The first time I came to Tel Aviv in Spring 2011 I was taken straight to a massive street party for Purim - the Jewish Halloween (as it was described to me, anyway). Surrounded by Israeli's in some mad costumes, filled up with arak (aka raki, aka ouzo, aka sambuca) and grapefruit juice cocktail, a tiny bit of weed smuggled in from some field somewhere in the Middle East and all to the background of unrelenting techno music I was in complete awe. Techno music - particularly at an outdoor party - often tends to give me that sense of WHOOOAAA, I think because it reminds me of that Jennifer Lopez video, and combined with strobe lights and very strong drinks you tend to get very wondrous.
So, fast forward 2 years to a Thursday night (start of the middle east weekend!) in Ramallah and I'm getting the same feeling while at a slightly smaller party at the summer opening for an outdoor bar. After a couple of weeks of rain and overcast skies the good weather and summer had arrived here. Looking out at the mix of foreigners and Palestinians herking and jerking to those sweet techno beats I couldn't help that thinking no doubt somewhere in Tel Aviv a very similar party must be taking place at some outdoor bar, right down to the music and strong cocktails. Just swap out the Israeli's for Palestinians and it's all the same... just some kids trying to enjoy the start of the weekend.
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