The other side of the Mediterranean

I was in the airport when the news broke. Awaiting my connecting flight from London to Tel Aviv, following three blissful weeks visiting friends and family all across North America from San Francisco to Toronto (and yes, I did feel like a rock star!), I caught a glimpse of the BBC. There it was: The Flotilla. To be honest with you, I didn't even know the word flotilla before the incident occurred (yet another sign that my Hebrew continues to improve as my English deteriorates... but I digress). Here we go, I thought. What'll the word have to say about Israel now? I held my breath....

The flight felt longer than usual. My neck felt stiffer, feet more swollen, lips more parched than usual. In the taxi on the way home there it was again, on the radio: The Flotilla loomed large in the news. The weather had become hotter since I had left, and much more humid. I got home and began to unload my bags feeling exhausted and oppressed by the bustling airport, the aggressive traffic, the sweltering heat, the media, the news, the politics....

Screw it. Unpacking can wait. I grabbed my swimsuit and headed straight for the beach.

As my swollen feet hit the warm, soft sand I breathed a sigh of relief. Aaaah, at last, the other side of the Mediterranean. Despite the political upheaval it's business as usual at Gordon Beach. It was 6:00pm, another hour or two of daylight remaining. The beach was packed with children holding dripping "kartivim" (popsicles), curvy women in skimpy bikinis and leathery pensioners playing soccer as though their lives depended on winning. And I mustn't forget: LOADS of "matkot" players. Matkot, which basically involves smacking a ball back and forth between two paddles slightly larger than the ping-pong variety, preferably while grunting, is the classic Israeli beach game. In fact, it's almost a metaphor for the Israeli character: no rules and very aggressive. I can't be entirely certain, but based on anecdotal evidence it appears that excessive chest hair, a banana hammock and a potbelly provide an advantage.

With the brilliant sunset before my eyes, I had forgotten politics entirely... and I felt I'd come home.