"My (former) adopted home town" a Tel Aviv-Yafo Travel Page by leffe3

Tel Aviv is a place once visited, never forgotten. I was priviliged to have lived here for more than five and a half years and continue to visit. A fantastic time, an amazing city (and country) and extraordinary people. I left in February 2003 - and I still miss it.

Many things are said about Tel Aviv in comparison to other Israeli cities. In Jerusalem they look after the stones, in Tel Aviv they look after the people. In Jerusalem they pray, in Haifa they work, in Tel Aviv they play.

It may not be the most beautiful of cities, but it is located on the coast with great beaches right in the centre of the city, has gained a reputation as a 24 hour party city and has the biggest concentration of International (Bauhaus) style architecture in the world. It is also very much the place where the east meets the west - the north of the city being very much the European: south Tel Aviv and the Florentine and Yemenite districts distinctly Middle Eastern.

It continues to be a city that re-invents itself. Not only in terms of the physical rejuvenation and new, stunningly designed (generally) new buildings, but a positive air, reflected by a city that values design - just check out the contents of the shops in Ben Yehuda (northern end - a street that was 'dowdy' and uninspiring only 12 months ago) and Dizengoff, as well as some of the back streets off Allenby, as well as the interior design of shops, cafes and restaurants.