Sleepless in Tel Aviv

When you think of a city that never sleeps, you think of New York. Think again because Tel-Aviv, the country's biggest and most bustling metropolis, may be younger and smaller, but is no less vital.

The name Tel Aviv is a Hebrew translation of the title of Benyamin Ze’ev Herzl’s book Alneuland (Old New Land). ‘Tel’ means a hill of ancient ruins and ‘Aviv’ means spring which perfectly describes the springing up of the new city in June 1921, thanks to British rule, on ancient ground.

For first time visitors, all those notions of nomadic tribes, ancient bazaar rituals that consist of '10 camels for your wife' simply get blown away. Seen as a silhouette its seafront twinkles with skyscrapers and tall luxury hotels. On ground level, shopping malls, exotic markets and diverse eateries beckon. Tel-Aviv is a fast paced, work-hard-play-hard sort of town and all its 1.1 million residents seem to be part of this almost manic activity.

Tel-Aviv is a city with a swell of immigrants, some who fled there from persecution and others who simply followed their heart from all over Europe, Russia, Yemen, Iraq, Ethiopia, the ex-Soviet Union, Ghana, Thailand and even the Philippines. With each new wave of immigration comes a huge desire to succeed and with it new cultural and gastronomic influences have given this city it’s diverse and intoxicating vibe. But ‘modern’ still meets ‘ancient’ in every day life. Just take a walk along Shenkin Street and you will see Chasidic Jews (originally from Eastern Europe) dressed in their traditional black coats and shtreimels (black furry hats) diligently preserving age-old Jewish customs mingling with nose-pierced teenagers on skateboards.

Shopping is dynamic, especially in Dizengoff Street, where fashionistas spend their shequels. Combine this with Shenkin Street, Carmel Market and the Nahalat Binyamin pedestrianised zone where you can play spot-the-urban-fashion-follower or haggle with a market trader…. that is if you can actually see past the mass of busy bodies. It is truly hectic and a good place to try Israel’s own fast food: falafel (fried balls of lentils) with humus and tahina in a pita with salad.

The city is, punctuated with several oasis of tranquillity. Dotted throughout the city there are 257 parks and gardens. The most well-known of these is the HaYarkon Park which follows the Yarkon River from the Old Port and reaches out beyond the city. It is a place where latent nature lovers can enjoy the tropical gardens and cactus patch, listen to birds chirrup and enjoy the lake and walkways.

There is also the 2.5km of beaches overlooking the Mediterranean with wonderfully manicured promenades ideal for those getting-away-from-the-madding-crowds moments. And as the summer is longest of Israel’s two seasons, (the other season being winter which last just the 3 months of December to February) the beach is ideal for kids to enjoy the free beach sports or the water sports at the Meimadion water park most of the year.

The modern city is an UNESCO open air museum of Bauhaus architecture – European style architecture introduced in the 1930s by Arieh Sharon (a Polish immigrant not to be confused with Ariel Sharon the Prime Minister) and Yaacov Rechter both graduates of the Bauhaus Wimar, Germany’s art and design school. The school in Germany was shut down with the rise of the Nazis while its influences still lived on in Israel. For most, the irony of this will not be lost. The ‘museum’ is a rather large clutch of 1000 buildings dubbed The White City. Though, some have fallen into disrepair there are stringent ongoing plans for renovation. A walking tour of these plain, asymmetrical white buildings should start with a visit to the Bauhaus Centre where guided walking tours can be booked.

In the south of Tel-Aviv is the ancient 4000 year old fortified city of Old Jaffa with its narrow winding alleyways leading to the old port. Jaffa according to some was named after Noah’s son Japhet, who built the city after the flood. Others believe its name comes from the Hebrew word 'Yofi' which means beautiful. If its ancient cobbled walls could talk, you would hear tales of Jonah using this port to flee God, about miracle performed by the Apostle Peter, how the Romans, Richard the Lionhart, Napoleon and Turkish sultans all had their day in conquering Jaffa and about how the port was the point of entry for Jewish immigrants fleeing from pogroms in the surrounding Arab countries.

Old Jaffa retains its picturesque landscape of romantic medieval paths and gardens overlooking the glittering waves of the Mediterranean and the quaint streets are laced with fantastic sea food restaurants, studios, galleries and an eccentric mix of curio Judaica, archaeology and jewellry boutiques. It’s an atmosphere that regularly inspires the locals, mostly artists and musicians, to fill the night air with sounds of impromptu jazz and guitar jammings.

As the sun sets on Tel Aviv, especially on a Friday night, the energetic night owls rise up with the moon and head for the throbbing night clubs of Jabotinski and Arlozorov streets, stopping periodically by abundantly stocked and prolific 24/7 kiosks, and partying into the early hours. Even coffee bars stay open into the wee hours to cater for the exhausted before they venture home or continue for a stroll on the soft sand beaches.

Azrieli Observation Deck is a must-see for any visitor. It may not be the Empire State building but it is still the tallest building in the Middle East. A trip up to the Observation Deck on its 49th floor will give you such heady overviews over the city and beyond that you may well be left sleepless in Tel-Aviv.

Azrieli Observation Deck
Guides in English and telescopes are available.
A 3-D film shows the city’s early days.
Open 10am-6pm
Book in advance: 03 6081179

Bauhaus Centre
155 Dizengof Street
Tel: 03-5220249
Open sun-Thu 10am-7pm
Fri 10am-2pm
Dedicated to the 1930’s architecture and design.

Carmel Market
On the corner of King George and Allenby Street
On Sun-Fri 8am-5pm
This market is Tel-Aviv’s largest and probably most colourful fruit and veg, meat, fish, spices and flowers.

Cuisine
Street food: Try Felafel in pitta with humus or shawarma in pitta

Hummus: Everyone eats hummus. Dip your pitta in it and enjoy.

Fresh Jaffa: Fresh orange juice is availble from any of the many juice stalls all over the city. They also offer the very healthy promegranate juice (in season).

Eating Out: Tel Avis has countless international restaurants offering fine food. Eating al fresco in the port area is a truly wonderful experience..

18 May 2006