
Until now most, if not all, of my blogs have been inspired and dedicated to reflections on deeper human issues. The very last one shared my intense experience of the conflict between Israel and the West Bank, likely one of the most complex of topics. The last 6 months, which seems to be the magic period of time I spend in various places around the world, I lived in Los Angeles. Going there I anticipated being turned off by the plasticity and artificiality, even superficiality of the people, and the environment there. And so, for the initial period, one in which I was subletting in Beverly Hills, of all of the places, my expectations were fulfilled. People were polite but yet in the kind of insincere way we can be towards each other. But then I moved to another location and people as well as the character of the environment changed to, becoming less plastic, less fake, less bogus. This was a welcomed change. And thus Los Angeles grew on me. And so, now having just departed this vast entity, at least for now, after spending the last couple of weeks in Venice Beach there, to culminate the experience and unwind in preparation for the challenges ahead, I thought to reflect upon some of the beauty I encountered there, and was truly touched by. Wishing to make this purely emotional and subliminal, I shall refrain from further words and allow the images to speak for themselves. I do hope you shall enjoy them and find in them some calm and peace.