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Travel Log

Travel Log
It's difficult to present a "travel log" here, since this is our home. But since we have done our share of traveling here, we will provide some information about traveling in Israel.

Don't be afraid of Israel. Even when tensions are high, most of the country is safe and facinating. With all that is happening in the world, this may actually be the safest place there is....Okay, not the safest. In any case, Israel is considered a first world country, and it's services, medical facilities and tourist industry act like it.

Tourist Musts
Here is a far from complete list of sites that tourists to Israel must see:
Jerusalem:
   - The Old City Quarters and Market
   - The Dome of the Rock (in the Old City)
   - The Western Wall (in the Old City)
   - Yad V'Shem Holocaust Museum
Tel Aviv and Coast
   - The Beach (personally I like Nitzanim)
   - Yaffo (Jaffa) at night
The North
   - Haifa, Akko, Rosh Hanikrah
   - The Galil and the Golan (especially in the spring)
The East and South
   - Masada (even thought the story has been proven to be a myth polished in the first half
     of the 20th century)
   - The Dead Sea
   - Eilat: Avoid the mid-summer months
   - The Negev Desert (especially not in the summer)

Traveling with children
Israel is extremely child oriented. You can hang out at the beach, hike in the canyons, visit Masada or the Old City in Jerusalem and you'll always see fellow tourists with children. If for some reason you need medical attention, there are high quality hospitals and clinics in every major city, and no major city is more than a 30 minute drive from most of the country. Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem (there are two) is highly recommended.

There are so many places that must be seen. Just buy a good tour book, or use the bible and go. Of course the Old City in Jerusalem, should not be missed. I highly recommend hiking. You can contact the Society for the Protection of Nature in Jerusalem for route maps. Walking tours of Jerusalem are also wonderful.

Off the beaten path
The Upper Galil Drive along the northern border road. It- A T -s just beautiful. Spend time in Achziv, on the coast north of Nahariah. Rosh Pina, and the Hula Valley are great stops. Rosh Pina has some nice Bed and Breakfasts, and it- A T -s a quite place to relax.

If you are planning a long stay (more than two weeks), buy a pass for the national parks. It saves money and gets you to places that you may not venture to on your own.

Dan Nature Reserve. This is a great place to just hang out for an afternoon or evening, even when it is warm out. Just walk around the area, picnic under a tree and sit by the water and let it hypnotize you. The Dan Nature Reserve is in the nothern part of the Hula Valley.

Tips
Tip 1: Make sure the Taxi drivers turn on the meter. It- A T -s the law and in almost all cases it will be cheaper. If they claim that the meter is broken (and they most certainly will), just get out of the cab. To save the time, ask if his meter works before entering.

Tip 2: When you enter the market in the Old City, walk at least 50 meters before you begin to buy. The outer shops are more expensive.

Tip 3: Use sunscreen.

Cultural Tips
Israel is extremely diverse and very used to tourists. Therefore Israelis are helpful, know English well (most of them) and are proud of their country. At the same time Israelis are outspoken and blunt. Their behaviour can been seen as rude by many, but in fact it- A T -s more like the way family members react to each other. Many Israelis are impatient. They cut each other off on the roads, cut in line and look like their in a hurry. Don- A T -t be afraid to ask for help. If the person you are asking is not a tourist himself, you- A T -ll always get a response. Of course, some Israelis will try to help even if they have no idea how. That can get you lost. The most common answer to an inquiry of how to get somewhere is, - A T -Keep going straight, and ask there.- A T - Like I said, they- A T -re impatient.

Holy places: Each religion has it- A T -s own customs and demands upon the tourist. In general, they also have solutions at the door. For example, if women are wearing short-sleeved shirts and want to enter a synogogue, a shawl will be provided (usually). Same with head-coverings for men. Women walking in Mea Shearim in short pants and short-sleeves may get bothered (or stoned). Skirts (not mini) and any cloth to cover the sholders is advised.

Israelis are very politically oriented. If you haven- A T -t developed an opinion regarding the current conflict, you should... but then keep it to yourself, because you never know who you may offend. There are no right answers.

Dangers
In general, dangers depend on the political atmosphere and are usually exaggerated. During high tension periods (read a paper, or watch CNN), there are specific areas that should be avoided. Most of the violence over the past few years has been in the West Bank and Gaza. In Israel proper, it is usually quite, although lately there have been some attacks in city centers. I wouldn- A T -t hang out too much in the center of Jerusalem (Ben-Yehuda St.), since that tends to be a target for terrorists. On the other hand, 99.99% of the time, it- A T -s quite, peaceful and crawling with police. In general, Israel is not as dangerous as it- A T -s made out to be (the West Bank and Gaza is). Drive by shootings are still more common in Los Angeles, and we now know that suicide bombers are everywhere.

Weather
Summer is hot. Average 30-35C (85-95F) between June-September. May is usually beautiful, although there can be an occasional heatwave - usually not for more than two or three days. The rain returns around October and it cools off considerably.

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