... the day I'll always remember - yes, I will'cause,that was the day that my innocence died.(According to the tune of THIS SONG)5th of September 1977, that is. . . On the 6th I stuck by big toe in the sea at Tel-Aviv beach, and immediately withdrew it, in shock *_*The water was warm!! I had not expected that (being used to the cold water of the North Sea).After emerging in the water until up to shoulder level I turned around and saw the absolutely stunning Mediterranean, the sand, the skyline of Tel-Aviv - all bathing in LOADS of sunshine.I remember -as if it were the day of yesterday- thinking to myself: "I have landed in Paradise".Oh Boy - how wrong I was. . . ------------------------------Yesterday morning left the house rather late: past 08:00 and saw the turtle (how lucky can one get to see a turtle as much as I do in a rather large river like the Yarkon) - and Egrets and the whole zbang. The Kingfisher was at the rocks off the boulevard and later -when I was sitting on "my mezah" - flew past me in dazzling speed at around 50 cm away from me. He must have thought I was a statue or something. Gorgeous little creature.In the evening H. and me went to our neighborhood's school (yard) since Boaz Maudi and Kobi Aflolo were performing there as part of the summer activities Ramat Gan have been organizing. I am totally mesmerized by Boaz. He looks like such a sweet, shy person. And then: he opens his mouth and out comes the strongest, most beautiful voice I have ever heard. On my Youtube channel (click here) a few clips can be found that I shot of it - but rather very poor quality. It was the first time I forgot about my problems and felt completely swept away by 'the moment'.Today left the house earlier - around 07:30 - When I reached the wavebreaker I was witness to a struggle of death of some butterfly-like creature (only a lot bigger) near the "crab-rocks". Poor thing... It was very disturbing to watch it want to get up and fly away and being unable to, knowing it would soon be dead.I walked to my mezah and picked up a chair and sat down at it - at the beginning of it, near 'my stairs'. The sea was calm. And then I just 'did it'. I picked up the chair and walked to the very end of the mezah and sat down there. I felt like i was sitting in the middle of the sea. I know now that I am afraid of the sea. That realization came to me while sitting there, watching the huge vastness that can never be trusted - swell up and withdraw from every side around me. So impressive, it left me shaking a bit and my heart beat fast. As if at that point I didn't have control anymore but 'he' did, and 'he' cannot be trusted. Lots of symbolic meanings as well which I won't write about here.... It was a very heavy experience (for me. for others it would probably be 'nothing').A band started to play on the 'hill' on the boulevard and I liked it. Funny guys - lovely bluezy music with cool tricks. They're called Shmemmel and they are new. The brass part of their songs really makes it something special. So, after yesterday evening's performances and today's improvised performance of this band - I was in a pretty 'decent' mood. Until, I was stopped by a young man who started crying because he was released this very morning after 4 years in prison and he was dying to see his family. He totally broke my heart.... 
...white crabs.Left house around 6 a.m. and steadily walked towards the beach. First thing I say was Kitty. I took photos of her hurt leg. She seems happy and relaxed, but she is cripple. Along came flying the pair of Kingfishers and Kitty was looking at them but probably knew she wouldn't stand a chance ever catching them. Up on the wavebreaker I exchanged a few "hello's" and "how are you's" with the fishermen there - today was a good day. Almost all of them caught a few fish. A new fish to me was what one fisherman called "Televizia" (must be slang). Tiny, but tasty - he said. Arriving at my checkpoint near the rocks I saw Ms. Cat and she, most definitely, saw me. I feel honored I fell into her liking and she follows me around everywhere, but I wish she would stop biting me out of affection. Her bites are soft and totally painless - she doesn't push her teeth through the skin, but I am traumatized by the amount of injections I have received here in Israel - those are injected in the rear and are -I think so at least- painful :-(Anyway, so she caught me when I unsuspectedly was trying to photograph fish fighting for bread on the water - My elbows were on the balustrade and she came up there and tenderly bit me. Only later did I see a tiny hole and blood running from it on my arm. And, and this is what worries me, a larger purple spot that seems filled with blood. At those same rocks I heard a fisherman near me call out "hello there! so nice to meet you" - and it turned out he had caught a larger, white crab on his fishing rod. The crab released itself before he could take it in though :D Then, as I walked the boardwalk near the pond and looked into the water I say many, many, many white crabs stuck to the (concrete - but with sea-weed covered) edge of the pond. They were big, white, with orange colored chelae and had......... blue legs. I tried to catch this on camera but the ever pounding waves made it very difficult. Quite beautiful though.C'est tous. The first time I saw living white crabs.(My mezah was busy. Few old fishermen and some new ones. The new ones saw me and started saying they had found a Mermaid - but the fishermen I know told them off. This is not a way to talk about somebody. I agree!)
The first photo isn't very clear, but the blue legs of the crab can be seen!
Left late: 07:20 it said on the clock on the building before leaving Ramat-Gan and 26 degr. C.Nothing, but that means absolutely NOTHING, was to be experienced at the Yarkon bridge. Too early? The trains came and left as (probably) scheduled though..Saw again a nice collector's car. (photo 1)A fisherman I got to know quite well over the last few months told me that he had just caught a crab (very much bigger than the ones I watch at my mezah) - and when I asked what is the deal with them he told me that after they die he takes out the meat to use as bait. He showed me a Denise he caught just half an hour before I arrived and he was very proud about it :-)When I arrived at the 'rocks' at the end of the wavebreaker (photo 2) I was SO relieved to Ms. Cat again. The last time I saw her she looked dirty and depressed (in my eyes) and non-respondent - but this time, on the rocks, she yawned at me as if to say she's doing what she's doing and that is her decision and hers alone. Then, after some pleading from my side :D - she decided to come to me and honor me with her (VERY close - photo 3) presence. We had some (re)bonding time together at the balustrade (photo 4) and then I asked her to come along the wavebreaker. Which she, kindly, responded to. My surprise was big when Mr. Kingfisher decided to join us (photo 5) . Ms. Cat didn't express any of the hunting signs she usually shows when seeing birds around and sat docile at my feet watching Mr. Kingfisher watching the sea (for fish).At a certain point two people (very annoying, Russians - don't they ever notice other people?) a father and (small) son came along and Mr. Kingfisher zoomed out of view while bidding "ciao" (photo 6).At my mezah I was all by myself (finally) with the sea. I noticed a cunchia (snale-house) (photo 7) and I touched it very, very gently to see if I could pick it up. I couldn't. So, I left it. But... afterwards noticed that it moved itself, very, very, very.......excruciatingly(!) slowly.... I thought that was rather sweet. Such primitive life and knowing what is best to survive... Nature is awesome.On my way back home I crossed the pond and saw the Snow Egret pleading to the fishermen to not forget him and throw him some (small) fish ... (photo 8). And, who can describe my surprise, Mr. Kingfisher showed one last time - to pose? After all the frustration I went through trying to catch him for the camera he now makes it his mission to become my very own personal photomodel? (photos 9 and 10)Life is beautiful at the sea. Now I gotta learn to carry some of that feelings with me into 'everyday' life and let it sweeten my days.
Left house late (on purpose) - and when I passed that building telling time and temperature I saw it already was 08:20 and 28 degrees C. Just entering Tel-Aviv...There was a Snow Egret gathering at the banks of the Yarkon. At least 30 of them were present. I also noticed one being of a larger version than the Snow Egret and having grayish backfeathers. I assume that is the 'regular' Egret - whom I had not seen here before. Quite an impressive bird.The Lapwings were having a loud fight under the bridge - the hollow space there made their shrieks sound even louder. Later they continued the fight in mid-air. And, of course, Mr. Mysteriousbird came flying past with a sound barrier breaking speed... So, I had given up on ever getting him on picture. I thought he was just a too nervous bird to sit still for a few seconds. But then *_*when I reached the beach and looked over the balustrade he came flying upwards right in my face and landed opposite me on the brink of the wall of the boardwalk and........ stayed sitting there for so long that it was me (after like 100 photos taken of him) wanting to change positions. So, I walked up to where he sat (5 or so meters away) and climbed over the balustrade (surprising myself with the ease I did that as well, since the balustrade is quite high at that point) - But then he flew away... While sitting on the balustrade he came back, Yesh! Sat real close to me and took off several more times while keep on coming back - until he disappeared. When he took off - he flew real low, almost ON the sea and it looked like he disappeared into the waves - On the mezah -while sitting in my bright, pink, plastic chair - a fisherman I have never seen before kept on looking at me. Later he came to me and wanted to chat - he was bored he said and asked me several times to come sit near him. I kept refusing politely but he really got me angry when he used the word "motek". Iechssss..... Even his offering me borekas (with hands that previously held worms) couldn't make me be more friendly. We -fishermen and I- usually say our niceties (goodmorning, showing a little interest in the catch so far, etc.) but we know from each other we need our own space - our own time with the sea. This was a fake fisherman. Although he did catch 2 fish, LOL.
I saw Mr. Mysteriousbird again - but this time flying over the Yarkon. His deep blue wings are simply breathtaking. I wish he would stand still for a moment so I could make a photo of him. I am pretty certain he is a Kingfisher though. Same build, same beak, same keen eye on the water... just like the Pied Kingfisher - I again carried a pink, bright, plastic chair from the boulevard and sat myself down on my mezah. Strangely it happened again that the crabs, who initially hurried into their hiding places came out and strolled around me. This time so nearby me though that for the first time I could actually see their eyes. Yes, yes..... I have looked into the eyes of a crab. Soooo romantic :p
Had to wear my little black chinese shoes for my walk to the beach today because the straps of my sandals had broken again. I just now bought my 3rd pair of the very same sandals at Shuk HaCarmel. The first pair I bought were size 39 and those made me trip all the time since they were too long, so when I bought the 2nd pair I made sure I took size 38. Since those sandals have been totally outworn and a strap broke as well and the basta at the Shuk didn't have size 38 anymore I am now wearing 37. And they fit nicely. Strange though how 3 different sizes fit me...The sea had a glimmer on him I had never seen before. Like a glaze over the surface, a thin film of not shining shine... (photo 1).Though quite late (left at 06:30) There were practically no people at the boulevard (boardwalk). I could actually "sing" (I call it singing) without anyone hearing me. I enjoyed that :p When I reached the end of the ramp and did my usual check-up on the crabs at the rocks a bird I have never seen before came to sit less than 1 meter away from me. He was soooo beautiful. He had a brown/white patched chest and deep-blue, very shiny, wings and a long, thin beak. He also had a little fish in his beak. I so much wanted to photograph him but knew the moment I reach for my backpack he'd fly away. And, that is what happened.... But, that's not all. It felt like he was on a teasing mission. Teasing me that is... Because when I started to walk towards "my" mezah I saw him again. He was sitting there as if to say "look, and see that you cannot photograph me" - and he was right. (photos 2 & 3) - Hardly noticeable but the best I could do..... And still that wasn't enough for him because later on, after I had spent a few hours on "my" mezah and was walking towards the "commercial" stretch of the sea towards Shuk HaCarmel - I bent down over the balustrade of the boardwalk to look down to the sea and up from underneath me he flew.... less than 1 meter away from me - who was totally unprepared for that. He was definitely teasing me...The underwater rocks near "my" mezah are covered with whatever - and look very pleasing to the eye so I tried to make a photo of that as well - only to discover that soon as I took out the camera the rocks that had been uncovered by sea water until then were continuously being drowned by the sea again :D (photo 4)In the little puddle at 'my' mezah I always see crabs of all different sizes, colors and designs, except for white crabs - but when I see dead crabs they are always 'white'. I wonder if white crabs are just more vulnerable and accident prone or if crabs, of all colors, turn white after they die? I can't find anything on internet about that...(photo 5)At first the clouds were all over but when the day turned into "your regular" August summerday again - the skies were amazingly high. (photo 6). That is one thing about Israel (perhaps the Middle East?) - because those high skies I never saw in the Netherlands for example. I love high skies...And then, just before turning into the Shuk, I decided to make 2 photos of the grafiti (rather wall paintings) that I see every time I go to Shuk HaCarmel (photos 7 & 8)...
