Title: Jaffa Harbor

Location: Jerusalem

Description: One of the oldest ports in the world was our destination for the day. The Bible mentions Jaffa in connection with Jonah and the whale, as well as being on the trade route that extended from Egypt to Mesopotania. There are different ideas where it derives its' name. One theory is from the Hebrew word " Jafeh" beautiful: Others claim it was named after Japhet, son of Noah. The city has been razed and rebuilt scores of times as powers fought to control it. Now part of the municipality of Tel Aviv, Jaffa has a Jewish majority and is also home to Arab Christians and Muslims. We embark on our tour of the restored Old Jaffa starting at the "Clock Square" on Yefet Street across from the police station. In the early 20th century this corner was called the Government Square and was destroyed by a Jewish underground seeking to root out Arab terrorist gangs.

This was the only place to sit and paint. I planned the composition around the tower and the shadows did the rest. Eventually All kinds of people joined me for lunch. The sun was really strong and the intersection was bustling, but that didn't stop people from asking me to paint their portrait.

Jerry went up the street to Abulafia Bakery where you can always find a line. This is the Middle East's answer to Pizza, and they go like hot cakes. They are a pita with a mixture of herbs, or topped with egg and mushrooms or stuffed with salty cheese and baked. Jerry returned with a sample and ate it immediately.

We wandered through the passage to the local fish market and found ourselves at the wharf where the fisherman had baskets of all kinds of fresh seafood. The women were cooking large circles of dough on a hot stone surface, filling them with a saffron confection, rolling them up and handing them to the outstretched hungry hands. The restaurants were all open and we returned there for dinner that night. It was glorious. We continued up the hill to Old Jaffa to see St. Peters Monastery and, peeking through a narrow alley we caught a glimpse of the Andromeda Rock that rises out of the sea. At the top of the hill you can pass through the " Summit Garden" and see the Yucca and fig trees. The heat was debilitating and we had to take a taxi back to the hotel, But not until I had gotten this great shot of the "Old City " on the hill above the fishing wharf. It was a full day. After a wonderful dinner on the wharf we returned to the promenade that extends from northern Tel Aviv bordering the Mediterranean to the Port of Jaffa

Dimension: 28" x 36" matted

Medium: Watercolor

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