Archive for December, 2008
So, is it still safe to visit Israel?
Click to enlarge
On Thursday we were celebrating Christmas; Saturday, pictures of bomb ravaged Gaza hit the screens. In the space of two days it has apparently all changed. The “explosion of love” I spoke about in my last post turned a full 180 degrees with a whole different series of explosions…
The world newsdesks sent their teams to cover Christmas in Bethlehem with huge numbers of tourists visiting Jesus’ birthplace. But now these news teams are no longer focused on Israel tourism, unfortunately.
So, it must seem that the whole country is at war and tourism will cease immediately. Undoubtedly there will be some effect on the number of tourists visiting Israel, but the reality for those tourists still here, or intending to visit, is much different.
I’ve been here for 18 years, trust me, the areas that you will likely visit as tourists are nowhere near the areas where the fighting is taking place. Gaza has always been a hot spot, and there are always incidents there, but look at the map – it’s way down South on the border with Egypt. There is no real danger.
Christmas Day in Tel Aviv
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Happy Christmas from the Holy Land! OK, so we’re in the not so holy Tel Aviv, but still…wherever you are, have a great day!
Yesterday I took a drive over to the slightly more holy Old City in Jerusalem. It’s been awhile since I was last there but it is inspiring. The sheer power of the Western Wall is amazing, while the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, especially the interior, was stunning. Even the wife was impressed. We were tourists for the day and enjoyed every minute.
Especially nice to see the flood of tourists – tourism in Israel in the Old City was flourishing yesterday and I’m sure it has been for a few days. Apparently in Bethlehem, tourists have also been flocking amid the relatively safe atmosphere, and as Bethlehem is just down the road from Jerusalem, the capital seems to be the one to benefit most. Enjoyed this quote from a romantic sounding Italian:
“Bethlehem is like the soul of the universe, and it’s like an explosion of love here,” said Stefano Croce, 46, a fashion photographer from Rome, Italy.
Anyway, I’m off to tuck in to some imported mince pies, have a few beers, and have a long-distance call to Blighty with the folks back home. Maybe even have myself an explosion of love.
Happy Christmas to you and yours!
Site Updates
I’ve updated the main site with a few more articles. Read and enjoy!
- Pictures of Tel Aviv - some pictures of Tel Aviv, taken over the years by my good self.
- Israel Frequently Asked Questions - yes, now all the questions you’d probably want to ask when you start thinking about your trip to Israel are answered in one article!
- The Western Wall – probably the ultimate destination on any trip to the Holy Land, this article wraps it all up nicely.
- Foccacia Bar, Jerusalem – a quick review of one of the nicest restaurants in Jerusalem.
Much, much more to come!
It’s Christmas time, and there’s no need to…celebrate?
If you’re not going to celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem, Christmas in the Holy Land is pretty much non-existent, save for the odd pub/hotel catering to a touristy crowd. If I don’t make it to England, I usually miss it badly.
Yeh right, I hear you say, all those Christmas trees, the cold, cold evenings spent fighting your way through the shopping crowds, the same 10 Christmas songs played over and over again on the radio, the Wizard of Oz on the BBC…I know most people in England are sick of the commercialism and endless advertising by the time it’s even December, but you never realize how much you love something until it’s gone. I love Chrismas, always have and always will.
And now, with two littl’uns, that pang for Yuletide festivity has got even stronger. Stories of Santa are going down very well, as you can imagine. I’ve even managed to brainwash the wife into loving it (couldn’t be down to all those presents…could it?), and we usually end up celebrating Christmas Day in Tel Aviv, somewhere…
Celebrating Christmas does get harder, especially when you no longer mix in the tourist crowds, or those same tourists you once partied with are now elsewhere or settled down in suburbia. But Christmas is something I will never give up on, wherever I am in the world. That will mean a good few beers, accompanied with a Christmas type movie, maybe even with the kids by my side, and possibly a quick visit to a top Tel Aviv pub for a pint or 3.
This year Christmas falls on Thursday, which might mean a Wednesday night Christmas Eve session drifting into Christmas Day proper (day off work, of course – yes, it’s a normal working day in Israel). So, if you spot a lanky guy wearing a Santa hat strutting his stuff in Tel Aviv, just slightly inebriated, come over and give me a kiss/handshake, whichever option suits you best. A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do, and if that means getting all fired up by Wham’s “Last Christmas”, it’s gotta be done…
I do hereby promise, that if one day I do open my own pub, Christmas will be celebrated in style…mince pies, sausage rolls and even mistletoe. Make your reservations now!
2008 – Israel the record breaker!
Yes, 2008 has been another good year for Israel. Might come as a bit of a surprise, given the current world economic crisis, but the tourists are still flocking to the Holy Land. And with Christmas just round the corner, those numbers are going to increase still further. More on the main site about the actual numbers.
Could it be that the numbers are up after watching videos of beautiful Israeli girls frolicking on the beach? Or perhaps the hordes of tourists were enticed by the lush production skills of the Ministry of Tourism? Whatever the reason, igoogledisrael.com is here to serve and obey all those tourists looking for more information on the Holy Land…
