January
2026
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(Last year -2025)
(Last year -2025)
THIS WEEK'S PICTURE
24th January 2026
Snail Sale
THIS WEEK'S PICTURE
17th January 2026
European Bridge Youth Champioships - Albena, Bulgaria July 2011
THIS WEEK'S NEWS
THIS WEEK'S PICTURE
10th January 2026
24th January 2026
Snail Sale
We returned this morning from
a short 4 day trip to Larnaca. The weather was cold, windy and rainy,
so most of the time we relaxed in our flat. But we did visit the
Faneromeni Tomb situated very near our apartment, about 2 kms
away.
On the road at the entrance to the tomb we were fascinated by a women selling snails which are plentiful in rainy weather and very popular in Cyprus. In restaurants snails in butter and garlic - escargot - can cost between €10 - €25 for 6 snails. The price of the snails seen in the picture was €5 for a large packet. We were leaving the next day for home, but on our next visit we'll buy some and try them.,if she is still there.
THIS
WEEK'S NEWSOn the road at the entrance to the tomb we were fascinated by a women selling snails which are plentiful in rainy weather and very popular in Cyprus. In restaurants snails in butter and garlic - escargot - can cost between €10 - €25 for 6 snails. The price of the snails seen in the picture was €5 for a large packet. We were leaving the next day for home, but on our next visit we'll buy some and try them.,if she is still there.
- Our granddaughter Lior Ron and her 2nd cousins Yarden Levy and Amit Nickel were inseparable when they were young but have not met for many years. They were delighted (and so were we) when they met again.
- Frankie Klaff (our good friend and 'cousin-in-law') celebrated her 80th birthday. (See Goldberg tree)
THIS WEEK'S PICTURE
17th January 2026
European Bridge Youth Champioships - Albena, Bulgaria July 2011
2011 was a good year for me
and for Israel bridge. I was the Chief Tournament Director at the youth
championships and Israel won the Gold Medal in the Under 26
Championship and the Silver Medal in the Under 21 Championships.
(This is another picture from October 2010 to February 2012 when this site was not updated)
(This is another picture from October 2010 to February 2012 when this site was not updated)
THIS WEEK'S NEWS
- We spent a few days at the Dead Sea taking part in the GoBridge bridge festival there. Although our results were only average we enjoyed the stay and the extremely well organised festival.
- The Vert Hotel where we stayed for the bridge festival had a performance by two of the Black Hebrews from Arad who sang and performed classic songs from way back, some from 60 years ago! They were excellent and we enjoyed the performance and of course the nostalgia.
THIS WEEK'S PICTURE
10th January 2026
The
Eilat Levys Visit the Biblical Zoo December 2010
THIS
WEEK'S NEWS
- Thanks to parents Melodie and Mark Nathan, daughter of Doreen's cousin Lucille Melamed (see Nickel tree) in Florida for sending us these pictures of their daughter Gabi who has just graduated from High School. Gabi is an All America wrestler at the national level.
- Tomorrow we travel again, not so far this time - to the Dead Sea to take part in a bridge festival there
3rd January 2026
We are still in Cyprus and
will be here until the middle of next week. Last Sunday we went
to a
Carvery Luncheon at the Columbia Steak House in Limassol. We went
there last Christmas as well and again we were not disappointed by the
variety
and quantity of the food. In addition to the carved meat, lamb, pork
and beef, there was also chicken, duck, salmon, sushi, a variety of
salads and mouth-watering desserts.
But what impressed us the most was the wine list. which included Petrus Pomerol at the price of €6,500 for a bottle! We fondly remembered that we had celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary in 1984 with Petros Pomerol. We paid about $100 the equivalent of $300 today. At that time Petrus Pomerol was largely unknown. Two years later Time Magazine published an article: " ....True wine lovers think nothing of paying $80 for a bottle of Chateau Lafite .... but many discriminating connoisseurs are paying even more for a once obscure, less aristocratic wine - Petrus Pomerol."
Doreen wrote a full account of how we came to buy and drink this wine in her cookbook A Potpourri of Memories. You can read it here.
And by the way - If I had not bought the wine but rather invested the money for 40 years at 5% my investment would be about $700. Even at 10% the return of $5,000 would not be enough to buy this wine at the Columbia Carvery.
But what impressed us the most was the wine list. which included Petrus Pomerol at the price of €6,500 for a bottle! We fondly remembered that we had celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary in 1984 with Petros Pomerol. We paid about $100 the equivalent of $300 today. At that time Petrus Pomerol was largely unknown. Two years later Time Magazine published an article: " ....True wine lovers think nothing of paying $80 for a bottle of Chateau Lafite .... but many discriminating connoisseurs are paying even more for a once obscure, less aristocratic wine - Petrus Pomerol."
Doreen wrote a full account of how we came to buy and drink this wine in her cookbook A Potpourri of Memories. You can read it here.
And by the way - If I had not bought the wine but rather invested the money for 40 years at 5% my investment would be about $700. Even at 10% the return of $5,000 would not be enough to buy this wine at the Columbia Carvery.
THIS
WEEK'S NEWS
- Our dear friend Morris Kahn passed away
this week at the age of 96. Morris was my boss for many years and we
became good friends. We spent many happy times with him at his home and
travelling with him to China, the Galapagos, Seychelles and sailing
with him to many destinations. Despite
his wealth he was modest
and approachable and exceptionally
generous and well known for his philanthropy. We extend our heartfelt
condolences to his sons David and Benjamin, his grandchildren and his
family. See Wikipedia and
Doreen's Column for her her personal tribute.
- We're still relaxing in Larnaca with very little travelling and enjoying the Christmas atmosphere. But we did take a short and interesting trip to Deryneia and Paralimni just north of Paphos in the Famagusta region.
- Yesterday we went for lunch to a fish tavern in Zygi, a seaside village about 45 minutes away along the sea road. It's a lovely drive passing through beautiful green agricultural areas. We stopped at a small farm shop where we bought WHITE strawberries.
- Doreen's sister Louise Braverman sends New Year greetings to all family and friends.