Trip to the Middle East

Tel Aviv

Caesarea

Nazareth

Capernaum

Golan Heights

Kibbutz

On the way to Jerusalem

Jerusalem Old City Tour

Jerusalem visit to Haram al-Sharif

Masada -the Desert Fortress and the Dead Sea, Israel

Dead Sea, Jordan

On the way to Petra, Jordan

Petra, Jordan

Wadi Rum, Jordan

Amman, Jordan

Tel Aviv, Israel

Israel was never on our bucket list. But recently some of our friends visited Jerusalem and that made us interested in visiting Jerusalem, as well as Tel Aviv which we thought might be a fascinating vacation. Further changes meant the inclusion of Jordan in the package. So our trip to the Middle East with Gate 1 Travels was planned, which included Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem in Israel, and Jordan. On arrival at Tel Aviv airport, we were transferred to the Cinema Hotel which was a movie theatre (an interesting detail) before it was a hotel, hence the name.

They maintained the cinema theme by placing cameras of all shapes and sizes all over the building which made me feel as if we were under scrutiny. Right across from our hotel was another hotel called Center chic Hotel, which is part of the same chain. They offered happy hour to the guests of the Cinema Hotel between 5:30 and 7 Pm. It turned out to be very convenient for us to relax and grab a bite before an hour-long orientation for our upcoming, rigorous sightseeing schedule, to be delivered to us by our Tour Manager, Tal. He had a merciless approach to maintaining strict timing by exacting obedience from all passengers regardless. The early start was extremely important, he said because there was going to be a three to four hours bust ride followed by walking on uneven surfaces, steps, and significant slopes. Introductions were done, whispers distributed and instructions given which were fairly clear. This leg of the trip was going to be in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Our extended 5 more days was the visit to Jordan. We were also informed that those who are visiting Jordan would join a tour group designed for Jordan by a Jordanian tour manager.

Tel Aviv

Our day started with a magnificent breakfast spread in the hotel restaurant. Pictures below give only a glimpse of what was a feast. I was glad to see that the most popular dish seemed to be shakshuka, eggs poached in tomato sauce. We have a very popular breakfast item which looks and taste very similar to shakshuka called khagina, with a difference that we poach eggs in an onion sauce which is eaten with Indian paratha). Breakfast was served as a Buffett where you helped yourself to whatever you wanted and repeated as many times as you want. Coffee was the only thing you could order and get served on the table.

Gate of Faith

After this sumptuous breakfast, we started visiting Jaffa Tel Aviv, the oldest part of Tel Aviv. It is a port city of historical importance on the Mediterranean Sea coast and has become a top-rated attraction for tourists with art galleries, restaurants, museums, and nightclubs. Our first stop was Gate of Faith. A doorway-shaped sculpture that symbolizes an entry to the Land of Israel and has three sculpted biblical stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob on the pillars and top depicts the conquest of Jericho.

From there we walked around in narrow alleyways of Artist’s Quarters and saw a suspended orange tree in a stone. Apparently, an artist’s creation pays homage to bygone Jaffa oranges, and also to symbolize mankind’s disconnect from nature. It was an experience in itself.

Pictures below show some of the historical sites we saw on our walking tour.

Ottoman period wooden train display in Jaffa, Tel Aviv.

 Al- Bahr Mosque: The oldest mosque on the Mediterranean coast built in the 16th century is still existing. Muslims have not been allowed to enter the mosque since Palestine was occupied in 1948.

Great Mahmoudiya Mosque is the largest mosque in Jaffa and can be spotted from anywhere in Tel Aviv. Call to prayer cannot be sounded because of its busy location. Despite this, it is a busy mosque of the area. Locals as well as pilgrims from far afield come there to worship. However, non-muslims cannot go into the building itself.

The Jaffa Clock Tower was built in 1901 in the center of Jaffa’s town Square. It was built to pay homage to the Ottoman ruler and his vast empire. This is one of seven towers that were built in Palestine during Ottoman Period. The one in Jerusalem was destroyed at some point.

Meir Dizengoff was the mayor of Tel Aviv, and a pioneer of modern Zionism. He gave his house to the city which became Independence Hall. This statue below is located on Rothschild Boulevard, across from Independence hall is a tribute to the mayor .

This ended our walking tour, and we headed out to our hotel for lunch and rest. We were glad to take it easy before we hit the road the next morning.

Click here for Dead Sea