Israel

• Jerusalem (1000), which includes:
  • King Solomon’s Hotel (140)
  • Masada & Dead Sea (670)
  • Old City Tour of Jerusalem (640)
• Crossing the border at Eilat (3640)

Jordan

• Petra (1580), which includes:
  • Movenpick Petra (200)
• Amman, which includes:
  • Petra to Amman (2050)
  • Day trip to Jerash (930)

Egypt

•  Sharm el Sheikh, which includes:
  • Rixos (870)

Is It Safe?

My trip took place in late July 2015. In the interest of total honesty:

I was going to go to Kerak Castle, and didn’t end up going. In December 2016 four gunmen took hostages and at least nine people were killed.

In January 2017 four Israeli soldiers were killed when a truck was driven into a group of soldiers in Jerusalem.

In October 2015, 224 people died when their flight leaving Sharm blew up after an IED detonated. There is still a travel advisory in place.

But by the same token, on mainland Europe there have been terrorist attacks as well. I guess what I’m saying is that nowhere is 100% safe.

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I’m not the most seasoned traveller I know: sure, I’ve done a bit, but there are plenty of people with a million air-points, diamond status or decades spent living out of a suitcase who put my efforts to shame.

But as I say, I’ve done a bit. And I research where I’m going and try to be prepared for what I’m going to come across. Which makes my efforts getting from Jerusalem to Petra so embarrassing.

Flights

It started off well enough – I had done my research on flights. Petra doesn’t have an airport and neither does Jerusalem, so plan B is to check the other airports nearby. Tel Aviv is the main airport people use to get in and out of Jerusalem, and Amman is the capital of Jordan, so I checked those. Despite being so close, there are only two flights per day, one at 8:15am and one at 11:45pm. And the price! One way for £237. Hmph! I can do better than that!

So the only other airport in Jordan is the King Hussein Airport in Aqaba, so I looked at flights there. £259 instead. Hmmm, seems a bit pricey to me. I decide to have a look at the land options.

Land Options

A bit of googling gives me a jaundiced view of the three land borders – and makes me aware that the situation is always in a state of flux depending on both  changes to the official rules plus the attitude of the officials on the ground at the time. So – the options:

Allenby Bridge / King Hussein Bridge

• Doesn’t give you a Visa on Arrival, so immediately discounted it. I could have tried to organise a Visa before travel, but I wanted to explore less bothersome options. Apparently it takes at least two weeks to get the visa and I needed my passport for other travel.

Beit She’an / Jordan River / Sheikh Hussein Bridge

• This is practically in Syria it’s so far north – I would then spend most of the day getting to Petra (6 hours), plus by all accounts it can take most of the day to get through customs etc. So call it a backup plan.

Eilat / Aqaba /  Wadi Araba / Yitzhak Rabin

• Which leaves Eilat/Aqaba. There are a lot more options to get from Jerusalem to Eilat  – a night bus, and flights from both Tel Aviv airports (Ben Gurion as well as the regional airport of Sde Dov). I have seen a one way from Sde Dov to Eilat for as low as £31.

I read up on what to expect and it seems straight forward, and so I book a cheap flight from Sde Dov to Eilat, leaving at 10:45am and getting to Eilat at 11:45am. I figure it’ll take maybe 30mins to get to the border after landing, and then we’re in the hands of the gods.

Sde Dov

The first leg of the trip is a taxi to the regional airport of Sde Dov from my hotel in Jerusalem. I arrange it through the hotel and am kept waiting a bit longer than I’d like for the taxi to arrive – I’ve built in a lot of safety time because I have heard airport security tends towards the extreme in Israel for understandable reasons, but would have expected a pre-ordered taxi to be waiting at the appointed time!

The trip itself is relatively uneventful until we come to how to actually get to the airport in Tel Aviv. I’ve made a point of referring to the airport as Sde Dov instead of “Tel Aviv Airport” so there is no possibility of the drive taking me to the wrong one. The driver stops a couple of times to ask a local how to get to the airport, so I guess the regional airport is a little less well-frequented. We arrive and it is quite small – a line of buildings with the first step being a security check.

My experience in airports tends to be that you only go through security once you’ve checked in so I’m a little flummoxed at not having a boarding pass already (I hadn’t checked in online), and decide that there must be an office of my airline nearby where I will be able to check in. There is an office, but they just point me to the main building where the security check was, so i head back there.

When I’m travelling by myself and have lengthy downtime, I sometimes take along my travel guitar to fill the time. It’s a eMosquito guitar* (great guitar, terrible website!), and folds down very nicely to fit in a backpack. Whenever I travel with it, it always draws attention from security at airports, so I always allow that extra little bit of time to accommodate the inevitable questions:

Security: Whats in your bag?

Me: It’s a guitar.

Security: What, like a ukelele?

Me: No, a full sized electric guitar.

Security: *disbelieving look*

Me: Yeah it folds down – the neck detaches from the body

Security: *realising how its put together* Oh! Cool.

So they put the bag through a few times and intersperse the conversation with checking what time my flight departs to ensure that their questioning won’t put my trip at risk, which I appreciate. Multiple security folk ask me questions and I have nothing to hide and have plenty of time, so I enjoy myself. I think they’re trying to rattle me but I treat it like an interview and eventually they’re satisfied and I get to check in.

I had bought a back pack especially to take on this trip and had bought the Deluxe laptop backpack* because the dimensions complied with all the maximum carry on luggage dimensions of all the flights I’d be taking, plus it could take the guitar in its fold down configuration. I also liked the idea of the hidden pocket for valuables, the different compartments and the fact that it could take a large laptop as well. The brand was good as well.

So I get onto the flight first and start to wrestle the bag into the overhead compartment – it takes forever but with a bit of grunting and contortion, I manage to make it fit. The maximum size of the cabin baggage for once was a match for what the plane can take.

The only other thing of note with the flight were the three guys sitting across the aisle from me in business class. Two huge muscle guys and one guy of average build, all wearing shades and all very obviously security – I assume all internal flights get the security treatment rather than anyone being worried about the tall goyim with the funny guitar.

Eilat

Touch down at Eilat and I grab a cab from outside the airport to the border. I know that the exit tax will be ₪100, so make sure to keep that amount aside, but apart from that I’m looking for a way of getting rid of the rest of my shekels. I tip the driver and head to the border crossing.

There are very few people around and the sun is absolutely baking. There is a sign with an easy 1-2-3 description of what has to happen and the counters are clearly marked. I pay the exit tax and get ushered through with minimal waiting. There’s a gift-shop just before the border so I try and use up my shekels there. The ladies manning the counters aren’t allowed to take tips so I end up just getting water. I saunter out of the shop across the border thinking smugly that doing all my research has paid off and that the border crossing is a doddle.

Wadi Araba

There’s a stretch of road before the Jordanian side of the border which is unsheltered – maybe 300m. Crossing it just after noon brings home just how ill advised it would be to do any sort of walking to or from the border – things you see people periodically suggesting on TripAdvisor forums for example.

The distances from Eilat or Aqaba to the border makes it appear a valid option but the sun makes a mockery of that plan. There are some low slung buildings on the side and I make it to them thankful for the shade.

One

There are a whole bunch of counters, but no indication on what each one is for, some are manned, some not, there are a few other travellers making the crossing. Armed soldiers wander around. I make the first of a bunch of mistakes, and wander along, waiting for someone to tell me where I should go. Nobody looks up or makes eye contact. I look around for some sort of indication of where I should go but again, nothing.

I decide if there’s no yelling or indication that I’m going the wrong way it must mean that what I’m doing is ok, so I continue on my way past the border controls and towards the exit of the border. A small hut marks the exit beyond which is the car park holding the infamous taxi drivers of the Border.

Lazily avoiding the sun are four or five assault rifle-toting guards. They don’t seem interested in me so I head towards the exit. I’m kind of relieved when one of them calls out to me – it seemed like i was a ghost floating through the border crossing so its nice to be acknowledged as existing.

He asks for my passport and starts flipping through it. Stamp? He says. I shake my head and ask where I get one from. He points back to the building I’ve just passed and I try to ask which counter I need to go to. He just shakes his head and goes back to his mates.

OK, I think to myself. It would be unreasonable for me to just be able to walk through – time to get a stamp and pay the entrance visa fee.

Two

So I head back to the start of the building, and resolve to pay more attention to the counters – surely there should be some sort of large sign featuring what you need to do at each point through the process? I head to the first window and enter into a discussion on how long I will be spending in Jordan.

“Aha!” think I, this matches with my experience – there’s a different fee depending on how long you’re in country. As I will be here for three days I get a cheaper fee, so I hand over my credit card with a little swagger, only to have it thrust back at me and a gesticulation towards a little sign saying “Cash Only”.

Panicking only a little, my blank look does more than an Arabic phrase book and the guard takes pity on me and indicates a decrepit old building behind me. It looks like a boarded up old shop – standard Coke billboards everywhere, grubby exterior, no lights on inside. I look back at the guard but they are already looking over my shoulder at the next person in line, so I shuffle resignedly towards the building.

The windows are not only boarded up but the roller door covering the obvious entrance is padlocked. I’m about to turn around and trudge back to the counter when I spot an ATM. A grubby, cracking plastic covered ATM.

Sighing at my lack of foresight in getting Jordanian Dinars before entering the country, I resign myself to getting some cash out. The transaction goes smoothly enough: I’m hyperalert for any card skimmers or shoulder surfers but the only creatures interested in my existence are some very skinny cats lolling in the shade. I decide to only get out enough to cover the cost of the Visa and the standard price for the taxi to Aqaba to lower my risk.

I don’t quite thrust my handful of Dinars into the guards face, but there is a slight sense of accomplishment in negotiating this particular obstacle. Upon turning over my new-found cash and passport, I receive a stamp and am waved along.

I don’t quite skip along, but figure that despite my bungling the border crossing, its still taken about the length of time that I have read about. My friends at the end of the border crossing get up as I approach and smile as I hand over my passport.

The smiles freeze as they look at my passport. “Stamp?” He says. I point to the stamped receipt for my entry visa and smile reassuringly. He shakes his head and says something about a stamp and points back the way I came. Truly dejected, I head back to the building yet again.

Three

It’s only when I approach the last counters in the building that I notice above each one in faded and barely legible stencils counter numbers and descriptions of what role each counter performs. I eventually find the correct counter and hand over my passport.

A brief inspection to find the receipt stamp later, I get my actual visa stamp plus a special “Residence for one month” additional stamp. Almost hysterical with frustration, I tramp determinedly towards the gun toting guards and practically thrust the passport in their faces. “Stamps!” I say “Look, I’ve got all the stamps! One, two, three, four stamps!”

The guard refrains from shooting me and instead nods, embarrassed for me and waves me through. A border crossing which people have said takes 30-45 minutes has taken me 60 when, with practically no one there, it could have taken me 15-20.

Taxi!

The border crossing is in the middle of nowhere. On the map it looks like a doable hike to Aqaba, but the desert sun bakes the road, there’s no cover at all and it would be sheer folly to attempt it. Which leaves dealing with the infamous taxi mafia. It’s been my experience that whenever there is a monopoly there is corruption. There’s something about a commercial power imbalance which lends itself to abuse. So there is a single group responsible for taxis from the border crossing to… well, anywhere else.

The prices are listed on a board and set by the Jordanian authorities but if the locals feel that they can get more out of you they will try. Various websites recommend appealing to the armed guards from the border crossing if that is attempted so I’m prepared for the worst.

I’m not sure if the taxi commissar has seen me bouncing between the crossing guards and the crossing, or whether the look on my face says “this guy has nothing to lose”, but I am quoted the standard rate to be taken into Aqaba. The taxi is a drab affair, with open windows instead of air con and suspension which drives my spine into my skull with every pothole.

I’m trying a trick to get to Petra – to avoid a price gouge from the border taxi drivers, I’m going to try to catch a bus or taxi from Aqaba instead. If the driver learns of this apparently they will insist on being the one to drive you there themselves, so I am claiming to stay at a hotel in Aqaba which is not far from the bus stop: I figure that I’ll be able to either get the bus or a decent priced taxi to Petra from there.

Apart from feeling every pothole, the trip into Aqaba goes well. On the way I had casually enquired about the bus to Petra from Aqaba. Apparently you have to get a ticket the day before travel and there’s only one bus each day which leaves early in the morning.

When I ask how much a taxi should cost for Petra the driver almost pulls over the cab – if I want to go to Petra we will have to go back to the border he says – I’m only allowed to take you to Aqaba. I explain to him I was only asking for when I got to Petra in the future – not for today and he drives on mollified. He periodically looks at me suspiciously though: I guess the boss keeps a tight reign on his drivers.

We arrive in Aqaba and I wait til the driver heads back to the border before deciding which way to go. I figure regardless of whether there is a bus or I decide to take a taxi that I will need to get some cash out, so I decide to take some more cash out.

Cursing my decision at the border ATM, I can’t see any ATMs or even what looks like a slightly more commercial area of town. Frowning slightly, I enter the air-conditioned coolness of a backpackers and ask the guy behind the counter where the nearest ATM is. He points me to the main street which isn’t far away and I ask him about the bus to Petra. “Ah,” he says, “there is only one bus each day and you have missed it by quite some time. If you are interested, I could drive you there.”

I put on my “bemused tourist who is aware you’re trying to take him for a ride” look and ask how much it would cost. “50 Jordanian Dinars” comes the answer. I pause as if thinking about it and sigh. He senses the sale slipping away. “It’s a good car – very comfortable – AC!” The guy had given me a glass of water and seemed a nice enough guy. “I tell you what, I’ll go to the ATM and get some cash out and then come back”.

He doesn’t believe me but wishes me well and I head off to the main street. On the way to the ATM a taxi driver slows down and the driver leans out the window and asks if I need a taxi. It’s the same sad, old model of taxi that the border driver took me into Aqaba and all I can think of is the bone shaking trip and how that would be multiplied ten times. I tell him that I’m fine and then get some money out of the ATM.

I’m torn. I don’t know how much it should be for a taxi to Petra, I definitely want to go today which rules out the bus. I can afford whatever the going rate is but I just hate being ripped off. So I look around for the taxi to ask how much it should be and nothing. No taxis anywhere. It’s like a bubble around me, repelling taxis.

I get out my phone and switch on mobile data. Muttering an apology to my future self who will have to pay the cellphone bill, I ask google how much a taxi from Aqaba to Petra should be and read a couple of pages of answers. Anything from 20 – 70 Dinars apparently, with the 20-40 dinar opinions being from over five years ago.

I decide that the 50 dinar option in AC comfort doesn’t sound too bad and head back to the backpackers. My new friend beams when I tell him that I’ll take him up on the offer. I had momentarily toyed with the idea of trying to negotiate a lower rate, but decided at the last minute to consider any potential savings as a worthy social lubricant to keep the driver on side.

Petra or Bust

He bellows something to a colleague in a different room which may or may not have been “I’m just taking this idiot to Petra, be back in a jiffy” and then we head out to take the car cover off his very nice Mercedes. Not a late model one but very well preserved, and well-appointed with luxurious leather seats and the promised air conditioning.

I then spend an enjoyable hour and a half being entertained by a very good conversationalist as we traverse the distance between Aqaba and Petra. I see the entrance to Wadi Rum and the beauty of it coupled with the stories Ibrahim tells me make me regret my decision not to spend some time in the desert as well as visiting Petra.

We stop in the hills above Wadi Musa which is the village at the doorstep of Petra, and I take a photo of my new friend and we discuss the drop-off at my hotel. My hotel is directly opposite the entrance to Petra and that will mean there is a strong security presence. Ibrahim then says that we will need to jump out of the car quickly and that I should pay him now. I can’t see the problem with that as long as I am in the car – after all I also have his photo to show the police should he abandon me anywhere.

So I pay in advance and we drive through the one horse town of Wadi Musa. As promised there is a guy with an AK47 at the entrance to the hotel and he yells at me through the window of the car. I’m a bit nonplussed and just stare at him. Ibrahim gently tells me that this is the bit where I get out out of the car. I smile my thanks and gingerly get of the car and wave as Ibrahim returns to Aqaba.

And that’s the story of the time I went from Jerusalem to Petra taking way longer than it should have, causing way more stress than it should have, but at least costing about the right amount that it should have. Shall I itemise my errors for you?

• Didn’t have dinars before the border
• Didn’t see the lettering above the counters
• Didn’t ask where I should go next (the Israeli side spoiled me!)
• Didn’t time the trip to take advantage of the cheap bus
• Didn’t know what a good fare from Aqaba to Petra would be prior to being in the country.

*no consideration received for these recommendations.

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Pros

• Location – its very close to the Old City, and not too far for the high street of Jerusalem
• The pool is perfect for cooling off
• Buffet breakfast
• The bed is huge!

Cons

• There was a group of middle-aged American women getting in touch with their Jewish roots who got a bit boisterous of an evening
• There’s not many alternatives for places to get food within walking distance

Would I go Back?

I think I would try to get something a little cheaper – King Solomon wasn’t expensive (~£100/night), but I think I may have been able to get a better deal. Whether it would have been as close to the Old City, have as good a breakfast and pool as well, I’m not sure…

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Jerusalem is a holy city for three religions – it’s a city full of history and controversy. Regardless of your beliefs, it’s still fascinating to stand in the areas made famous in the Bible and visited by pilgrims over the centuries. In terms of what to see, you are spoiled for choice and can see historical buildings from close to every period plus places of deep religious significance around every corner. And if you like the heat…!

How Long Should I Go?

Jerusalem is a city which can suck up as much time as you can throw at it – if you add in day-trips you can stay busy for at least a month. The online guides Skyscanner, Expedia, Virtual Tourist and of course TripAdvisor have huge overlap in what to see. I’m short on time – only three days and with limited transportation options, and have a few things I definitely want to see, so arrange my three days into Old City Jerusalem, Masada and the Dead Sea and finally the Holocaust Museum plus whatever else I miss the first day.

The Old City is incredibly compact and very walkable, and if that was all you came for then you would be able to tick off all your things to see very easily. If you want to go a little further afield though, you start to lose time to travel – which makes compromising inevitable.

How Do I Get There?

Jerusalem doesn’t have an airport so most people fly into Tel Aviv instead. EasyJet fly the route and I have seen return flights for the 5 hour trip for as low as £165.

Currency

The New Israeli Shekel (₪) is worth about £0.20 ( Correct @December 2016)

How Do I Get Around?

Israel is a small country, so its regional links tend to be good, though the railway tends to be concentrated in the coastal areas. Jerusalem is a modern city so it’s also well served by public transport. While buses and trams are the standard way to get around Jerusalem proper, I heard about the shared cabs (sherut) but never used them.

The bus company has a nice journey planner, and the light rail has a route map. The light rail operates like the buses in Italy – you buy the ticket before you get on and then validate it once aboard. Both light rail and busses have a standard fare (₪6.6 ~£1.40) and be aware that public transport closes down from Friday night to Saturday night.

Lastly if you are planning on going to any of the areas administered by the Palestinian Authority you will need to take your passport. Tourist Israel has some handy hints on getting around.

How Much Is It To Stay?

Skyscanner has the bulk of its hotel rooms in the £80-120 range, and AirBnB has rooms for anything from £50-150. I started off looking at staying at the Sephardic House for its proximity to the Old Town, but I waited too long and missed the room that was on sale and so went to the King Solomon Hotel instead.

What Shall I See?

I had three full days and wanted to see the Old Town, Masada & The Dead Sea and the Holocaust Museum. I decided to do organised tours to tick off the Old Town and Masada/Dead Sea, but in retrospect I could have added in Bethlehem in there as well if I had planned it better.

Day Zero: Arrival

I fly into Tel Aviv and decide to avoid all the myriad of options to get to Jerusalem and get a taxi.

Day One: Old Jerusalem Full-Day Tour

Old Jerusalem Full-Day Tour

Day Two: Masada and the Dead Sea

Masada and the Dead Sea Day Trip from Jerusalem

Day Three: Vad Yashem

And so onto Vad Yashem which is the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. It’s a bit of a hike from where I am staying, but I take the light rail to the end of the line at Mt Herzel and then try to catch the free shuttle bus from the nearby bus stop. They’re supposed to run every twenty minutes but I must have only just missed one because it takes forever for one to come along. Even this early in the morning the walk would have been uncomfortable in the sun – and on the Mount of Remembrance there’s not a lot of shelter from the sun.

Yad Vashem is free which is great. The exhibits are riveting and the grounds are spacious. It’s a sobering revisiting of a dark period in mankind’s history. I have a very small quibble though: the layout within the building is such that if you get stuck behind a tour group then there is no way you can get past them. And understandably there are some large groups coming through. So be prepared to inadvertently being the recipient of tour commentary. Hopefully it’s in a language you understand!

I arrived relatively early to Vad Yashem and by lunchtime was wandering the streets – if I had gone to Bethlehem on day one, this is the time I would have returned to the Old City to see what I missed there.

How Much Did It Cost?

Let’s assume you wanted to do the same trip as I did, but as a couple (4 nights, flying from London)

Would I Go Back?

I don’t know that I would. I ticked off the places I wanted to see, so there’s no strong reason to go back and none of the places I went to warrant a return when there are so many other places I haven’t been yet, so I’d say it’s more of a one and done situation….

First post in the series | Part of Trip: The Holy Land | Next: Crossing the Border

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It is possible to find tours which will get you to the base of Masada in time for you to trek up the path to the top in time for sunrise and looking back on it now, it might have been a nice addition to the experience. I opted for the slightly more civilised starting time and did the non-Dawn tour.

The biggest two warnings I can give you about Masada are:

1. Watch your feet – the ground up there is not level and I saw one fellow tourist take a tumble and graze their leg quite badly. This isn’t just generally looking out for your fellow traveller – this is vital for the enjoyment of the day, as you will see a little later in this blog post.
2. You are very exposed, there is no shelter out on the tableau and the sun is very hot. Sunscreen and a hat would be a good idea. Again, not just a general health tip, but very specific to this trip.

We had a good amount of time to explore the tableau – it’s a good size and the views are simply stunning.

Cable Car mechanism

A model of the palace at the end of the tableau

This shot gives you an idea of the extent of the ruins

A bit of blessed shade – relief from the sun at last!

There is a gift shop and food hall at the base of cable car – a good place to meet up in case your tour group is split over multiple cable car journeys as ours was – despite the heat, Masada is very popular and so there’s a steady supply of tourists.

After a quick bite we head to Ein Gedi. Enroute we’re briefed about what to expect and what not to do:

1. A human body in water will naturally come to float in a face down position, unless you ensure that you are floating on your back. With the huge salt content in the Dead Sea, your body is much more buoyant and so you have to make sure that you stay on your back. Why?
2. Because salt stings. It really really stings. Grazes that you got three days ago will feel like someone is cutting you with a knife. If you got any sort of sunburn or windburn from the top of Masada you will now know exactly where it is on your body and exactly how big it is. I thought I was totally fine but I soon learned that I had a couple of patches of sunburn and a graze that I didn’t even remember getting. And I was made acutely aware of it.
3. Do not put your head under the water! We were told this and that we had to concentrate on making sure we floated on our backs. Lo and behold one of our number tipped forward and went under and then spent ten minutes in agony until we could walk him to the beach so he could wash out his eyes.

The spa is set up quite well, there are multiple swimming pools and health treatments, and of course you can buy any number of products for use at home…

So was it worth it?

Yes, I would say so. The guide was good, the experience of Masada was brilliant and there was something out of this world about the Dead Sea. There is a forced comfort/buying stop on the way to Masada that we could have done without, but that didn’t lose us any time really – we had ample time at both Masada and Ein Gedi.

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So I book the Viator Old Jerusalem Full Day Tour for £39 (I notice it’s since gone up to £58) and it meets my expectations, but I still feel unsatisfied and it’s not long afterwards that I finally figure out why.

It’s not the tour itself: the guide is good, and I’m lucky that by chance I have booked it for Eid al-Adha (last day of Ramadan) so there are very few people in the markets. What gives me a nagging sense of dissatisfaction is that I didn’t really need to go on a tour to see the sights of Old Jerusalem, and that I should have instead maybe gone to Bethlehem.

Where does the Tour go?

Mt Scopus

For the view from the heights onto the Old City.

Zion Gate

For entry to the Old City via the Armenian Quarter. The other three quarters are the Jewish, Muslim and Christian Quarters.

We saw a funeral procession of the Franciscan Brothers being accompanied by an Armenian. This is to dissuade violence between the different religious groups.

Cardo

The remains of the Roman-era market place.

Wailing Wall

Separate sections for women and men to post prayers in to the wall.

Dome of the Rock

Incredibly important mosque. Why is it important? It contains the Foundation Stone which both Jewish and Muslim traditions say is where Abraham almost sacrificed one of his sons.

Via Dolorosa

We only visit some of the Stations of the Cross, but there’s a good guide online if you want to see them all. We’re very lucky that this is a holiday because there are no crowds. I get a very hateful vibe though, so am glad there’s not many people around. It’s still possible to lose the group though: our guide loses three people but doesn’t stop. They do reconnect with the group later on though…

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The biggie – the church built where Jesus died.

I was curious as to what this curious metal object was in the corner of the square and asked our guide. “Oh, that’s what we use to detonate suspicious packages”. I guess I’m not in Kansas anymore…

After the church of the Holy Sepulchre, half the tour heads off to Bethlehem and the rest heads back out the Zion Gate to the area south.

King Davids Tomb & King Davids Statue

Considered idolatory, the statue is regularly attacked and defaced.

The Last Supper Room – Cenaculum

I don’t know why, but I was disappointed by this – there was nothing that tied it to the stories of what went on. Maybe I should blame da Vinci…

Or maybe it was just coming to the end of a long day…

Dormition Abbey

I’m starting to get churched out now – they’re all rolling onto one. It’s a pity though, because its a nice enough church.

Franciscan Monastery

I see the cloisters and they remind me of the churches and abbeys I’ve been to in England and France from the 15th Century. I find the placard describing this building and it turns out its from the 14th Century. Only 100 years out…!

Garden of Gethsemane & Church of All Nations

And finally we end away from the Old City at Gethsemane.

Because of the proximity of all the sites to where I was staying, I should not have gone on this tour. The first half was good and the tour guide gave the sort of insight you want – especially into the lives of the locals and he very delicately tip-toed past thorny questions and gave good honest yet non-controversial answers. But the second half is nowhere as impactful as the first and I regret not going to Bethlehem. If I had taken my passport I probably would have been able to switch half way. Lesson learned!

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Five hours later, I was breathing in a hot Middle Eastern sea breeze. As a European, used to hopping from country to country by merely waving my passport, I was a little intimidated by the security checks at Ben Gurion Airport.

Before receiving a standard three-month tourist visa, I was asked numerous questions about my ethnicity, religion, the purpose of my visit, the people I knew in the country and my travel plans. Be sure to have a return ticket to show, since this will make your life much easier.

After spending a couple of nights in Tel Aviv, I made my way to Jerusalem – on a Saturday morning. Coming from London, where services are available at all times, it didn’t cross my mind that Saturday (Shabbat in Hebrew) is a day of rest and public transportation in Israel comes to a standstill. A good alternative to public buses are “sheruts”, minivans that depart whenever they fill all seats. The benefit of taking a sherut is that it will drop you off near Damascus Gate (in Arabic Bab al Amud), just outside the Old City.

The Old City

The Old City is divided into four quarters: Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Armenian, each one with a very distinct character. The souq around Damascus Gate is one of the busiest spots and a multisensorial experience you don’t want to miss.

It is a colourful, buzzing chaos made up of tiny stalls, piles of cardamom and za’atar, mountains of oversized pomegranates and family restaurants serving delicious hummus and shawarma. While wandering around, I discovered Jafer Sweets on Khan es-Zeit Road.

This family-run bakery is most famous for its knafeh, a filling goat cheese pastry topped with sugary syrup, traditionally made in the Palestinian city of Nablus. I got lost inside the labyrinth of narrow alleyways and eventually found myself at the Western Wall. I sat down soaking up the mystical atmosphere of the Shabbat prayers and admiring the majesty of Haram Al-Sharif, which was dominating the background with its golden dome.

Organised Tour

The next day I joined a tour organised by the Alternative Information Centre. I like to explore new places from the prism of their socio-political landscape, and so this three-hour long tour in and around Jerusalem gave me a lot of food for thought. Provided politics and history are your thing, you can find similar tours offered by Ir Amim and Grassroots Jerusalem.

Nightlife

If you are looking for a lively nightlife, you should aim at places around Jaffa Street, or even better in Nachlaot, a scenic neighbourhood of narrow alleyways and courtyards in the west of Jerusalem. Next to it, is the Mahane Yehuda shuk, a trendy outdoor market with a wide range of bars, restaurants and live music. Just off Jaffa street, near the City Hall, is a tiny vegetarian soup restaurant called Ha’Marakia – just in case you get tired of the meaty (but tasty!) Arab grills.

Where to Stay

I tend to travel on my own and I rarely stay in hostels, let alone hotels. Occasionally I can go as far as to book an Airbnb, but my preference is always Couchsurfing. To me, the countless lasting friendships and odd encounters I make through Couchsurfing are way worthier than a comfortable hotel bed.

 I chose to stay in east Jerusalem, more precisely in Sheikh Jarrah, a traditionally Palestinian neighbourhood with an increasing presence of international NGO workers. Some of my favourite spots in Jerusalem are in this area, first and foremost the Educational Bookshop on Sala El Din street, a five minute walk from Herod’s gate.

With its comprehensive range of books on Israeli-Palestinian history, the bookshop is the only one of its kind in the whole of Jerusalem. The owners are friendly and chatty, always happy to help you navigate the city. While browsing books, posters and maps, you can enjoy tasty sandwiches and coffees or eavesdrop on the conversations of the many journalists, scholars and activists visiting the shop every day.

Where to shop

Art and crafts lovers should take a closer look at the Sunbula shop on Nablus Road: you can shop embroidered accessories, jewellery, olive oil beauty products and traditional pottery while supporting the local economy. On some Saturdays, Sunbula hosts a beautiful farmers’ market too.

When planning your trip to Jerusalem, be sure you are not clashing with big Jewish holidays, such as Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (usually during September/October). Although it can be quite an experience to be in Jerusalem at that time, this will very much restrict your travel options as public buses will not be running.

If you are staying in the western part of the city, you’d better do your shopping before Friday at dawn when the Shabbat starts: most restaurants, supermarkets, and facilities will be shut until Saturday evening. In the east, however, Saturday is a just normal weekday.

Going back to London after my first trip to Israel and Palestine, I found myself having more questions than answers. The fascination wouldn’t fade away and after dipping my toe in the water another couple of times, I decided to move to Jerusalem and start a whole new chapter.

Jerusalem very much resembles a mosaic of identities, with all its contradictions and complexity: embrace the chaos, let go of your prejudices and get ready to fall in love.

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