Shores Renewal

One week later – and  January has swept in upon the Tel Aviv shore in the form of mountains of clouds and wind-driven rain. 

Up there somewhere . . .  the cloud seeding aircraft of  the Israeli National Water Company - Mekorot - are burning silver iodide flares as part of a routine  program  estimated to add  60 million cubic metres of rainfall to Israel every year.

http://www.mekorot.co.il/Eng/Activities/Pages/RainEnhancement.aspx

But the pigeons of the Tel Aviv beach are staying close to the ground . . .

As the wind pushes thin sheets of broken waves high up on the beach . . . .

 

  . . . . from where they slip back across the Time Traveler’s aging feet.

The wind and waves are a beacon to the  surfers   . . . .

 And, with the surf up  . . . so is the surf school  . . .  as students prepare to join the instructor on the edge of the breaking surf.

. . . .  behind them are the remains of a dance club -  where, in 2001, nineteen young people were killed by a suicide bomber.  . . . but that’s before the time of an eight year-old girl paddling out to the surf  . . .

  . . . .Where the rest of surfing class has gathered. . . . .

 

No sunsets will mark this day . . . . just a cold walk back along rain-soaked sand.

Beach Civilization

When the sun shines in Tel Aviv –  people head to the beach – even if its January - and perhaps, for some, because it is January.

According to history – the advantages of  life in  the middle east region – or certain parts of it – can outweigh the disadvantages of occasional wars.

Even if the calendar may cause some confusion about what to wear.

Its still great for sunbathing. . . .

Or surfing  . . . .

Or playing  a racquet sport  . . . .

Or just walking on the beach  . . . .

and watching the surf wash up on the beach . . . . 

A healthy climate . . . with enlightened society . . . and a kosher diet . . .  creates a  Tel Aviv beach phenomenon which looks something like this . . . .    

And then this January day on a Tel Aviv Beach is wrapped up with a ribbon of orange  . . .

  . . . to  complete another stressful day in the conflict-ravaged middle east.

NABLUS - URBAN VALLEY

One of the largest cities in the Palestinian Territory is the City of Nablus – located in the north central part of the area called the West Bank. This photo of the old market area in the heart of town was taken off a poster.

 

 The City is comprised of hundreds of mostly residential buildings splashed through a deep valley which forms a saddle between the east and west slopes of the Samarian Hills (the mountains of the north section of the west bank).

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nablus

 The economy of the City appears to be driven most recently by a real estate investment boom driven by foreign earned funds brought back to Nablus (called “remittances”).  In the 5 years since the Time Traveler last passed through this City, the expanse of urban sprawl has more than doubled in area. Tall apartment buildings have been painted upon the valley walls like some large mural on both sides of long corridor. 

 

 The newer development spreads westward on the south-facing slope.

   . . . .  for kilometres  . . .

 All the way back towards its eastern origins in the heart of town.

The older buildings along the central road are now curiosities from a past time rapidly being assimilated by new development.

 But some of the charm - somewhat reminiscent of parts of California - remains in the older weathier area.

 The old Roman city at this same site relied upon springs in the valley for its water supply. Now days, the demands placed upon the shrinking aquifers of the limestone hills means that most water is purchased from the Israelis and it piped to the city from lake Galilee in the north.

The water sector is receiving some help in the form of funding for a new wastewater treatment plant to serve western Nablus. It is expected that the planned treated wastewater plant (now under construction) will provide a new source of water for irrigation purposes. (Designers' illustration provided below)

BUILDING

A building is steadily emerging beside the Time Travellers balcony. Made from the labour of men, from steel, cement and stone it is quickly rising to some as yet unknown height. Stone panels are cemented in place – to create the impression of a building constructed of stone blocks when completed.

 

 Cement blocks are loaded onto the recently completed level – to form a hollow foundation for the next floor – which will be bound with by steel rebar and cement .

The rebar was delivered yesterday.