Category: Israel

After 10 days in Israel, we are on our way to Johannesburg to begin our 14½-week African adventure.

We have a long journey ahead of us. Tel Aviv–Istanbul, Istanbul–Dar es Salaam and finally Dar es Salaam–Johannesburg. Total travel time, including Israel hotel to Johannesburg hotel, will be about 22+ hours, but hey, we’re travelling Business Class, so it shouldn’t be too uncomfortable.

We enjoyed the people, the history and the food of Israel. We love shawarmas and hummus however we are also looking forward to a change. Israel is also very expensive, so we’re also looking forward to fewer visits to the ATM! Overall, a great country, and we would highly recommend a visit.

On Monday, June 5th, we did a full-day tour to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Our first stop was the top of the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of the city of Jerusalem. Next stop was Mount Zion to visit King David’s Tomb, the Room of the Last Supper and the Dormition Abbey.

We then entered the Old City and walked through the Armenian and Jewish quarters to the recently excavated and restored Cardo, the Roman road. We checked out the Jewish Wailing Wall, the Kotel, and continued to the Christian quarter. We walked along the Via Dolorosa, the path that Jesus took to his Crucifixion, and visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The church contains, according to traditions dating back to at least the 4th century, the two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus was crucified and Jesus’s empty tomb, where he is said to have been buried and resurrected.

We then continued on to Bethlehem, which is located in Palestinian territory on the West Bank, to visit the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square, at the site traditionally believed to be where Jesus was born. Although Joyce and I are not religious, it was nonetheless an interesting and educational experience.

View of Old Jerusalem and the Dome of the Rock

The Roman Road (Cardo)

Part of the Via Dolorosa

Entrance to the Church of Holy Sepulchre

The spot of Jesus’s Crucifiction

The marble rock bed Jesus was laid upon after his crucifixion

The Wailing Wall and Dome of the Rock

The Church of Nativity

Entrance to Jesus’s birth place

The spot where Jesus was born

The Manger

Manger Square

West Bank

On June 7th, we did another full-day tour, this one to the Pearls of the Western Galilee, north of Tel Aviv along the coast to the border with Lebanon. First stop was the ancient Roman capital and port city of Caesarea, where we walked among the Roman theatre archaeological ruins and excavations.

The city was built by King Herod for Julius Caesar, but since Julius lived in Rome, he never actually visited or lived there, so King Herod took it for himself. He was a smart fellow, this King. He built a swimming pool beside the ocean, aqueducts from the faraway mountain springs and even converted the theatre into a swimming pool to host aqua sports. There is a giant drain in the centre of the theatre that would drain the pool when not needed. The theatre is still in use to this day and utilizes all of the original sandstone seats and theatre acoustics.

After visiting Caesarea, we continued north to Haifa, the northernmost city in Israel, built in tiers extending from the Mediterranean up the north slope of Mount Carmel. Next stop, Rosh Hanikra, where we descended by cable car into the underwater grottoes. The grottoes are located metres from the border with Lebanon. Our final stop was Acre, whose Old City is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Outdoor swimming pool

In the distance, one of the silos for the “Iron Dome” built by Israel to defend against rocket attacks

A huge dining hall used by the Knights of the Crusaders. This site was excavated only 28 years ago

We arrived in Israel on May 31st through the Wadi Araba border crossing between Aqaba and Eilat. It was a national holiday in Israel, and we were a little worried we wouldn’t be able to get a seat on a bus to Tel Aviv, but the gods were with us and we had no problems. The bus ride was about 5 hours and took us through a moonscape in the south into lush agricultural lands as we slowly proceeded northwest towards the Mediterranean and the city of Tel Aviv.

We found a lovely boutique hotel, the Blue Sea Marble, located one block from the beach. We were going to spend only two nights and then try to get an Airbnb to save some money, but after spending several hours looking through dozens of listings, we realized we should stay where we were. All the listings we saw for under $160.00 were dumps! People were obviously just trying to make a buck during the summer. The pictures showed unmade beds, dirty kitchens and cluttered bathrooms, if they showed any bathroom pictures at all.

Our hotel includes breakfast, is convenient to the city centre and beach, and we get room service every day if needed. In this case, Airbnb was not worth the hassle and the unwanted surprises we would likely encounter. We will be doing some full-day tours on the 5th and the 7th, and in between will be lots of beach time and exploring Tel Aviv. Next week is Gay Pride Week, with the grand finale next Friday the 9th being the Gay Pride Parade.

After a relaxing evening and expensive meal on the beachside promenade, with undoubtedly the worst service we have ever experienced, we headed out the next morning to explore the Old Town of Jaffa, the southern and oldest part of Tel Aviv. We explored the ancient port city and its nearby flea market. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical stories of Jonah, Solomon and St. Peter, as well as the mythological story of Andromeda and Perseus. Jaffa is one of the oldest port cities in the world.

View of Jaffa on the right tip

View of Tel Aviv from Jaffa

Jacob’s Dream Monument

Jaffa flea market