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Reviews of Israel
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The best people to ask about a country you want to visit are people who have actually been there. The reviews below on various parts of Israel reflect the views of such people and as such should be very helpful.
Travel in Israel
Israel...a must.....
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Travel in Israel
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Its position on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean gives Israel a wonderful climate, and many travellers now combine a visit to Israel with trips to Jordan and Egypt.
Jerusalem -- al-Quds in Arabic -- is Israel's largest city and has been designated the country's capital. This is not recognized by the United Nations and many countries continue to maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv.
Budget accommodation is found in the Old City, an ideal base to discover the history behind Jerusalem.
Beds may be booked out around Good Friday, as many pilgrims arrive to follow the stations of the cross. I covered this one year, but I prefer the Easter spectacles in The Philippines and Guatemala.
The narrow streets in Jerusalem get way too crowded at Easter, and you could just as easily do the stations of the cross another time. You will meditate much better without all the hype. Don't forget to walk out of the Old City to the Mount of Olives.
Dead Sea:
Some people actually spend a good part of their holiday here, but it can be comfortably made on a day-trip from Jerusalem.
Mud baths, henna treatments and reading a book while floating in the saline water are popular pastimes. Not for you if you've got cuts on your body.
Also visit the rock fortress at Masada. There's a cable-car up to the top if you're pushed for time or out of condition.
Tel Aviv-Jaffa:
Being on the Mediterranean, Tel Aviv is practically one long beach.
The historic district of Jaffa is to the south of modern Tel Aviv, and the winding streets of the old Arab town are extremely interesting.
The history of the settlement goes back 4,000 years, and includes military visits by all the major powers ebbing and flowing across the region.
Tel Aviv -- hill of spring in Hebrew -- was established by Jewish settlers in 1909, and grew rapidly during and after the Second World War as Jewish immigrants escaped from Nazi Germany.
Eilat:
In the south of Israel, on the Gulf of Aqaba. April/May is a good time to be there; before it gets unbearably hot. The best Red Sea diving is further south, off the coast of Egypt.
If you're in Eilat for a week or two, pull yourself off the beach and cross into Jordan. It would be a shame to come this far and not visit the pink city of Petra.
Galilee:
This is the region in northern Israel around Lake Galilee. Galilee has long been famous for the cultivation of olives and grapes, and naturally there are plenty of fish restaurants in Tiberias.
Nazareth:
Situated in lower Galilee, Nazareth is where Mary and Joseph lived, and it was the childhood home of Jesus.
Nazareth is still a place of pilgrimage and contains many shrines commemorating its biblical associations, some of them have been rebuilt after they were destroyed by the Muslims during the Middle Ages.
The archangel Gabriel is said to have appeared to Mary at the church of the Annunciation, and the church of St Joseph is traditionally the site of Joseph's carpentry shop.
Websites:
Go Israel: *****
www.goisrael.com
Jewish, Christian, and Muslim sections. Listen to how it all started, at this very professional production.
Jerusalem Mosaic: *****
jeru.huji.ac.il/eb1s.htm
An excellent place to discover the history behind the capital of Israel. This gate takes you into the First Temple Period and the reign of King David.
[Visit the sights, taste the typical foods, see the common costumes, meet the prominent people, and drink from the water systems of the period and those that follow].
Western Wall: *****
www.thewall.org/Aishmain.shtm
Live view of the Wailing Wall; refreshed every 60 seconds. If you've never been to Israel, then I had better point out that the large area on the left is for men only, and the area on the right is reserved for women. Do your meditation in the right place please.
All About The Wall:
www.kotelkam.com/about.htm
Explore the symbolism associated with the Kotel and find out the mystical secret of the Western Wall, and the reasons why the Wall is holy.
The Ancient City of Petra:
www.kinghussein.gov.jo/tourism6d.html#Petra
Carved into the pinkish rock some 2,000 years ago and referred to as Sela in the bible, Petra was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom and an important trading centre between the 4th century BC and the 2nd century AD; until Palmyra took away most of its trade.
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