wrote a post about herself as part of the Nosy Parker in the Neighborhood, hosted by Kat of Diary of a Flutter Kat. I wanted to join in too. So here goes...

Question 1: About my home...


I live in Israel, a country the size of New Jersey, USA, with a population of 7.8 million. The official capital city of Israel is Jerusalem, but the unofficial "young and bustling" capital city of Israel is Tel Aviv, which is right along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Map of Israel [ source ]
See Tel Aviv along the coast, somewhere in the middle there?

The "greater Tel Aviv area" is called "Gush Dan", with 3.3 million residents (almost half of the country's population). I live in Ramat Gan which is in Gush Dan, a few minutes drive from Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv has lots of great cafe's and restaurants, the beach, bicycle routes, art galleries, shops, parks, parties, night life and what not. There isn't much of interest in Ramat Gan :-)

Rothschild Boulevard, Tel Aviv [ source ]
Bauhaus architecture, restaurants, bars, strolling, biking

Tel Aviv Pier (boardwalk), during the Triathlon event, June 2011

Tel Aviv Pier (boardwalk)

I rent an apartment on the third floor of a rather old block of flats, in a green and quiet neighborhood near the Yarkon Park. I can ride my bicycle along the park and get to the pier in 20 minutes or so.

Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv

Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv

My apartment is somewhat old and rickety but it's peaceful and spacious. Every once in a while I do something nice for the place, like rearrange furniture, put up some curtains, or re-organize my stuff :-) Since I sew, my house is dominated by my fabric stash, sewing machines, tables and tools.

Question 2: What are the houses like in my area...

There are two types of houses in my neighborhood: apartment buildings, some newer and some older, and detached houses with high gates and expensive cars. Most of the houses in the city though are 3+ story apartment buildings.

Question 3: Some of my favourite places...


I love many places in Tel Aviv. Nachalat Binyamin for fabric shopping, Rothschild Boulevard for strolling or sitting in a cafe / bar with a friend, Yarkon Park, Ibn Gvirol Street and more.

Ibn Gvirol St. - shops, cafe's, strolling, biking

Question 4: How do most people travel around the city?


In Ramat Gan there are zero bicycle paths but you still see people bicycling their way to and fro. In Tel Aviv you see all forms of transportation: cars (lots of compact ones), public buses, motorized bicycles, motorcycles, motorized scooters, even a Segway or two. Many people get around by foot in Tel Aviv because everything is nearby. Lots use bicycles. There's a bicycle renting infrastructure in Tel Aviv which is really cool - you take a bike from one station and drop it off in another.

Tel-o-Fun - bike rental infrastructure throughout Tel Aviv

Parking in Tel Aviv is rather difficult and expensive but possible. You should always park according to the regulations in Tel Aviv or you will surely get a ticket! If you need to leave your bike in the street in Tel Aviv, you need to lock it with a heavy motorcycle lock or else it will surely get stolen. But otherwise it's rather a safe city.

I get around in my Fiat Panda. Recently I've discovered the bus system which is really convenient and saves time and money for parking. I also walk and ride my bike but not as much as I'd like to.

Fiat Panda just like mine, but much cleaner :-)

Questions 5: Is there a type of food Tel Aviv is famous for?


Well, Israel is famous for many foods but these foods are all influenced by the countries from which immigrants came only several generations ago. For example: Hummus, Pita Bread, Falafel, Shawarma, and so much more. Israeli food is rather healthy, as in other Mediterranean countries - lots of readily available salads, vegetables, fruit, healthy bread and more. Many cafe's and restaurants offer delicious and super-healthy vegetarian dishes.