Israel Jerusalem
Looking to broaden your horizons, break the boundaries and venture beyond ordinary? Israel may just have what you’re looking for as Elizabeth Harris discovers
decision to drop it all and get away for a few days. Half the time we are uncertain whether we are going for respite, to escape the daily stressors of life or whether we want to explore the possibilities of new lands and experiment with different cultures. Maybe a bit of both. But one question remains: where? In my case I only had a few days to spare and I had already checked off most city break recommendations, done the family voyage for the summer and scrolled through friends Facebook albums littered with the cliché European hotspots. I wanted something with a twist so when Israel was mentioned I packed my bags, opened my mind and set off on my next adventure. My journey began from London to Ben
W
Gurion on El Al Airlines, with a reputation for a hard stance on security I was interested to see how we would be hosted as guests of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. Contrary to belief, although the questioning was a little intrusive,
36
waterfrontmagazines.co.uk
hen work becomes mundane, life becomes routine and the days seem endless, we suddenly make that rash
I did not experience any problems and arrived comfortably in Israel. With a transit time of approximately five hours it is well within the realms of a long weekend excursion. Te airport is located on the outskirks of Tel Aviv, a cosmopolitan city based along the Mediterranean coast that affords an exciting atmosphere for those looking for an urban influence. However my final destination was a further 60 km South to the historic city of Jerusalem. At the mention of Jerusalem bells of familiarity started to sound in my head. Following a childhood of Sunday school studies to stroll down the sunlit cobble streets of the Old City in person and stand on grounds of such biblical importance formed a surreal moment. Winding down the narrow side streets we retraced the ‘Stations of the cross’, visited the site of the last supper and paid respects at the Chapel of Crucifixion. Te foot of the Temple Mount is home to one of the holiest sites; the ‘Wailing Wall’. Here you can find not only Jewish pilgrims but also voyagers from all corners of the globe hoping
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68