Sunday in Tel Aviv: counting down the hours

The hazy sunshine streams through my hotel window this afternoon, creating patterns on the floor that seem to shift with each passing minute. It's 14:20 now, and I find myself in that strange liminal space of knowing I'll be leaving tomorrow but still wanting to absorb every last bit of Tel Aviv before I go.

I woke up early today, as I often do when I know time is limited. By 7:30, I was already walking along the promenade, watching as the city slowly came to life. The Mediterranean stretched out before me, calm and inviting even in January. A few brave swimmers were already in the water, while joggers and cyclists created a steady stream of movement along the path. I sat on a bench for nearly an hour, just watching the rhythm of the place, so different from the tension and ancient weight I felt in Jerusalem.

After breakfast at the hotel (where I may have had three cups of coffee while planning my day), I decided to venture into the Florentin neighborhood I'd heard so much about. It's known for street art and a bohemian vibe, and I wanted to see it before departing. I arrived just as many of the cafés were opening their doors at 10:00, and spent a couple hours wandering the streets, photographing colorful murals and graffiti that tell stories of politics, love, and daily life.

The neighborhood feels lived-in and authentic - not particularly polished, but vibrant and creative. I stopped at a small café where the barista recommended their cardamom coffee, which was fragrant and unlike anything I'd tried before. As I sat there, I realized I was exactly 30% through my journey - 152 days down, 348 to go. The symmetry of that number felt significant somehow.

I've been thinking a lot about what I've learned so far. The contrast between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv has been particularly striking - two cities in the same small country that feel worlds apart. Jerusalem with its ancient stones and religious intensity; Tel Aviv with its modernity and secular energy. I wonder if I'm changing as I move between these different worlds, or if I'm just collecting experiences without truly transforming.

!Street art in Florentin neighborhood A wall in Florentin - "We are all just passing through"

After Florentin, I walked back toward my hotel, stopping at a small electronics shop when I noticed my phone charger was starting to fray. The shop owner and I ended up chatting about the local tech scene - apparently Tel Aviv has more startups per capita than almost anywhere else in the world. I mentioned working in IT back home, and he immediately launched into a detailed description of Israel's technology sector. It was fascinating to hear about the innovation happening here, though I regret not having time to visit any of the startup hubs.

Now, as I sit in my hotel room taking a brief rest, I'm contemplating how to spend my final hours in Tel Aviv. The weather is perfect - 20°C and sunny - so I think I'll head back out soon. Perhaps I'll finally make it to Jaffa Port properly, as I've only seen it from a distance so far. Or maybe I'll just wander without a destination, letting the city reveal itself to me one last time.

Tomorrow I leave for Egypt - a new country, a new continent, and undoubtedly new challenges. I've booked my flight for the afternoon, which means I still have the morning to say goodbye to this place.

I find myself counting things again - hours left in Tel Aviv, days spent in Israel, countries visited so far. Numbers that try to quantify an experience that defies measurement. Maybe that's the lesson I'm slowly learning: to be present in each moment rather than constantly counting down to the next destination.

Until tomorrow, Ruben

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Journey stats: Day: 152/500 Countries visited: 12 Distance from home: 3,485 km