Spain +

Spain was ... well, I can't give it an overall grade. What cast a big shadow over Madrid was the hotel; not the hotel per se, which was actually very good, but the location. It was by the airport with no good access to the city 35 miles away. Public transportation involved taking a bus to the metro, which wasn't a big deal. It was cheap and took about 45 minutes. A taxi was 35 Euros. And there was a lot of back-and-forth. The reason we stayed there is because Moshe stayed there over the summer with his family, which was fine when you're travelling with 3 kids who don't want to sight see all day, because it had a nice outdoor pool and it was close to a big shopping center which was great for his shopaholic wife. But for us it was a pain. This is why people need a travel agent.

The highlights were walking down the Gran Via, the flamenco dinner show, the ceremony we had for Batsheva, visiting Bernabeu Stadium (where Real Madrid plays), a day trip to Toledo (yet another European Jewish graveyard) and dinner at a place called, oddly, Ten Con Ten. Food was amazing.

Batsheva's birthday dinner at Cardamomo Flamenco Club

Yafit spent the past 2 months writing this book.
It's a collection of family stories and recipes in honor of Batsheva's birthday
and Batsheva and Eli's 50th anniversary which is Jan 5, 2021.

L to R
Sid, Moshe, Eli, Yafit , Batsheva

What used to be the most prestigious synagogue in Toledo

At the Toledo train station

The sacred ground of Bernabeu

Then we took the Ave (fast train) to Seville. We sat in business class which was a treat. Leather seats and actual dinner service. It only took 2.5 hours. We arrived at 1030 and took a cab to Las Casas de la Juderia in the medieval part of town. Because it appeals to the I've-been-here-before aspect of my personality, I loved it. It's comprised of several conjoined houses dating back to the 15th Century, very similar to the Pulitzer in Amsterdam and the Rubens and Rembrandt in Bruges. Absolutely loaded with quaint and charm. I don't know when the last hanukkiah was lit in Seville, but because this was the last night and because I bought a cheap tin throw-away hanukkiah to bring along, we might have been the first to light in 500 years.

The hotel is 600 years old with lots of very flammable wood.
For safety's sake I lit the hanukkiah in the tub.

We had a walking tour the next morning with an outstanding guide, Alvaro Carmona. The three hour tour turned into four. Truth is, I've never had much interest in Spain and consequently never studied about it. Nor do I speak Spanish, which is pretty unusual since I speak everything else. I always figured it's because in a previous life I was burned at the stake and I still carry a grudge. But Alvaro turned me around. He started by sitting us down with a map and giving us a history lesson. The city was part of the Roman Empire, conquered by Muslims in 711 and ruled until 1492, gradually reconquered by the Catholics for almost the same amount of time, who ultimately expelled them along with the Jews in 1492. The interesting thing about this series of conquests is that nothing was destroyed, everything was re-purposed. The city wall, built by the Muslims, is 7.5 miles long. It's been incorporated in many of the buildings. Part of a Roman aqueduct was used as the outer wall of the Alcazar, which itself is an amalgam of mosque, government administration, royal palace and a church. Etc etc. In it's heyday Seville was the most powerful city in Europe. Besides it's empire, it was the main port of entry to Europe and collected tons of taxes. The cathedral (re-purposed from a mosque) was built with silver and gold (measured in tons) brought over from South America. You get the picture. Jews, of course, played a very important role in all of this. They knew commerce, trading, accounting and languages. And pretty much everyone, Muslims, Jews and Catholics, got along for a couple of centuries. Then along came Queen Isabella and the rest is a sad history.

Narrow streets, colorful buildings

Girona Tower, formerly a minaret

All they had to do was add a bell to the tower and it became a church

The amount of gold and silver is measured in tons

Christopher Columbus' final resting place.
His first grave was in Valladolid where he died in 1506.
His son had the body moved to a monastery in Seville not long after, where it rested until 1542.
From there it was moved to Santo Domingo.
In 1795 it went to Havana, where he rested until Cuba got its independence from Spain in 1898.
He finally made it back to Seville and was buried in a grand manner in the cathedral.
Sort of fitting for someone whose fame derived from crossing the ocean several times.

Courtyard, tiles and garden of the Alcazar

We left Spain on Dec 31. Our flight landed at 1045PM and the plan was to take the train to Jerusalem. Unfortunately the last train left the station at 930PM. There is a bus that departs hourly, on the hour. We thought about waiting for the midnight bus, but decided to take a sherut instead. What a 3-ring circus. Several people were gathered at the one sherut that was parked, while the driver figured out which passengers would go with him, and which would go in the next one which was supposed to have been there 5 minutes ago. Four of us were going to the same neighborhood, so it was a matter of dividing up the remaining passengers. The second sherut finally showed up and the two drivers started debating about who would go in which vehicle. This required a spreadsheet. As we waited, the bus to Jerusalem arrived. Should we or shouldn't we? The drivers finally figured out how to divide us up and promised that we would be the second stop. So we ushered in 2020 in a sherut to Jerusalem. 

We made our final trek to the shuk on Wednesday to get all the things we want to bring back. 

Yesterday we spent the better part of the day in Tel Aviv. We met with the Jaffa Institute representative who took us to two locations. They do amazing work with a population that badly needs help. The first visit was with the director of a program called Welfare to Well-being. It's only for women, ages 20s to 50s, who have never been part of the workforce. They get training in basic computer skills, business communication, budgeting, interview skills, how to dress for the workplace. In addition they get one-on-one time with a counselor/life coach. They go through a rigorous interview process to qualify for the program and they have to sign a contract to show up promptly every day and stay the full day. There are no dropouts and 100% of the graduates find decent jobs.  

From there we went to see a new suite hotel in Tel Aviv, The Levee, which opened 6 months ago. They sent an email to my agency owner which she forwarded to me. This place was too weird for words. The front door was locked and there was an entry key pad. No visible lobby or anyone walking around. We were about to leave when someone appeared and I knocked on the window. He let us in, grudgingly, with a look that said who sent you? I explained about the email and he agreed to show us a suite. An apartment actually. It was very impressive. The building was rehabbed and 4 floors were added. I asked how to book. He said guests contact the hotel and they decide whether or not to accept them. Hmmm. He said most of the guests are well known and they have to be very discreet. Since the apartments (only 8 of them) are 1 to 3 bedrooms it's not the kind of place you bring your girlfriend. As nice as it was I can't think of anyone who would be a good fit.

From there we went to our granddaughter's apartment for dinner. It's her first grown up apartment, two bedrooms/2 bathrooms. Dori lives with her boyfriend Itzik, who's at Hebrew University studying agronomy. Dori is studying design at the Holon Institute. And Meital, who's at MIT studying computer engineering, is visiting for a month. We had a lovely evening with them. They are all nice kids and we're very proud of them.

When we got back to Jerusalem (we took the bus) it was close to midnight. We took the light rail to downtown and caught a bus home. The number of people out and about, including parents pushing baby carriages, was astounding. Once upon a time in Jerusalem the sidewalks rolled up at 9PM. Not anymore. 

So here we are, our last Shabbat. It's getting harder and harder to leave. I told Sid the next time we come we'll buy one way tickets. He's not there yet, but he agreed (in front of witnesses) that next time we'll come for 4 months. 

Shabbat shalom, for the last time this visit, from Jerusalem,

Peggy and Sid