Visiting Israel
 

I'm heading to Israel with a study group over Christmas...I'll be gone Dec 23 - Jan 6th.

Anyone been there before? Any suggestions for what I should see or things I can't miss?

Also...any suggestions for how to locate cheap tickets to and from Tel Aviv? I'm checking some online sites like kayak, but so far nothing cheaper than about $1300 presents itself. :yikes:

Haven't been there, but I do want to wish you a great time. You're so lucky to get to go! Just be safe.

I'll be very interested to hear your "take" on another foreign culture so close to your own, and yet so subtly different.

Have the most fun.

Be prepared to come back slightly changed from the person you were when you went.

Israel is a very strange, magical, spiritual place and no-one leaves without feeling as though they have been touched by it in some way.

Whether you are religious or not, the air is thick with history that makes you tingle.

I loved:

The garden and church of Gesthemane
The Western Wall
A beautiful mosque whose name I forget but which marks the 'centre of the world' (if you look at a flat map of the world, Israel is pretty much central to it and this is supposed to mark the exact spot)
The Dead Sea.

I didn't have the opportunity to eat Felafel from the vendors at the Dead Sea, so please eat some for me, it smelt really great and I love street food when abroad!

another pixie on adventure! very cool, osuche.

are you staying at a hostel? that would save a lot. i wish i'd been there and had some good tips. even though i haven't, i bet lou's prepare to be totally affected is a good one.

you'll catch the tail end of hanukkah, no? what are you going to study?

I'm not sure about the sleeping arrangements...my business school is making arrangements for the 25 of us going. My best guess is that we'll stay at budget hotels, but I am not sure. Security is an issue, so I suspect that may eliminate options for a large group of Americans (about 15 of us are Americans, the rest are Indian, Chinese, Israeli, and Canadian).

I'm going to try to be in Jerusalem for Christmas mass. We meet up in Tel Aviv on the 25th and will spend time in both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. I'll have a better feel for the itinerary after our planning meeting tomorrow.

We'll be meeting Benjamin Netanyahu, Ariel Sharon, several local businessmen and entrepreneurs, and touring the sights. The focus is on learning about business and politics in Israel and the economy, while getting to appreciate the history of the country.

Thanks everyone for your interest! I can't wait to go on the trip, and I'll let you know what else is planned as I learn.

How cool!

It's very exciting to visit other countries and experience their culture. And I'm a big fan of trying their food too. :D

(... and gun powder :rolleyes2 )



I think you'll more popular with EVERYBODY if you don't order a lot of BLTs. ;)

You won't have to fight anyone for ham at the buffets! :D

Or for shellfish, far that matter :spin:

osuche,

I am uncertain how flexible your itinerary is after your arrival in Israel, but if you can plan your visit, do so well ahead of time. There are many more places of interest in that section of the world than your stay will make possible for you to visit, so, if I may suggest, select a theme, such as geological, historical, or religious, and plan your travels to explore your selection. Doing so will help you avoid a “If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium” situation.

lol.^^ at least it's only one country.

personally, i'd love to get a taste of everything, even if it's just the merest of morsels. it's the gen mtv culture in me isuppose. :D

jseal,

Some of them are more "If this is Belgium it must be Tuesday morning".

Osuche travelogue, coming soon to a thread near you?

What....you want to see pics of me in Israel? That could be arranged. :D ;)

osuche,

That would be nice. :) Not, perhaps as nice as seeing you in rose petals, but nice nonetheless...