On a warm monday morning short before sunrise, breathing in the southernlike flavour of my beloved Eucalypti trees, I doubtlessly notice that I've made it to another amazing part of our world. After a whole night travelling I'm waiting for my Southamerican travelmate Guy, who is going to get me from Netanya trainstation.
The first couple of days in Israel, I enjoy to stay with my friend, in a nice house, set on a sunblessed hill close to the meditereanen coast. Having the privilege to get an insight in a locals life.
During three days Guy takes me around to some of the most amazing places in the country. We hit the road along the coast to Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Netanya, Caesarea and Haifa. Further up north to Mount Carmel, Nazareth and through the vast Judean Desert to the breathtaking Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, in the dry west.
Finally we make it to bustling Jerusalem where I have, after getting such well aquainted to the country and especially Guy's good care in the matter of food, to stand on my own feet again. With the lovely hostel Petra, in the walled old part of the town, I find a perfect spot to explore this incomparable city, where all the worlds cultures and religions, I feel, seem to live and travel side by side in a surprisingly peaceful coexistence.
I run my feet off to see all the sights, or at least as many as possible, this town has to offer.
Sabbath, when every jewish run buisness, even public transport, come to a deadlock, is a perfect day to undertake a trip to the Palestinian Territories. With Thomas a Swede from the hostel I hop on an Arab bus which brings us to Bethlehem. Here we visit the church of nativity and strol through the busy market.
From here a shard taxi takes us to Jericho, the world's oldest continuously inhabited city. About 200 metres below sea level it's got a perfect clime to spend the afternoon in a street café, sipping mint tea and watching people passing by.
On my way to the southern tip of Israel, I squeeze in another day at the Dead Sea. For some hiking and especially to enjoy once more the undescribable feeling of being carried by the pillowlike water which is actually over 30% solid matter.
Another couple of hours busride offers me stunning views of the fullmoon rising over the shimmering, from dusk colored, desert of the Negev.
As a wish came true, on the bus I allready meet another traveller, sharing the exact same plans for the next couple of days. With Misael from OC California I spend the evening at the summerly shore of the Red Sea planning how to get to Petra in Jordan the next day.
Allready lucky to find each other, as every one joining in will save a lot of travelling costs in Jordan and not to forget increases the level of happiness, we encounter six other guys from Michigan with whom we are going to start the trip tomorrow.
In the early morning, our awesome group gets to the border and we are crossing into Jordan. After a tough but rather unsuccessful haggle we nevertheless decide to take a direct cab ride to Petra. Instead of wasting time searching for public transport in Aqaba which would save each other less than a handful bucks.
The two hour journey leads us through another meager but arresting landscape. In Wadi Musa we find a good place to stay, where we drop our luggage and get ready to explore the sight of mysterious Petra.
Two intense days of hiking and a big bunch of questions to reenter the holy land later, the Red Sea is a uber welcomed, smooth refreshing.
Enriched with amazing experiences, new friends and fulfilled with amusement, I take my first day off (of travelling:-) and spend it at the beach to reload my batteries with heaps of sunlight.
Instead of heading back to Tel Aviv, I prefer to spend my last hours in a more uniqe place. I find a place in Mizpe Ramon, in the middle of the Negev Desert, where they offer beds in Bedouinlike clay huts with a stunning view over the immense crater of Maktesh Ramon. This largest crater of the world is some 40km long, 2-10km wide and 500 meters deep. The perfect place to end such an amazing trip.
Thanks to all the good souls i met in this country with such a dzzling array, hope to see you again in some other part of the world...
The first couple of days in Israel, I enjoy to stay with my friend, in a nice house, set on a sunblessed hill close to the meditereanen coast. Having the privilege to get an insight in a locals life.
During three days Guy takes me around to some of the most amazing places in the country. We hit the road along the coast to Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Netanya, Caesarea and Haifa. Further up north to Mount Carmel, Nazareth and through the vast Judean Desert to the breathtaking Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, in the dry west.
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| Jaffa and Tel Aviv |
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| Caesarea |
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| Ein Boqeq Beach |
Finally we make it to bustling Jerusalem where I have, after getting such well aquainted to the country and especially Guy's good care in the matter of food, to stand on my own feet again. With the lovely hostel Petra, in the walled old part of the town, I find a perfect spot to explore this incomparable city, where all the worlds cultures and religions, I feel, seem to live and travel side by side in a surprisingly peaceful coexistence.
I run my feet off to see all the sights, or at least as many as possible, this town has to offer.
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| View from my hostel |
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| melted cheese with orange skin and sugar sirup, yummmy |
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| at the western wall |
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| on the Temple Mount |
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| Dome of the Rock |
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| Mount of Olives |
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| Yehuda Market |
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| Jewish Cemetry |
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| Damascus Gate |
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| Wine Press |
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| Church of King David |
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| Mount Zion |
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| 600 meter long tunnel underneath the City of David |
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| View from the Mount of Olives |
Sabbath, when every jewish run buisness, even public transport, come to a deadlock, is a perfect day to undertake a trip to the Palestinian Territories. With Thomas a Swede from the hostel I hop on an Arab bus which brings us to Bethlehem. Here we visit the church of nativity and strol through the busy market.
From here a shard taxi takes us to Jericho, the world's oldest continuously inhabited city. About 200 metres below sea level it's got a perfect clime to spend the afternoon in a street café, sipping mint tea and watching people passing by.
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| Church of Nativity |
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| Jericho |
On my way to the southern tip of Israel, I squeeze in another day at the Dead Sea. For some hiking and especially to enjoy once more the undescribable feeling of being carried by the pillowlike water which is actually over 30% solid matter.
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| Ein Gedi Nature Reserve |
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| Rock Hyrax |
 |
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| Ein Gedi Beach |
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| Ibex |
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| hiking up Masada |
Another couple of hours busride offers me stunning views of the fullmoon rising over the shimmering, from dusk colored, desert of the Negev.
As a wish came true, on the bus I allready meet another traveller, sharing the exact same plans for the next couple of days. With Misael from OC California I spend the evening at the summerly shore of the Red Sea planning how to get to Petra in Jordan the next day.
Allready lucky to find each other, as every one joining in will save a lot of travelling costs in Jordan and not to forget increases the level of happiness, we encounter six other guys from Michigan with whom we are going to start the trip tomorrow.
In the early morning, our awesome group gets to the border and we are crossing into Jordan. After a tough but rather unsuccessful haggle we nevertheless decide to take a direct cab ride to Petra. Instead of wasting time searching for public transport in Aqaba which would save each other less than a handful bucks.
The two hour journey leads us through another meager but arresting landscape. In Wadi Musa we find a good place to stay, where we drop our luggage and get ready to explore the sight of mysterious Petra.
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| the Siq |
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| The jaw-dropping Treasury |
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| The Monastery |
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| on top of the holy place of sacrifice |
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| our cab driver Ismael |
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| Tessa, Morgan, Ismael, Ali, Shawn, Natasha, Me, Misael and Stardust |
Two intense days of hiking and a big bunch of questions to reenter the holy land later, the Red Sea is a uber welcomed, smooth refreshing.
Enriched with amazing experiences, new friends and fulfilled with amusement, I take my first day off (of travelling:-) and spend it at the beach to reload my batteries with heaps of sunlight.
 |
| the Red Sea in Eilat |
Instead of heading back to Tel Aviv, I prefer to spend my last hours in a more uniqe place. I find a place in Mizpe Ramon, in the middle of the Negev Desert, where they offer beds in Bedouinlike clay huts with a stunning view over the immense crater of Maktesh Ramon. This largest crater of the world is some 40km long, 2-10km wide and 500 meters deep. The perfect place to end such an amazing trip.
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| my cozy hut |
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| crater of Maktesh Ramon |
Thanks to all the good souls i met in this country with such a dzzling array, hope to see you again in some other part of the world...