Eilat – not just a third-rate Las Vegas

September 1, 2010 - 5:31 PM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, Environment, General, Holidays, Israeliness, Life, Travel 

Eilat – can there be anyplace more kitschy? A little tacky Las Vegas sans the gambling right within our friendly country confines.

But after spending a couple end of summer 100 degree days there, for maybe the 10th time, I can loudly proclaim that Eilat is a whole lot more than one gaudy hotel after another, a boardwalk that rivals any US beach front for mass culture tackiness, and a huge neon advertisement for conspicuous consumption.

Eilat is simply one of the nicest spots in Israel. The Undersea Observatory is a world-class delight, the Coral Beach one of the most magnetic, alluring sites in the country, the Dolphin Beach is incredible, the Bird Observatory is an international attraction for fans of the two-winged creatures, and the list goes on and on.

You don’t need to wallow in decadence in Eilat – you can use it as a jumping off point for some of the most amazing natural wonders Israel – or any country – has to offer. So next time you guffaw at someone for saying they’re headed to Eilat, just remember the blue water, the tropical fish of every color, and the tranquility of sitting and staring out on to a smooth-as-glass Red Sea.

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Foto Friday – Footprints

July 31, 2009 - 11:30 PM by · 4 Comments
Filed under: Foto Friday, General, Pop Culture, Travel 

Sometimes it’s good to take a moment and see Israel from a different vantage point. In summer if you look down, for instance, you’re very likely to see “balatot” — the ubiquitous light limestone floor tile — plus a variety of fun footwear that takes you from work to the beach and back again.

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A trip to the Dead Sea affords another type of shoe, suited to mud baths and salt water.

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Which is different to what you’d wear to snap some sidewalk graffiti while walking up and down Rothschild Boulevard at Tel Aviv’s Laila Lavan all-night street fair. (This takeoff on the Peace Now logo says “Shalit Now” in reference to captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit).

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And sometimes a girl needs to take a rest from those heels at a sidewalk pub (note the Ackerstein paving blocks so typical of Tel Aviv).

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A little culture never hurt.

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Though these shoes might — especially the price. (Three thousand-plus shekels!)

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Thank goodness, at the end of the day, there’s a place to relax on the edge of the Med.

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PR woman Efrat Gurman is a consummate media professional who’s made a career out of positioning things differently. She’s a colleague and friend to photographers and in her few spare moments, snaps pictures of her own, mostly of of things that interest her – or that she makes interesting. For more of her “Footprints” series click here.

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