Italy: Day Zero

(0) Tel Aviv: Arrived at Ben Gurion at...1am? Something like that. The last train running. Somehow it was easier to train in than take a nesher, given that they won't pick me up on my side of the wall, and it was going to be boring standing outside the Old City all night. Instead, I spent the evening in Jerusalem; had the best sushi I've found (so far) at a place on Feingold, then spent an hour or so at Barood, which is a really cozy wood-warm bar a few doors down. Made my way to the train station, and on to Tel Aviv. I posted up against a wall in the airport, laptop in hand, and wasted a few hours. 4am, and I get in line for security. Now, future Israel travelers: simply knowing your reservation number will not impress security. You must have it printed out. Trust me on this one. Otherwise, you too will end up in a 'special room' with your pants down around your ankles as some random guard runs a metal detector over your all-together. While this is going on, the security folks outside will be taking everything out of your bag and plugging in anything that plugs in to make sure it doesn't explode. They will ask you all sorts of questions...family, friends, the complete history of how you came to acquire the stuffed raccoon with which you travel (I am not kidding about any of this). Once they have figured out that you're not a security risk, there'll be a walk through the rest of security and, if you're lucky, some sort of well-wish or goodbye. (I was not lucky. I mean, "sorry for wasting your time" would've been great, but I've learned not to expect that. Seriously, though, not even a 'good bye' or 'have a good flight'? New Yorkers have nothing on security guards at TLV.) Made my way into the retail zone. Was amused by the two separate McDonalds (one for dairy, one for meat) that were nonetheless attached to each other. (Things like this should be a clue that, perhaps, adherence to/skirting of kosher laws has gone past intent and dived straight into absurdity.) Found a breakfast nook/bar (really), and had a Stella to calm the nerves, which, post-strip search, were a bit raw. When I act/perform on stage, I have the blessing of not having stagefright/nerves beforehand so much as I get them immediately after, when the adrenaline overloads. This was much the same feeling I had post-security. Then again... I guess it was a decent performance. I'd somehow just managed to convince security that I'd spent three months in Israel as a tourist, living off of what I had fit in a backpack.

It sucks when you have to lie about teaching kids to act, just to leave the country.

RECAP:
* SIGHTS: None, although me standing in my party clothes getting scanned must've been amusing to someone.
* FOOD: Sakura- Best sushi in Jerusalem (so far), which still isn't as good as Sushi Jin. I miss you, Sushi Jin :(.
* DRINK: Duvel (bottle) at Barood, first time I found it here. A gift. Stella at the airport. Passable as always, but really, really calming.