An Elevator to the Beach? Only in Netanya

By: elledruskin - February 12th, 2012  Filed under: Uncategorized Add Comment

Take the Elevator to Netanya and its Beaches
Copyright: Elle Druskin 2012

If you’re thinking about summer vacation, or even just dreaming of somewhere warm for the time being, it’s time to head to Netanya, a lovely little city on the Mediterranean coast in Israel, north of Tel Aviv. I remember Netanya when it was fairly small and it was a nice town. It’s still a nice place but much bigger and there’s been an influx of a lot of French people so in some ways, it feels like the Riviera minus the glitz and gambling. If you’re traveling with kids, that might be better anyway. You’re in luck with plenty of beaches to choose from in Netanya—it has about 8 or 9, so no lack of variety and they are all public beaches. Like most beaches in Israel, there are lifeguards and medics on duty, public shower and bathroom facilities and easy to find food. This is Israel, and people are always eating!

Netanya is on the train line from Tel Aviv and on an express train, just 15 minutes from the big city, but a world away with quite a long coastline so the beaches tend to be the type that attract particular activities. For example, Blue Bay Beach which also has a hotel, has areas set aside for fishing, water sports and just plain swimming.

Stroll the Promenade and Take The Elevator To The Beach—Yes, Really!
There’s a lovely promenade that runs along the beach for about 4 or 5 kilometers and it’s a nice walk. I know lots of people who walk it every morning, really early, before they go to work. Alternatively, it’s just as nice in the evening as you watch the sun set into the Mediterranean and I recommend that if you’ve never seen that sunset which is spectacular. At the height of summer, it will be light until around 8:30 so you get lots of beach time, even if you are tourist and been out all day, or working or anything else. The promenade is on the top of cliffs overlooking the beach so the view really is incredible. And, you can take a picnic and sit at tables or on the lawn if you don’t feel like going down to the beach. Speaking of which, it’s quite a number of steps down the stairs to the beach, BUT, don’t worry. If you are traveling with someone with disabilities, there is an elevator. Yes, an elevator, down to the beach which you can find in the south central part of the beach strip. I kid you not! I think it’s fantastic that the beach has been made so accessible and I’ve never seen that before anywhere.

Which Beach to choose?
If you’re looking for the younger crowd, head over to Haonot Beach where they tend to congregate. Being a beach that attracts younger people, there’s usually beach volleyball going on and, of course, a pub on the beach. This beach does tend to get crowded so if that bothers you, keep going.

Herzl beach has multiple sports including basketball, soccer and more beach volleyball so if you are the type that doesn’t like to sit around and laze on the beach but feel that you must do something, well, this is for you. Sironit Beach which is right next to Herzl also has sports, but it’s a lot louder; mostly because there’s a DJ and music always seems to be blasting. Of course, if you love dancing, and I do, then this is a great beach with a lot of salsa dancing, so head over and join everyone else trying to get that “Cuban motion”—Middle East style, that is.

BTW If it’s Israeli folkdancing you want, and it’s very popular, you can often find free public dancing in the summer in Israel. I definitely remember doing that in the city center during Netanya summers. It’s fun, the music is nice and a little less energetic than salsa, depending on which dances they play.

If it’s sailing and surfing you’re looking for, then head over to Amphi Beach. It’s called Amphi because it’s near the amphitheatre. More about that later. This beach is pretty close to the city center so it does tend to get crowded but personally I like this one and I love people watching on this beach because just about anything and anyone could turn up. It’s a given that you will also hear a lot of languages—Hebrew, of course, but lots of French, Russian, English and some Arabic so it feels like an international meeting going on along the Netanya beaches.

If you read this blog, I am guessing you don’t need a religious beach. That is, a beach that has separate areas for men and women for religious modesty reasons. Nevertheless, there is one in Netanya that caters to the observant crowd. Nothing stops you from using Tzanz beach, other than being sure you are the appropriate gender for that day and time. Unless they have changed the schedule, it should be as follows:

Women:
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in the morning from 08:30 till 13:00
Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 13:30.
Men:
Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 08:30 till 13:00
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 13:30 on.

Obviously, on Saturday, they are all in synagogue or home, celebrating the Sabbath, so no beach that day. I’ve heard but not seen, they have super-kosher food stands on this beach if that makes any difference to you.

I’m beached out, now what do I do?
Like I said, Netanya is a nice place and one of the things I like about the city is the amphitheatre which is right in the center of the beach promenade and close to Independence Square. During the summer, there are lots of concerts and things like that because it never rains in Israel in the summer. Sometimes, you wish it would to cool things off, but it doesn’t, so you can count on outdoor activities.

If you want to venture further, Israel is a small country and pretty easy to get around. You can easily head south to Tel Aviv, but I would recommend heading north to a few places in particular. My first choice is Akko or Acre. If you read history of the Crusades, the name will be familiar. Akko is full of mosques, markets and of course, Crusader ruins. You’re walking in history in Akko and you can’t fail to enjoy walking through the cobbled alleys down to the port and then sit back and enjoy the view. You can also visit Akko prison, site of the famous Akko prison break by the Irgun who broke out the prisoners held during the British Mandate. If you love history, head to Akko.

If you’re interested in another culture, head to the Druze villages of Isfiya and Daliyat el Karmel. The Druze live in Israel, Syria and Lebanon and are loyal to whatever country they are in; many serve in the IDF—the Israel Defense Forces. You’ll see houses built on the mountain on pillars with several generations of the same family residing together. If you get lucky, you’ll get to hear a bit about the Druze and even get invited to eat something at someone’s home—the Druze are famous for hospitality. It might not be interesting for kids but it will for adults for sure.

I could make other suggestions but you’ll find them if you are there and you can always drop into the local Ministry of Tourism spots and ask. Whatever you are looking for, you will find. Trust me.

You Gotta Eat
Israel was never known as a culinary hotspot but it’s changed a lot. It’s still true there is nothing to beat the fresh local fruit and vegetables. Even if the best goes for export, you would never know it. The local produce is fabulous. Nothing tops the cold local watermelon in season but the rest of the seasonal fruit—apricots, plums, peaches, nectarines and grapes are all marvelous. (Years ago, I picked all that stuff!) Cherry season is pretty short, usually just during June but good while it lasts.

Personally, I really enjoy a fresh salad while sitting at a beach café. The additions vary from tuna, eggs, and cheeses. Try the Bulgarian cheese with your salad, a kind of Brinza cheese. Depending on the background, ethnic, that is, people add mint, chilli, roasted eggplant, and all sorts of things to salads. Of course, there is the humus and techina along with felafel for a snack—all to be eaten with fresh pita bread. Really delicious as long as it is fresh.

If you want meat, try some grilled beef or lamb kebabs—they are really good. All of these things are meant for a light lunch or snack. You will find heaps of variety in Israel due to the wide variety of immigrants who left the Old Country, whatever, it was but their stomachs wanted the food they left behind so you can find French, Russian, Georgian, Yemenite, Moroccan food and anything else in restaurants and I do recommend trying some of these great dishes.

Your kids will find the French fries they all seem to want and they will love the Israeli snacks. My kids were addicted to Bamba which we had to hunt down in London and yes, we found it. Bamba, Bisli and lots of other snacky things in bags are sold everywhere. Bamba is made from puffed corn and peanut butter. I have neve seen a kid who didn’t love it, and a lot of adults too.

Finally, make sure to have some fresh squeezed juice of whatever is in season—absolutely fantastic and sold on streets and beaches. If you need to shop for food, the supermarkets are really good and so are the “hole in the wall” grocery stores. I used to go to one regularly down the street from my place where the owner kindly minded my dog while I did the shopping. Can’t top that!

All in all, I know you will have a fabulous time in Netanya so see you there!

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Going To The Dogs Hawaiian Style

By: elledruskin - February 11th, 2012  Filed under: Uncategorized Add Comment

This is mostly for dog lovers but not exclusively. My dog finally arrived in Hawaii yesterday. Yes, you can bring a pet into Hawaii without quarantine but it is a lengthy process with a lot of paperwork and you have to do a lot of forward planning, so he’s been spending time with my family in Florida. I guess he went on vacation . Anyway, the big day arrived, and owners are instructed to go to the Airport Quarantine facility, do the final paperwork which they check. (You have obviously checked that your dog is on the booked flight before arriving) so you sit in a waiting room with all the other anxious owners who spend their time showing photos of their pets on the cell phones, etc. As the flights come in, they start to announce “Here Comes Ginger” (or Daisy or whoever) and there is a big cheer, some jumping up and down, and out rolls the crate with the Ginger (or Daisy, etc.). This is the really funny part—a lot of the owners were there with leis to greet their pets, one even had a dog biscuit and floral lei she found in Waikiki. You had to be there to see and believe this.
Anyway, they roll the crate right out to the car, (no uncrating in the airport anywhere) and off you go. My dog came through fine, a little confused, but he’s traveled before and we got home and straight to the dog park in my building which is pretty handy. Quarantine also informed me that if I want to travel with him to another Hawaiian island, it’s fine, I book a seat for him on the flight–can you believe that?–not that I am planning to do that but I guess good to know, and now that my dog is officially a canine resident of Hawaii, he can go to the Mainland and come back without another fuss if he doesn’t stay too long.
This was really an experience and I guess timed quite well with the release of Going To The Dogs from MuseItUpPublishing

Is is any wonder I’m going to the dogs too???

Elle

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Going To The Dogs

By: elledruskin - January 27th, 2012  Filed under: Uncategorized Add Comment

Sorry to say no beach report this week. This is due to VOG. For those who don’t know, this is volcanic ash which is normally not a problem on Oahu, but, here’s the but, when volcanic ash drifts over from the other islands and the trade winds die down, vog hangs around making it very uncomfortable for some people. I get a scratchy throat, and some people feel their eyes itching. Some people are not bothered at all, but the VOG has been hanging around and should disappear this weekend and a big swell of surf is expected on the North Shore.
Instead, I am letting you know about my upcoming release with MuseItUpPublishing. Yep, Going To The Dogs should be out next week. If you would like to have a peek at the cover, you can see it at the following site:

http://museituppublishingcovers.blogspot.com/2012/01/going-to-dogs-by-elle-druskin.html

Excerpt: Going To The Dogs
Copyright: Elle Druskin

Not so fast,” O’Mara said. “You don’t handle this alone. You’re getting a new partner.”

Sam groaned. A new partner? Not this soon. The funeral was only last week.

“So soon?” Sam plopped back on the chair. He willed himself to remain detached, but a huge lump formed in his throat.

“You know how it works, and no, you can’t work this case alone. Take it or leave it.”

In the back of his mind, Sam knew there’d be a new partner assigned. It was standard practice on the police force, but this soon? His heart balked at the thought, and a trickle of sweat dripped down his back. Nobody could replace Chris, the world’s best partner. Street smart. Wicked sense of humor. A Yankees fan. He recalled her first words of introduction almost four years ago.

“Get one thing straight, Kendall. I’m married, and I don’t mess around.”

Chris, her husband Paul, and their two kids were the closest thing to real family Sam ever knew.

“You listening, Kendall?”

Sam forced himself to sit up and pay attention. “Yeah. New partner.”

He silently plea-bargained with the Almighty. Please, not a rookie. Please again. Not another woman. It would be too tempting to compare another woman to Chris and find fault.

O’Mara pressed a buzzer on the desk. “Estelle, lay off those doughnuts, and bring him in now.”

Sam exhaled in relief. A guy. Good. They could talk football and baseball. If the new partner was single, maybe they’d double date, or have a beer together after work. Tension seeped out of his shoulders. This would work out. It would be fine.

Crack!

The door slammed against a file cabinet with an almighty crash. The glass window that opened onto the station room cracked down the middle from the impact.

“Hey! Get over here!”

A giant cotton ball streaked past Sam. Estelle, the chief’s secretary, chased after a beast with a tail that resembled an oversize Q-tip. Estelle skidded to a halt and teetered on purple spike heels before hitting the floor. Cotton-ball jumped at O’Mara and knocked over the coffee mug. Brown liquid overflowed the desk of papers, stained them, and dripped onto the floor.

The animal padded around the desk and sniffed Sam’s crotch. Before Sam could swat the pest away, it jumped up and slurped its pink tongue all over his face.

“Argh. Get down!” Sam batted at the animal. If there was one thing he hated, it was dogs. If you could call this thing a dog. Sam’s nose twitched at the yeasty scent of baked goods.

“That pig ate a whole box of doughnuts,” Estelle complained. “And I broke a nail trying to stop him.” Violet painted fingers waggled in O’Mara’s face. The boss grimaced and addressed the dog in a gruff tone.

“Down, Vanilla.”

The dog wagged its pom-pom tail at O’Mara.

“I said, sit!”

The tail beat like a metronome.

“Real obedient,” Sam mumbled.

O’Mara made a sour face. “That’ll be all, Estelle.”

“Is that so?” Estelle boosted up on one knee, braced herself on the desk, and stood with hands on generous hips encased in purple lycra. “Who’s gonna clean that puddle next to my desk?”

“I said that’s all for now.” The chief’s curt tone made it clear he was in no mood to discuss any gifts Vanilla deposited to replace the stolen pastry.

Sam’s head angled toward the door. “Where’s my partner?”

O’Mara beamed. “Meet Vanilla. He’s your new partner.”

Sam’s jaw dropped. “This is a joke, right?”

O’Mara shook his head but avoided Sam’s eyes. “Top class credentials. You need him for your undercover persona.”

Vanilla’s head followed the exchange like a tennis match. Without warning, the poodle shot out the door.

“Better go catch your partner. See? He’s raring to go.”

With that, O’Mara picked up a file and turned his back on Sam.

Shouts echoed into the office from the outer room.

“Hey! That dog just grabbed my pastrami on rye!”

Sam mentally counted to ten. This couldn’t be happening.

“Who owns this mutt? He scarfed down the pizza!”

Sam shot a glance at his boss.

No response to the beast gorging his way through the Petty Crimes, Homicide, and Assault Departments.

Sam gazed skyward. “Chris, I hope you’re watching. If you are, you’re wetting your pants with laughter.”

About the Author:

Elle Druskin has traveled the world, raised a family and a lot of pets and has had a long and successful career as a nurse and academic. Her debut novel To Catch A Cop was nominated as Best Romantic Comedy of 2010 by The Romance Reviewers.

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We’re off to the Red Sea or more correctly the Reed Sea and Eilat

By: elledruskin - January 15th, 2012  Filed under: Uncategorized 2 Comments

EILAT HAD A LOT GOING FOR IT

This week we are heading to Eilat, a beautiful beach town at the very southern end of Israel on the Red Sea. Eilat is the southern gateway to the Sinai which now belongs to Egypt and is just across the water from Aqaba in Jordan.

I’ve been to Eilat a number of times. Years ago, it was a very small place indeed, hardly anyone lived there, it was an outpost at the end of the Negev Desert with one or two hotels at the most. Boy, has that changed. Today, 60,000 people live and work in Eilat. There are loads of hotels, lots of water activities, desert activities and other amusements to keep you busy if that’s what you want and you are certainly able to do a one day or longer if you wish, trip to Petra in Jordan. I really recommend that and will tell you more later. Most people in Eilat speak some English and quite a few speak French. Eilat is really geared to tourists so you should be able to manage no matter what you speak. Israelis tend to have multiple language skills, so, someone will speak your language.

Weather
I’ve been to Eilat several times in the past few years, both winter and summer which are different (it’s stinking hot in the summer, over 100 degrees or above 40 and more like 45 Celsius every day. People say, but it’s dry. Well yeah, but it’s still HOT.) And, lots of Israeli families are on vacation with their kids in the summer so the hotels are jam packed. I would recommend spring or autumn for a visit—it still may be crowded if it’s one of the longer Jewish holidays when people go on vacation, but the weather is a lot more comfortable. It’s still hot but not brutal. Winter is very pleasant, still warm during the day, but you might need a light jacket at night. This is desert and the temperatures drop dramatically once the sun goes down. I find the water too cold to swim in the winter but you might not. You will not need to pack an umbrella because it hardly ever rains in Eilat, maybe one week out of the whole year.

Getting there
Once upon a time, you had to drive or take a bus to get to Eilat. You still can and have a drive through the Negev Desert which will take several hours and longer if you have to stop for breaks. (You will and should). Alternatively, you can fly from Tel Aviv and I know there are a number of places in Europe that have direct charter flights to Eilat. The trip from Tel Aviv is under an hour, the airport small so you get your luggage right away, and you are only a five minute taxi ride to the hotels. I most recently did this trip with my son who really enjoyed the flight because you can see the landscape all the way. One idea is to drive one way and fly the other but it’s up to you.

What should I do?
I’m in Eilat, now what do I do? You can take your pick. Eilat is a great place for things like water skiing although most people who go to Eilat really want to see the Red Sea fish and they are spectacular so chances are you want to go diving or snorkelling. If neither of these things is for you, then by all means, visit the Coral World aquarium where you will see incredibly colorful Red Sea fish. One of the cool things is that part of the aquarium is underwater so you are seeing the fish in their habitat. By the way, two things that might interest you—in Hebrew the term is Reed Sea, not Red, and no, it is not red so all I can think is somewhere a mistranslation crept into English and it stuck. You will also notice the sea water is far more saline than in other places; not enough to really bother you but noticeably more saline.

If dolphins are your thing, then head to the Dolphin Reef where you can swim and dive with the dolphins. There are also times when wind-surfing is popular and one of my former dance teachers told me her father coached Israelis that went on to the Olympics so obviously, conditions are pretty good. Of course, you can always hang out at the hotel pool, but you could do that anywhere, so at least give the Red Sea some of your time. If water sports are not your thing, there’s always the desert.

Into The Desert
There are lots of things you can enjoy in the nearby desert but the one thing not to be missed is Timna Park. This is Israel and you are walking in history almost everywhere. Timna is a short distance from Eilat where you can hike and learn about the geology of the area. There is also a replica of the Tabernacle of the Children of Israel that they carried throughout their 40 years of wandering in the desert. I would recommend going early in the morning before it gets too hot, give yourself some time in the museum at the entry, then set out on the trails and enjoy the shapes and colors and make sure you see the petroglyphs, ancient copper mine shafts that are associated with the time period of King Solomon and the fossils. Don’t forget to visit Solomon’s Pillar, a rock formation, and the artificial lake which is pretty popular for recreation too.

If you have more time in the desert, definitely try to visit Hai Bar Nature Reserve. I had a friend who was a volunteer there for a while and again, if you want to see animals, go early when they are inclined to be up and moving. If you are lucky, you might see leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, gazelles and ostriches (who pecked incessantly at the car windows on one trip years ago.) All of these species live in the park and are local, endangered desert animals.

Once you are worn out from swimming, snorkelling, etc. and need to feed yourself or the kids or both, there are lots of restaurants in Eilat, no problem finding food. Undoubtedly, you will find Middle Eastern food as well as other cuisines but do try the local felafel, kebab, houmous and tehina while you re there. Eilat also has an IMAX which the kids will enjoy.
Do not miss sunset—look across the water to Jordan as the mountains seem to glow red while the sun sets—this is spectacular and a highlight of your trip.

Heading across the border
Once upon a time, there was no way to cross the border between Israel and Jordan, at least not legally. During the 1950’s, there was a popular song called The Red Rock about the rose colored city of Petra in Jordan, a center of Nabatean civilization thousands of years ago. Teenage boys used to dream and occasionally attempt to get across the border to see Petra and some of them ended up being shot and the song was banned. Today, it’s played as an “oldie” on the radio and anyone can cross the border to visit Petra, a trip I highly recommend so here are a few tips.

Petra
Petra is an easy day trip from Eilat. Of course, you can go for more than one day, that’s up to you. I did the trip with my teenage son because that was what I wanted for my birthday. I wondered if he’d give me a hard time, teenagers being notoriously difficult to please but fortunately, he had a great time, paid rapt attention to the guide, and couldn’t wait to get back to Eilat so he could post all his photos on Facebook so I knew he loved it.

My recommendation is to go with a tour company that you book in advance. After talking with a few friends, I booked Eco Tours and we both found them terrific. Going with a tour company is good for several reasons. They will pick you up early in the morning because there are long lines on the Israeli side for crossing the border, but once you are over on the other side, their rep will meet you, collect your passports and stand in line to get the visas instead of you having to do it. There isn’t much to do while you are waiting except get a drink and look at tacky souvenirs which I don’t recommend, but then your guide will round up the group and you’re off to the bus. Our group was very international, our young Jordanian guide spoke English quite well and tailored his talks to everyone. All the teens enjoyed this as much as the adults.

There is another reason I recommend the tours. Someone I know decided she did not need a tour guide, took a car without really knowing the hairpin turns in the mountains and you guessed it. She had an accident, fractured her leg and had to be sent back to Aqaba and airlifted back to Eilat. You don’t want that, so take the tour.

Back to Petra. The ride is not long, you can enjoy the trip through the mountains which are spectacular and within a short time, you’re at the entrance to Petra. This is a downhill walk through the Siq, a narrow path between the cliffs, which is not too hard but if you can’t walk, there are horse carts available, no motorized vehicles are allowed in the area since this is Jordan’s most important archeological site. Personally, I would not take a cart unless I had no choice because I imagine they bounce around quite a lot on that rocky surface but that’s up to you. There are also camels for a ride further down.

All along the walk down, the guide would point out various remnants of Nabatean civilization carved into the rock over 2500 years ago but nothing prepares you for the site of The Treasury—that magnificent pink stone building. If you saw Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, then you know the building I mean. It’s incredible and we spent a long time just examining this truly ancient wonder of the world. For a surprise, I booked horses to ride back up, a la Indiana Jones which my son really enjoyed. I admit, I did not gallop up but went at a very sedate trot but we were humming the theme music anyway and both of us thought this was a cool way to end our time in Petra. The best time for photos in my opinion is mid morning when the colors of the rocks are most spectacular.

Some of the tours will take you to Aqaba but it’s a long and tiring day and that option might be better for a two day trip. We came back to Eilat exhausted and very happy.
There’s lots more to do in the Eilat area including heading down to Sinai which is now part of Egypt so that’s another entry.

Enjoy Eilat because you will have a great time!

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Humuhumunukunukuapua’a (can you say that?)

By: elledruskin - December 30th, 2011  Filed under: Uncategorized 6 Comments

If you don’t feel like surfing, or paddling, or other water activities, Hanauma Bay is considered a prime snorkel spot on Oahu. Even if you are not that keen on snorkeling, it might be worth a trip. The bay was formed thousands of years ago by an underwater volcano and shaped like a horseshoe. The bay has lovely sandy beaches but there is a lot of coral and rock in the water so you should think about either using flippers or reef walkers to avoid a painful cut to your feet. The beach does have lifeguards and first aid if the worst happens.
Getting to the bay is pretty easy. If you are in Waikiki, you can book a shuttle from a number of companies that will also include a snorkel mask and flippers. You do have to pay an entry fee, by the way unless you are a resident of Hawaii or on military service based on the islands. In that case, you get in free so bring ID if that applies to you..
The ride to the bay takes you past Diamond Head and if you are planning on going in a private vehicle, keep in mind the parking lot fills up very quickly so you might be better off with the shuttle service.
Because the bay is a protected environment, you are warned not to touch the coral. You also must sit through a short video about the bay. Protection is very important and they can’t emphasize that enough.
After the video, you head downhill, about 5 minute walk at the most. If you can’t make it down on your own power, there is a shuttle for 75 cents and coming back up is 1 dollar. The walk really is not hard and you can stop along the way and admire the view which is pretty spectacular.
You should also know that there are no food or concession stands down on the beach although you are welcome to bring food as long as you clean up your trash and there are picnic tables. There is a food stand at the top if you want to hike all the way back up again. At the very least, bring a drink because you do need fluids.
There are also lockers if you need to lock up your bag which I would recommend. A locker rental is 7 dollars but at least you know your things will be there when you get out of the water. There are also showers and bathrooms down on the beach if you need those facilities.
You can expect to see all kinds of fish, depending on the time of day and you might see a sea turtle or even a monk seal. I didn’t this time but have in the past and someone saw an eel–again something I missed but not especially sorry.
You should be on the lookout for Humuhumunukunukuapua’a –if you can pronounce that, you are way ahead of me. This is the name of Hawaii’s state fish and you will see that for sure. During the winter, occasionally you can see whales in the distance too.
The best time to go if you want to see fish is the morning.
Hanauma Bay is crowded, you will not find a quiet, secluded, empty beach. Forget it, not gonna happen, but it is a nice place to spend a few hours or even a whole day. Many of the staff are volunteers and they are happy to answer questions.
The bay is closed to the public on Tuesday although the Obamas were there this week on Tuesday. It didn’t interfere with anything since they are closed that day anyway.
The water is pleasant, not cold, and you really can’t go wrong with this trip so the next time you are in Honolulu, think about a trip to the bay and practice saying that word!
I did take pictures but they refuse to upload, no idea why. If you want to have a look, just go to this website and you can learn anything you might want to know and see pictures of the bay.

http://www1.honolulu.gov/parks/facility/hanaumabay/

So, it’s time to say Aloha and see you on the bay.

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Big Surf and why I wouldn’t dream of dipping a toe in that

By: elledruskin - December 19th, 2011  Filed under: Uncategorized Add Comment

Reporting in from Honolulu—a good idea to stay out of the water today, box jellyfish alert. This happens every so often and at least you are warned! Just as well for Waikiki because it’s pretty flat so if you surf this would be a good day to get the dings fixed on the board . I am heading up to the North Shore later, but not going near the water, monster waves, at least 15 feet although I know they get much bigger and these are only for the pros.
if you are looking for a stay away beach thing to do, try the Bishop Museum which is full of Hawaiiana. The displays are wonderful, feathered cloaks of the Hawaiian royalty, spears, shell leis, and more and the staff are lovely and always willing to answer questions so definitely make time to visit if you are in Honolulu. There will be more later with a report on the North Shore

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It’s time for Aloha

By: elledruskin - December 10th, 2011  Filed under: Uncategorized Add Comment

I’ve been a bit busy dealing with family issues but I’m back in Honolulu trying to find somewhere to live which turns out to be a real challenge. Still, when I look at the snow and cold in some parts of the US, the weather here is a bonus. It’s been a bit chilly, that means in the low 60′s at night, but around 80 during the day and a bit of rain but not much. There’s heaps going on here–Pearl Harbor Day, as you can imagine, is a big event, the island was full of people here for the ceremonies. This now also includes survivors who have died and wish to have their ashes buried with the victims of the Arizona and the other battleships so Navy divers take them down and do that. That evening there was a parade through Waikiki with the survivors at the head of the parade followed by servicemen and women and the usual marching bands, flag twirlers, etc.Now we’re gearing up for the Honolulu Marathon on Sunday which will go past Waikiki so things will be a bit crowded tomorrow. All going well, I do plan to get out on the board tomorrow, if I can get past the marathon viewing crowds. Even if it rains, well, I’ll be wet anyway. So it’s back to the beach for me–see you there!
On some writing news, Red Rose Publishing is offering a chance to some lucky reader to win a Kindle Fire, so head over to www.redrosepublishing.com, buy a book and hope you win. Yes, To Catch A Cop and To Catch A Crook are both available there.
Going To the Dogs published by MuseItUp should be out in February. The edits are done and I am just waiting to see what the cover will look like. This story is about dog hating detective Sam Kendall who is determined to catch his partner’s killer. The catch? His new partner is a junk food addicted poodle who loves baseball and Oprah. Chief suspect and dog trainer Jodie McBride is a wiz with dogs, not so lucky with men. Sometimes dogs are smarter than people and it’s going to take a lot of work for all the canines to prove to Jodie and Sam they’re meant to be together and have beautiful puppies (and kids–every puppy should have a kid, right?”
Animal Crackers, (yep, more animals) the first of the Liberty Heights contemporary romance trilogy is being editing for a May release. In one day, advertising workaholic Hayley Weaver is fired, homeless and desperate. The only job available is housesitting a movie star’s home in New Jersey. Hayley hates Jersey, swore she’d never go back but she’s stuck and nobody told her the house is full of more critters than the Beverly Hillbillies. Local veterinarian is desperate to meet a woman he hasn’t known since high school and it’s a cinch that Jake’s on speed dial to corral all the animals. Pretty soon the whole town is determined to convince Hayley that Jake rocks and so does Jersey.

More about these books as I get more information..

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Bahamamama!

By: elledruskin - November 18th, 2011  Filed under: Uncategorized 4 Comments

Copyright: Elle Druskin 2011
Bahamamama!
I’ve just arrived in Florida but it’s raining so no beach today. Instead, we are going somewhere nearby, The Bahamas.

I’m a little prejudiced, but I think the Bahamas are great. The last time I was there was short stay of two nights because it was part of a cruise but I’ve been there under other circumstances too. The Bahamas have everything, great shopping if that’s your thing, and sightseeing, but most people head to the islands for the beaches and for good reason. The Bahamas are a touch of Britain and Africa with a splash of pirates in its past. Blackbeard and Anne Bonney were among the famous pirates who spent time on these islands.

These are the islands, or at least, supposedly, that Columbus first visited in the New World thinking he had found the route to India. Obviously, he took a wrong turn somewhere. During the 18th century, at least 20 pirates used Nassau as their home base. It was also during the 18th century that the slave trade brought Africans to the Bahamas and it is their descendants that primarily compose the people of the Bahamas today. Former British control of the islands, which are independent, can still be seen in the left side driving and for those who are interested in the American Civil War, Nassau was an important base for the Confederate blockade runners. Between the pirates, blockade runners and all the rest, these islands have had a pretty colorful history.

You can generally expect the weather almost always to be pleasant, a bit cooler in winter but still nice. You do have to keep in mind that this is the Caribbean and there is a hurricane season which you have to consider.
Nassau, the capital, is home to the majority of Bahamians. I always enjoy the pastel colored buildings; lots of pink ones and I just find them really pretty. In general, this is a laid back place with friendly people. While English most definitely is the language of the islands, it has a lilt to it and you might have to adjust to hearing it. Like most places, there is also local slang. Two words or phrases you might hear are:
Big eye—greedy
Gussy-mae- large sized Bahamanian girl (that’s a polite translation)
Let’s Hit The Shops
Just about everyone who goes to the Bahamas ends up doing some shopping. It’s kind of hard to avoid. I don’t know that the prices are that fantastic, you have to really check carefully but there’s plenty of shopping with all sorts of prices available. Some of the shops are, well, trashy, and others are very good quality.

Bay Street is the main shopping street in Nassau. If you are arriving by cruise ship, you can easily walk there. Just walk past all the ships parked at the docks—there’s always plenty of them, turn right, keep walking and you will hit Bay Street.

This street has some well known stores—Fendi, MAC, etc. Lots of perfume and cosmetics shops, jewellery, fashion, etc. The last time we were there, my Mom insisted on going to Del Sol; their merchandise includes tote bags, nail polish, tee-shirts, etc. that change color when exposed to the sun. I have a bag with a plain black and white picture on it but when I get outside, the picture starts to change and all sorts of colors appear in the drawing which always draws comments from people. It’s kind of cute. Same with the nail polish, it changes color once I am exposed to sun and then changes back again inside. Anyway, if you want to do serious shopping, head to Bay Street. If this isn’t enough for you, you’ll find more shops on Paradise Island and on Grand Bahama Island at the International Bazaar at Freeport.

Most tourists who are in Nassau for the first time will head to the Straw Market. I haven’t been there in years to be honest and I’m not in the market for straw goods but it is a place to come, browse, and possibly buy. One thing you must remember: don’t pay the asking price. You are supposed to bargain. Personally, I don’t like bargaining and this might because of childhood incident in the Straw Market. I was a kid the first time my family went to the Bahamas, and my sister and I wanted straw dolls. Why, I don’t know. And, like everything else, you bargain the price. This is my mother’s best sport. She lives to bargain, tells sellers their merchandise is junk, they should pay her to take it off their hands, walks away and they chase after her shouting “Madame! Come back!” I’ve seen her pull this routine all over the world. Then the serious bargaining starts. My sister and I were dumbfounded, my father so embarrassed, that he slipped the woman selling the dolls some extra money in the end which Mom knew nothing about. The point is, yes, bargain at the Straw Market. You or your tween or teenage daughter might want to bargain to get your hair braided around the Straw Market area too.

You should also visit Potter’s Cay which is a local fish market. You’ll find lots of fish and tropical dishes available. Local dishes are made from the conch which is a shellfish. You can order conch salad, conch fritters, conch chowder and sometimes, conch stew. Conch is pronounced “konk” by the way. Speaking of food, what should you try other than conch?

Bahamas Cuisine
You can find anything you like in terms of food here. If you insist on the fast food outlets, they’re available. If you must eat Italian food, French food or whatever, no problem but you should try at least some of the local food.

You’re on an island and like most islands, expect a lot of fish. Local fish that you might be familiar with are red snapper (I really like that one), yellow tail and grouper. Try the local fish stew which is usually made with grouper or the chowder flavoured with rum, lime juice and tomatoes. There are also local lobsters although I have never eaten them so I can’t recommend personally. Southerners should feel right at home with the fish and grits cooked with green peppers and onions which is often served for breakfast.

You can, of course, get meat but I have never ordered raccoon stew. Feel free to try it and let me know how it was.
Calorie Alert! You should try some of the desserts. I love anything with coconut so I’m recommending the coconut pies and tarts. You’ll also want to try the pineapple tarts and guava duff which combines the fruit in the dough and topped off with sauce that includes brandy or rum. None of these desserts is for calorie counters but you’re going to work that off in water sports, right? Or, you could choose to dance it off at some of the local clubs but you should know they have cover charges. Finally, there are indeed casinos in the Bahamas, so if you love to gamble, go for it! You won’t lose weight there but you probably will lose money if you choose to gamble. Chalk it off to entertainment and know your limits.

White Sand, Dolphins and Sharks, Oh My!
Okay, you’re ready to hit the beach and those Bahama beaches are beautiful with white sand and crystal clear water. Some of the cruise ships have arrangements for visits to cays or little islands that they own or lease, I don’t know which but everything is exclusive to their companies. If you are not on a cruise, you have your pick of beaches that are public. Many of the hotels have private beaches and that can be a problem unless you are staying at one of those hotels.

I am not necessarily recommending the ones around Nassau, I think there are better ones, but if you are in Nassau, there are a few that might be worth checking out. The Western Esplanade or Junkanoo Beach is an easy walk from “downtown” Nassau. Because this beach is frequented by tourists, they do have public bathrooms and change areas and there are plenty of snack places nearby. I have heard that this beach is not well maintained in the “off season” which is December-January so before you head there, find out before you are disappointed. It also tends to get extremely crowded during “Spring Break,” so I urge caution before you go to this beach or you might end up hating it.

If this is too crowded for your taste, and it might be, head down to Caves Beach. This is not walking distance; it’s a good 7 miles from Nassau and you won’t find public facilities like Junkanoo but it will be less crowded.

Personally, I think you would be far better off heading to Paradise Island. The first time I went there, it was still being developed but that was a long time ago and it has really changed. You can be pretty sure of snorkelling, boating and deep sea fishing excursions, diving, jet-skiing, kitesurfing/boarding (which I have not tried but trying to rev up the courage to do it) and there’s always beach volleyball going on somewhere. It doesn’t matter if you are experienced or a complete beginner at any of these sports; they will tailor things to suit you so give them all a try.

I am not a diver but I know people who are and they say there are shipwrecks to be explored and the coral reefs that are a habitat for the fish are fantastic. The fishing charters are usually 4 to 8 hours. I don’t think they can guarantee you a fish, but you’d have to be pretty unlucky not to come back with some. You can choose between shallow waters where there are likely to be more fish or go deeper. You might hook a shark but then how the heck are you going to fit that in a suitcase to take home? Yes, there are sharks in these waters; it’s their habitat. If you catch some nice grouper, I would be happy to cook it up for you but I’ll skip the shark, thanks anyway.

Keeping the Kids Happy
Traveling with kids means accommodating to some extent to their interests and at least some of the time, the things they want to do could be things you want to do too. So, if you are traveling with kids, you will probably have to go to the Aquaventure Water Park. It’s a jam-packed water park with its rides, paddle boats, marine life, etc. This place has around 14 or 15 pools, wave surges, river rides and slides. It also has climbing facilities and probably everything you could want to entertain kids at whatever age from fairly young children to teens. You should also visit Dolphin Cay and Dolphin Encounters. This might not only be for the kids; the adults will enjoy it just as much. Dolphin Encounter also has sea lions, or it did as far as I know.

Paradise Beach is both public and private. The Atlantis Hotel owns a strip of the beach but parts of it are open to the public so you don’t have to be a guest to use this beach. One of the nice things is the shade, with little huts to help avoid too much sun exposure. Cabbage Beach is also nice, a bit crowded at times and you can have lunch at the cafes near the beach.

If you are looking for a bit more quiet, you might try Eleuthera Island. It doesn’t matter where you are on Eleuthera, you are never far from the beach. A lot of people head there for fishing but you can sit back and loaf around the beaches which are white sand and sometimes look sort of pink. There are water sports and snorkelling and diving and again, the shipwrecks to explore but generally, this is a quieter island.
There are plenty of other beaches, islands and activities or quiet depending on what you are looking for on Grand Bahama Island. I think if you plan well, you can’t go wrong with a nice break in the Bahamas.

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Airlines, Florida, travel is not for sissies

By: elledruskin - November 12th, 2011  Filed under: Uncategorized Add Comment

I’ve arrived in Florida after a long trip from Honolulu since connections never seem to make it easier and instead, I end up jumping on flights all over the place to connect.
Maybe someone can explain this to me. Why is it we pay to check our bags and then when they arrive damaged we also pay to fix or replace them? Is this service? Isn’t it enough we have to pack our own pillows and blankets most of the time and food too for some flights that don’t sell anything or what they sell isn’t something you would eat and pay a lot of money for but now this. I should consider myself lucky I even found my bags, they were off loaded and stacked with a pile of stuff heading for a cruise that I was not heading towards. Geez. Between all the security, shoes, off, coats, everything else off, travel is not fun anymore and it certainly isn’t for sissies.
I will get another beach blog up shortly but it’s chilly here for Florida, down to around 50F at night and in the 70′s during the day but windy. That might sound balmy to some places in the world but not here. Hawaii was more comfortable, little range in temps, only 70′s to 80′s, so no big change and as long as the trade winds were blowing, very comfortable.
I still find it hard to believe that it snowed on the high elevations of the Big Island but they tell me, yes.
Okay, gotta deal with luggage but back soon.

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Ala Moana and snow in Hawaii–are you kidding me?

By: elledruskin - November 5th, 2011  Filed under: Uncategorized Add Comment

ICopyright: Elle Druskin
‘m still in Honolulu and it’s a beautiful day, 75–86 and very comfortable with the trade winds, not hot at all, just pleasant. There has been some rain this week, but as my Mom would say, so what? It isn’t snow and you don’t have to shovel it, it’s only water. That’s pretty true. And yet, surprisingly, on the Big Island, there are predictions of some snow at the highest elevations. Snow in Hawaii–go figure.

Ala Moana was meant to be the entry for this week and it is a lovely beach. Ala Moana is technically not Waikiki, it’s the next neighborhood over on the west although still plenty of hotels and touristy things. It has the huge Ala Moana shopping center which has a lot of very “upmarket” stores if that is your thing.
Ala Moana also has a lovely beach and park where you are likely to find families because the swimming, surfing and body boarding is pretty good. It is known as a family beach because of the park with lots of grass and shade for picnics and barbecues.
One of the bonuses of Ala Moana is that it has a lot of free parking if you are coming with a car. If not The Bus is very convenient in Honolulu–it’s efficient and runs frequently, the fare is $2.50 for an adult anywhere on the route.
You should be aware that there are undercurrents at times here, I have been caught in one and the best thing to do is go with it, don’t try to fight it, until you get to a point where you can swim out of it, or signal with an arm up to the lifeguards to come and get you out of it.
There are also coral rocks and they can really cut your feet or legs if you land on them. The solution might be what I use, a reef walker kind of shoe which you can find in sports shops. Before you buy, ask if it is suitable for surfing because a lot of them are. That’s assuming you might want to use them for surfing too. Prices vary from $60–$100 depending on what you want so make sure you take your time picking out the right shoe for you at the right price.
I might be avoiding Ala Moana this weekend–for starters, there was a fire in the food court of the shopping center two days ago. Nobody was hurt and the fire was extinguished very quickly but the smoke has affected some of the stores, not many, but some and they may not be able to open for another day or so.
The second and bigger problem is APEC which is starting here next week and using facilities in the Ala Moana area. Roads are being closed, people with businesses on these streets are wondering what to do–open or not. Nobody really knows what to expect but part of Ala Moana Park is being closed and as much as I like this beach, I think I am going to give it a miss for the next few days. It’s not like there’s a lack of beaches here.
The swells in the surf are slowing getting bigger, but the really big ones won’t arrive here for another month when the big surfing tournaments will start on the North Shore. The South Shore, which is Waikiki, has much smaller swells at that time so if you want to avoid the big water, stick to the south.
I’m heading out to some beach, no idea which yet but will be back with a report.

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