en route and first glance

Ok, so here is my very first post on my very first blog. I feel slightly outdated since blogging has been around for sometime now and I have just caught up with the trend. Nonetheless, traveling is the perfect reason to start blogging, right? To all those professional bloggers, do forgive my newbie ways.
Travel:
We had a bittersweet flight experience while on our way to Israel. Our first flight got cancelled and the next flight was 3 hours late which made us miss our connection to Brussels. We were threatened with the idea that we would have to stay the night in Philly but then a sweet gate agent put us on a straight flight to Israel that evening (no 11 hour layover in Brussels, score!), didn't charge us for our bags, and put us in a row that no one else was sitting in. We were able to stretch out just like the first classers, without paying for it:) However, upon arrival we discovered that our luggage had other plans and flew somewhere else. So we don't have much with us, but I thank God for a thoughtful husband who bought travel insurance; therefor, we get reimbursed for anything we buy in the mean time. Bitterness turned into sweetness by God's hand!
First impressions:
1. I thought Israel would be run down, dirty, etc. However, it is so modernized and oh-so-pretty! Everything is green and well kept; with gorgeous trees (my slight obsession), great roads and beautiful neighborhoods nestled into mountain sides.
2. Good to know that I speak 2 of the top 3 languages in the country. If someone doesn't speak English, you pull out the Russian and that usually covers you. Wish to conquer 3/3 by May:) Ambitious, huh?
3. Our apartment is really "authentic". I'll explain it later with some pictures, I hope. It is 5 minute walk to a street loaded with markets, restaurants, boutiques, and amazing coffee shops! We stuck our heads into a few of them and they are absolutely charming! So vintage and unique inside with old brick architecture on the outside (pictures to follow in a bit). And the pastries?? they look too good to be eaten, but that of course won't stop us.


I promise to get some pictures out as soon as possible.
-Natalya