Tel Aviv
• Israel

Tel Aviv

My first impression of the city of Tel Aviv was that it looks like a city In Progress. There is no distinctive skyline with defined clusters of buildings. Seen from afar, it looks like a bar code. The city is young, hip and happening. We arrived late Monday night to our hotel with a fashion party in full swing. Models dressed to the nines paraded through the lobby and we later realized the red carpet was not laid out for our arrival. The residents of Tel Aviv embrace the modern and the new, and it’s no surprise this city is a major tech hub.

Functional yet whimsical, the architecture mirrors the attitude of Tel Aviv
Functional yet whimsical, the architecture mirrors the attitude of Tel Aviv
Sean Pont

Tel Aviv, barely over 100 years old, was merged with the ancient city of Jaffa in 1950. We toured Jaffa by walking through narrow stone alleys now filled with modern galleries and boutiques.

Meandering the streets of Jaffa
Meandering the streets of Jaffa
Sean Pont
A statue at the summit of a hill in Jaffa commemorates three biblical stories: the battle of Jerico (top), Abraham and the Sacrifice of Isaac (left), and Jacob's Ladder (right).
A statue at the summit of a hill in Jaffa commemorates three biblical stories: the battle of Jerico (top), Abraham and the Sacrifice of Isaac (left), and Jacob's Ladder (right).
YiOu Wang | DSC-RX10M3 f/4 1/1000 8.8 mm ISO 100
Tel Aviv's boardwalk (Hatayalet) was packed by 6am, and for good reason -- it's gorgeous.
Tel Aviv's boardwalk (Hatayalet) was packed by 6am, and for good reason -- it's gorgeous.
YiOu Wang | Pixel f/2 1/2024 4.67 mm ISO 54

The Mediterranean Sea defines the Western side of the city and its waters are a stunning shade of blue. At 6:00am in the morning we ran down to the promenade and seemingly every person in the city was already out running, surfing, cycling or playing beach volleyball. It is hot and humid in August and everyone tries to beat the sun.

Meals in Tel Aviv cleverly avoid Sensory-specific satiety by bombarding the diner with more varieties of delicious food than they could possibly consume in one sitting
Meals in Tel Aviv cleverly avoid Sensory-specific satiety by bombarding the diner with more varieties of delicious food than they could possibly consume in one sitting
Sean Pont and YiOu Wang

And then there is the food. We stuffed ourselves on course after course of incredible mezze and grilled meats accompanied by freshly baked bread.

Shakshuka never disappoints
Shakshuka never disappoints
YiOu Wang | DSC-RX10M3 f/3.2 1/50 20.49 mm ISO 800
YiOu running north towards Tel Aviv along the boardwalk in Jaffa.
YiOu running north towards Tel Aviv along the boardwalk in Jaffa.
Sean Pont | Nexus 6P f/2 1/622 4.67 mm ISO60

I definitely want to go back to Tel Aviv, to participate more in the booming running scene, check out the trails outside of town and of course eat more hummus.