Having a GREAT time in Jerusalem. It was so exciting to finally get here. The Old City is just amazing - to see all the places that you have read and heard so much about, and to be in the thick of all the turmoil and confusion is a fabulous experience. I have been on a tour to see the sunrise at Masada, swim in the Dead Sea (a photo was taken of me reading the Jerusalem Post while floating, of course!), see Qumran, Jericho, Wadi Qelt (the Israeli equivalent of the Grand Canyon - stunningly beautiful). I'm staying at a great hostel in the centre of New Jerusalem, just 10 minutes walk from Jaffa Gate. The people here are generally very friendly and helpful, despite the general view of Israelis as rude or having no manners. There are always some exceptions but overall they are a great bunch of people. Today I went to Bethlehem on an Arab bus with an Australian family who I met on the Masada trip. Bethlehem is a complete hell-hole in the West Bank, complete with extremely tacky souvenir shops and Xmas lights. We couldn't get a bus or taxi back due to it being Friday afternoon during Ramadan, so we had to walk (in the rain) back up the main Jerusalem-Hebron road to the checkpoint marking the border between the Occupied West Bank and Israel proper. Fortunately, the IDF soldiers were very friendly and helped us get a taxi back, but it was a good adventure. I was particularly relieved to get back across as I wasn't too sure whether I would need my passport, which I'd left in the safe at the hostel. I probably head for Egypt on Monday, haven't got my visa yet - I'll head to Tel Aviv on Sunday morning to get it. Happy New Year to All Nigel
Having a GREAT time in Jerusalem. It was so exciting to finally get here. The Old City is just amazing - to see all the places that you have read and heard so much about, and to be in the thick of all the turmoil and confusion is a fabulous experience. I have been on a tour to see the sunrise at Masada, swim in the Dead Sea (a photo was taken of me reading the Jerusalem Post while floating, of course!), see Qumran, Jericho, Wadi Qelt (the Israeli equivalent of the Grand Canyon - stunningly beautiful). I'm staying at a great hostel in the centre of New Jerusalem, just 10 minutes walk from Jaffa Gate. The people here are generally very friendly and helpful, despite the general view of Israelis as rude or having no manners. There are always some exceptions but overall they are a great bunch of people. Today I went to Bethlehem on an Arab bus with an Australian family who I met on the Masada trip. Bethlehem is a complete hell-hole in the West Bank, complete with extremely tacky souvenir shops and Xmas lights. We couldn't get a bus or taxi back due to it being Friday afternoon during Ramadan, so we had to walk (in the rain) back up the main Jerusalem-Hebron road to the checkpoint marking the border between the Occupied West Bank and Israel proper. Fortunately, the IDF soldiers were very friendly and helped us get a taxi back, but it was a good adventure. I was particularly relieved to get back across as I wasn't too sure whether I would need my passport, which I'd left in the safe at the hostel. I probably head for Egypt on Monday, haven't got my visa yet - I'll head to Tel Aviv on Sunday morning to get it. Happy New Year to All Nigel