Must-see Christian sites in the Holy Land
As Israel prepares to welcome Pope Benedict XVI in his historic visit to the Holy Land, it’s perhaps time for a quick rundown of the top Christian sites in the Holy Land. Yes, Israel might be the Jewish homeland, but the Christian faith has remained tied to the Holy Land for over 2000 years, thanks to [...]
Depeche Mode live in the Holy Land!
Depeche Mode blew the Holy Land away with hype and hysteria in recent days, confirming their status as superstar pop gods. Or something similar. And their concert last night showed that despite a career spanning over 30 years, they’ve still got it, as most of the 50,000 fans crammed into the Ramat Gan stadium to [...]
Tel Aviv celebrates 100!
Happy Birthday Tel Aviv! Today, the 11th April 2009, Tel Aviv celebrates its 100th birthday. And isn’t she looking sprightly for such an old bird!
100 hundred years ago today, some 66 families, fed up with the quality of life in nearby Yafo, gathered on the sand dunes just north of Yafo to allocate plots for the new neighbourhood [...]
Top 10 things to see and do in Israel
This is a toughie, narrowing down Israel’s top attractions to a top ten “must do” list. But, here it is, my attempt at bringing you the best of the Holy Land in one ultimate checklist - these are things that you really should do, no matter if you’re here for a long weekend or a month.
The lowest place on Earth - The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is a natural marvel that you simply have to visit. Yes, those pictures of mud covered tourists with just the whites of their eyes peeking through are for real - you too can smother your body in mud, or, alternatively, float on your back in the warm, salty waters of the Dead Sea, [...]
Five very good reasons to visit Israel!
Israel really is a fantastic place to visit. And is probably completely different to the picture you have already lodged in your mind. No thanks, of course, to media images of tanks rolling into Gaza, Palestinian kids throwing stones and angry Jewish settlers attacking Palestinian shepherds…
Christmas in the Holy Land
Christmas in the Holy Land is probably not quite what you’d expect. As this is the birthplace of Jesus, you’d be forgiven for thinking that there would be some real razzmatazz, and just perhaps the finest humdinger of a Christmas party. You might be in for a disappointment…
Tel Aviv - the world’s cafe capital
Over the past decade, Tel Aviv replaced Paris as the world’s capital of café culture. A bold claim, you say? Indeed. But undeniably true, nonetheless. While cafes are closing all over France for lack of business, new ones are opening all over Tel Aviv. You can hardly walk more than 50 meters, anywhere in the [...]
Is it safe to travel to Israel?
In one word - yes!
OK, if you regularly watch CNN or the BBC, you might be forgiven for thinking otherwise, especially when an Israel-related story hits the headlines. Undoubtedly, images of weapon-clad Israeli soldiers under a torrent of stones will have hit your screens at some point, and it may seem that Israel is at [...]
Jerusalem: the Holy City
What springs to mind when you hear the word Jerusalem? Is it ancient stone alleyways brimming with Jews and Arabs on their way to prayer? Or perhaps a picture postcard vista of the Western (Wailing) Wall? Or perhaps the hustle and bustle of a Jerusalem market, with market traders howling out their latest prices and bargains [...]
