Visit to Ariel

I headed up to the big Tel Aviv bus station this morning.  It's big.  Red architectural tile on the outside.  Adequate signage, but not so many people at 0830, and lots of escalators.

Don't worry, it's not that hopeless, but this is the image that came to mind.  Anyway, the Afikim bus to Ariel was on the 7th floor.  Wow.  7 floors of bus gates.  And the fare to Ariel (one-way) was only NIS 11.10 ($3).  I knew it was a low fare from the times I went last year, so I was prepared with small money.  It was a lot easier catching the bus from the bus station than the odd street stations from which I caught it last year.

I missed the obvious university stop in Ariel, and got off at the next one, and walked back (worked on my tan), and then I had my bearings.  Walked up the hill, but at the top it was closed for construction (couldn't see that because of trees until I got there), back down the hill, over to the new staircase, up, up, up.  Found Building 2, found Dr. Rivka Gilat's office, found Dr. Rivka.  We have been working on a faculty announcement for her department (it's my service work in Israel), but I needed more subtle background on the department and its culture.  So we talked, I took notes, I asked questions.  I asked to speak with one of the junior faculty, Dr. Elia, about his opinions, too.  We had a chance to talk to Dean Yosef Pinchas, so we rushed over and spoke with him about the dean's level perspective on hiring faculty.  I got more good notes.

Then Rivka and I went out to an early supper in Petach Tikvah at Bleeker Bakery. We had three appetizers, salad, main course, coffee and dessert.  Needless to say, I came home with two (!) bags of leftovers.  The good news is that we only needed two tables to hold all that food. ;)

She dropped me off at a bus station for #82 (local Tel Aviv bus), which brought me very close to my apartment.  I'd say it was a very successful day.