Fascinating and unforgettable! (Published in NI Travel News July 2011)



Feeling the heat in the Judean Desert

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Pilgrims offering their devotions at the Western Wall

View of Jerusalem from the City of David

colourful spices at the Carmel Market

Superb food, lively nightlife, and of course stunning if a little over-commercialised Biblical sites...Israel has it all.
When I first told people I was going to Israel the most common response was, “Really? Is it safe?” I admit I once had these preconceived ideas too until I met a couple from Jerusalem along my travels a couple of years ago and bombarded them with similar, totally ignorant questions, “Is it safe?” “As a Jew surely you don’t have any Muslim friends, right?”
In turn they asked me questions about Northern Ireland, “Is there still a war between you and England?” and exclaimed in surprise when I revealed my boyfriend and I were from different sides of the religious divide here. After this my opinion of Israel changed and I learned to look past the images I saw on Sky News.

Therefore I set off with a distinct lack of reservations which unfortunately didn’t last long. I didn’t exactly get off to the greatest of starts when in Luton airport I was accosted by staff from El Al airlines and questioned intensely as to my reason for my visit. After I had given what I felt were more than satisfactory answers, they proceeded to plonk a large sticker on my bag stating something in Hebrew which must I believe have said something along the lines of “suspect terrorist” as later when I prepared to board I was taken into a forbidding, clinical room where my bag was taken behind a curtain and the contents turned inside out by a team of staff. However, I really shouldn’t complain as my fellow journalist apparently looked to them like someone who might be carrying a bomb in his underpants (if you catch my drift) so all things considered I got off lightly. Apparently this is all very run of the mill and we should have expected no less, but it was very disconcerting nonetheless. Fortunately, this was the only negative aspect of the entire trip, but one which I feel must be mentioned all the same.

Myself and three other journalists began our trip in Tel Aviv, the party capital of Israel, “In Haifa we work, in Jerusalem we pray and in Tel Aviv we play!” Alice, my tour guide informed me. I was immediately impressed with Tel Aviv, it’s a trendy, lively city full of atmosphere. It’s packed with restaurants, bars, coffee shops, beaches, beautiful people and is home to one of the biggest open air markets in the middle east – the Carmel Market. Here you can buy everything from colourful spices to scarves, freshly baked bread and jewellery to fish heads, if you should ever feel the need. The market is loud, bustling and great fun. There is a laid back vibe in Tel Aviv generally and I fell in love with it instantly.

As mentioned, Tel Aviv is famed for its nightlife and therefore it would have been rude not to sample it. Throngs of people bring the city to life packing out the many bars, cocktail lounges, clubs, restaurants and wine bars, continuing till dawn. The bars we sampled all had a friendly, cosmopolitan atmosphere and three things were very prominent – I felt very safe, everyone was sickeningly beautiful and; although everyone was drinking no one was drunk.

Our first meal in Tel Aviv sparked our week long obsession with food throughout the remainder of our trip. In fact, it is fair to say that the food overall was a definite highlight. I’m not ashamed to admit that the meal I had in one particular restaurant (Uri Buri in Acco) beat visiting Golgotha (where Christ was crucified) and I’m quite a spiritual person! Yes, food in Israel is superb, a fusion of French, Turkish, Indian, Morroccan - the list goes on; spanning 3,000 years of tradition and culture, it’s as varied and rich as its population.


Leaving the modern world behind us, we ventured to the first of many U.N.E.S.C.O world heritage sites, Tel Megiddo, or as it is often referred to – Armageddon. It is an impressive site with an even more impressive story. Megiddo was a city 5,000 years ago, it was conquered by the Egyptians, Canaanites, King Solomon and King Ahab before finally being demolished by the Egyptians. The site has been excavated three times and the remains of the city’s gates and King Ahab’s stables can be seen today. It is believed that it is here the final battle will take place marking the end of the world. Tel Megiddo is just the tip of the iceberg as far as the long and complicated history of Israel goes.

Jerusalem

For many, Jerusalem is the place which holds the most interest when visiting Israel. It’s a place of spiritual significance for Jews, Christians and Muslims. As a person of strong spiritual Christian belief naturally I was most looking forward to visiting Jerusalem. What a fascinating city, unique in its blend of history, tradition, faith and culture which is characterised by the image of young girls in soldiers’ uniforms walking down the street with guns slung over one shoulder and a Louis Vuitton handbag on the other. Passing the stalls in the Jewish corner you’ll see t-shirts hanging with slogans “don’t worry America, Israel is behind you” yet less than 10 metres away in the Arab quarter are t-shirts brandishing “Free Palestine”. Jerusalem’s streets are a vibrant mix of all cultures and it’s refreshing to see how all faiths live so harmoniously together.

The heart of the city is the old city, which is surrounded by its beautiful ancient walls and split between the four religious quarters; Christian, Jewish, Armenian and Muslim. The walls envelop some of the holiest sites in the world which attract millions of worshippers worldwide. The Western Wall (often referred to as the wailing wall) is an imposing site and the most sacred to the Jews. Even if you aren’t religious it is hard to not be stirred by it. Hundreds of people line up to touch it and pray, many pop little notes in the crevices of the wall and the atmosphere and expression on peoples faces is one that is filled with emotion. It is very moving.

Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the other holy Christian sites. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher encompasses Christian relics including the anointing stone which is where Jesus’ body was laid before his burial, Jesus’ grave and what is believed to be the point where Christ was crucified. Hoards of tourists swarm the church and the whole area has been completely commercialised. The supposed place of Christ’s crucifixion is dripping with gold accessories, candles and marble, which for me took away from the whole experience. There’s no denying the importance it held for others however as women knelt down beside the anointing stone to kiss it, touch it and even rub clothes on it, with sheer emotion etched on their face. Although I didn’t find it moving myself it was interesting and lovely to see how it affected others. Another reason preventing me from being caught up in the emotion was my tour guide’s comments over the debate and uncertainty of where Christ actually was crucified, “Of course many people argue this is not where Christ died at all” erm…ok then.

The Via Dolorosa is, according to Christian tradition, the final path Jesus took which led him from the courthouse to Golgotha where he was crucified. The path has 14 ‘stations of the cross’, each one marking a moment of significance i.e the point where Jesus saw Mary, or when he fell etc. Again this experience was somewhat ruined by Alice’s confession that the 3rd station of the cross was actually moved from the original position because a man wanted to open a stall there. This knowledge, combined with market traders trying to sell you their merchandise as you walk along the path, somewhat took away from the experience.

The City of David however, provided a truly unforgettable experience. Wondering around the ancient remains where over 3000 years ago King David established his kingdom was a real highlight. The city holds the evidence of many stories spanning thousands of years of wars, prophets and kings in its stony remains. Within the city of David there are tales of so many events that it is quite overwhelming and very hard to take in the breadth of history it encompasses. The remains of what are believed to be King David’s palace can be seen along with the spectacular craftsmanship of King Hezekiah’s tunnel. This 500 metre long tunnel was carved out during King Hezekiah’s reign by groups of men starting at opposite ends and meeting in the middle; an unbelievable feat. The tunnel is partly filled with water, pitch black and offers an incredible and authentic experience of how these men moved around the city when under siege. It takes roughly 30 minutes to wade your way through, but as four of us had one small torch in the form of a keyring between us, we made it through in record time of 15 minutes as we were keen to get to the light. The boys’ rendition of the Indiana Jones’ theme tune also served as a reinforcement.

The Yad Vashem museum is Israel’s memorial to the victims of the Holocaust and is the second most visited tourist site in Israel after the Western Wall. It depicts the story of the holocaust with chilling exhibitions in the form of video clips, photographs, newspaper cuttings and other memorabilia. Headsets are supplied enabling you to tour the museum at your leisure and allowing you to completely submerge yourself into your own world without distractions; it’s a very effective system. The museum takes you through the entire harrowing story of the holocaust, and no matter how many times you were taught it in school, read it in books or saw it on television, nothing quite depicts it like the Yad Vashem. The pictures are distressing and heartbreaking, the facts are chilling and laid bare, the hall of names will send shivers down your spine and more than once I had to control myself from breaking down. In a peculiar way it is a great experience. I spent over two hours in the museum and only made it halfway through. I could have quite easily spent four hours walking through the entire story of one of the greatest tragedies in history.

There was no better way to end the trip than a spot of pampering by the Dead Sea – at 400 metres below sea level it is the lowest point on earth and rich in soothing minerals which provides a warm, super salty floating experience. I spent several hours effortlessly floating, thinking of those who had done so before me; Cleopatra, King Herod to name some of the more exciting ones and reminisced over the past week’s events. From the historical wonders of archaeological sites such as Megiddo and the City of David, to the pumping nightlife and stunning beaches of Tel Aviv, Israel is a fascinating country. It’s the ultimate holiday destination, and without a doubt I will be returning to experience more.