"Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow."
Anita Desai
This is the continuing account of my 2008 trip to the Middle East countries of Egypt, Jordan and Israel (see other blog entries).....
State of Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Middle East located on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east and Egypt on the southwest, and adjacent are the West Bank to the east and Gaza Strip to the southwest. Israel is the world's only Jewish state, with a population of about 7.5 million, of whom 5.5 million are Jewish.
The modern state of Israel has its roots in the Biblical Land of Israel, a concept central to Judaism since ancient times, and the heartland of the ancient kingdom of Israel and Judah. After World War I, the League of Nations adopted the British Mandate of Palestine which was "in favour of the establishment in Palestine of national home for the Jewish people, it being clearly understood that nothing should be done which might prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine.....". In 1947 the United Nations voted to partition Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab; partition was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by Arab leaders. This external decision immediately led to civil war in Palestine and later, on May 14, 1948, following the Israeli declaration of independence, led to the invasion by surrounding Arab states. The Israelis were subsequently victorious in both confirming their independence and expanding the borders of the Jewish state beyond those in the UN Partition Plan. Since then, Israel has fought a series of wars with many Arab countries, resulting in decades of violence that continues to this day. Israel has signed peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, though efforts to resolve conflict with the Palestinians have so far met with limited success.
My tour group that I had been travelling through the Middle East with was continuing on to Syria but my airplane home was exiting Tel Aviv in Israel. Because of the on-going hostilities between these two countries, if I went to Syria and had my passport stamped with a Syrian entry stamp and then tried to enter Israel, I would be denied. This presented a problem for a few of us from the group so we got off the bus and continued our adventure in Israel........
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Leaving Jordan behind as we head down the highway to the Palestinian town of Jericho (purportedly the oldest continually occupied town in the world).
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After a nightmare border crossing (David of our group couldn't get across...like WTF ??) we head for.....
Ein Gedi
At the bottom of the world, 400 metres (1300 feet) below sea level, in an area of primeval lunar-like beauty surrounded by a desert of craggy slopes and deep canyons, rich in history and antiquities, lies Ein Gedi Village. This rustic, oh so relaxing site, set on the shores of the Dead Sea in the midst of the Judaean desert, is the perfect place for going slowly insane from total boredom.
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| The beach at Ein Gedi, which really wasn't a beach, but more like a parking lot. This was our first sign that something was wrong with the place....... |
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| ......our second sign that something was not quite right was the armed soldiers at the Ein Gedi "beach". Nobody seemed to pay them any heed except us? |
The reason we came to Ein Gedi was to do some hiking in the National Park but the trails were all closed. We were however, able to walk up to a swimming area.....
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| The hike up to the waterfalls and swimming area was spectacular, but it was hot hot hot and I was hungover hungover hungover. |
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| There were a surprising amount of water in the waterfalls and each one had a perfect pool for swimming! |
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| The National Park that I saw was without a doubt beautiful, in fact; this particular valley was called the Garden of Eden. |
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| The Park had quite a large gazelle population...... |
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| .....including this huge buck having a drink next to yet another closed hiking trail. |
Getting out of Dodge as soon as we could, we head for more user friendly territory and the ancient city of.......
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and its biggest city in both population (750,000) and size (125 sq.km.). The city has a history that goes back to the 4th millennium BC, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. Jerusalem is the holiest city in Judaism and the spiritual centre for this religion, however it also contains a significant number of ancient Christian sites and it is considered Islam's 3rd holiest city. Within the Old City is the home to key religious sites such as: the Temple Mount; the Western Wall; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; the Dome of the Rock; and al-Aqsa Mosque.
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| We had prearranged with David to meet at this hotel, which is right next to the Joffa Gate, that he had reserved in the Old City. |
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| After hooking up we sit in the alleyway next to our hotel and have a few beers and smoke some sheesha. The people watching from here were the best I'd ever seen. |
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| The old walled city, a World Heritage Site, has been traditionally divided into four quarters - the Armenian, Christian, Jewish and Muslim Quarters. This alleyway is in the Muslim Quarter. |
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| Everything closes in the old city relatively early, so David, Maria and myself decide to go outside of the walled city of old Jerusalem for a few beers. We found this party happening at a cloister of bars surrounding a big square. It was jam-packed with young people drinking and partying.....a lot of booze and hormones gathered in one place. Notice the young guy in front giving his buddy a hug? Notice what is strapped to his back?? There were several in this crowd with them! Perfectly legal, however only Israelis are allowed to bear arms. Hmmmm, booze, hormones and guns....time to go! |
The next day we do a walking tour around Jerusalem........
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| Our guide for the next 4 hours leads us thru the Muslim section of the old city. |
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| The non-commercial Armenian section of the old city. This section is actually locked-up in the night time. |
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| The wall surrounding the old city, as seen across from my hotel, the tower is the opening for the Joffa Gate. |
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| The Mount of Olives as viewed from the old city showing the Jewish cemetery. From biblical times until today, Jews have been buried on the Mount of Olives. There are estimated to be 150,000 graves on the Mount. |
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| One of the 12 'Stations of the Cross' that marks the way of Jesus's route to his crucifixion on the Hill of Calvary. |
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| Another 'Station of the Cross'. |
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| The Christian Church of Holy Sepulchre which is venerated by most Christians as Golcotha (the Hill of Calvary), where the New Testament says that Jesus was crucified, and is said to also contain the place where Jesus is buried (the sepulchre). Control of the church is shared between several Christian churches (Eastern Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Roman Catholic church, Greek Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox and the Syriac Orthodox churches) in a complicated arrangement essentially unchanged for centuries. For example; located in the picture above is a ladder that was placed there before 1852, when the status quo defined both the doors and window ledges as common ground which is no longer defined as such. The ladder remains there to this day, in exactly the same position as no church can agree on what to do with it !! |
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| The Ethiopian section of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. |
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The most famous Islamic site in Jerusalem is the Dome of the Rock, an impressive and beautiful edifice. The Dome of the Rock can be seen from all over Jerusalem. It is not a mosque, but a Muslim shrine that is built over sacred stone. This stone is believe to be the place from which the Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven during his Night Journey to Heaven.
Jews believe that the rock to be the very place where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac and many also believe that it stands directly over the site of both Solomon's Temple and Herod's Temple. |
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| The old streets of Jerusalem. |
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| A bakery within the Muslim section. |
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The Western Wall is the holiest Jewish site, sacred because it is the remnant of the retaining wall that once enclosed and supported Herod's Temple. Also known as the Wailing Wall because for centuries Jews have gathered here to lament the loss of their temple.
At the prayer section of the wall, grass grows out of the upper cracks, while the lower cracks have been stuffed with personal bits of paper containing written prayers. |
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Orthodox Jews can be seen standing at the wall chanting and wailing and swaying away! Some Jews visit the wall daily and recite the entire Book of Psalms.
A dividing screen reserves an area at the extreme right of the Western Wall for women, who are not allowed into the men's section (in keeping with Orthodox Jewish tradition). |
The next day we head for.......
Haifa
Israel's 3rd largest city and northern capital is at the heart of it all! Situated in a broad natural bay between the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and the awe-inspiring Carmel mountain, the city's terraced landscape offers a rich variety of breathtaking panoramas!
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| Old meets new. A modern office tower with Muslim Mosque minaret in the foreground. |
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| Haifa had a subway that went up Mt. Carmel at a 45 degree angle. The actual train cars had steps & were built at the same angle as the track. |
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| The Baha'i World Centre is the name given to the administrative centre of the Baha'i Faith. Based in Haifa, the Baha'i World Centre is recognizable by the gardens that dominate the area of Mount Carmel directly above the sea port. |
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| The gold-dome Shrine of Bab that sits on the slopes of Mount Carmel in Haifa is one of the most holy places in the Baha'i world. We weren't able to get in because the gardens close at 3:00 and we couldn't find the place until 3:10....oh well. |
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| OK so I know this don't look quite right.....I can explain!! We decided to walk down Mt. Carmel and came across this park with about 25 bronze statues in it. How could I resist??? |
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| She's a little cold, but he's a cheeky bastard! |
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| The view near dusk from the bottom. |
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| This was an archway. The picture was taken by lying on the ground and looking skyward. |
The next day we head for......
Acre
The waves from the Mediterranean Sea crash against the walls of Acre's old city, washing the steep, thick sandstone walls that have survived for centuries. The walls, fortresses and strongholds of the city bear marks of many nations that left impressive buildings behind them, beautifying Acre to this day. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001.
A visit to Acre is part of the Israeli experience. The city is a meeting place for the East and West, new and old, beauty and ruins, all adding to the uniqueness. Among the high-walled alleys and underground passages there is a huge mosque and a Christian monastery, Turkish baths, and halls and tunnels built by the Knights Templar. Acre was one of the region's important cities in ancient times. Various cultures made their home here, the Crusaders captured it and the Ottomans lived here for many centuries. Even Napoleon Bonaparte tried to lay his hands on Acre and conquer it, but after two months of siege and failed attempts to storm the city's walls, he retreated in humiliation.
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| An aerial view of Acre. |
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| As we wander around the walled city I get a good picture of the enclosed Mosque of Jezzar Pasha and next to it a Turkish Clock Tower. |
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| The local food market within the walls of Acre. |
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| Pomegranate juice squeezer....pure pomegranate juice.....hmmmmm....yummy! |
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| The Knights Templar in the 12th century built several tunnels within their quarter of the walled city. These tunnels had many purposes, including shitter.....now I knows this wasn't cold on the arse! |
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| Acre port, a small wharf sheltered by a breakwater that is used mostly by fishermen. It almost reminded me of home, except it was hot here! |
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| Back in the walled city..... |
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| The Sinan Pasha Mosque (no relation to the Jazzar Pasha Mosque) was built in 1590 by Sinan Pasha (who else!!) an Ottoman governor. |
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| I love wandering around this old city with the narrow old alleyways and tunnels....... |
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| ......I especially like it when you're exploring an alleyway and it brings you to scenes like this; where the Med. is washing upon an old crumbling part of the ancient wall. |
The next day we take the a taxi to.......
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo, usually just Tel Aviv, is the second largest city in Israel, with an estimated population of 400,000. The city is situated on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and was founded in 1909 on the outskirts of the ancient port town city of Jaffa.
Tel Aviv is Israel's economic hub and it's wealthiest city, home to many corporate head offices, bars, cafes, upscale shopping, beaches, great weather and cosmopolitan lifestyle. It is a popular tourist destination, and has a reputation as a "Mediterranean city that never sleeps". It is the country's cultural capital and a major performing arts and commerce centre and its urban area is the Middle East's second largest city economy. It is also the most expensive city in the region, and the 14th most expensive city in the world....I can attest to this fact!!
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| The beach in front of my hotel. There is no one on it because it is Yom Kippur, a national religious holiday (they seem to have a lot of these), and as a result everything is closed. I mean EVERYTHING....no taxi's, no restaurant's, no shops....nothing's open. NOTHING. |
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| Arab fishermen hauling a net that they set by walking out into the surf in a semi-circle and than pulling it onto the shore. |
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| We arrived in Tel Aviv just as Yom Kippur religious holiday started (3:00PM Wednesday to 5:51PM Thursday). Everything in the country shuts down so the streets were deserted.....void of any traffic or people. It felt really weird. |
The next day I got out of Tel Aviv and walked up the beach to......
Jaffa
Jaffa is a complete antithesis to its brash northern neighbour Tel Aviv. This historic city, which dates back 3,000 years, is one of the world's oldest cities, and its ancient harbour has been in use since the Bronze Age. Nowadays, Jaffa is characterized by a highly diverse population of Jews, Muslims and Christians. Jaffa's colourful and arty characteristics are important factors in the process of gentrification that the city is undergoing. There's the port, Summit Hill and the artist's quarter with galleries, music events, plenty of stylish places to dine, and winding alleyways and backstreets to explore.
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| My travel companions while in Israel, David (from the USA) and Maria (from Columbia). David was leaving for home this night after 9 months of travelling around the world and Maria was heading back to Jordan to hook up with friends. This is the funny thing about meeting people while travelling. For the last three weeks these two people have been pretty much my best friends....we hung out and ate and partied together and saw sites and did adventures together and after tonight I know I'll never see them again....weird feeling. |
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| After dinner we wandered around Jaffa exploring for a few hours. Beautiful town with its ancient alleyways. |
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| The Kid exploring the town. |
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| Back in Tel Aviv and having a beer with David before he has to catch his plane home. |
The next day I head back to Jaffa......
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| One of the most beautiful of many churches in Jaffa. This is a Roman Catholic church situated on the hill above Jaffa. |
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| Jaffa is built on a hill and wandering around you see many views like this one. |
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| This area of Jaffa once may have accommodated donkey traffic but now there is only pedestrian traffic. |
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| The artists that live and work here use the walls of the town to hang their art....cool! |
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| Yet more alleyways! |
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| A view of Jaffa's 4,000 year old port! |
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| Art is seen in many forms. To me, this old weathered wooden door in Jaffa is a form of art......... |
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......however there is no disputing that this tree can only be classified as an unique piece of art.
And that folks is the end of my journey to the Middle East!!
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DIARY ENTRY: Saturday October 4, 2008 5:40PM: Sitting here in Ein-fawking Gedi waiting for our bus to take us to freedom.
We arrived in Israel (Friday Oct 3/08) and went through the nightmare border crossing. Took us 2 hours. David couldn't even get across but had to head north. We got thru only to find that there was no bus to Ein-fawking Gedi, so we were able to get a taxi to take us for a whopping $150.00US. Are we nuts or what????
So we get here only to find that 'here' is nowheres. A youth hostel with nothing else. A very poor excuse of a "beach" to the Dead Sea and a National Park with hiking trails that were closed. This was the hardest 24 hours I have ever put in. We did meet a guy last night who owned a jeep and he took us to get some beer, so we were able to tie one on last night that equally allowed me to sleep in today (thus making some of the time here go by faster albeit not much though).
Today we walked up to the National Park to go for a swim but that was closed at 4:00, so I'm sitting here watching some silly movie on TV and waiting and waiting and waiting......
DIARY ENTRY: Tuesday October 7, 2008 11:44AM: Arrived in Jerusalem at around 7:00PM, which was earlier then we anticipated. What happen was we were waiting for the bus when a taxi happened by and offered us a ride right to Joffa Gate for only 7 shackles more than the bus....sweet!
Jerusalem is an awesome town. We stayed within the walled city. It's a labyrinth of alleys and bustling bazaars. There were many many sites here, all with historic and religious significances however I visited very few of them. Really for me it was a place to chill out.
We did take a 4 hour walking tour on Sunday (Oct 5/08) and this was very informative. I believe the hi-lite for me however was the Jewish Western Wall. A tradition here for people of all faiths is to write a prayer for someone you love and place it in the wall. Not being a religious person I never gave any thought of writing one, so in haste I wrote a small note to my Mom. I cannot describe the overwhelming feeling I experienced when I actually place the note in the wall. I almost cried. If there is a God, than that's as close as I will ever come to him.
Yesterday (Monday Oct 6/08) I dedicated to shopping. The prices in this country are really high and I have limited space, so all I bought was a pair of pants and some gifts of Dead Sea crap!
I'm currently on a bus to Haifa, where we have no place to stay so our #1 priority when we get there is to find a hotel.
DIARY ENTRY: Saturday October 11, 2008 1:44PM: When we got in Haifa (Tuesday Oct 7/08) we headed for the Port Inn, a little family run operation and as it turns out they had rooms, so that part of the journey was over. Unfortunately we were a little late and the major site, the Baha'i Gardens had closed at 3:00PM. So we ended up walking around Haifa. This is a really beautiful and laid back city with a very nice climate.
Later that night we went to the German Colony and had a very expensive meal....no surprise there. This is the most expensive country I've ever travelled in.
The next day (Wednesday Oct 8/08) we all agreed to get up a 7:30AM so we could catch the train to Acre....which we did. Acre is one of these communities where you could spend a few hours just wandering around, but unfortunately we only had 2 1/2 hours and this, of course, meant we were rushed. But we did get to see the major parts of the old city.
We rushed back to the train station and caught one of the last trains back to Haifa. Got our luggage and headed back to the train station only to find it was the last train. Our printed internet train schedule was wrong, so we ended up getting another taxi ride to Tel Aviv.....yet another expensive taxi ride.
Arrived at the Park Plaza Hotel and settled in for Yom Kippur. When we arrived the hotel receptionist greeted us by saying "Thanks for staying with us on our most horrible of holidays." We didn't even have time to bring our luggage up to the rooms before the stores closed. So we rushed to the local convenience store and bought sandwich meats, bread, cheese, fruit and beers.....lot's of beers!!
Everything in this country shuts down for Yom Kippur and I mean EVERYTHING. Even the TV only broadcasted the news. Nothing was opened. The Hotel gave us a letter telling us that everything in the hotel would be closed. The pool, the restaurant, the McDonalds in the basement.....EVERYTHING. So from about 3:00PM on Wednesday to 5:51PM on Thursday, we had nothing to do. So what do people do when they have nothing to do? We went to the beach!
I've been to the Med before, but I've never swam in it. Here in Tel Aviv it is actually quite warm, so I basically hung out with David and Maria at the beach for most of Yom Kippur and then, at around 6:00 - 6:30PM, we started the 40 minute walk to Jaffa.
Jaffa is a beautiful old town (about 3000 years old) that is now largely a artist colony. We found a fish restaurant in the port and had a massive feed of calamari. After supper we headed back to the hotel and David, Maria and myself headed down to the promenade with a couple of beers and sat around and shot the shit. David was leaving at 1:00AM for the airport and Maria was leaving early the next day for Jordan. I'm going to miss these guys, they were excellent company.
On Friday (Oct 10/08) I was up relatively early and headed back to Jaffa. I was interested in seeing if there was anything that interested me at the shops....there wasn't. I spent the rest of Friday wandering up and down the Camel Market and Allenby Street looking for some clothes, but I didn't find anything I like....or could afford. I went for my last supper to a bistro, had a steak, it was good and of course expensive....like dah!!
Up today, cleaned up and now sitting in the airport waiting for the plane. Got me a very long journey home.
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