IPP

After a long 3 year wait we finally are having another IPP.  This is a day we have all been waiting for.  Sadly, because of politics, location, weather, you add a word....The crowd was smaller this year.  It was a truly intimate affair with friends a plenty.  That sounds like it would be a negative, but it truly wasn't.  We all got to meet everyone and really sit down and chat with them.  This usually doesn't happen at the bigger IPP's.  Normally it is a quick chat at the exchange.  Meeting with our bestest of friends and spending the time chatting with them with a cursory hello and short chat with others.  

We arrived with Marti and her number one son (does everyone remember Lee Chan?) Doug.  We all decided after the tour that it was just too hot in Tel Aviv and did not want to sit around for 4 more hours without a hotel room and a shower.  Our cab ride to the city was uneventful and relatively short.  Checking in to the hotel was a breeze even though it was Shabbat. We all agreed to take showers, unpack and hit the lobby again at 7 for dinner.   Stupid Gentiles.  The hotel booked us a cab and the 7 of us hopped into it.  The driver took us to what looked like a closed up abandoned shopping center.  (We still didn't cotton on to the Shabbat thing.)  We all agreed that it would be best to return to the hotel so we tried to get him to take us there.  Big problem.  He spoke no English.  Or Hebrew for that matter.  It took me a while, but I realized his language was Arabic and thanks to Google Translate we were returned to the hotel.  But only after a bit of a joy ride around the town.  

Upon our return to the hotel there was  bit of chicanery going on with the cab driver.  He was paid 3 times over to not call the police. But in the end it was all ok. The driver paid back the overpayment and the desk clerk got his chance to yell at all of us. Lesson learned.  We waited and called in an order of food from lord only knows where.  the bar did open and we did manage to get some wine so all ended well.

The next morning was a tour of the old city which we enjoyed greatly.  We walked through more tunnels than I care to ever do again in my life.  The first was a day tour to the old city. Here we went to the temple mount and saw the tunnels below the wailing wall.  Our tour guide told us we would see the wall on the next trip and refused to let us go.  How hard would it have been?  10 minutes? Meh? For me it didn't matter.  I've been there before, but there were many with us that day who were disappointed.  I'll keep my thoughts on that tour guide to myself.  The tour though was spectacular!  We wandered around the old city for a bit.  Not all of it. The Muslim quarter (again, we've done that before).  This time we got to stop at all 10 stations of the cross.  um  14?  (But wait, it doesn't stop in Jerusalem...) I was in heaven. I had a Catholic moment and said a prayer at each station.  The final stop?  The church of the Holy Sepulcher. This was a thrill for me. When we were last here, we only had 5 minutes to tour it because some guy on our tour got lost and we ended up spending 3 hours at the Western wall.  Wailing.  (see what I did there?) 

While there, I dipped a tissue in the oil on the stone of unction and brought it back to Tanner.  That poor man has had over 11 surgeries on his back.  A few years back he fallen off a balcony and that was that. Hopefully the prayers and beliefs will help him. If not, next time he can go roll on the stone.

Once again, we didn't see the bones of Jesus but I guess that can wait for a future trip.

The founders reception was great.  First, there was food.  This is all important because usually there isn't enough.  Second, they had free pour all night long.  None of that 2 ticket business.  Although, I don't mind buying wine.  The rush to the bar is always a disaster.  Third, the goats!  I just loved the goats.  And finally, the view!  Amazing.  

The next day was the puzzle exchange and I am sorry to say I got no photos.  I was too busy catching up with people and introducing Tanner.  We had 55 people in the exchange this year so that made the chat time much longer.  

There were lectures after and I opted instead to go for a walk to the old town.  I found Gaya games and bought a few puzzles I didn't have.  

At the awards dinner we sat with Dmitry and had a great conversation. I really enjoyed talking with him.  

Sunday was the puzzle party and as usual we had a table.  I set up while George had breakfast and chatted some more. The table next to me was Perry's so I had to get one of his wedding cakes. I even got a diamond ring from him! 

When the doors opened I made a beeline for Boaz's table and bought his newest puzzle. Then hit up a few more tables. My only disappointment was not purchasing the puzzle books and letting George look first.  He managed to get sidetracked and by the time I got back, they were all sold out.  The highlight for most was the Dubois table.  I had most of them, but did buy a bunch of interlocking puzzles for George to burr tools and assemble.  Dor held back a burr set for us and George made an exchange with the son of the daughter.  At the end of the IPP we were gifted a rather large shape assembly.  That was on display, but more on that later.  Bill told me it was like a flee market made just for puzzlers.  We put a timer on the table and if anyone could solve my exchange in 3 minutes they were given one for free.  I gave away 2!  Not so easy after all was it Nick :) The best was to Louis's son.  He gave a great cheer and a fist in the air when he solved it.  He had 1 second to go!  Loads of photos of the puzzle party coming next. 

There was a nice display of Phillip Dubois puzzles in the design competition room.  

One of the great joys for me this year was the number of new attendees.  George and I gave our exchange puzzles to most of the new people. If we missed any, we are very sorry.  The pleasure they got from being at IPP and realizing that it's not just puzzle boxes and discord chatter was priceless.  

I spent the afternoon packing and listening to a few lectures.  All in all it was a great time as always.  I won't post the usual photo of the puzzle haul because I just didn't take one. The bed was too small.  When we returned home, we had to put things away rather quickly so the renovations and repairs could continue.  

Next post: post-trips and the return home.