Blogs from Tel Aviv District, Israel, Middle East - page 11

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Middle East » Israel » Tel Aviv District » Jaffa October 28th 2012

The last day in Turkey I left Fethiye after 2 weeks with a bunch of new (facebook) friends and wonderful memories. I wish could have stayed longer, but I was also excited to go to Israel. So, I took once again the overnight bus, this time in the other direction, from Fethiye to Istanbul, the big scary city. I had less then 24 hours and since Istanbul kind of exhausted me the last time, I decided to book a cheap hostel, close to the Blue Mosque because I already knew my way around there. The overnight bus was packed due to the Bayram holidays... Everybody was carrying cargo loads of meat with them. I couldn't really sleep because I had no space to stretch my legs or anything else... We arrived around 9 a.m. at the ... read more
Panoramic view over Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv beach
Flying into Tel Aviv

Middle East » Israel » Tel Aviv District » Tel Aviv October 12th 2012

I am writing this blog while sitting in the waiting area near my gate at Ben-Gurion International Airport. My flight is listed as "delayed", so I am not sure when I will actually arrive in Istanbul. The airport has free high-speed Wi-Fi, so I will send my blog now because I may not have time to do it after I arrive. There is not much to say about today so far. It took a long time to get through Israeli airport security. The main difference seems to be that they make you stay with your checked luggage as it is screened in the X-ray machine. This is a very slow process and that is why they demand that you arrive three hours before take-off. Oh, I was going to mention also about the weather. It has ... read more

Middle East » Israel » Tel Aviv District » Tel Aviv September 28th 2012

Wann immer ich mich mit Freunden außerhalb privater Räume bewege, werden wir von allen Menschen nur auf Englisch angesprochen. Bei unserer Wüstenwanderung nach Ein Akev, lauschte Lior, wie sich die israelischen Tourguides darüber freuten, die unbeholfenen Touristen ausfindig gemacht zu haben. Als sie dann eine ihrer Aussagen auf Hebräisch kommentierte, taten alle mehr als überrascht. "Ach, ihr seid also gar keine Touristen?" - "Sie ja, ich nein!" Anders sein färbt anscheinend ab. Dabei ist gerade Tel Aviv eine der buntesten und lebhaftesten Städte, die ich je gesehen habe. Man mag wohl nicht unrecht haben, hier den Vergleich zu Berlin zu ziehen. Auch hier tragen Hippster bevorzugt nur Klamotten aus Omis Kleiderschrank. Sie kommen mit Nasenring, Jutebeutel, Hund und einem Arm voller Tattoos. Jungfamilien fahren in VW-Beetle-Fossilien durch die Gegend, den Kindersitz neben dem Fahrer... read more
Hummus bei Abu Hassan mit Maya und Noam
Ein Mann
Auf Arads OP-Tisch

Middle East » Israel » Tel Aviv District » Tel Aviv September 26th 2012

In 2010 I decided to take a gap year in Israel, something that I now look back on with great nostalgia. As cliché as this might sound, my gap year changed me, but then again I did not have one of those ‘backpacking around Europe’ gap years. My Gap year was about self-growth through education and challenging my ideologies. I departed for Israel early February 2010 with around 15 other young naïve South Africans. I learnt more in that year than I had ever learnt throughout school and for now the endless stories run through my mind almost every day but I know, soon enough, these vivid memories will become blurred and distorted, therefore I think it is imperative that I start documenting that trip I took two years ago. What is Israel to a tourist? ... read more
Happy Faces
Sleeping
Friendship

Middle East » Israel » Tel Aviv District » Tel Aviv September 5th 2012

Seit gestern Nacht bin ich zurück in Tel Aviv und der festen Überzeugung: Ich schrumpfe. Wo einst meine Füße gewesen sind, verschmilzt nun eine zähe braune, klebrige Masse mit dem glühenden Asphalt, die nach und nach alle restlichen Körperteile anstecken und mich zur einzigen Pfütze auf den, seit Monaten, regenfreien Straßen werden lässt. ES IST HEISS!!! ES IST SCHWÜL!!! Noam und Maya haben mich gestern (Begrüßungsschild inklusive) vom Flughafen abgeholt. Auf dem Weg von der Eingangstür ins 200m entfernte Parkhaus, hab ich bereits 3 Liter Wasser verloren. Einen weiteren bei dem kurzen Zwischenstop an der Imbissbude, um den ersten "Sabich" (Pita gefüllt mit gebratenen Auberginen, Eiern und Salat) des Sommers zu fischen. Ich bin wieder hier und fühle mich, als wäre ich nie weg gewesen. Hündin Bella bullt noch immer das ganze Haus zusammen, wenn ein ... read more
Noams Haus und Garten in Givatayim
Maya
Noam auf der Jagd

Middle East » Israel » Tel Aviv District » Jaffa August 8th 2012

Change of Plans I left Bethlehem again for Jerusalem and decided I would try to figure out what to do for the day on the way. I was planning on renting a car and driving up by Tel Aviv, then northeast to Nazareth and Galilee, spending the night, and driving back to Bethlehem early the next morning. I would take the detour west around Tel Aviv and up through Caesarea and then on to Nazareth because there's a horrible checkpoint to get through up at Beit She'an if I go the more direct route north. My friend from Bethlehem told me they would both take the same amount of time because the checkpoint guards are so mean, so I might as well see more of the country rather than sit at a checkpoint. But renting a ... read more
Old City of Jaffa on the Mediterranean
A large fish swallowed Jonah
Old Clocktower of Jaffa

Middle East » Israel » Tel Aviv District » Tel Aviv July 2nd 2012

Today, my roommate Dieter and I visited the Ben-Gurion House in Tel Aviv. David Ben-Gurion was the first prime minister of Israel and his house was kept in the condition it was left in when he passed away. It was pretty cool to be able to walk in to his house and see how the mind of Israel's first PM worked. Books. Books everywhere! David Ben-Gurion must have had tens of thousands of books in his house. For me to be able to be part of the intellectual Ben-Gurion was would make me very proud. Though he's quite a controversial figure at times, there's no doubt that his house contained very much history. I thoroughly enjoyed it.... read more
Books.
Me and flag of Israel
Ben-Gurion's WWII Shelter

Middle East » Israel » Tel Aviv District » Tel Aviv July 1st 2012

A few nights ago it was White Night in Tel Aviv. For all of you that don't know, White Night is a cultural night led by the city where the entire city of Tel Aviv stays awake all night till 5AM or later that day, with a bunch of stores, stalls staying open, concerts running all night, and so on. So in true fashion of White Night, a group of us went out to the city and see the sights. First we went to Rabin Square, where ex-Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin was assasinated in Tel Aviv and I acutually had walked there before and I didn't even know the historical significance of the square. After headed there a few of us broke off and went to the boardwalk where we ended up at a bar called ... read more
Close up of the Plaque
The Full Plaque
Rabin Square

Middle East » Israel » Tel Aviv District » Tel Aviv June 30th 2012

Shalom! I've been Tel Aviv for exactly a week now, and what's the first thing we do when we go to another country/culture? We try their food! Thanks to my good friend Gabe from Concord, he told me some good foods to try while I'm here. My first meal in Tel Aviv of course was during Shabat, and only a few stores were open, so I had this egg in tomato paste, which they serve in the hotel for breakfast every morning now, and I've had it quite a lot recently. Also included in my meals for the past week include Shawarma and Falafel from the same store called Jacky's, and yesterday I had a good meal of Schnitzel and falafel balls, and while we're in the Middle East, who can't try the DELICIOUS, freshly hummus! ... read more
Jacky's
Schnitzel
Shakshuka

Middle East » Israel » Tel Aviv District » Tel Aviv June 28th 2012

I've had the opportunity to associate with beaches all my life. I was born in a "beach city" in California, had the chance to live in Santa Barbara for the past year, and been to beaches in Malaysia all the time. The past few days I've had a chance to go to a beach/sea I've never been to before, the Mediterranean Sea. For the first time, I stepped on warm sand, or maybe I've just been spoilt with the beautiful Santa Barbara scene and amazing beaches. The sand in the Med is hot, the water is warm and clear, and the company with some great friendship is simply amazing. I don't know what I've done to deserve so much privilege in my life, but I'm definitely not complaining!... read more




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