Sunday, July 15, 2018

The Port



Last week, I happened to be near the Port of Tel Aviv. The heat was unbearable, so I decided to enter the area,  go to the promenade and get some cool, fresh sea air.   Alas, at 6 pm, almost no breeze; only an hour later it became a bit cool and a light breeze was felt.


almost no breeze

The port (Ha-namal, in hebrew) is no longer active;  you won't see any ship, perhaps, only some boat in the distance.Over the years, the big hangars that used to store  goods for shipping (oranges, for instance) have been converted into structures for commerce, entertainment, culture. Only their numbering reminds us of the past.

'Hangar' 9


'hangar' 11

There are lots of shops, restaurants, pubs, night clubs - both inside the hangars, and outside lining the promenade. The place has become one of the biggest  day and night attractions of the city - for families during the day, and for party revelers at night. And of course, tourists are always part of the happenings.

Upon entering the port people like to take photos near a stone structure with the letters TE IV and a heart in the middle, expressing love for Tel Aviv.




LOVE  Tel Aviv

The promenade is one  huge wooden deck. Why wood? I don't know, I only know I don't like that. I don't think it integrates well with the sea , the beach and the.whole environment.
At the northern end of the promenade one can see Reading, the power station and lighthouse; it stands out.


wooden deck;   Reading power station

Lots of people, adults and youngsters, are engaged in  various activities near and along the promenade: strolling, jogging, running, biking, taking photos. The noise is deafening. Only the sea is a big, silent witness to all that.


jogger

children driving toy vehicles

bikers

on rollerblades

Small kids are the big winners of the place.There's a huge sandpit and a carousel for them, ice-cream shops, and of course, McDonalds'.


sandpit


naked kid to the bucket of water- struggles with Mom

carousel




(On Fridays and Saturdays it's particulary crowded as there are special activities going on,  like yoga , and displays of a variety of market goods).

Well, crowded places are not my 'cup of tea' whether it's weekday or weekend. So, after having a bite, I took a couple of selfies and left the restless spot to go home.









42 comments:

  1. Duta, this place would not interest me at all. The wooden walkway not only looks very uninviting but there is nothing that would entice me to visit, not even shops. There didn’t seem to be anyplace to just sit under some shade and relax awhile.

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    1. Indeed, the wood is uninviting. As for places under shade, ther are some. My fault, I haven't mentioned them, and put no pictures of them. I've entered the area for a brief visit to seek some cool sea air,near the water - not to sit under the shade.

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  2. I love the heart stone Tel Aviv sign. There was many activities going on in a vacant area. it seem lively with kids around. Nice selfies too

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    1. This structure with the heart is vey popular; people enjoy taking photos of it, and of themselves near and around it.
      The whole place is very lively indeed, with kids being the main human 'force' here.

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  3. I'd sit and watch the sea. The rest seems chaos. I hope the breeze helped.

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    1. Watch the sea - that's what I did. I came near the rails of the promenade and tried to absorb sea view and sea air. The view was there, but no air.

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  4. Replies
    1. No port - it only bears the name of port. At first, there was tension and rivalry with the adjacent port of Jaffa. And then, for various reasons work was transferred to two other ports: Haifa (north) and Ashdod (center). These two ports are to this day the main ports of Israel.

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    2. Sad...I wonder what the area would be like if there were no conflicts.

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    3. Maybe it was a mistake from the very beginning to establish two adjacent ports; Jaffa and Tel Aviv. It was probably bound to fail. The port of Jaffa has also seen better days.

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  5. I like seeing the photos and the sign of Tel-lev-iv, nice view at sunset!! The sky and open space looks nice, the clouds that day are amazing, and low!! I think I am similar to you about crowded places, looks like you found the perfect time to go.

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    1. It wasn't in my plan to go, but I was nearby and the weather was very hot and humid, so I thought a bit of sea air will do me good.

      The sky and the water were worth the visit, but there was no breeze.

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  6. That's really cool. I love seeing pictures of places I'll probably never travel to.

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    1. Thank you. Don't say 'probably never' - one cannot know to which places fate brings one to. Life/ Travel has its surprises.

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  7. Like you I prefer my sea air without a lot of people. Interesting what you write as ever.

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    1. Believe me or not, while on the promenade I thought about you and your daily arrival at your local promenade to catch some sea air.
      I felt disappointed. I suppose in summer, you're sometimes too.

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  8. It is good that the place is not abandobed and found its new purpose

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    1. Good point. There was a transitory period when the place became a 'center' of drugs and prostitution - and police had it under surveillance.

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  9. Looks like a lovely place for a walk and fresh air! Most promenades on piers are made of wood, I'm guessing it ads to its seaside feel, no? Is it nice living near a sea? I've always lived in the middle of the continent :)

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    1. I don't live near the sea, never have. In principle, I'm not in favor of living near a body of water (childhood trauma caused by an overflowing river in my hometown).

      The promenade is indeed a lovely place for a stroll and fresh air, but not always; not at any time of the day, and not in any weather.

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  10. Lots of colorful photos to study and I, too, like the Tel Aviv sign. We have hot, humid air here too and it is so uncomfortable. No sea! Just desert and dramatic Monsoons now.

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    1. The heat and humidity of summer can be depressive. In the desert part of the country, the air is at least dry, you've got only the heat (which could be quite unbearable).Where I live - humidity is usually high.

      The TEL AVIV sign with the heart is a nice attraction and photography spot.

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  11. I used to live by the sea, and often visited nearby seaside towns for days out as well, but I always preferred the natural beaches rather than the more commercial ones with promenades cluttered up with shops, etc.
    I loved living near the sea, and living by a river does compensate for not doing so now.

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    1. Once by the sea, the heart always remains there. UK. your homeland is an island, and as such, has the sea on all its sides.

      No doubt, for various good reasons, the natural, unspoiled beaches are preferrable to the commercial ones.

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  12. Looks like a busy place, Duta, but lots of fun for children I bet. I too am not crazy about crowded noisy places and would love to sit and watch the sea, it must be beautiful. The heart sign is cool and clever! Take care

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    1. Hi Pam, thanks for stopping by. I already miss you and your post.
      Yes, You're right - the place is busy and the heart sign cool.

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  13. Duta, I've been trying to comment on your page, but because of all the blogger changes, I can't comment on certain blogs. I can always comment on the pop-up comments, and I don't ever have trouble with those. But today I was able to comment, so I will take advantage of it haha. This looks like a very lively place to visit. I've always liked the carousel, so that caught my eye right away. Crowded places are not my cup of tea either. But you still visit the most interesting places and have a story to tell every time.

    ~Sheri

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    1. Welcome back! ( Well with Blogger there's always some issue).
      The port is indeed a lively place, and the carousel is very popular with children and parents.

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  14. I don't dislike the timber promenade at all. It's made from a natural product. It reminds me of Atlantic City's boardwalk...not that I've seen Atlantic City's boardwalk in person! :)

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    1. I guess you're not alone, and many like the timber deck. As far as I know, it has even got some prize as part of the whole restructuring of the port.

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  15. This looks like a fun spot to go, Duta. Maybe not quite so much in oppressive heat if there is no breeze but still, being by the water does have a cooling effect, mentally if not physically!

    Thanks for your visit to Marmelade Gypsy! I need to start following you so I see more of your posts!

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    1. Fun spot, indeed. And you're right about water having a mentally cooling effect.

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  16. I'm with you on the crowds. These are lovely photos. We've had a heat wave, as well. Grass fires, too. I'm hoping rain on Sunday...

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    1. Rain on Sunday...lucky you!
      Rain is something to be expected here only in winter. Till then, heat and humidity (heat and drytness in the desert part of the country).

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  17. Of course, Mc Donalds! I bet that breeze felt great.

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    1. I like Mc Donalds too, and I'm not a kid, quite the opposite.
      The breeze, when it finally arrived (around 7 pm), felt, indeed, great.

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  18. Thank you for this interesting post. I have never seen pictures of this part of Tel Aviv before. I can see why the kids love it. The picture of the heart facing the ocean is beautiful, and being a lover of donkeys, it was fun to see on in the merry go round.

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    1. The kids are mad about the 'donkeys' of the carousel. The parents too, as I see they accompany the smaller ones, and have much fun.

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  19. I much prefer quieter places …

    Of course younger children enjoy their play areas, and it can be nice to see them enjoying themselves.

    Thanks for all the photographs in your post, I enjoyed seeing them.

    All the best Jan

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    1. If only it were cooler, looking at the kids playing in the sandpit, and contemplating the sea - would have been a great pleasure.

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  20. Boa tarde, perfeita fotorreportagem do seu belo passeio por Tel Aviv, na onda de calor o fresco é bem-vindo.
    Continuação de feliz semana,
    AG

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    1. The heat is scorching in our parts. The only hope for a little breeze is by the sea, but even there it comes late in the day, towards evening.

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