John and Syllie on the beach
I’ve really spent the week trying to get over jet lag – I’ve alternated between getting no sleep and sleeping so soundly that I don’t wake up until mid-morning!
We were happy to have a day off on Tuesday to celebrate Israeli Independence Day. Our neighbors Diane and Bill had a great cookout on their balcony overlooking the ocean – I think everyone in Tel Aviv was down on the beach. Throughout the morning, fighter jets flew in formation and performed acrobatics overhead, and there were a million boats on the water. The party was great fun – I really enjoyed sitting in the sun and drinking a glass of wine as we visited with folks from other parts of the Embassy.
We had another treat on Thursday when our friend Sylbeth popped into town for the night. She is posted in Japan and has been travelling around for her R&R. We had a nice dinner at Whitehall, then sat in the sand at a beach bar for a nightcap. Syllie is a lot of fun, and it was wonderful to see an old friend from DC.
Friday after work, I went with a few folks from the Consular section to a cafe overlooking the beach to have a little Friday happy hour, which was a great way to start the weekend.
Israeli Independence Day