Barmitzvah and Start Paris

Sunday night was a dinner where all the participants, family and guests mingled before the big day. The buffet dinner was excellent with a lot of Jewish and Mediterranean fare to be had. Lots of good friends and family from Sydney as well as Rachel's sisters and parents from London As well as some locals.

Next morning up in time for the 07:00 bus to Mount Masada and the cable car to the top to follow those brave souls who took the 05:00 bus and walked to the top which I have done before when younger and fitter.

Reached the top around 08:00 in warm temperatures with a hot sun beating down. Mercifully the ceremony was held in the old synagogue which, although open air had walls and stone seating which relieved they heat and strain on the legs. The area was large enough to accommodate the 60+ oldies and youngies who came to Israel to join in celebrating the occasion.

The ceremony was amazing with Asher performing his part amazingly well and assisted by a young and enthusiastic rabbi who ensured we sang celebratory songs at every opportunity. The intermingling of the men and women was unusual and made for greater enjoyment for many.  

After the religious part of  Barmitzvah finished around 10:00 the bus took everybody back to the hotel where most everybody swam in the pool and The Dead Sea until we had to check out. I on the other hand took the opportunity for a relax in the room until around 14:30 when I took Justin and two others to the nearby shops which sold Dead Sea minerals and MUDs for a fraction of the regular prices back home.

As I had to drop the others back to the hotel to catch the bus, Justin and I went back to the shop for a more relaxed shop before driving to the Bedouin camp where we Would celebrate the big occasion. The camp consisted of some rustic but totally adequate motel style rooms.

Greeting us in two very large tent style function areas were masses of nuts, dried fruits, Turkish delight, dried peas and much much more. After the meet and greet everybody was invited on a camel ride or for the younger ones a donkey ride. Justin and I fell asleep on our beds for an hour and we struggled a bit To get to the function areas for what would be an amazing evening..

It started with a meal of Mediterranean dips, salads, lamb and chicken - really lovely Middle Eastern fare during which there were some entertaining speeches by Asher and his friends. Around 20:39 we moved to the adjacent area where Mark played a lovely movie of snapshots of Asher's life and dedications from family and friends. The movie was very touching and captured a lot of Asher, his personality and character.

Mark and Rachel gave a lovely speech about Asher as well as Maya and Tali. Then the two musicians started a drum circle which saw everybody, old and young playing drums and learning beats to accompany the musicians. Great fun!

To finish the evening the DJ had all the kids and many of the adults dancing till around 23:00. It was a long day for many who had woken at 04:30 or 06:30 but everybody was having so much fun and enjoying themselves so much it just didn't matter.

Mark and Rachel kept thanking us for coming to Israel for the Barmitzvah but had we not come I think we would have missed out on something very very special. It also took me back 21 years to Justin's Barmitzvah at the Western Wall and stirred a lot of emotions in me about previous times in my life.

Tuesday morning and everybody had breakfast with an organised activity of archaeology which Justin and I respectfully opted out of in favour of a visit to Jaffa and Tel Aviv. After a two hour drive we arrived at Jaffa and walked around the galleries of the old city and had a snack before going to a shopping centre for some gift purchasing.

Off to the airport, return the car and checking in - my flight 17:15 and Justin's 22:00 so he camped in the lounge while I flew up up and away to Paris. 

A relaxing flight which saw me sleep a little bit. A one hour bus ride to L'Opera and a taxi to the apartment saw me capture the key without any problem. Mal warned me that the lift was tiny but it was either breath in deeply or two trips to get my body and luggage to the sixth floor. The apartment proves to be stunning especially by Parisian standards - 1.5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and lovely kitchen dining rooms and kitchen with the narrow but lengthy balcony - most importantly a washer and dryer. The landlord visits with a friend the next morning and I find out that it is 85 sq metres and that she (Italian) purchased it for around 850,000 euros and spent another 200,000 Euros doing it up. 

I get to sleep around 02:00 after emails and other deferred matters are completed. Managed to sleep till 08:00 get ready and show the landlord in around 11:00 before catching the Metro with my newly purchased 7 day Navigo Pass (E20.50) getting off near Opera. The weather for my first day was 28 degrees amazing for this time of the year. More of same forecast ahead.

Just as I started wandering around my friend Regis messaged me to say that he was now free for lunch so I headed to Ecole Militaire and a cafe I had been to previously and loved Cafe Constant. Catching up together with a lovely meal was great except for.....my confusing pois (peas) with poivron (pumpkin) and yes I did eat the pumpkin soup along with salmon tartar with oyster, lobster ravioli and Ile de Flotant (think meringue with custard). 

I spend the rest of the day walking from Etoile Militaire to Louvre and then catching the metro to Opera and finally home with some groceries for breakfasts and lazy meals - of which dinner was one after that lunch.

No major plans for the next few days but some nice relaxing exploration of this great city.

Bye for now - more soon
XD