And now, the lighter side of the excavation...
Yes, Robyn did bring her own Starbucks cup for her two week stint in Ashkelon this summer. Happily she has put it to good use as we have enjoyed French press coffee on a near daily basis.
Food, in fact, becomes very important during the season. Though the hotel food is plentiful, and yes that is a plate of pastries n the table in front of Robyn and no she did not eat all of them herself, and is well prepared there isn't a great deal of variety. A week or two into the season, trips to the Russian Market for ice cream, jaunts down to the Marina for pizza, and forays into Afridar for burgers become ever more popular and frequent.
We are lucky, however, and quite honestly spoiled to be fed by the Dan Gardens Hotel. During the preseason and postseason breakfast is in the hotel every morning where we feast on pastries, bread, cereal, yogurt and granola, a buffet of salads and cheeses, a variety of eggs and for the really brave an assortment of pickled fish. The big bonus is the addition of a coffee machine that can make an espresso or latte at the touch of the button. This is the same breakfast that we will all enjoy Saturday mornings during the dig season. Lunch and dinner are very similar and generally consist of hot and cold buffets as well as an extensive dessert/fruit selection. There is something for everyone and the choices can accommodate almost any diet plan.
Of course, breakfast in the field is a big deal too. And I'm pleased to report that it is equally plentiful if not quite as exciting. We usually get multiple types of bread, yogurt, vegetables, cheese, one hot dish (the type varies) and plenty of fresh fruit. Speaking of fruit, if you want some for "fruit break", our late morning break while in the field, you will need to save some from breakfast. I'm sure I'm forgetting something but these are the basics. Interesting, while many people lose weight on the excavation, the work is strenuous after all, many manage to somehow gain weight. (I've been told already this summer that the new dessert lineup is rather delicious.) Fortunately, for the really ambitious there is a gym.
So, Robyn and her coffee and, in case you didn't see the tweet, the lovely tea with mint and cookies we enjoyed in the compound this morning as we all worked on our various projects.
