Caution: Girls Gone Wild

Picture this: Tel Aviv's 3rd annual white night celebration that honors her UNESCO status as a world Heritage site. The streets are alive with music and food until well into the morning and museums and art galleries keep there doors open as well, and often for free. This year Tel Aviv is celebrating her 100 year anniversary and the city was more bustling and filled with people than I have ever seen it. Add on top of that the European cup final that was broadcast on huge screens in every 2nd restaurant and pub and I don't think anyone stayed home.

Into the picture comes a girl dressed in a white shirt and pants with a tiara and veil, strutting down the main street with a group of 10 other females walking by her side equipped with noise makers in their mouths and pink and black sashes that said "Caution: Girls Gone Wild." In the US, everyone would immediately recognize this as a bachelorette party. To my surprise, few people in Israel understood what was going on.

Bachelorette parties are common among Israelis, but usually they are done behind closed doors either with dinner, dancing or a night on the beach. The idea of walking through the streets and announcing to the world that you are celebrating your last night of single womanhood is apparently an American pastime. We had a great time blowing our noisemakers and taking pictures with strangers, but most people thought it was her birthday. The few times she told people she was getting married, she was met with broad smiles and good wishes.

In a city like Tel Aviv where anything goes, including a girl in a veil and tiara, and especially on that night, this bride-to-be and her posse of friends has very like shock value. Not to worry, it was still memorable and we sent her off to marriage in style.