Thursday, February 26, 2009

COFFEE AND SUCH

Jerusalem. February 24. Friends and I were speculating as to why coffee in Jerusalem is so terrible. Given that Israelis appear to love their "coffee time" as much as we Americans, it is vexing that you can't seem to get a decent cup of just plain "regular"....anywhere. The coffee at the finest hotels is at best awful, and most times, undrinkable. The coffee at the ubiquitous coffee houses only slightly better. In a city and country where everyone seems to be operating on a caffeine high at all times (other than the preternaturally calm Shimon Peres), you would think that there would be a greater demand for great coffee. But...no.

And, another thing. Tissue paper. Israel is certainly not a third world country; but its tissue paper certainly is. You might ass well blow your nose into copy paper. I have had a higher quality "Kleenex" product in Russia than one can find in Israel. Why? Is the tissue paper in Hotels in Jerusalem manufactured by the same folks who make the coffee?

Then, there's the toilet paper. OK, I'll stop there.

Rwexler

4 comments:

joebrown42 said...

Hi. As someone who lived 10 years in Jerusalem, I have no good answer.
Re Coffee - ONLY go into places who serve Ilie (pronounce EE LEE) coffee.
And ask for an americano.
Hope that helps,
Joe

RWEX said...

Joe,

Thanks. Ilie is an Italian roast. Wouldn't you think a country with the brainpower to invent the most complex of software applications and a peope who made the desert bloom, could develop the technique for brewing good coffee?

Anonymous said...

it`s just that your hotel is being cheap!
"lily" toilet paper and tissues are as good as any good american product.richard step out of the hotel and pay a visit to the supersol supermarket on agron street and see why israel is on a par with the usa on almost everything sold to a choosy consumer. shabbat shalom, stan

joebrown42 said...

LOL
I know, I know.
We can make grapes grow in the desert, but heaven forbid we should make good coffee...
Shabbat Shalom,
Joe