Orchid Hotel, Free international Calls, Dinner with Yael and clubbing in the Amal

I woke up a little out of it Friday morning from the night before.  I had gone with Rachel to her boyfriend Adam's birthday, the bar had an all you can drink special for 50 shekels.  I was still feeling the affects the following morning.  Afterwards, I had headed to Mikes place for a bit - but after drinking a lot of water, I went out to the beach, and took a lounge chair out to the pier so I could look at the stars and close my eyes before heading back on the sherut.

Headed in after lunch to Tel Aviv with plans to sit on the beach - the volleyball nets were taken down because of the pride parade.  The beach was very hot and very windy.  I decided a further burn after my already peeling skin from the art project when I didn't put on enough suntan lotion was a bad idea, and windy and sand are never good either.  I decided instead to enjoy the beach while removed from the beach, and sat in the Orchid hotel lobby.  It was beautiful, comfortable chairs flanked glass tables with more reading should I have finished, and floor to ceiling windows let me look up at the Mediterranean every few minutes from my reading - The Namesake.

After a few hours, I needed to stretch, and change.  So I walked through a hotel for a bit, discovering an amazing gym (where I was able to change from my bathing suit) and phone for free international calls.  I picked up, there was a dial tone, so I called my dad.  For the first time in a while, I could actually hear our conversation.  I discussed my plans and alternatives I was weighing as I figured out how I am going to get to the airport on July 6th for my trip to Hong Kong.

I headed over to Dashiell's hotel, where him and his friends were hanging out.  We talked, and I showed Dashiell what he needed to carry on instead of checking from my luggage.  A bit after I headed out to meet up with Yael.  When I got to her apartment, I had the opportunity to meet her roommate who is very nice.  We spoke for a few minutes while Yael got ready, and then the two of us went for Japanese.  Dinner was excellent, our ordering a combination of Ivrit (Hebrew) and English.  Afterwards, we strolled up to the port, where we easily got into the club Gallina and had a drink while we waited for the dance floor to fill up.

Waiting to go in, I saw a friend - Maya - from the BFL program.  She said she was going to a party, and I remembered that Aviva was going to a party here as well.  Small world, same party.  I didn't see Maya again, but did see Aviva for a moment and said hi.

We danced, or attempted to, for a while - but the club was packed with people, and eventually left, and walked along the port.  Yael pointed out her family's favorite restaurants along the pier, and we stopped for Ice Cream.  I had left a bag at her apartment, so we stopped back for me to grab it, and she drove me up to the bus station where I found Judita and Tonya already on a Sherut.

There was talk of lunch today perhaps, we will have to see what happens - it was rather late when we got home.  Dinner last time by her parents was a wonderful treat, her parents incredibly welcoming and the meal amazing.