Raphael on the Beach, Studland Bay, Poole

Bourne Free

David Badella on stage
















Arriving at the park
















Open top gold Rolls Royce Corniche with liveried chauffeur, but where was the music?
















It wasn't about quantity, it was about quality. Yeah, that's it.
















What can I say: cute, sexy, and the guy on the left ain't bad either!
















...And we're off!



Imagine you threw a Gay Pride March and Happening and nobody came? Well, in fairness, although it looked that way to begin with, out of nowhere people started arriving, and the Bournemouth event got off to a jolly start. It was Rafi's idea we went there in the first place - to my surprise, as he holds opinions on the whole idea of Gay Pride and marches that would suggest he represents Reactioneries anonymous, the self-repressive branch of Closetville, and that from a guy who got himself married to Amit - twice! Can you guess we had a debate on the subject on the way from London to Bournemouth? The soundtrack of our road movie was, fittingly, some Robbie Williams, Priscilla soundtrack, and of course, endless chatter. The event itself was indeed small scale, the route taking the march along the seafront to the park, so the "crowds" watching it was made up of old folk, some of whom quite perplexed by this micro carnival, some people on the beach, 2 policewomen at the front, some more at the back, er... that's almost it. No beating music, only three drummers on the leading vehicle and one single solitary whistle vendor (mercifully). We thought it was a bit subdued in the light of the terror attacks on London only 48 hours before (the multi-national flags at the centre of the town's seafront were all half-mast) and it felt uncomfortable to be celebrating at a time like this, but I strongly believe there is a point of defiance in celebrating our diversity, especially gay lifestyle and Western values of tolerance and compassion, the very anti-thesis of all extremists. The entertainment on stage at the park started off with David Badella of Jerry Springer, The Opera fame (he played the troublemaking warm-up man in the first act, and Satan in the second, winning an Evening Standard Award for Best Co-Star in a musical Production). From there it went to some unknown acts and we were getting hungry, so we left to forage for food, then went on to Studland Bay, to the (where else?) Naturist Beach. It was warm, but the sun was darting in and out of cloud cover. Still, I managed to return with a glowingly red nose, shoulders and ...buns.

Getting Silly In Restaurants

Lea and Nir, exasparated...

















No paparazzi please!

















Dor (foreground) and Idan (background) in Zozobra Asiatic restaurant (highly recommended), Hertzeliya

















No nephews were harmed during this photoshoot

My Dinner With Naama

Lunch at the Brasserie, Tel Aviv
















Naama getting our coffees at Azrieli Centre Tel Aviv...


Late lunch, actually - we have not seen each other for 26 years. Fantastic reunion of kindered spirits, we chatted for nearly 8 hours! We picked up where we left off, or so it felt. An extraordinary day, an extraordinary lady. Why did I let her get away?! Oh, yes, of course... Our friendship is reaffirmed though.

Visit to Yad Vashem

"Machaneh Yehudah" Market, Jerusalem. Unmissable.
















Jerusalem Hills
















Observation platform at edge of Yad Vashem, overlooking Jerusalem Hills
















A courtyard in Yad Vashem Museum
















Approaching the Yad Vashem Museum



On Tuesday I got myself on a but to Jerusalem and headed to the new Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Museum). I am writing this post after the 7/7 terrorist attacks of London, so I can't help but smile wryly when I recall thinking I was doing all the things one was expected to avoid in Jerusalem i.e. take a bus or visit the famous Machaneh Yehudah market, the site of so many terrorist attacks in the past. I took a few pictures of the view from and around the museum (no photography allowed inside), and one of the market - a delightful experience, just the tonic after a harrowing, sombre visit to Yad Vashem (also a must in my opinion - it puts the whole concept of Israel into perspective).