Exploration

Visiting a new city has its own style of exploration: food, top tourist sites, beautiful objects... Moving to a new city—even if for a somewhat limited time—on the other hand, has a different style of exploration: exercise locations, local foods and what days they are sold, the cheapest grocery stores, where "your people" hang, inexpensive and good bars and restaurants, pharmacies, the good bathroom at the museum, etc.

We have the benefit of gaining from the group's discoveries; at one week, we have finally discovered: the cheapest place for fresh vegetables (the "Shook"), the best coffee nearby (Cafe de Paris), the second best place for cheap, fresh veggies (the Armenian quarter of the Old City), and a wine we like (Golan, Cabernet Sauvignon 2012).

The Shook

We have also discovered the nearest climbing area (Wadi Qelt), joined the climbing gym (er...The Jerusalem Gym? can't read Hebrew...oops), and determined just how far it is to the Dead Sea (40 minutes) for our salt body soak.

Lowering off at the Wadi Qelt

As of this week, I now feel like I have the mental space to tackle the Old City in a more comprehensive manner. I did have the chance to see tour groups being led to the most holy and historic places there, and immediatly headed off in a different direction, but I would actually like to see those places too.

Good graffitti

In the Old City

The museum staff have been lovely to interact with. We find ourselves lunching in the tiny staff cafeteria at the buffet, and have been able to chat with them at length. They have been warm and welcoming. I've also enjoyed chatting with the head of grounds (we're in the Noguchi Sculpture Garden), who also does framing, about music. There is an interesting intersection of fine art and music everywhere you go and it's excellent to have that when you are far from home in NY and the center of the discussion is England.

Israel Museum grounds looking to the east (Big Bambú at near right)

Exploration also comes in the form of finding your place in the community. I am lucky that I have a built in community in the rock climbing world and that many of the local crew are climbers. On the street or in the stores it's a different matter—at least for me. I try to be my friendliest self and say my polite things in the language dictated, and this is generally received one of these ways: friendly interest, non-interest, brusque dismissal, or being asked out. Ah, well.

Sunrise over the Old City

Tonight we entered the fray of those who were cheerfully celebrating Independence Day. We were definitely the observers of this national celebration, even if we did get sprayed with the foam that everyone carries in order to spray on anyone nearby, and even if we did dance to the DJ in the middle of Mahane Yehuda.