Busy busy busy.
I went out w/ Mitch, Uri and Ali, back to Yafo/S. Tel Aviv, to a club called "Ha'Tayahtron," The Theater; please forgive me for the debatably awful transliterations. This last Fri. night was a "line," a cognate from Eng. meaning an event people line up for, called "Big Boys," a monthly (?) gay party for guys over 29. We had a good time, better than some of us expected, as Ali is straight.
Uri, Ali and I returned to Herzliyya. Ali left early Sat. for the Palestinian Territories, and I spent the late morning/early afternoon relaxing around Uri's house. In the afternoon I returned via Shey-root, as the busses don't run on Shabbat here in Israel, to Tel Aviv. I got a little lost getting back to the center of the city from the bus station, but I got some water and asked a bunch of people for directions and walked for a while 'til I stumbled onto a street I recognized.
Later that evening was the rally for gay rights/equality to honor/memorialize those who were killed last Sat. night, 1Aug09. The rally took place next to city hall in Rabin Square, renamed to honor the late Prime Minister who was assassinated there. What's weird to me is that even though there were threats of violence not only against the gathering itself, but against the drivers who brought busses of people from Jerusalem and from Haifa, 20,000 + people still attended. Hundreds of police officers surrounded the square checking bags and waving people with metal detector wands for any weapons or bombs. The event went off without a hitch, and the President, Simon Peres, as well as many other political figures and singers spoke and performed.
I stood with Uri and Communist friends in front of a statue w/ a good view of the projection screens simulcasting the event. We were too far to see the people on the stage directly. Friends of my Aunt Debby, Sandy, about whom I've already written, as well as Bobbi, and Judy's son David also attended. It was a really powerful event, my limited comprehension of Hebrew notwithstanding.
Here's a link to an article from HaAretz about the rally: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1106147.html
I stayed at Uri's in Herzliyya again last night, and then took the bus back into Tel Aviv this afternoon (Sun.) to relocate to a friend's place. I met Niros from couch-surfing, a website which I recommend to anyone who's traveling on a budget. Niros is a vegan, so we made rice, salad, and some not so vegan ravioli that he had on hand for dinner tonight. And last night, after the protest, a few of us went to a burger place that has tasty vegan fake burgers and steaks. I had a regular burger, which I thought I wouldn't do, as I can get them in the states, but they were right, the place has good food.
Some photos attached are from Herzliyya and some from Tel Aviv.
Sculpture in Independence park next one of the entrances to the beach in Tel Aviv.
Sign in the park w/ view of the beach.
Uri and I in Herzliyya, before I left for Tel Aviv.
That's all for now. Good night/afternoon/morning.
