Monday in Jerusalem

Spent much of today in the Old City.

Entered the Jaffa Gate and wandered around the Muslim Quarter, then the Jewish, Christian and Armenian Quarters to give Helen a taste of the city. 

Delivery by hand-cart

Went to the Burnt House Museum, which was great - it is the remains of a house which was burnt during the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 (at the time of the destruction of the Second Temple).

The Dome of the Rock

I haven't seen anything else like the Old City of Jerusalem - streets which appear largely unchanged for thousands of years.  Narrow streets paved with Jerusalem stone and slippery as they have been worn smooth by thousands of years of feet.  Little shops selling goods of every description - from Christian, Muslim and Jewish souvenirs to meat, incense, sweets, historical artefacts and so much more.  Store owners using their extremely limited English to seek custom and trying every trick in the book.  Ultra orthodox Jews buying fruit from Muslim men dressed in traditional desert garb.  A little arab girl walking through the Jewish Quarter in a Palestine t-shirt.  Greek Orthodox priests in heavy black robes.  Lots of soldiers with semi-automatic weapons (and with their fingers very definitely on the trigger), particularly in the Muslim Quarter.  Civilians (or at least people not in arms uniform) with guns tucked into their waistband.  Large families.  Extremely modestly dressed women.  So much more.

In the Jewish Quarter

Girls, mobile phones and guns in the Jewish Quarter

Got very substantially lost looking for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (purportedly Jesus' burial site).  Spent so much time wandering through the Christian Quarter that I am now on close personal terms with the elders of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate.

Eventually came across the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and spent some time there.  It is ia bizarre and labyrinthine building absolutely packed full of pilgrims and full of smells of incense and chanting.

In the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

 

In the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Then decided to find a different way out of the Old City.  Looked for the New Gate, but ended up walking all the way through the Muslim Quarter and exiting through the Damascus Gate into East Jerusalem.  Jumped into a cab as quickly as possible and headed back for lunch at the King David Hotel before a relaxing afternoon.

The Muslim Quarter is fascinating.  Lots of sights and smells and people and pushing and shoving and hand-held push carts and incredible piles of sweets and rows of old men smoking hookahs and more.

Enough typing - back to watching the World Cup in Hebrew.

Upper Galilee to Jerusalem

The concise version:
- dinner last night at a fish restaurant on the Sea of Galilee with our guide and his daughter, her husband and their 12 year old daughter.  Lilach, our guide's daughter, lives in a moshav (village) in the Golan Heights, which she and her husband helped found more than 20 years ago.  Their children have spent all their lives in the Golan.  A fascinating evening for various reasons and particularly interesting to hear their sincere desire for a lasting peace and the high personal price they would be prepared to pay for it. 
- today visited Beit She'an, an archeological site in the galilee.  Hot.  Well-preserved Roman and Byzantine ruins.
-  also visited Beit Alpha, an extremely well-preserved mosaic floor of a synagogue from the first centuries AD.
- next a natural swimming hole mostly frequented by the Israeli Arab community.
- Drove for an hour or so through the West Bank towards Jerusalem.  The Palestinian villages in the West Bank look to have far lower living standards than Israeli towns (or for that matter, Israeli settlements in the West Bank). 
- I'm becoming fairly used to military checkpoints manned by teenagers with heavy weaponry.
- The Mount of Olives - an incredible view of Jerusalem's old city and of the principal burial site for Jews.  Slightly scary.
- Driving through East Jerusalem.  Interesting.  I felt fairly unwelcome.
- 2000 year old olive trees at Gethsamene.
- Driving through a Haredi (ultra-orthodox) Jerusalem neighbourhood.  Fascinating but a little scary.
- A walk through Yemin Moshe, a beautiful neighbourhood made of Jerusalem stone.
- Dinner tonight in an Italian restaurant in the German Colony neighbourhood of Jerusalem.  I think they put dessicated coconut in my risotto.
- Walking back from dinner I saw my doppelganger working in a shop in the German Colony.  I've never seen anyone who looked like me before.  A weird feeling.

Photos!

Mosque in the old city of Akko

Old city of Akko

Old city of Akko

Rosh Hanikrah immediately before I was soaked by a huge wave

H and I at Rosh Hanikrah

Looking over into Syria, Golan Heights

At an old Israeli outpost in the Golan Heights with Syria behind me

Looking over into Jordan, Upper Galilee

The Golan Heights

Earlier this afternoon at an Israeli bunker / memorial in the Golan Heights, with no-one else in sight:

Me: where do you think the Syrian border is from here?

Guide: I'm not sure - close I think.  (pause... points to a ditch no more than 50-75 metres away) I think it's at that ditch.

We spent the day in the Golan Heights - which was absolutely fascinating and a region I strongly recommend for a visit.  We've now spent large parts of the past couple of days on or very near the Lebanese border, Syrian border and Lebanese border.  Actually, the kibbutz hotel at which we're staying is pretty near both the Syrian border and the Jordanian border.  My mobile phone switched over to a Jordanian network before and I got various welcome messages in English and Arabic. 

The Golan is beautiful and the land is very productive.  Apart from the land not yet cleared of land mines, much of the land is given over to impressive-looking production of fruit, vegetables and cows.  We visited a couple of kibbutzes and numerous monuments to the bravery of Israeli soldiers in the 1973 war.  And lunch at a tiny falafel shop in a Druze village right up in the far north of the country (the village where, famously, residents have yelled conversations with relatives in villages on the Syrian side of the border).

This afternoon we wound down a road with lots of twists and turns near the Jordanian border (Israel's land stops at the bottom of a gorge and Jordan has the opposite side of the gorge).  Jordanian villages so close it felt you could touch them.  The scenery was just incredibly beautiful.

Now back at the Kibbutz hotel on the Sea of Galilee.  Tomorrow we make our way to Jerusalem.

More later.....

Haifa to the Sea of Galilee

Stayed last night in the Colony Hotel in the German colony – an old part of Haifa which was formerly (until WWII) a German community. A hundred year old building – originally built as a hotel and now restored. A very nice old building, but not perfect as a hotel.


Last night wandered around Haifa – a mix of Jewish, Christian and Muslim. A substantial Arab population, many of whom it appears are Christian.  Lots of cafes and street life.

First up this morning headed to Akko. An ancient port, now a mixed city of arabs and jews. It has the best-preserved crusader ruins. It is a walled city and was the crusader base back around the 12th century. It fell to the Muslims, who successfully defended it against Napoleon. It was an admistrative base for the Ottoman empire and a citadel was built over the crusader fort. The fort was only uncovered in the past 60 years, underneath more modern (ie. last few century) buildings.  There have been security issues over the years, but it is presently peaceful.

Walked through amazing ancient tunnels, dug by the crusaders to provide an avenue for escape.   Saw the huge and impressive crusader fort.  It hasn't changed much since I was here a few years ago - but nevertheless an amazing sight.

Visited a mosque – my first – in the old city of Akko. A very attractive old building. Some people were praying, but it was ok to visit as long as I did not step onto the prayer mat.

Watched a very amusing – and informative – audio/video presentation about Akko’s Turkish bathhouse.

Next drove to Rosh Hankirah. Beautiful caves and a massive white rock on the Lebanese border.

A cable car down to the caves. Another good informative video then inside. The caves have been formed over millennia by the water meeting the rock. We were standing at a low observation point watching the incredibly blue water and the waves washing against the rocks when a particularly enthusiastic wave came up and washed right over us. We were soaked! It was really fun (though totally unexpected – I had thought from my last time here that I would get no more than a few drops of water).

Walked up to the border – no photos allowed. Peered through the gates towards the UN stationed between the Israeli side and the Lebanese side. Our guide, who has fought in 5 wars for Israel, held a senior logistics role at the time of the first Lebanese war (ie. the early 80s) and passed through this border crossing many times. The only traffic now is UN officials. And apparently it was used to return the bodies of 3 soldiers captured and killed by Hezbollah.

Drove along the Northern Border Road towards Tsfat. The road follows the border, a little way inside Israel. From parts of the road one can see into Lebanon. There are many villages along the way – these are the villages and towns which have been subject to rocket attacks from Lebanon. The rockets can reach all the way to Haifa (where we spent last night) though more commonly they are directed at the towns closer to the border.

Arrived in Tsfat and had an awesome felafel pocket for lunch at a local felafel joint recommended by a taxi driver. Then headed to the old part of the city hoping to view some synagogues and etc; but unfortunately it was a Friday afternoon and everything was closing / closed up for the start of Shabbat.

Drove to Kibbutz Maagan, which has a holiday village/hotel where we are staying for the next couple of nights. The kibbutz is right on the Sea of Galilee and has many Israelis (of all religions staying). The poolside action was fascinating.

Tel Aviv - Haifa

This morning met our guide - Itamar - and headed towards Ceasarea.  I was there a few years ago with M, but it was amazing to see again.  It is a city and port built by Herod The Great in about 20BC, then extended a few hundred years later and modified again by the crusaders a thousand or so years later.  It was ransacked and mostly destroyed by the Muslims who defeated the crusaders and has been partly excavated over the last 50 years.  Absolutely incredible - a place everyone should see.  You can still see the large Roman city it would have been, complete with an amazing public bathhouse, a hippodrome and a restored ampitheatre (now used for concerts).

Then stopped in Zichron Ya'acov - one of the earliest Jewish towns in Israel, settled in 1882.  It is a very pretty town of 9,000 people and a really nice place to visit.  We visited a fascinating little museum about a group of jews who were valuable sources of intelligence to the British in their defeat of the Ottomon empire (ie. the Turks) in Palestine during WW1 - many of the group died for their efforts. 

Then lunch in a Druze village - an amazing selection of middle-eastern salads followed by meat.  Way too much food, but some of the tastiest I've ever eaten.  An amazing meal.  The Druze are a thousand-year-old spin-off of Islam - I have no understanding of their beliefs.

Then to Haifa.  A major port and Israel's 3rd city.  We did the obligatory stop for photos looking out over the Baha'i Gardens - very beautiful and immaculately kept gardens at the headquarters of the Baha'i religion (Baha'i is another religion whose beliefs I don't really understand).  See photos below, including a photo of the ship Israel recently confiscated from the protesters trying to breach the Gaza blockade.

Staying in Haifa tonight.  Wandered around the German Colony (we're staying in the heart of it at the Colony Hotel) and ate more hummus.

Masada and the Dead Sea

A (long) day at Masada and the Dead Sea, driven by Shimon (thanks to D). Incredibly hot again, though probably a little cooler than the last two days.

The drive to Jerusalem was interesting - instead of Highway One we took another road which took us close to Modi'in (an attractive newish Israeli town half-way between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem) and Ramallah, the capital of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. 

Then we passed through Jerusalem and past a large and well-established Jewish settlement in the West Bank (built in an incredible location on top of a ridge - with amazing views) - I'm pretty sure it was called Ma'ale Adumim.  After passing through East Jerusalem I had my first sighting of the security fence (ie. the fence between the west bank and Israel).

Passing through various check points (almost invariably staffed by hot twenty-something girls wearing machine guns - and who if they weren't manning a security checkpoint would fit right in at a Mount Scopus Memorial College 5 year reunion) we made our way towards Masada.  The highway is (mostly) shared between Israeli and Palestinian traffic.

The views as we came towards the Dead Sea were spectacular.  A desert landscape with the blue sea below and Jordan beyond.  And Masada has a distinctive shape.  Masada was very hot, with lots of walking and climbing in oppressive heat.  H coped really well, although we did get lost and climbed down an unnecessarily large number of stairs down to a viewing platform below the Northern Palace.  And then back up again as there was no alternative.  I have been before, but it is very well worth a second visit.  The story of Masada is amazing (and well-known) and the unlikelihood of a substantial palace being built at the top of a mountain in the desert makes it a unique experience. 

After Masada we swam in the Dead Sea.  Much more fun than I remember it.  Great fun floating and quite peaceful once a bit further out.  My skin tingled and I felt totally rejuvanated.  Amazing to float in the Dead Sea and watch the desert and rock cliffs on one side and Jordan on the other side of the sea a few kilometres away.  Unfortunately H hated the Dead Sea floating experience - she felt out of control and couldn't get into it.

Then we drove back towards Tel Aviv and had a very late (and good) lunch at a Lebanese restaurant in an Arab village just on the Tel Aviv side of Jerusalem.  Eventually made it back to the hotel.  A rest, then dinner at a cute cafe on Dizengof, a frozen yoghurt and pretty much ready for bed.

Tel Aviv II

It is now early evening Tuesday in Tel Aviv.

 

Last night dinner in Jaffa at Dr Shakshuka (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/middle-east/israel/tel-aviv/59261/dr-shakshuka/restaurant-detail.html).  Although only a few kilometres away, Jaffa has a totally different feel to Tel Aviv.  Possibly because it is a biblical town as opposed to a city created out of nothing in the past 120 years.  Old Jaffa's port is beautiful and dramatic and its winding side-streets filled with restaurants and hookah-smoking joints are fascinating.  A great place to be at dusk in summer.  Dr Shakshuka (which M and I visited 3-4 years ago) is totally unchanged - and it is probably unchanged for many decades.  Huge bowls of cous cous and meat and vegetables - Libyan style.  And obviously shakshukas (baked eggs, tomatoes, onions, spices).

 

Today another epic breakfast, which included a different type of halva, fruits which I cannot name, new and exciting white and yellow cheeses and too much more to mention.  Then we headed to the Museum of the Diaspora.  The museum is on the campus of Tel Aviv University and absolutely blew me away last time and left me feeling very drained and emotional - and not just because M somehow lost my prescription sunglasses there, leaving me to enjoy the remaining 7 1/2 weeks of our 2 month summer holiday without sunglasses (until I bought a pair which I wore over my normal glasses, making me look like a tool).  The museum is pathetically dated and low-tech (stuck in the 1970s) but it nevertheless has amazing emotional resonance.  The highlight is the miniatures of 20 synagogues from around the world, together with stories and pictures which bring to life Jewish communities all over the world.  It is an amazing place and highly recommended.

 

Then the Eretz Israel Museum (the land of Israel museum).  Amazing exhibits of pottery, glassware, coins etc through history.  The ceramics were incredible - dating back up to 5,000 years.  The glassware was also amazing. 

 

Also this morning a walk along Tel Aviv beach and a swim in the sea.  The water was cool due to the breeze over the water - much needed given it was 33 degrees celcius at 8:30am.

 

Tonight dinner with a family friend.

 

Tomorrow Masada and the Dead Sea.

 

Very much enjoying Israel and the people and the atmosphere.

Melbourne to Tel Aviv

It is early evening Monday in Tel Aviv.

 

Left Melbourne on Saturday evening - by bizarre coincidence D, K and E arrived at the airport to move to Australia as H and I were leaving, so we had a chance to say hello.  E is very cute.

 

Qantas economy to Hong Kong.  I subsisted for 9 fairly painful hours.  The idiot in front put his seat as far back as possible as soon as possible, then left it there as long as possible.  Lots of fun with a sore lower back and broken shoulder.  I slept a little and the nice girl next to me helpfully let me know that I snored as I slept.

 

5 hours in Hong Kong airport.  A few of them spent organising AirFrance boarding pass, then I ate a fairly good bowl of congee for breakfast.

 

12 hours from Hong Kong to Paris on AirFrance.  Premium Economy.  Plenty of room and moderately comfortable seats.  Easily the least attentive service I've experienced on a plane - totally ignored for many hours in a row.  They served cognac after dinner which was a bonus.  The meals contained pork and seafood in abundance.

 

Almost 2 hours at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.  Tight security for an Israel flight.  H had a fairly intensive pat-down, with particular attention paid to her groin.  I had to totally empty and repack my hand luggage.  Feeling fairly light-headed by this time.

 

5 hours from Paris to Tel Aviv, arriving at 12:30am local time after 33+ hours of travel.  Amazingly our luggage was successfully checked through all the way from Melbourne.  Immigration was stress-free.  Shimon, the taxi driver recommended by D, met us at the airport and we made it to our hotel by 1:30ish.

 

Sleep.

 

Today started with an Israeli breakfast buffet at the hotel.  So much to choose from. 

5 types of white cheese.  Various yellow cheeses.  Multiple kinds of eggs.  Numerous salads.  Two types of cheesecake. Halva.   Fruit.  Yoghurt.  More.

 

Then a walk towards Jaffa along the boardwalk.  So good to feel the sun and see the beautiful beach.  H rested and I walked almost to Jaffa.  Incredibly hot - a taxi driver told us it was 43 degrees.  Not sure if he was exaggerating.

 

After a rest lunch at a cafe on Dizengof and then the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.  The art museum was great.  A smallish but really good collection of art from the last few centuries (stopping at around the 1930s, other than some really good contemporary Israeli art).  Impressionists, post-impressionists, German expressionists - lots of good stuff and some particularly good sculptures.  Eventually we stumbled on their old masters section - the overtly christian art was not exactly highlighted - it was in the basement and could only be reached via an unmarked set of curtains through a loud Israeli installation piece about a burial ground.  Some beautiful Dutch masters, a pretty good Pieta.  Again a fairly small collection but some nice 16th and 16th century works.

 

A swim in the Sheraton pool overlooking the sea.  Watching the teenagers circle each other until evenetually a conversation was started.

 

Now off to dinner in Jaffa.