I got back in from Israel last Friday and immediately took a well deserved nap. It was again a very successful time spent even though the World Cup match was the evening of the meeting so we had about half the normal attendees. The good news is I had meetings individually for three days before with some time to do some more exploring, and eating, and Wednesday and Thursday were wall to wall from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. I headed to the airport for the normal 2.5 hours it takes to get through three layers of security and had no problems making my midnight flight to New York. I have been busy since playing a bit of catch up and corresponding with Israelis but I though a few final thoughts were worth sharing.
Israeli Construction: There is no place on earth other than maybe China where you see this amount of construction going on. The high rises in Tel Aviv and surrounding cities have more cranes than I have ever seen. The road system and infrastructure is an amazing sight. We all should like such growth and a starting price of $1 million for a condo.
The Food: Last year and this year I have posted about the food but I haven't mention an Israeli breakfast buffet. At the Intercontinental David the spread is amazing, the fruits and vegetables about the best I have ever tasted, and the eggs farm fresh. Honestly you really don't need to eat another meal during the day after this. I did anyway. My compliments to their wine industry. Even at the hotel a $8.50 glass of Israeli Cab is a delight. My compliments also to this hotel which is on the Mediterranean Sea and a short walk to Jaffa, I recommend it highly if you are going to visit.
The Israeli People: I know that I don't have to tell this audience how important it is to get out of this country and experience other cultures. Remember that the Jewish people gave us the 6 day work week in a seven day world because they wouldn't work on the Sabbath. They have a lot to teach us as all other countries and their citizens do. They also have much with us in common and when it comes to US real estate they are great believers.
The Bottom Line: I will be going back next year and keep going back as long as I have real estate to sell. There are other areas of Israel I haven't seen and despite the small size of the country there is history everywhere. From Masada to King Herod the Great's palace ruinsd, from the religious shrines in jerusalem to the wine country, and from the Bauhaus architecture on Rothchild Avenue to the flea market in Jaffa so much awaits. This is a great people in a great country and yes, they have their problems and faults, but then again, so do we, it's human nature.
