A few months ago I traveled to Israel at the beginning of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which only contributed to the intensified excitement. Israel is probably one of the coolest and most memorable places I've ever been. The mini-war like situation only added to its bad ass reputation. I remember friends and relatives frantically warning me to leave the country. Is it twisted that all this conflict made my trip more exciting? Maybe I've been living this boring "safe" life for so long that I was craving some adventure and danger. Of course, I wouldn't be saying if that something terrible had actually occurred. Knock on wood.
Herzliya beach
We stayed at the Dan Accadia in Herzliya beach where the sand was simmering beneath the blazing sun and the water was dangerously blue. The air never smelled so fresh and organic. The people were friendly and kind, but not overly expressive.
My first night in Israel, we dined in the hotel lobby and had a delicious meal with excellent hummus, fruits, and desserts until the sirens suddenly started to go off. The staff hurried us out of the dining room and all guests rushed to the basement bomb shelter. It was my first "bombing" experience—a lot of people were concerned, there was crying—but I was alert and excited. I felt a moment of aliveness that had been absent. After 15-20 minutes, we were free to resume our daily routine. Basically nothing "really" happened. Boo.
My first real day in Israel comprised of an 8 hour long tour guided trip to Caesarea where King Herold built his palace, Haifa, the Acres and the Grottoes in the northern coast bordering Lebanon. We covered a lot in one day. We came, we saw and we did not enjoy each site enough. These tour guides were hustling each spot with 15-minute explanations and BAM on to the next one.
The falafels we had at this random place in the Acres were amazing. The freshness of the chickpeas, bread, and hot sauce cannot compare. I dream about that falafel sometimes. Even Taim in New York can't compare.
Haifa gardens
The second day we decided to do another guided tour given the tension that was starting to arise. At 7am, we were on the tour bus headed to Jerusalem. We hit the usual suspects: Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Armenian quarters..etc. We followed Via Dolorosa where Jesus walked to the Holy Sepulchre where he was resurrected. Tourists flooded his tomb hoping to bring good luck into their lives.
Muslim Quarter
The third day we decided that the tour guides were too fast and rushed, although they provided a lot of historical knowledge we didn't get the chance to really enjoy each destination. We rented a car and drove to Jaffa for dinner. The old city of Jaffa was so peaceful and calm. The sunset was mesmerizing and almost as romantic as the ones in Santorini. It was at that moment I had really started to appreciate the beauty of sunsets. We dined at Dr.Shakshuka—a colleague of mine recommended this place. The rustic food was simple and delicious. Did I mention the lemonades in Israel are the best? They don't even add any sugar!
Old Jaffa
Dr. Shakshuka
On our last day, we drove all the way to Masada where King Herold built his battle grounds. The blazing sun was hitting on us like no other. Even water couldn't quench our thirst. We were on the verge of dehydration. Luckily we cooled ourselves in the not so cool dead sea—the lowest point on earth. I stocked up on plenty of dead sea products from mud masks to dead sea salt. I think the last day was my favorite. Getting lost and finding our way in one of the oldest civilizations in the world was pretty cool. I can't wait to go back.
Dead Sea
Masada