It's amazing where a little Sunday drive can take you in Israel. Left Tel Aviv a little after 10 AM and managed to get in a little pilgrimage, a drive through the Galilee, a two hour shopping and eating jaunt in Safed, another pilgrimage to Rosh Pina, a village founded by a branch of my family, the original house from pre-1900 is still standing...more or less and now at silent organic spa.
Some funny things along the way:
Juxtaposition of ultra religious Hasidic couple in Safed taking a break from the sun in front of an abstract nude sculpture of a woman.
Hasidic comes running down serpentine lane in old city asking around for Knafo. I knew immediately that that person, Knafo, was the brother of my late friend, Dave Knafo, who actually set up that brother in business there. The Knafo in Safed owns a beautiful art gallery. Then I haphazardly bump into Knafo walking down the street, he vaguely recognized me and I recognized him only because there were 13 Kanfo siblings and most look alike. Spent some time in his gallery, but didn't buy anything (although I loved his artists).
Checking into the rustic spa, we stop at the check in (in our mini-bus). A cat is lounging under a tree next to us, then we see a mouse pop out in front. The cat however, seems too lazy to catch the mouse and the mouse too lazy to run away. The mouse gets a little too close to the cat, which then swats it with a paw. They get into a lazy Tom and Jerry chase, but ultimately the cat catches the mouse and eats it. Probably the most wildlife you'll see in Israel...
Amazing! When we were in Safad in August we wlaked into an art gallery where in conversation the lovely lady disclosed that she was a former Montrealer, raised in NDG, and her husband was named Knafo. I mentioned that I had both family (married into the family) and tenants named Knafo.
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