Sennen awoke first at 7:45 and Ailyn waited at least another 15 minutes to get out of bed. By the time we were all up it was past 9am. The kids used their writing app and then watched a few episodes of Doc McStuffins on their new iPad while Emily and I slept – a major indulgence since they don't usually watch more than 30 minutes of TV (or any other screen for that matter) per day. But today, it didn't matter.
By the time everyone was up, dressed and ready, it was almost 10 and I ran across the street to the bakery and next store to the fruit market to pick up some items for breakfast. Once delivered to Emily and the kids, I had only the quickest bite before running out to the rear parking lot to check on our car tires. The tire pressure light came on during the drive home from Haifa yesterday and I needed to see if we had flat tires. The front right was low, but not flat. Per Hertz's suggestion, I went to the nearest gas station – located only 5 minutes away. A nice guy there inflated my tire, but couldn't patch it. He referred me to another station that could. While filling the tire, we could both see the nail stuck in the tire. At least the problem was clear.
At the bottom of the hill below Zichron Ya'akov was the gas station with a tire shop on the side. Not a Pep Boys or even our neighborhood mechanic kind of facility – more like a step above a Thai massage hut kind of garage – but nonetheless available to patch my tire. A very nice guy with great English because of his South African mother and many family members who he visits in the United States offered me espresso while I waited and had his guys work on my tire right away. Ten minutes later, after learning his life story and paying 50 Sheckelim, our Honda HRV and I were on our way back up the hill.
I texted Ziv to see if his family was ready to go to the beach as planned. They said they were getting ready and to come over. But Emily – who had been using the time I was running around to pack she and the kids for our departure to Athens tomorrow – had a few things she wanted to finish up before leaving. We ran a little long, so Ziv texted that he and his family were on the way to the beach and gave us the name of the beach at which to meet them.
When everything was packed and all were in swimsuits, we left for Dor Beach – a 12 minute ride away. Only Google Maps took us down an unusual dirt road, through some fisheries, across a bridge and further down a dirt road that led to the kind of beach that you would only expect a local to know about it. We didn't see our friends' car, so Emily scouted for them – but wasn't sure she found them. I texted Ziv. No response. So Emily and the kids stayed in the air conditioned car while I walked the beach looking for our friends. About 10 minutes into my search, Ziv called. It took us a minute to figure it out – but we were at the wrong beach. He sent me his location via Google Maps and it became clear he was 3.5 kilometers away from us.
Down the dirt road, back across the bridge, through the fisheries, down the next dirt road and we were back to the main highway. A quick left, 3.5 kilometers, and another left on a road that was properly paved and made a lot more sense and we came to Nahsholim Dor Beach – a place with parking lots, showers, a resort hotel, country club and a white sand cove with shallow water overseen by a lifeguard. THIS made sense. It was now just past noon.
But it didn't matter. We found our friends under their nice blue beach canopy and all went for a swim with the kids in the nice, refreshing water. Back on the beach, Hila had a trove of food and drinks including omelet sandwiches, watermelon, cantaloupe, numerous kinds of packaged snacks for kids and tons of drinks. She also had tons of sand toys ready. Kids ate, played and enjoyed while adults chatted and intermittently swam and played with kids. It was a great 2.5 hours.
Hila needed to wrap up around 2:30 so she had time to cook for tonight's Shabbat dinner. So after carrying gear to their car and showering down sandy children – our family headed to a nearby Arab village/beach town which still had open restaurants (we were concerned our town might not as it's Jewish and largely kosher, meaning that by mid-afternoon on a Friday, most businesses close). We found great parking and an even better falafel and shawarma place to grab a late by American time, normal by Israeli time lunch. Emily got her falafel fix fulfilled.
At about 4:00. we returned to our apartment, took showers, got dressed and then Ailyn laid down and fell asleep. Emily worked, I packed and checked us in for our flights. Sennen colored and then used a new piano app on the iPad. Everyone called Grammy and Zaide to say hi. Then we left for dinner at Ziv and Hila's at about 7:15. In short, we spent the late afternoon to early evening doing nothing.
But that seems to be the need. It has been clear that no one wants to rush and our kids are especially tired. Given tomorrow is a travel day, it seemed great to have an easy beach and relax day.
But the best part of it all was Shabbat dinner with Ziv, Hila, Emma and Guy. Being welcomed into someone's home for Shabbat is always a treat, but with friends who usually enjoy their Shabbat dinner cooked by their parents was a special honor. Hila went overboard cooking a Shabbat feast instead of resting and enjoying one prepared by her mother. I have never had Hila's mom's cooking, but if it's anything like Hila's, I am sure it's amazing. Salad, couscous, challah, chicken, perfectly prepared salmon, roasted smashed potatoes, bowtie pasta… it felt like the meal never ended. And a homemade dessert similar to mille feuille. We dined well and felt so loved.
Best yet, after the meal, we sat out on their patio and let the kids play on the lawn while we enjoyed mint tea and chatted. It was the most adult time we have had this visit – and so enjoyable. After 2.5 days together, the kids were really beginning to warm to each other and played games that involved pulling toys out of each other's arms and rough housing – in good ways. They laughed and connected.
Ziv and I talked about how 17 years ago, we would never have imagined sitting in his backyard with our families, watching our kids play. It's everything the Birthright Israel people wanted. And while on my birthright trip, I thought the whole idea of mixing in Israeli soldiers to try to get us to forge connections with Israel was hokey, I made a good friend for life – and am so happy when we get together. Which I hope we will continue to do for years to come.
Shalom, Ziv and Hila V'Lehitraot!
And now, on to Athens!
