Israel Tel Aviv 2019
This is my fourth time in Israel
well in the city of Tel Aviv, old Jaffa and Jerusalem should I say.
20 years ago, at the beginning of my career, I spend 24 hours near the waterfront and took a sightseeing tour around Tel Aviv Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
I did it very happy but way too fast for me. I recommend you do it but then go on your own or else it's not worth it if you only stick to the tour.
The second time it was raining. There was waterflood everywhere. I did not do much at that time.
This past September, I went for 72 hours but I could not go to the beach for sunbathing because I burn myself in Morocco.
I only posted the third visit on my blog.
72 hours layover.
I was supposed to have 3 days
flight got canceled
got 48 hours
after many hours of waiting
Lost my new years eve party at the beach in Tel Aviv
FIRST DAY
I arrived late in the morning.
Miss new year's eve.
We waited for our room for more than an hour and our flight director lost it in the middle of the lobby yelling at us.
Imagine!
So professional right!
After a 12 hours flight, no one needs to be yelled at especially after all we have gone thru. He should have congratulated us for a job well done; really.
If it's too much for him to handle the pressures and the long hours of flight; he should quit.
So rude didn't even apologize at the briefing on our way back.
All of us were expecting him to do so.
This being said, Let's start our journey.
$10.00 CDN = 27.75 shekel
I slept until 2 o'clock
went to the beach
took the city bus
50 shekels good for 5 rides
went there once so I recognized the palm trees
iii
A very popular street going to the beach
boardwalk
watch out for the people riding their bike or whatever
they will run you down.
cool place to hang out
lunchtime
this is the poutine of Israel
hummus and chicken
as you wish breakfast lunch dinner any time of the day
with a great cappuccino
I was so ready for the sun this time.
I was wearing shorts sandals and a light top
as of the contrary
the locals were wearing winter coats and hug boots on the beach
I was just a Canadian alien
walking on the beach to go to Old Jaffa
I guess they just left the kibbutz
walking to old Jaffa for dinner....
it's getting too cold
cool place to hang out at the port
spend the rest of the afternoon there
freezing cold
I'm in shorts and sandals
wrong time of the year
whatever
order a great cappuccino
and a bowl of hummus and chicken sat on the beach
36
watch this amazing sunset
went to old Jaffa for diner
walk there than got tired and cold
hop on a bus
this is why it's always good to have a city bus card or a metro
I got there, walked the entire port
had some great calamari and orange pop
49
walk some more
hop on a taxi to go back to the hotel
50 shekels
had a wonderful day
SECOND DAY
8 :30 a.m. departure
I went to Jerusalem
hop on a bus with 2 of my colleagues
took another bus
16 shekels one way
one hour and 15 minutes ride
not bad
took a C train to Jerusalem
5 stops further up
miss the food market 1 or 2 stop before Jerusalem
next time I will go apparently it something
We arrived in Jerusalem.
We are so lucky no rain.
Its chilly and humid inside bring a sweater.
Jesus tomb 1,700 years + in the Holy Sepulchre
This is not the garden of the tombs. T
Tomb that was left there after his death on the cross
it's also inside this Edicule that is inside the Holy Sepulchre
went to Holy sepulchre
amazing
the spice of Israel
went to the
Syrian area
armenian area
damascus gate
david's gate
the wall
the famous wall...
when I got there I had no complaint whatsoever to tell the wall about it.
I was speechless...
to see that maybe people are so into praying they forgot the essentials:
why do men and women pray separately?
that is behong true meaning of life!
2 person bounding to make 1
Do they lost their soul by making so many kids and reproducing themselves that
they forget about who they are?
why is it so shameful to look at a woman?
but yet you are ready to make many kids with her....
why do you only wear the color black and white?
if those are such colors
and if this piece of wall is so precious to their eyes because it recalls their old palace kingdom
why they don't built it again?
All these questions to the wall
and yet no answer
Met some young soldiers, all happy to have been chosen to be part of the army.
Why?
Why give gun to young kids like its nothing.
Kids should not wear guns
Women should not wear weapons
Why
That is again behong understanding.
praying with a gun
is a new thing or what?
When religion blind you so much that you have to pray with a gun or you don't even look at the person next to you; it's time to ring the bell
So
This is why you need to go to Jerusalem again and again until you get all the answers and wish one day that the wall will be for men and women to be at the wall together praying without a gun.
We continue our walk.
We tried to go to the muslim part of Jerusalem
this was not possible
still don't have an answer for that one
did not understand that at all
I can not enter a mosque
why I can not enter a muslim area
why
doesn't make any sense
I am here for a visit
not for world war 5
Lost count
Come on
I have been in saudi arabia
kuwait Egypt Morocco
never heard such a thing
is this the new thing
I look at the policemen
and was about to say something but
peace to you brother !
right !
Did not say a word
We continue our journey just 10 steps away
I could enter a muslim restaurant
?
went for lunch at a famous restaurant we had to wait in line 10 minutes
hummus tomatoes falafel
30 shekels
walk some more
went to Jewish area
went back to Tel Aviv
This is not your typical city
Jerusalem
the oldest city
has lost its soul
life is missing
survival mode
police everywhere
and people praying
devotion and yet no soul in the entire Jerusalem
people have no soul
There is no life in Jerusalem
There are just human been surviving
Change of subject it was surprisingly clean ....
but I will certainly go back again to discover all the other churches and all
and hopefully be able to go to the big rock and the tunnel
and have answers to my questions
The people I was with didnt want to go in the tunnel
what a bummer
they wanted to wait for me
I would have been stress to rush out and see it full speed
I will go back alone...
one of the girl that was with me had pain in her feet It was killing her so it was time to hit the road. ....
its ok now that I know it's not too far from Tel Aviv and the bus ride is not that bad of a price
yes I will come back
and try
delicious keebeh and all
bought some Israel spices
On our return
we took a taxi
10 shekels
we went to buy some olive oil
extremely expensive
but Holy!
dattes pistachio
cashews are the best I ever had Israelee cashew # 1
Stop to another store to buy dinner just under our hotel
bought dinner
2 slice of smoke salmon
labneh
pomgrenates and yogourt
89 shekels
Lost all my cheese someone close the chiller and did not tell me on a flight of 12 hours
Had a very nice day in Jerusalem
snif snif
550 shekels in the armenian area
I didn't see the tunnel the rock and all those beautiful churches will have to go back
souvenir to bring back
the mix nuts bag
cashews
pistachios
olive oil
spices
dattes
wish I had space in my suitcase for :
those beautiful lamps
that silk djellaba
more lovely jewish painting
and olive wood cane...
Toda rabat
Shalom!
