As a Dallas Texan, "beach" is not particularly in my vocabulary nor in my proximity. I see the water maybe once a year if I'm lucky - that is, if my family decides to venture to a coastal city for the holidays. This summer, we got really lucky with the location of our apartment because the Mediterranean Sea is a twenty-two minute walk from our door.
Twenty-two. Minutes.
Like many beaches in the world, Gordon Beach has stellar views of the horizon and the sunset, and there's always a crowd of locals lounging in the sand, paddle-boarding, or tossing a frisbee. The atmosphere is relaxed and peaceful. The people appear to be calm and carefree. Everything seems to be chill in Tel-Aviv.
Every Shabbat thus far, our whole MIT gang has ended up spending most of the day at the beach. Shabbat is the Jewish day of rest. It starts at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday evening when the new week begins. Religious Jews do not work during Shabbat and this extends to using electronic equipment and cooking. What this means is that starting from early on Friday afternoon, businesses, shops, and most restaurants begin to close up as does public transportation (buses and light railway). What this also means is that Saturdays are almost always going to be beach days, and we're okay with that.
The Israeli workweek is Sunday to Thursday, and so today after work, 6/7ths of our apartment strolled to the beach to watch the red sun set over the horizon and conversed over brie cheese, challah bread, pita, hummus, and a bottle of Cava. A great way to end a "Monday," as some might say.
