Jaffa Gate Hostel

The Plan

by i-s-a

"MANILA – ISRAEL – JORDAN - ISRAEL - MANILA"

DAY 01 August 26, 2009 (Wednesday)

7:15 depart Clark via Cebu Pacific Flight No. 5J 150 9:05 arrive HongKong
16:15 depart HongKong El Al Israel Airlines LY76
23:10 arrive in Tel Aviv Yafo, Israel - Ben Gurion International, Terminal 3
Change currency at the airport

DAY 02 August 27, 2009 (Thursday)
take Nesher Sherut (shared taxi - yellw van) to JERUSALEM
OLD CITY
1:00 check-in at Jaffa Gate Hostel
visit Christian Information Centre for walk-tour maps and church services
Jaffa Gate Tourist Office for free maps
start tour with Crusader Citadel which includes:
> Herod's Tower
> Tower of David Museum
tells the history of Jerusalem
NOTE: guided tours in English are conducted at 11:30am daily.
LUNCH
Christian Quarter:
> Church of the Holy Sepulchre
attend English mass if available
> Ethiopian Monastery
northwest corner of the Holy Sepulchre complex
NOTE: see the Ethiopian monks residing atop, in Medieval cloister
> Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
for excellent views of the Old City
SUPPER
Rest early

DAY 03 August 28, 2009 (Friday)
start early
BREAKFAST
Armenian Quarter:
> James' Cathedral
Zion Gate - Mt. Zion:
> Coenaculum
Cenacle, Dining Room - site of the Last Supper
> King David's Tomb at the back of same building
> Church and Monastery of the Dormition
> Grave of Oskar Schindler south of King David's Tomb
LUNCH
Jewish Quarter:
> Cardo archeological sites
> Last Ditch Battle of the Jewish Quarter Museum
> Brick Arc remnant of Hurva Synagogue
> Wohl Archeological Museum
> Western (Wailing) Wall
NOTE: must see! right side is open for women, dress conservatively covering the arms and legs
> Kotel Western Wall Tunnels
hour-long tour to Jerusalem's original street level
> Jerusalem Archeological Park & Davidson Centre
SUPPER
Rest

"DAY 04 August 29, 2009 (Saturday)"

start early
BREAKFAST
re-visit the Western Wall
Muslim Quarter:
NOTE: entrance for non-Muslims is through Bab al-Maghariba Gate at the Western Wall
> Temple Mount
open-stone plaza dotted with cypress trees
where Adam, Cain, Abel and Noah performed ritual sacrifices
where Abraham offered Isaac to God
location of Solomon's First Temple
site of the Second Temple (home to the Holy of Holies)
site of Mohammed's ascesion to heaven (miraj) to join Allah
>> Dome of the Rock
>> Al-Aqsa Mosque
NOTE: non-Muslims can walk freely around but may not enter the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque
NOTE: dress conservatively, wear head covering
> St. Anne's Church
Near the Lion's Gate
home of Joachim and Anne (parents of Mama Mary)
finest example of Crusader architecture in Jerusalem
LUNCH
REST
> Via Dolorosa (The Way of Sorrows)
NOTE: 3pm Friday, the Franciscan Fathers lead a solemn procession here.
all the way to the Church of Holy Sepulchre
SUPPER VT Meet NOTE: invite members!
Rest

DAY 05 August 30, 2009 (Sunday)


DAY 06 August 31, 2009 (Monday)


DAY 07 September 1, 2009 (Tuesday)


DAY 08 September 2, 2009 (Wednesday)


DAY 09 September 3, 2009 (Thursday)

"DAY 10 September 4, 2009 (Friday)"

start early
BREAKFAST
travel to BETHLEHEM, inquire from Green Peace
check-in Bethlehem Star Hotel - single room
Manger Square
> Peace Centre
NOTE: arrange tour "Around Bethlehem" from here
SUPPER
wash clothes
rest early

DAY 11 September 5, 2009 (Saturday)
start early
BREAKFAST
Church of Nativity, check if there's a scheduled English mass
> Grotto of the Nativity, where Jesus was born
> Chapel of the Manger
St. Catherine's Church
NOTE: recommended to take knowlegeable tour guide
Milk Grotto Chapel
where women wanting children make a pilgrimage
LUNCH
International Centre of Bethlehem
SUPPER

DAY 12 September 6, 2009 (Sunday)
start early
BREAKFAST
DAY TOUR (arrange from Peace Centre or hire private taxi with guide)
Beit Saour:
Sheperd's Field
?Church
Herodion
remains of the palace complex built by Heron between 24 and 15BC
Monastery of Mar Saba
NOTE: not open for women but can be viewed from a tower
Beit Jala:
Cremesian Salesian Monastery & Winery
LUNCH
HEBRON
famous for pottery, grapes and dairy products
Cave of Machpela, burial of Abraham. Located below the mosque.
Ibrahimi Mosque
NOTE: dress conservatively, wear head covering
Check if the old Souq can be visited
back to Bethlehem before dark
SUPPER

DAY 13 September 7, 2009 (Monday)
take earliest bus to EIN GEDI, check bus schedule from Egged website
eat in the bus
check-in at Ein Gedi Youth Hostel, leave luggage
Ein Gedi Nature Reserve (8am~5pm)
NOTE: get 15% coupon from the youth hostel
LUNCH
Ein Gedi National Antiquities Park (8am~5pm)
SUPPER
rest early

"DAY 14~18 September 8~12, 2009 (Tuesday~Saturday)"

start early
BREAKFAST
take bus to ARAD, check bus schedule from Egged website
request Martin for a suggested itinerary, possibly including the following:
> Dead Sea
> Masada Complex
> Museum of Bedouin Culture in BE'ER SHEVA
> MITZPE RAMON for the Maktesh Ramon Crater
wash clothes

DAY 19 September 13, 2009 (Sunday)
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SUPPER
take bus to EILAT, check bus schedule from Egged website
check-in at Corinne Hostel, leave luggage
stroll around town centre
book travel to Jordan from here

"DAY 20 September 14, 2009 (Monday)"

start early
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SUPPER
Wadi Araba Border Crossing / Wadi Rum – 4WD tour with overnight stay

DAY 21 September 15, 2009 (Tuesday)
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SUPPER
Petra – walk tour: Treasury, Outer Siq, Street of Facades, Theater, Garden Tomb, etc.

DAY 22 September 16, 2009 (Wednesday)
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SUPPER
Petra – continuation of walk tour: Royal Tombs, Great Teple, Temple of the Winged Lions, Qasr al-Bint, etc.

DAY 23 September 17, 2009 (Thursday)
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SUPPER
Petra - continuation of walk tour: Al-Habis Museum, Crusader Fort, Nabataean Museum, Monastery, etc.

DAY 24 September 18, 2009 (Friday)
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SUPPER
King’s Highway – Madaba, Mt. Nebo, Mukawir sights
Overnight in Amman

"DAY 25 September 19, 2009 (Saturday)"

BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SUPPER
Desert Castles
Overnight in Amman

DAY 26 September 20, 2009 (Sunday)
note: END OF RAMADAN / EID AL-FITR
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SUPPER
Walk Tour in AMMAN
Roman Theatre (8:30am~7pm)
> Folklore Museum
> Museum of Popular Traditions
Forum
Odeon
Hashemite Square
Nymphaeum (Saturday~Thursday)

DAY 27 September 21, 2009 (Monday)
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SUPPER
Citadel walk tour in AMMAN
> Umayyad Palace ruins
> Byzantine Basilica
> Pillars of the Temple of Hercules
> National Archeological Museum

DAY 28 September 22, 2009 (Tuesday)
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SUPPER
Jerash – walk tour of the Roman ruins: Hadrian’sArch, Hippodrome, Oval Plaza, etc.

DAY 29 September 23, 2009 (Wednesday)
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SUPPER
Ajloun – Qala’at ar-Rabad
Umm Qais – ruins, west theatre, Byzantine Church, etc.
Overnight in Amman

"DAY 30 September 24, 2009 (Thursday)"

BREAKFAST
Amman to King Hussein / Allenby Bridge Border Crossing
LUNCH
Yad Vashem - Holocaust Museum
rest early
SUPPER

DAY 31 September 25, 2009 (Friday)
BREAKFAST
Mahane Yehuda Market (8am~sunset Sun~Thu, 9am~2pm Fri)
food market great for picking up gifts for home
NOTE: buy fresh fruits and groceries here and something for supper
Mea She'arim
ultra-Orthodox Jewish district, reminscent of ghetto in pre-Holocaust Eastern Europe
NOTE: dress conservatively
NOTE: don't take photos without permission
NOTE: avoid during Shabbat
LUNCH
Israel Museum
> Shrine of the Book
SUPPER

DAY 32 September 26, 2009 (Saturday)
start early
BREAKFAST
MOUNT OF OLIVES, MOUNT SCOPUS & THE KIDRON VALLEY
NOTE: how to get there???
Tomb of the Virgin Mary
Pillar of Absalom, legendary tomb of David's son
City of David
> Hezekiah's Tunnel that ends at the Pool of Shiloah
knee-deep water of underground passage, where the blind man is supposed to be healed by Jesus
NOTE: needs good shoes, strong torch
LUNCH
Mount of Olives:
> Church of the Ascesion (8am~5:30pm Mon~Sat)
> Church of All Nations (8:30~11am, 2:30~4pm)
> Garden of Gethsemane (8am~12nn, 2~6pm)
NOTE: if sight-seeing was done by 3pm, check-out and transfer to another hostel in the New City
bus to NEW CITY
check-in at Kaplan Hotel OR Allenby 2 B&B
SUPPER
wash clothes
rest early

DAY 33 September 27, 2009 (Sunday)
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SUPPER

DAY 34 September 28, 2009 (Monday)
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
22:55 depart Tel Aviv Yafo, Israel - Ben Gurion Int'l, Terminal 3 El Al Israel Airlines LY75

DAY 35 September 29, 2009 (Tuesday)
15:50 arrive HongKong Hong Kong International, Terminal 1
21:55 depart HongKong via Cebu Pacific Flight No. 5J 143
23:55 arrive in Manila

Jerusalem Tip

by John195123

I'm just thinking of Bethlehem right now. I was there just a few years ago during what seems now to be an extended break in the fighting. It's hard to believe that the streets I walked on just recently, are now being ground by the metal treads of tanks, and shadowed by fighter-jets and transport craft. I don't want to say what side I'm on, as this is a travel site, not a political debate site. I will say to both sides, quit fighting... it's getting annoying.

Websites To help You"

by Sharon

There are planty of websites about Jerusalem that can help you plan your trip.
I will Add some of them in order to help you to be more independent and easily get all the info you need.

1. Jerusalem - connecting to the heart

Yad Vashem museum

by eladr

Yad Vashem's task is to perpetuate the legacy of the Holocaust to future generations so that the world never forgets the horrors and cruelty of the Holocaust. Its principal missions are commemoration and documentation of the events of the Holocaust, collection, examination, and publication of testimonies to the Holocaust, the collection and memorialization of the names of Holocaust victims, and research and education.

Zohara, Carmen and Tal @ Wailing Wall

by Martin_S.

Zohara and Tal took Carmen to get a closer look and explained to her the "belief" that here at this holy relic of the Jewish empire that was lost, if you put a piece of paper in the wall with your prayer printed upon it, that GOD will read it and answer your prayer. So far I have never met anyone for whom this worked, but maybe they all asked to be taken to heaven immediately.....