Jerusalem rang out names, places, and stories I had only read about in the Bible or heard about as a child growing up. Names like Jesus and King David or places like Calvary, and Wailing Wall, or Dolorosa. Being in the streets of Jerusalem, to me, feels like a dream come true. Like stepping in the books of the bible and visually living the chapters.
Prior to going, my mother’s coworker had recommended staying in Jerusalem for a day. I had hesitations, as I was concerned about how I would observe the culture and their traditions without overstepping as an outsider while I was there. My overthinking (reading all the dos and donts) brought on unnecessary anxiety and I had to laugh at myself for doing that. Though it possesses the characteristics of a typical city ,just being in Jerusalem gives you a feeling of reverence and holiness.
A surreal place holy to Jews, Muslims and Christians I almost became overwhelmed with how amazing it was to be in the same places Jesus walked. The city represents the historic and religious entities that make this city so special. Serene, surreal and intense are all words that comes to my mind.
There were several religious groups there and each had their own agenda for being in this amazing city yet all to serve the purpose of learning more about their creator and religious history.
All the emotions that overcame me are a little hard to describe. I felt humbled and uplifted and unworthy yet proud all at the same time. Jerusalem’s truly one of a kind. We did a full day city tour there of the Jaffa gate, the holy city, the Holy Sepulchre Church of Jerusalem which held Jesus’ tomb and respected all religions in one setting. I was also very impressed with the holocaust museum and although we weren’t allowed to take photographs inside. The stories told left an imprint on your memory and heart.
I would definitely visit Jerusalem again and stay there for a lit longer to really indulge in the culture.
All in all Jerusalem is on the top list of recommendations for places to visit. It holds so much history and tells a unique story that leaves you in awe. Remember, “ A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes
]]>My trip that included Israel, Jordan and Turkey had me extremely excited however about finally visiting this Petra. The visit was amazing and insightful. History comes alive visiting monumental sites such as this one.
There were a few things you can study about Petra prior to visiting, I found a few things I was NOT aware of beforehand.
Here are 10 things to know before you go to Petra:
1. There are several vendors around the area outside and immediately inside the gates. The prices of items as simple as water can be as high as 3 times the regular cost.
2. Try to have the items you’ll need while inside of Petra prior to going. Things like water, snacks if you feel you will need them. There are several stores on the route there.
3. It is very hot on the inside. You will be with large rocks on either side and the temperature can be a lot hotter than normal. Wearing a scarf or a hot is very helpful for this heat. Cool clothes and walking shoes are helpful to make a journey a success.
4. It takes about 30 minutes to one hour to get from the gate to the first temple. Taking your time and passing yourself is key to achieve your goal of seeing all you may want to.
5. If you’d like to see all or even most of Petra, I’d recommend doing a 2-day tour. There are close by hotels and hostels for your convenience to visit on the 2nd
6. There are locals inside Petra that will try to see you a horse and carriage ride to the 1st temple, they will begin by mentioning the cost is covered in your admission ticket, but when you get there, they charge you up to $100usd.
7. Do some research about Petra before you visit, there is a lot to see and it is easy to get lost in discovering all Petra holds.
8. There is more than one temple inside Petra, most images show only one of many, the map above shows more details of the city.
9. Plan on visiting Wadi-Rum after you time at Petra, there are several camp grounds that make for a unique overnight stay. From luxury camping to mid-price ranged glamping.
10. Jordan the country has a lot to offer, so make Petra a stop while on vacation there, or . . . you can add Israel and Egypt to the itinerary as all three countries are close by and there are several tour companies that all for that type of agenda.
Wadi-Run
]]>
Day five : Masada and the Dead Sea
Not knowing much about what to expect from my visit there I was highly impressed. Masada, Hebrew H̱orvot Meẕada (“Ruins of Masada”), ancient mountaintop fortress in southeastern Israel, site of the Jews’ last stand against the Romans after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE. It was built by the Jewish Macabbeans to protect vital trade routes in Judea between Egypt and Syria. In 2001 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The views and massive landscape of Masada is quite spectacular and is extremely hard to describe and I quickly learned that some things you truly cannot contain in description. Travel is truly more fulfilling when you experience it for yourself.
Following Masada we stopped at the Red Sea that actually borders Jordan, the West Bank and Israel for a mud bath and swim. The intensity of salt from the Red Sea is overwhelming as it is the second saltiest body of water in the world, with a salt content of 33%. So if you decide to swim try your very best not to swallow the water not only tastes utterly bitter, it also can induce retching.
The process of applying mud from the sea all over your body and then rinsing it off in the beach is worth it. The mud actually contains some microscopic minerals, that penetrate your skin pores and nourish your skin. So you emerge with the feeling of baby smooth skin. Highly recommended for any visitor to Isreal to make this be something that you actually do.
The divine feeling the dead sea leaves you with is completely worth the trip. Baby smooth skin, rejuvenation and sense of being a part of a rich history. Israel has so much to offer and we have 2 more days to soak it all in.
Next stop . . .Jerusalem #comingtonextpost
]]>
Everyone’s experience of something or in this case somewhere, will always be different. Not saying we must not be cautious and vigilant anywhere we go as a visitor but it’s up to us as individuals to go and experience things for ourselves and not just hold unto other people’s views. This creates a negative perception of countries, people and their culture that inevitably breeds stereotypes about communities.
With that said, I know that there is a history behind Israel , how it came to be and the ongoing friction that is occurring between them and Palestine. So one of my concern for going to Israel was what to expect entering the country and going through immigration. I was told that visitors might be quizzed thoroughly on the purpose of their visit. Because of my concerns, my mom had a coworker whom she worked with, set up some time with me to talk about my visit. As someone who was Jewish and made the trip there annually, he was very helpful in walking me through things (culture, food, what to expect at port of entry, the people etc) and recommended places for me to visit while I was there. It made a huge difference and helped ease my mind on my upcoming trip.
The itinerary for my visit went a little something like this:
Tel Aviv – 2 days
Jordan – 2 days
Jerusalem – 1 day
Back to Tel Aviv – 1 day
Turkey – 1 day
Needless to say each day was packed with tours. We had only one free day to explore Israel on our own.
Day one adventures in Tel Aviv : Gordon beach and Jaffa Flea market.
Without going into the water I got immediately excited. It is known for being one of Tel Aviv’s most popular beaches, with wide stretches of sand, lifeguards and was full of movement and happy people enjoying the Middle Eastern sun. With a million umbrellas along the sand, Isreal seemed to have a lot of early risers and people who appeared to be doing some sort of fitness routine.
After departing from the beach we made our way to the old city of Jaffa ( or Yafo as it’s known in Hebrew), is a cute little town with an amazingly rich history with a quaint style and tailored stores perched at the southern end of the Tel Aviv shoreline. The Jaffa Flea Market (“Shuk HaPishPishim” in Hebrew) is one of the main attractions in the Old Jaffa city. For visitors like myself who is always combing through markets in search of antiques, second-hand treasures, bargains or simply a fantastic experience this was surely the place to visit. I got the full market experience- the sounds of the haggling, the smells of the produce, the interaction with the merchants and the exciting atmosphere of the give-and-take between buyer and seller. I must say Israel on a whole has the most amazing food I’ve had so far in my travels. It is also worthy to mention as a young country (it was declared independent in 1948 after a UN ruling) its culinary traditions are borrowed from the many countries it now borders and the people who have emigrated here in the last hundred years.
So the restaurants I dined at did not fail to impress with the flavours bursting in my mouth and everything had it’s own unique flair!
Day two : Our trip to Jordan
We started with a four-hour ride from Tel Aviv to the Jordan border with one rest stop along the way (for this leg of the trip I recommend a nice books to read, listening to some music or catching a short nap). After getting a visa at the Jordan and Israel Border we were escorted by the Jordanian tour associates with new buses and a new set of tour mates from other areas of Israel. The drive into Jordan was fast and practically traffic free and it took us around 3 hours to get to Petra.
Prior to entering Petra we were warned about the possible scams we would encounter — one being higher prices from vendors inside Petra vs vendors on the outside. Another scam was that horse riders would try to convince you that a ride to the temple was included in your admission ticket but when you arrived you were charged $100usd. The walk from entrance to first temple is pretty much a one hour walk. The temperature inside is really hot, as well and we were advised to wear a scarf around our head to help keep us cool. As much as I wanted to resist wearing a scarf, it truly did help.
Along the route there are some really beautiful rock formations and amazing red colored stones. But nothing beats the view of the temple after the one-hour trek.
From more information on 10 things to know before you go to Petra >> READ MORE
Day three : Bait Ali Camp
Visiting Petra took an entire day and on the way back we stopped at Bait Ali Camp for the night. This lodging is tucked behind a hill, with a fine view of the wilderness . It felt more like a “glampsite” as the rooms were in comfortable air-conditioned chalets that are designated to each pair of tourists. Facilities include swimming pool, restaurant with nightly barbecue produced from an open zerb (an oven buried in the sand). Oh there is also the option of pitching your own tents or parking a camper van.
The following morning we explored Wadi Rum with its dramatic landscape of the Jordan desert with some amazing rock formations that I believe is indeed crafted by nature. I believe many of you might have heard of that movie Lawrence of Arabia; if not, try to find a Youtube clip to see how many tourist started there trek here.
Day four : Aqaba
We left Wadi rum early afternoon and explored Aqaba until it was time to cross the border back into Israel. In Aqaba you have the unique opportunity to dive in colourful coral gardens in the morning (its clear, warm waters and vibrant coral reefs are said to be the best in the Red Sea), and then wandering through centuries-old Nabatean wonders in the afternoon. What I found interesting is that even though the security between the two countries can be heavily surveilled and guarded on either side they share the Red Sea. But make no mistake even the waters are secured between Jordan and Isreal. That history itself is for another blog.
Once we got to Israel we spent some time at the beach in Eilat. From the restaurant we decided to stop at to enjoy some drinks, we could still see Jordan and the city we just left. The beaches in Eilat are known for snorkeling, scuba diving, and many other water sports as well a prime place for rest and relaxation. Eliat is a lot of fun and a very lively city. The entire trip and crossing borders made me even more curious about the country Israel, and I wanted to learn even more about how they cope with their surrounding neighbors.
Either way I had a really great time and was ready to continue to explore other parts of Israel, like Jerusalem and the Dead Sea.
Coming in another blog very soon 
]]>