My first look at Tel Aviv. I arrived in the middle of the night, but was pleased the next morning to discover my hotel was just two blocks from the beach chairs.

The boardwalk was lined with coffee shops, pizzarias, and fancy ice cream shops. Two scoops will set you back six bucks!

I toured all day, but always back before sunset for a dip in the Med to cool down. The water temperature was refreshingly perfect!

Nachlat Binyamin Street in Tel Aviv, a pedestrian street near the Yemenite Quarter.

A lot goes on at the beach in Tel Aviv. Wind surfers and sailboats on the horizon, an outdoor gym in the lower right, and hot water showers with enviable water pressure in the lower left.

Young Israelis seem very fitness-conscious, riding bikes, rollerblading, and jogging along this boardwalk which runs almost the full length of the city.

And of course, sailing on the beautiful Mediterranean Sea!

I took the bus to Jaffa, a nearby ancient Arab port city believed to be one of the oldest cities in the world, frequently mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.

This historic old city had a lot of ambiance, offering a stark contrast to its modern neighbor to the north, Tel Aviv.

The high point along the walls of the old city offered spectacular views of the Tel Aviv beachfront, just about 3km away.

The sign says, "Jaffa Coastal Cannon, Ottoman period, 1515 - 1917."

The confirmation that I am in an Arab town comes as the melodic muezzin calls its minions to prayer from the nearby minaret.