North Israel

Visited: February 2022

Duration of visit: 9 days (North and South)

Capital city: Jerusalem

Population: 9.4 million (2022)

• Generally relaxed atmosphere and sandy beach with bars just a few meters away from the sea in Tel Aviv.
• Extreme kindness or unkindness by locals.
• Jaffa Old Town, old city, beautiful beach, Jewish museum in Tel Aviv
• Prohibitive prices all around.
• An enthusiast piano performance overlooking Sea of Galilee.

In this article I describe the first part of my trip to Israel in 2022 – the North: a standstill during Shabbat, contrasts of Tel Aviv and enthusiast piano players. More articles about Israel adventures are available here:

I was not very eager to visit Israel due to two main reasons: my negative experience with inhospitality and terrorizing questioning by emigration officer at the airport upon arrival on a business trip 10 years earlier, and the fact that Israel is the most expensive country in the World. The only inexpensive part of the trip was a sinfully cheap airplane ticket from Budapest to Tel Aviv at 90 US$ (including luggage).

Travelling these days has become complicated even before I board the plane, since there are Covid-19 protocols, vaccination or recovery and Hag test to be done. After successfully completing all the requirements, obtaining a green pass and a green light by my partner to join me, there was one more detail to be taken care of. I had to get a new passport, since the old one was full of Arabic stamps that would probably lead to an immediate return during the check procedure at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv.

For some reason my new passport was not scanned automatically at the arrival, but a pleasant officer kindly approached me in Spanish and manually finished the registration. No stamp in my passport this time, so I am free to use it in my future adventures again. Compulsory PCR test on the arrival was unique and the first-time small stick was first inserted to my mouth and then (the same) one to my nose. I was ready for quarantine in my hotel until getting the results later at night.

Landing during shabbat in Israel means bad planning. This is probably the reason why airplane tickets were heavily discounted.

Of course, I had heard about Jewish Day of Rest before, but I hadn’t imagined that Shabbat was going to be so strict.

It begins on Friday afternoon and ends at sundown on Saturday when the new week starts. Most of the Jews do not work during Shabbat and this can extend to not using electronic equipment, driving cars nor cooking.

It is not surprising that public transportation was unavailable, leaving the only alternative to reach Haifa as a shared taxi, which ended up costing me more than a round-trip airfare from Europe to Israel. Not a good start to travel on a budget in the most expensive country in the World.

I was not impressed by the city of Haifa, but it turned out to be a good base for exploration of Nazareth and Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee west coast. The Baha’i Terraces of Haifa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are garden terraces on Mount Carmel, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Israel.

Unfortunately, the Terraces were still closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. They are built in the middle of a hill, isolating the site from the noise of the surroundings and overlooking German Colony all the way to Mediterranean Sea.

After my stroll through the terraces and the German Colony, I decided to visit Tiberias. At the train station I purchased a Rav-Kav card, which is used for all public transport network in Israel: buses, trains and underground. A very friendly security guard explained me the system and possibilities of buying regional daily passes that are actually quite affordable and useful. Intercity bus transport is very efficient, punctual and comfortable. I used public transport for most of the trip around Israel and it turned out to be excellent, except on Shabath.

Purchasing a local SIM card was a little bit more complex, particularly when looking for an affordable option. Upon my arrival at the airport, I found that all offices were closed, leading me to choose an online purchase with a subsequent pick-up at a shopping mall in Haifa. Very straightforward and 50% off the airport price.

Before we departed from Haifa, we wanted to explore the Stella Maris Monastery. While the church itself was quite impressive, the panoramic view from the hill overlooking Haifa was truly remarkable. There is a cable car that ascends directly to the top, although the more affordable bus alternative is even more practical.

While returning, we missed the bus, and as a result, I opted to seek a ride through hitchhiking.

The third car that passed was a brand-new Lexus hybrid. I made an eye contact with the driver, but he didn’t stop. “This is a nice car”, my partner mentioned. I maintained my hitchhiking efforts, and after three minutes, the same car emerged on the horizon and stopped right before me. I couldn’t believe it. A local doctor was not comfortable stopping when passing for the first time, turned around and came back to pick us up. Incredible kindness by him and happiness in our hearts after being dropped in the center 5 minutes later.

The Sea of Galilee is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and the second-lowest lake in the world (after the Dead Sea which is a saltwater lake), at approximately 210 meters below sea level. The legendary lake, where according to Christians believes, Jesus walked on water, calmed the storm and was baptized by John the Baptist. Tiberias is the largest city around the Sea of Galilee, and a holy city in Judaism.

It seems to be a nice resort town, with kayak and boat rental facilities, various camping, swimming and watersport activities options in the summer months. St. Peter’s Church was unfortunately closed.

The most notable moment took place as I sat on a pier next to the Sea of Galilee Water Level Monument, enjoying the melodies of an enthusiast piano player and admiring the peaceful surface of the water.

It was not for the first, nor for the last time that I noticed pianos on a public place, but the scenery, harmony and peaceful environment was formidable. The so-called all-weather pianos, built of concrete with technology incorporated to provide a balance sound, amplify the music and at the same time protect it from weather impact, are installed in many public places around the country. It is surprising how many people can play piano at envious level and they are often accompanied by their friends who sing in a chorus.

On the return to Haifa I stopped in Nazareth, but it was getting late to climb to the top of the hill from where 360 degrees view over the valley opens. I visited the Church of the Annunciation, one of the most important churches of modern times in Israel.

Erected in 1969, the new church replaced the original dwelling of the Virgin Mary, the site where the angel Gabriel is believed to have visited her to proclaim that she would conceive and bear the Son of God, Jesus. It consists of two floors: the lower level contains the Grotto of the Annunciation, the upper level contains a number of images of Mary, mainly mosaics.

The biggest Israeli city and ex-capital, Tel Aviv, is from my perspective exceptional for two main reasons:

• One of the few major cities in the world located on the sea, with spectacular sandy beaches, that offers numerous options to relax, be active or just enjoy the view over beautiful seashore for most of the year.
• In many surveys Tel Aviv is labeled as the city with the highest cost of living in the world.

I delayed making a reservation for accommodation during this trip until quite late. This was primarily due to concerns regarding potential complications arising from Covid-19 restrictions, which were still in place. Additionally, there was another challenge concerning the high cost of lodging in Tel Aviv. I couldn’t find an apartment that would make me happy at high price that was usually quoted. I finally ended up at the apartment in a private house in the area of Jaffa, accessible by public transport and walkable distance to the beach. It turned out that the place was perfect.

The owner was an exceptionally laid-back elderly woman who was renting a beautiful, well equipped and comfortable apartment, while she was using the rest of the house to organize dinners, catering and private events for small groups. She simply gave me the instructions to walk toward the beach, open my eyes, look for surprises and discover new scenes around me.

The area was predominantly Arabic, poorer, but quiet and safe. After visiting various beaches in Tel Aviv in off-season (it was February), I appreciated even more one of the last almost untouched beaches, Givat Aliya Beach, which must be really spectacular in the summer time.

Tel Aviv is a big city, even though officially its population is registered at less than half a million.

The World’s Vegan Food Capital, the city that never sleeps due to lively nightlife and 24-hour culture, and the city with the largest economy per capita in the Middle East.

I explored it only walking and using efficient and cheap system of public transport. Probably a little bit old fashioned, considering the number of electric bicycles and constant expansion of paths around the city.

I feel that the location on a shore of Mediterranean Sea gives the capital a special vibe and relaxed atmosphere which is at its best on a 5 kilometers long biking & walking path between the fishing harbors of Jaffa Port and Tel Aviv Port.

The old town of Jaffa with alleys, antique shops and 18^th century buildings, was built on Crusader foundations. Although integrated with Tel Aviv, Jaffa is quite different, as my host said. You will always find something new around the corner.

Jaffa flee market is famous for its ancient slate houses and narrow winding stone roads. It is located southeast of the prominent clock tower, spreading around for a few blocks, but the main part is the central walking street. The market features a colorful cross-section of humanity and a fascinating mixture of new and mostly second-hand merchandise of every type and description: predominantly antiques, but inside the covered market there is everything, from textile to old carpets, from Indian clothes to juice stands.

The afternoon was reserved for ANU Museum of Jewish people with a specific location inside the University campus. After ten years of planning and construction, the largest Jewish museum in the world opened its doors in 2021.

ANU Museum of Jewish people is the world’s only museum dedicated to celebrating and exploring the experiences, accomplishments and spirit of the Jewish people from biblical times to the present.

After purchasing tickets, a short introduction and explanation by a well-informed local curator was a motivating commencement to three wings (plus the synagogue wing) of journey that portrays the story of the Jewish people through the generations and up to the present time. I was especially fascinated by the following facts exposed in the museum:

• Hebrew language was revived at the end of 19^th century when a group of people agreed to use exclusively Hebrew in their conversations. Once again, the language that had not been in use since 2^nd century, became the national language of Israel.
• 20% of Nobel price winners have been Jewish. Many important people are Jewish: from Bob Dylan, Steven Spielberg and Albert Einstein to the most powerful people in 21^st century – Facebook and Google founders for example.

It is incredible, how the religion could unite and define a group of people from all over the world, while a usual base for unity is based on geographic parameters in a form of a country.

If a contrast between Jaffa Old Town and modern buildings area along beaches on Schlomo Lahat Avenue shows only part of variety that could be found in Tel Aviv, the White City area is an outstanding representation of Bauhaus/International Style buildings. There is no other place like this.

Over 4,000 buildings are a legacy of famous Jewish architects that were forced to flee from Germany in the late 1930’s, when Nazis started to gain power in Europe.

UNESCO named White City as a World Site Heritage to protect this unique combination of buildings with minimalist approach, functionality, clean lines, and lack of adornment. This minimalist approach was well-suited to the socialist-Zionist ideal of pre-state Israel, which perceived the construction of a new city as central to the creation of a new, more just society.

Approximately 2.000 buildings have been renovated in recent years, maintaining the original lines and colors, while the other half is protected and waiting for refurbishing in the near future. When walking the area, I probably spotted around 50 buildings; all of them perfectly renovated and following the original lines of Bauhaus style.