Blogs from Jerusalem, Jerusalem District, Israel, Middle East - page 14

Unser erster Anreiz, nach Israel zu reisen, war, dass wir Jerusalem sehen wollten. Erst nach näherer Beschäftigung mit dem Land stellten wir fest, dass es auch noch vieles anderes interessantes und sehenswertes hier gibt. Trotzdem ist und bleib Jerusalem der Hauptgrund, warum wir heute gegen 15 Uhr am Flughafen Ben Gurion landen. Und so ist es wenig überraschend, dass unsere erste Station die heilige Stadt ist. Mit dem Sherut, einer Art Sammeltaxi im Minibusformat, geht es die rund 60 km nach Jerusalem, wo uns das Sherut fast bis vor unsere Haustür im trendigen Stadtteil Nahalot Shiva'a, unweit der Altstadt, bringt. Hier haben wir bei unserem Gastgeber Omer ein Zimmer in einem 120 Jahre alten Haus gemietet. In dem kleinen Innenhof, der zum Haus gehört, steht ein Granatapfelbaum und es streunen Katzen umher, alles sehr idyllisch, aber ... read more

Hi there! It was a long time ago when I wrote something, almost a year went by and...I'm back! Not to tell you a lot, I confess, but some people say "an image is worth a thousand words" so I rather show you what I've been doing during the summer, than tell you... (actually I don't have much time to write, right now - exam season!) Hope you appreciate the contrast between cultures and countries that I had the pleasure to witness last summer! In this post I'll leave you with some pictures from Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv (Israel). I am already planning another trip, but that's for the next post... Cheers! JM... read more

Of all the countries we visit, Israel is the most interesting, perplexing and amazing. The fact of Israel being at the confluence of the major religions of the world, the enormous documented history of this disputed bit of land, the sheer beauty and diversity of the countryside, and the ongoing and seemingly unresolvable Palestinian/Israeli conflict is enough to confound and intrigue a traveler to this Holy Land. We arrived in the port city of Haifa and opted for a ship's tour to Caesarea Maritime. This city was built by Herod the Great and named after his Roman benefactor Augustus Caesar. Pontius Pilate was here during the time of Jesus. The Roman gladiators performed their feats at the circus and the Christians and lions fought to the death at the amphitheater. After the Roman period, the Arabs ... read more

Jerusalem has staying power. During its long history, it has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times and captured 44 times...all in the name of religion. I was not prepared when I saw Jerusalem for the first time. It is beautiful! From the olive groves growing on the sides of hills to the many different styles of architecture all done with the same Jerusalem stone. Jerusalem draws people of many different faiths from all over the world to see its religious sites and antiquities. Our first stop was on the Mount of Olives. As we looked down from the Mount of Olives, we could see the beauty of the walled city of Old Town Jerusalem. This mount has been used as a cemetery for over 3,000 years and holds over 150,000 graves. Many Jews ... read more

I really enjoy local farmers’ markets and wet markets. (I also like grocery stores, but that’s another story.) These are some of my favorite places to visit when I travel, and since the Mehane Yehuda Market is not too far from where I am staying, I decide to visit. First of all, the place is huge; covering several blocks. The market dates back to the Ottoman Empire and offers just about anything you can want. Fresh fruits, sure, but also nuts, and dried fruits, household goods, prepared foods, juices, fresh flowers, and mounds of delectable pastries, a never ending parade of color and smell. Vendors call to you from their stalls singing the praises – and I literally mean singing – of their wares. And of course their stuff is ever so much better than the ... read more