Picture this

Good morning, blogland. I'm in my freezing apartment in what passes for winter in Jerusalem, and I've decided it's time to share some photos! There's lots of intense feelings about politics and religion swirling in my head, but I need to sit with them and decide what's improper to put online. In the mean time, here's a bunch of pictures from my travels up north.

Caesaria

Caesaria is an ancient city on the coast of the Mediterranean. Here's your history lesson. I'm just here for the pretty pictures.

Fishing with ruins in the background.

From an ancient doorway to looking at modern smokestacks. I love me some ironic juxtapositions!

It's the Mediterranean!

Mediterranean: now with more umbrellas!

We were in Caesaria while the fire was burning in the Carmel. This is the smoke from it. We were about 45 minutes away on Day 2 of the fire. Don't ask if I could smell it; my nose is now purely ornamental.

Tel Aviv

We went to Tel Aviv twice in one week and, let me tell you, I loved it. It's a city! With tall buildings! And dirt! And without an oppressive atmosphere of piety and violence! There is more Tel Aviv in my future.

Jerusalem doesn't seem to have sculptures or much public art and it's starting to make me crazy. So when I saw this upside down guy on the entrance to a hotel, I squealed.

I AM BICYCLE. HEAR ME ROAR!

I have some very strong feelings about Israelis and their nasty littering habit. Here's a planter on the deck of a seaside restaurant. Why do people need to put their glasses in the dirt and why doesn't the staff take them out? Grossness.

"Would you eat your dog? Meat = Murder!" Love it!

This cat is a fucking ninja and bent that fence with one paw.

"My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." But in Yiddish!

Speaking of Inigo Montoya... Dueling messiahs!

The Holocaust memorial in the Diaspora Museum. Kinda intense, right? (Sorry it's not funny.)

And now we get to see my explorations with iPhoto. Here's the sunset down the street.

And the very same sunset over the Sea, with a hansom cab and a fountain. I'm pretending that the palm trees are oak trees and the Sea is Central Park. It's good to be back on 59th and 5th..