Friday - Shabbat at the end of Passover.

Someone must have forgotten to pray for me today.... more on that later.

So the last couple of days, I've noticed people wishing me Shabbat Shalom, but sundown tonight started Shabbat.  Well, it's Passover with tonight starting its final day, Sabbath. All Passover, the appropriate greeting is apparently Shabbat Shalom. Who (among gentiles) knew? And with it being a week of holiday here and Shabbat to boot, a few arrangements  have been difficult.

Don't try to ride bus on Shabbat in Israel - they don't run.  Don't know why buses don't run during Friday day time this week.... So, I rented a bike. You've perhaps seen them in metro areas - ugly green 3 speeds. Over here they also have a child seat. So don't try to "leg over" the back or you'll end up on the ground like I did.  I either separated a rib or broke one and spent the day in discomfort. Not a great bike, either. Yep, I need my girls traveling with me - they often intervene to save me from my stupid alter-ego. I forget how old this body is really.

Rode bike across the city to Eretz Israel Museum.  What a great place! - a museum of "the land Israel."  All were amazing exhibits. 

The ceramics are very important to date archaeological layers, and this was amazing - not just for the biblical periods but all back to pre-history.

If you can click
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Tel Qasile - is right on the grounds - a Philistine site dated probably to the pre-Judges (think pre-Samson) period fully excavated with several temples to their sea-creature gods.
 

Ancient Philistine Temple Complex

I really loved photo exhibits of the current wildlife of Israel.

Photo of a photo of 2 squid
in Gulf of Aqaba
planning to swim with them soon

I also enjoyed the numismatic display with the history of coinage. Especially loved seeing lots of Roman and Greek era coins. Those photos are really boring.

Rode a different bike back (not much be) to Hotel Gilgal for my luggage and thought I could hire a taxi to get over to Grand Beach Hotel.  Nope, not on pre-Shabbat Friday afternoon. So I dosed up on Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen and dragged my 2 wheeled cases for about a mile and a half.  Glad they don't attack gentiles for working on Shabbat.  Got checked in here - showered - found an open pizzeria and had supper before sitting down to write to you.  Jen should arrive about midnight having flown from SanFran to Istanbul to Tel Aviv.