Continuing on from my last post of all things good in Israel, it’s time to introduce you to some of the things that are just plain bad here in the Holy Land. Again, these are from a personal perspective, so don’t take it, well, personally. And don’t let it put you off your trip to Israel, don’t forget I’ve been here a while!
It gets worse in the next post…Israel: the ugly stuff.
Here it is, the Top 20 things about Israel that are just, well, bad. Again, if I’ve left off some obvious contenders, please comment below!
1… The weather (sun, sun, and even more sun is great, but just a drop of rain now and then would be even better).
2… The people. Sometimes Israelis are just too pushy, too arrogant.
3… Israeli women. Beautiful but mind-blowingly mad.
4… Israeli football. Sorry, but I can’t watch more than 5 minutes of player hysterics as the grass hits their feet and they crumple in agony…
5… Awful Israel tourist t-shirts that spout “I Heart Israel”. We at igoogledisrael are working on a new breed of t-shirt. Coming soon.
6… Tel Aviv at the weekend. The out-of-townies invade and conquer.
7… Total disregard of personal space.
8… The all-conquering desire to be “America/American”.
9… Israeli beer. Let’s face it, Maccabi and Goldstar are for emergency purposes only.
10… Crap customer service. Especially the cable and phone companies.
11… Israeli humour. I still don’t know what gets my wife rolling on the floor laughing so much, especially when she watches stuff like Hagashash Hachiver.
12… Suffocating family life (do you really have to call each other 10 times a day and then see each other 6 times a week?).
13… “Hiyeh beseder” – Hebrew for “It’ll be OK” – the Israeli attitude to a problem that needs resolving, but will be postponed, er, forever.
14… Israeli TV. Well, if you’re watching TV on your trip to Israel, count yourself very unlucky.
15… Hebrew. Sorry, but it just sounds bad…
16… Israeli inability to drink: Israeli friends drink one and are floored/dancing topless on tables. When I start my third beer, people start looking…
17… The price of renting in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. A hovel (yes, a hovel) = approximately US$1000. Pure madness.
18… Starting the working week on a Sunday. Who the heck invented that? Who??
19… Obsession with mobile phones. And driving while talking on the mobile phone.
20… Price of toiletries: $6-7 for deodorant?
Coming next, Israel – the ugly stuff…