Overall, a "Quiet" Day in Haifa

Sushi saved me from insanity! Though Eyal, Avinoam, and I were pretty cranky because we all hadn't really been out for days, it was still good just to get out. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that more coffee shops and restaurants had re-opened: Lichi, Greg, Toot, CafeNeto, and Shtaym Sucar are open. But Giraffe, DinneRush, Aroma, and Jacko's remain closed and there are still few people on the street. Other businesses are also still closed.

Today was the quietest day of the week in Haifa; only two sirens, and both were false alarms. However, three different people told me that was exactly what scared them: the silence before the storm. Nasrallah has promised us more surprises, according his videotaped statements.

But I realized after going out for sushi that there is still life out there. It's safer for my emotional health to go outside than to be inside all day long and becoming paranoid. So in the evening, my boyfriend and I went out for a little walk in the Carmel Centre. There's a media party out there.

There are dozens of TV news crews camped out on Yeffe Nof Street.

Above is a beautiful lookout point in my neighbourhood that I always bring my out-of-town guests to. Cameras are stationed here hoping to catch sight of incoming missiles from Lebanon, which is 33 km north.

Haifa's mayor Yona Yahav, below, was in the area as well, being interviewed. He showed us the little metal balls that explode out of the missile. That's part of what makes them so dangerous - they scatter upon impact, maximizing the damage and killing people standing even many metres away.

Now we're back at home, watching news again. I'm very sad for all the civilians, Lebanese and Israeli, who are continually being affected by this conflict.