Monthly Archives: April 2012

Are You “Vespa People”? And the story of my first ride on Roxy.

 This week on the ‘ol blog, I am looking forward to getting back to some of the basics about owning a vespa and provide some information I could have found very handy right before I purchased mine. I plan on writing out a few detailed posts that I think will help those out there looking to own a scooter and aren’t sure how to go about it. The questions you forget to ask are often the questions you’ll most regret, so I plan on asking you those in a few of this weeks posts. The posts will include topics such as maintenance, figuring out what questions you need to ask yourself before you even start asking questions to a dealer, and how you can figure out if a vespa is a better choice for you over another vehicle in this time in your life.

 I will go through more of these details from the very beginning steps of someone who is considering their options and wants a better idea of the larger picture and how owning a vespa could help/hinder that picture. If anyone has any questions they would like me to try and answer about these beginning steps before ownership, please leave a comment or get in touch with me (izevel1923@gmail.com). I’ll also write a bit about my own shortcomings with this whole vespa ownership deal that I really wasn’t aware of at the time of purchase and now better understand. I wanted to start off these writings with my first drive on Roxyvespa, from Jerusalem, the day I bought her to show you that things do indeed get better.

My First Ride, in summation:  It was a decent day with warm sun overhead and little wind, considering it was early December. Once the guy (who I bought it) from left, I knew I was on my own and that made me even more nervous. I haven’t drove before in Israel and have only heard, and seen, how bad Israelis are at the whole driving thing. And here I was just going headfirst into this mess on a Vespa. Sometimes, it is just better to do and stop thinking and this was clearly a good place to apply that lack of logic.

For the longer version (for those keen on vespas),  Read more

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Israel is such an interesting place to live and just when you think you've moved beyond the culture shock and finally understand the local customs, you realize just how much you've left to learn. Read further down for further "Israeliness". Plus, check out a personal little blurb from me down at the bottom. Soak it all in and then have a lovely weekend indeed, y'all. 

I wanted to share this with you, as a part of "Beyond the Scoot", because I found this while searching through the Israel posts here on Wordpress and was really impressed by this video. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mHglfyQOd2s] The music is so beautiful and the footage of the musicians playing only adds to its beauty. It is from kutiman, over on youtube, who has some other great videos uploaded. Also, if you are interested in blogs about "being Israeli", you really should check out one of the best blogs I have ever come across: HowtobeIsraeli.blogspot.com. I cannot recommend this blog enough to those expats here who need a little help with the culture (and a good laugh too). I have be able to cope with some of the more harsh moments of my transition between cultures much easier with the often hilarious words from Maya. There was also a good post about "Israeliness", found here, that list 64 things the blogger loves about Israel (-as this past Independence Day was the 64th 'birthday' for the country). It is a great and humorous insight into the life of someone who has made Aliyah and how he has adjusted to the changes in culture throughout his past five years here in Israel.  Here are a few of my favorite from his list,
  • "I love that the Asian sushi chef gave me the rega hand gesture. How do you say “kibbutz galuyot” in Japanese?
  • "I love the “mmm-bye” farewell greeting used by certain Israelis when hanging up the phone. It’s a cross between 'l’hitraot' and a Hanson song."
  • "I love that instead of worrying about kids developing peanut allergies, parents feed their babies Bamba before the doctor has even finished cutting the umbilical cord."
  • "I love that the Red Hot Chili Peppers are finally making their long-awaited appearance here. I hope they open with 'Californicatzia.'"
If anyone has a blog to suggest or an article (or just really anything) that centers around being an expat, or those who made Aliyah, who is adjusting to the culture and dealing with culture shock here in Israel, please share it in the comments below. I really love reading how other's interprete all of these little cultural happenings and love reading about the confusion created therein. Oh, and the humor from this type of writing makes it worth reading too.

What are Sabras? Sabras is the Hebrew word for the prickly pear fruit. But more interesting to note, sabras is slang for native Israeli Jews. What do native Israelis and prickly pear fruit have in common? Both are tough and thorny on the outside, and soft and sweet on the inside. A few Haaretz articles about certain aspects of "Israeliness" and then other blogs that you might like to click out, 

Oh, the locals. Always a pleasure. Or at least, an experience. 

Always, with peace and with love.
A Personal Note from RoxyVespa: Now that I wrote another rather Israel centric piece (again) and I wanted to write this little blurb to explain myself a bit: I wasn’t aware when I started this blog that I would be posting about the Sirens of the Israel Holocaust Day or that I would want to repost another’s story about their take on Israel Independence Day- which was amazing. I really hope that my few Israel-centric posts every now and then doesn’t push away those who have followed this little ‘ol blog. Oy, I don’t really even know how to address this other than say that my location affects me and apparently this blog. I hope that you won’t mind a few posts that do focus more on Israel and the politics of this place, but I intend to keep those post mostly few and far between. (Other than the posts over the weekend under “Beyond the Scoot”, which is just random stuff that interests me and I want to make note of here.) I’ve noticed that I have lost a few subscribers the last few days and that was a bit hard to take, but I guess all I can say is that politics bleed over into everything here. Even Vespa blogs that were created with the intention to stay away from said topics. I shall resume my vespa talk on Sunday and try to make next week a very vespa-centric place full of vespa-type things. Thanks for those who have stuck around and don’t mind my rambles. I promise to always keep a steady supply of pretty photos, so that is a good plus. Ha. Thanks again youshes (you guys).

And that is it for this edition of, ‘Beyond the Scoot’. Hope your weekend is lovely. Cheers everyone!

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Vespa Adventures: Ya’ar HaMeginim Poppy Fields Part 1

Sometimes you come across something by accident and realize how lucky you were to witness the beauty, 

Because the next day, you might not be able to appreciate it in the same way: 

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Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut: The Siren יום העצמאות 2012

Two-minute nationwide siren sounds at 11 A.M. to commemorate the 22,993 IDF soldiers who died during their service. Todays’s services came a day after a ceremony for Israel’s fallen soldiers was held on Tuesday evening on the eve of Memorial Day in cities across Israel.

I follow a blog that I have really enjoyed reading and wanted to share their post today about ‘The Siren’.

From Vov, over at Importantlytrivial.com:

“As the double days of Israel’s Yom Hazikaron (Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day) and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day) have arrived, I once again find myself reflecting on the meaning of this juxtaposition of official holidays, one representing the ultimate sadness of a people; the second, the ultimate national joy.  Read more

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Vespa Adventures: Driving Around The Kibbutz to Nataf Valley

Around Ma’ale HaHamisha Kibbutz and Mount Haruach 

Driving from the kibbutz to Nataf is easily one of my favorite drives in all of Israel. The road leading to Nataf is pretty narrow, but the views throughout the ride don’t disappoint. Before you reach the village, you come upon at least three areas that are various parts of a national park where many Israelis come to hike and eat goat cheese during their days off. There is even a fresh water pond located on one of the hikes. I’ve done a few of these hikes and recommend them as well, but since I found a new place (that nobody else has seemed to yet discover), I decided to showcase that location.  Read more

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Vespa Adventures: Oy! Pesach Driving.

Israel for Pesach? Advise: Stay away from the highways!

Driving during Pesach is only for the brave here in Israel and maybe those looking to catch up on their reading. Beware:

“Traffic jams were reported throughout Israel on Monday, in the first sign of what has become an annual nationwide gridlock ahead of the Passover dinner.”-From Haaretz.com.

For Israelis, Passover is usually a time for family travel, particularly those who are not observant and don’t mind missing the family seder. With the kids off from school for two weeks and most companies offering half days during the holiday’s four intermediate days, it’s the perfect time to take a trip. (College students and most military personal also get this time off, so basically everyone is everywhere and things are crowded.)  Read more

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