Adam & Stephanie's Travel Blog: The Holy Land, Part I

Everyone was worried about the border crossing from Jordan to Israel (mainly my mom). Was it dangerous? Long lines? Intense security searches? Would they even let us in after being in Egypt? (There's some strange technicalities when travelling the Middle East and visiting Israel - essentially some countries won't let you in if you've been to Israel) It turned out to be one of the easiest border crossings we had. The Jordanian people were only concerned with whether we'd paid the "exit tax" and there was about 20 bored customs people on the Israel side for the two of us, so despite a thorough search we made it through hassle-free. They even let us use their phone to call Assaf to come pick us up. We were very surprised by how different Israel is after being in Arab countries for nearly 3 weeks - everything is much more modern and clean. Eilat is the border town we entered but is mainly a beach resort town on the upper tip of the Red Sea. We immediately liked it because it felt a little like the US, except for all the signs in a completely unreadable Hebrew. Assaf arranged for us to stay at a "friend of a friend of a friend's" apartment since the owner was out of town for a few days. He assured us this is the way they do it in Israel - everyone helps each other out when needed and will return the favor if called upon. Worked out good for us as we never had to pay for accomodation while in Israel - after Eliat we stayed with his friend Ran from his army days, then with his friend from college in Jerusalem, his parents in Tel Aviv, and a friend in Golan Heights. Everyone was incredibly friendly and generous with us.

Us with Ran and one of his neighbors

Being at the Red Sea, we used our first afternoon in Eilat to go snorkeling and watch the many kite-surfers playing in the sea. The underwater world is amazing. I love it, but I just hate saltwater. We saw most of the same stuff as in Dahab, but got lucky and saw a pufferfish all blown up into a big ball! There was also a big rock formation covered in coral and surrounded by huge schools of fish. I like to just sit back and watch the fish go about their everyday business. Maybe I'll download and watch Finding Nemo. The next morning Assaf took us on a hike up a little mountain near town, where we were treated to amazing views where we could see four countries - Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia!

Assaf has a funny beard

After Eilat we met Assaf's friend Ran (pronounced similar to Ron, but more like Sean with an R), who lived somewhere in the desert between Eilat and Jerusalem. From there, we made a late afternoon trip to the Dead Sea. Every Israeli you talk to laughs about the tourists and how much they love floating in the Dead Sea, so we didn't expect it to be that great. Things are touristy for a reason, though, and this is no different. It was amazing! First, you float much more than you can even imagine. You feel like you're on a float in the pool. Such a strange sensation. Then, the setting was gorgeous. It was just at sunset so the reds and oranges of the mountains opposite the sea were reflecting off the blue-green water. The water was kind of oily and very warm, like bath water, with a thin layer of cold water on top. Steph was in absolute heaven and is already planning herself a week-long Dead Sea spa trip.

the bottom is covered in crusty salt

Our next stop was Jerusalem. We got there in the afternoon so just went to a big market and saved the old city for the next day. Going to markets is one of our favorite things while traveling - it's a good way to see and, if you're brave enough, try the local foods. Despite all the interesting dried fruits, spices, and pastries on display, we were especially excited about the candy stalls! Huge bins of candy of all sorts - how can you pass that up?

dried fruits

Looking back, I guess we knew that Jerusalem was a walled city, but we didn't really realize all the walls would still be intact. It's a huge contrast once you enter the walls and a little like stepping back in time, though the shops that now sell touristy trinkets would have once sold fruits, veggies, grains, spices, and undoubtedly frankincense and myrrh. Despite the touristy feel, it is really cool to wander the uneven cobblestone streets, peer down narrow alleyways, and browse the shops still enclosed by an arched stone ceiling.

the Damascus Gate

I'm sorry to say that when we first stumbled upon the Church of the Holy Sepulcher we didn't really know what it was. We had read about, but the inauspicious entrance threw us off. It is actually a combination of six churches in one, built upon the Hill of Calvary where Jesus was crucified and even containing a tomb (the sepulcher) where he was supposedly buried and resurrected.

Jesus' tomb

The Stone of Anointing - the spot where Jesus' body was prepared for burial

The Western Wall, otherwise known as the Wailing Wall, is the remnant of the ancient wall that surrounded the Jewish Temple and is very sacred to the Jewish. I had to wear a yamaka in order to get down close to the wall, where visiting Jews cram prayer notes into every conceivable crack in the wall. A lot of local youngsters celebrate their Bar Mitzvah beneath the Western Wall, so we got to hear their singing and even grabbed some of the candy they were launching at passers-by. Score!

After leaving the Old City we climbed (or rather, took a bus) to the top of the Mount of Olives, where Jesus ascended into heaven, among many other biblical references. Amazing history, but you would never realize it today as it is covered by houses and a huge Jewish cemetery. We did get to see a camel drink an entire 1L bottle of Coke while we were up there. At the bottom of the Mount of Olives is the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus came to pray on the night before his crucifixion.