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 Salt of the earth by gilabrand
If you’re not looking for fancy massages, mud packs and the luxury of a spa, and all you want is to float in peace in the salty water, try the free beach opposite Ein Gedi.
Be forewarned: This is a rocky beach. It’s not the kind of beach that’s fun to walk on barefoot. If you have “jellies” – rubber sandals made for wading in the water – you will do best. If not, try to have a pair of flip flops or an old beat-up pair of sandals or shoes you don’t mind using in the water. You can do without, of course, and just hobble across the stones saying “ouch,” like me…
Now here’s a tip for all you people who like free souvenirs. After you’ve had your fill of floating, sit in the shallow water near the shore and look down. No, you won’t see fish. This is the Dead Sea, remember, and nothing lives in it. There are no waves, either. If people are not paddling around near you, you can see straight to the bottom, which is covered with beautiful stones in a multitude of shapes, colors and textures. Nearly every stone is different. Choose a few small ones to take home with you. I found a wonderful chunk of crystalized salt (see the photo) just lying there in the water. Leave a Comment Address: Dead Sea shore, Ein Gedi
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For a special view of the Old City of Jerusalem and the surrounding area, take a walk on the ancient walls. There are two entrance points for a "ramparts walk" at the Jaffa Gate, one immediately inside the gate and one near the entrance to David's Citadel. You climb the stairs at one of these points and follow the route of the wall around the city, either north or south. Don't worry: there's a guard rail. The entire length is 4 kilometers - but you don't have to do it all. Each way takes about an hour.
The entrance point at the Jaffa Gate is up a narrow flight of stairs. At the top is a ticket booth. The price is 16 shekels for adults and 8 shekels for children. Following this route will take you north, overlooking the Christian and Muslims quarters, ending at the Via Dolorosa.
You don't need to be particularly fit for this, but there are some steep flights of stairs to negotiate, and the paths are of rough hewn stones, so don't try this in stiletto heels.
Hours: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Leave a Comment Address: Jaffa Gate, Old City of Jerusalem
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 by gilabrand
In the early 20th century, Tel Aviv was nothing but a big sand dune. When the Nazis rose to power and many German Jews immigrated to Palestine, Bauhaus-trained architects were among the new arrivals. This empty expanse of sand north of overcrowded Jaffa was chosen as the perfect place to put their modernist ideas into practice. Dov Carmi, Zeev Rechter, Genia Averbuch, Richard Kauffmann and Erich Mendelsohn are some of the big names.
The Bauhaus school of design was founded by Walter Gropius in Weimar, Germany in 1919. The principles were not only aesthetic, but based on a whole philosophical outlook. It was the age of the ?New Man? and socialism. Key elements of Bauhaus architecture were simplicity, clean lines, economical use of space, flat roofs, balconies and inexpensive building materials.
Some adapations were made to suit the climate. Instead of large windows, the buildings in Tel Aviv were designed with long narrow strip windows. Many were built on stilt columns, or pilotis, which lifted the building above street level, improving airflow and allowing a garden to be planted underneath. Reinforced concrete was introduced in 1912 and became widely used because it was cheap and did not require skilled workers.
For good examples of Bauhaus architecture walk along Rothschild Boulevard or Bialik Street. Once you get the hang of it, you will be able to spot a Bauhaus house anywhere. Keep your eyes open. There are even some in Jerusalem. Leave a Comment Directions: For a Bauhaus walking tour in English, German or Hebrew, call 03-5449951.
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Be sure and visit the dead Sea when you're in the area. There is literally nothing else on Earth like this body of water. The mud is enriched with all kinds of minerals (keep it OUT of your eyes) and after slathering it all over yourself and rinsing it off, your skin feels like it's baby soft! You may look like a total idiot while you're putting it on and waiting for it to dry, but the effort is worth it.
My little sister has ecsema and is always looking for ways to heal her skin eruptions. This stuff worked wonders on her. She brought mud back to the States with her and hasn't had an eruption since she started using the mud. I sound like a commercial, don't I? Leave a Comment
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We fly from one country to another in a matter of hours and then race around as fast as we can to “see” everything in a few days. Getting out of the airport as quickly as possible is always a top priority.
When you land at Ben Gurion Airport in Lod (not in Tel Aviv, as most people assume), if no one is actually waiting for you in the arrivals hall, my advice is to slow down and look around. A visit to Israel starts in the airport.
People used to get off the plane and kiss the ground. Nowadays, with all the accoutrements of modernity, i.e., sleeves that come up to the plane and take you straight into the airport, that is an interesting scene you are not likely to see anymore. But what you will see, in ultra-modern Terminal 3, with all its gleaming marble and steel, are ancient mosaics, alerting you to the fact that wherever you walk in Israel, you are treading on historical ground.
As you walk through the airport, instead of making a mad dash for the exit, look up. Hanging on the wall opposite you are three mosaic floors unearthed in archeological excavations in Beit She’an, Bethelem-in-Galilee and Caesarea. Dating from the 5th-6th centuries CE, they are decorated with images of animals, birds, trees, buildings and baskets of grapes. One features a woman holding a fruit basket. Her name is Kaloreria, which means “good season” or “prosperity” in Greek. Another contains a Greek inscription. “Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed when thou goest out” (Deuteronomy 28:6). Leave a Comment Address: Ben Gurion International Airport
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 by gilabrand
Israel’s major bus company is Egged, which plies both city and inter-city routes. In Tel Aviv, the local buses are operated by Dan, and in Beersheva by Metrodan. The old rickety buses with hard-to-navigate stairs were replaced years ago by sleek, modern buses that are low-slung and easy to board. On some routes long, “accordion” buses are used. In Jerusalem, I always wonder how the driver manages to maneuver these monsters as he whizzes through the city’s narrow streets, many of them probably built for donkeys...If you do get on one of these buses, make sure to find a seat or hang on tightly.
Boarding is only from the front. Unlike some places in the world (such as New York), you do not need exact change – although a NIS 200 bill could be a problem. Today, a ride in the city (I speak only for Jerusalem) costs NIS 5.50, which comes to a little over a $1. Many people buy a “kartisiya” – a multi-ride ticket, good for 10 rides. It costs NIS 44 and can be purchased on the bus itself. These remain valid even if the price rises. So if you buy one and still have rides left over, you can keep it for your next visit.
The driver punches a hole in the kartisiya each time you board the bus. More than one person can use it. If two of you are getting on, for example, tell the driver “pa’amayim” (which means “twice”). Leave a Comment Directions: National Information Center: 03-6948888Website: www.egged.co.il
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 The Church of Saint Anne by Paul2001
The church has amazing acoustics and many pilgrim groups come here and sing. This is suppose to be something thrilling to hear but when I visited the church, I heard just one lovely young lady sing solo before the altar of the church. It was really quite moving. If you want to sing here too, then remember that you must sing only religiously themed songs. So no renditions of "White Rabbit" please.
Many people visit the church before taking the route down the Via Dolorosa as it is only about 300 metres from it's beginning. The Church of Saint Anne is open from Monday to Saturday from 8am to noon and from 2pm to 5pm. It costs NIS10 to enter the compound which includes the church and the Bethesda Pool. Leave a Comment Directions: By the Lion's Gate
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 Tel, Eretz Israel Museum by Paul2001
The museum complex is near to the extraordinary Bet Hatfutzot museum on the University of Tel Aviv campus and make for a could day excursion.
The Eretz Israel Museum is opened on:
Sun, Mon,Tue, Wednesday, Thurs:
09:00 - 15:00
Fri, Saturday:
10:00 - 14:00
Admission is NIS 30 which is about $6.50US. Leave a Comment Address: 2, Haim Levanon Street, Tel Aviv 69975Phone: (972) 3 641 5244Directions: North of the city centre of Tel Aviv in Ramat Aviv.Website: :www.eimuseum.co.il
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The Jerusalem Archaeological Park is situated outside the Southern wall of the Temple Mount. Herodeon ruins can be explored and you can see the Southern steps, once the main entrance to the Temple. Later ruins from the Byzantine era and remains of an Islamic palace or two can be viewed.
A first century street has been uncovered, where you'll notice various shopfronts. As we walked along this street I tried to envision what life must have been like during this time! Large stones from the wall have toppled down, crushing parts of the street, but there was plenty room to walk around them.
The Davidson Exhibition Center at the park houses artifacts, models and a video showing what the Temple Mount once looked like. I thought this was very informative! Entrance fee charged.
Hours are Sun.-Thurs. 8am-5pm; Fri. 8am-2pm, closed Saturday. Admission $7.50 adults; $4 students/children/seniors Address: Jerusalem IsraelPhone: 02-627-7550Directions: entrance near the Dung GateWebsite: www.archpark.org.il
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Masada is a desert fortress built of rock, isolated from the surrounding mountains as the result of erosion.
It was here that Herod built a palace for himself, storehouses and cisterns. But Masada is best known for the events that happened in the first century A.D. Here Jewish refugees found shelter from Roman rule. In A.D. 72 Romans started a siege of Masada that lasted several months. When the Jews lost all their hope to defend the fortress, they decided to commit a mass suicide rather than surrender. Above nine hundred people, including women and children, chose death - thus escaping Roman oppression.
Today Masada is a great tourist attraction, but above all a symbol of freedom and courage of Israeli people. In 2002 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. Leave a Comment Directions: close to the Dead Sea
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