Travel within Israel

Author Message   Alan H. Sherman Member Username: Racewalker Post Number: 20 Registered: 06-2007 Posted From: 24.0.177.53 Posted on Saturday, May 08, 2010 - 08:24 pm:    Bob, I would recommend that you bring appropriate clothing for the religious places. Women should wear long skirts and have their arms covered. Men should not wear bermuda's unless the guide says its okay. If you need to convert money on the sabbath you can do so at the YMCA in Jerusalem. Everything is open on the sabbath in the old city except the Jewish Quarter. Grab a Fodor's or Frommer's before you go over they list all the neat restaurants. Some add the tip to the bill so you want to be sure to check it. Bargaining is a way of art and don't pay the first price. Start to walk away and they come right after you as they don't want to lose a customer. It's actually fun. Try to learn a couple of phrases in modern Hebrew and it will carry you a long way. I hope that helps a little.   Ed C. Member Username: Veetee76 Post Number: 49 Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 63.125.4.210 Posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 05:50 pm:    Bob - Petra is definitely not to be missed. We did it in January and weather was ideal. If you go anytime between now and October you may get some serious heat so take it easy and break it up into a couple of days if you can. We did it all in one long day but temps were never an issue and we could go all out. Start as early as you can as there are many sights to choose from in the valley once you make it through the "Siq" at the entrance. "The High place of Sacrifice" and "The Monastery" are side hikes out of the main valley but well worth the time if you can hack it because of the wonderful views. We stayed at the Movenpick Hotel just outside of the valley entrance and it's the best located lodging of them all, although not cheap (note: there is another Movenpick outside of town on the way in...). In the vicinity of Petra is "Wadi Rum", another great place to explore and where Lawrence of Arabia hung out back in the day (and where some of the movie was filmed). That is worth at least half a day by itself, if not more. Great restaurant there run by the park, just outside the entrance.   Robert Max Member Username: Rmax Post Number: 27 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 71.230.146.41 Posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 03:14 pm:    THANKS to both of you! Great recoms. Ed: 2 years in Israel!! great assignment. We are also going to Petra, Jordan. Any additional advice? Bob   Ed C. Member Username: Veetee76 Post Number: 48 Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 63.125.4.210 Posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 01:21 pm:    Robert - Since you are on a tour, presume you will have limited ability to branch out on your own beyond the confines of the stops already planned. However, based on two years of living there, and another trip last year, here's some random recommendations for places (some less touristy) that you might want to check out if you have the opportunity: Restaurants: Tel Aviv - "Manta Ray", literally right on the beach, good food and view can't be beat(near the David Intercon Hotel)>>Cafe Masada, also with sea view but set back a bit (just north of American Embassy)//Jerusalem - Focaccia Bar, Italian type food, stays open on shabbat, across the field from American Consulate>>Amigo Emil, old city Christian Quarter, traditional Middle Eastern fare, great atmosphere Less Touristy Places to Visit - "Gamla National Park", in the Golan Heights, often called the Masada of the North, similar story to the other more famous Masada Ein Gedi, two separate canyons for hikes that take you to refreshing waterfalls, wear a bathing suit and go early as it's hot there on the Dead Sea Gan Hashlosha Park, in the north near Beit Shean, beautiful string of spring water ponds, small waterfall, lawns to lay out on, go during the week, popular with locals Tel Dan Nature Reserve - a path thru lush vegetation, multiple streams, historic biblical site, (far North, borders on Lebanon) Many other places like the above - check out this website: http://www.parks.org.il/BuildaGate5/general2/company_search_tree.php?mc=378~All   Bill Docekal Intermediate Member Username: Bill_d1 Post Number: 120 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 76.186.199.157 Posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 12:21 am:    We rented a SIXT Peugeot at Ben Gurion A/P during Jan. 2004 on a 10 day independent travel trip, and we stayed at the Novatel Hotel Jerusalem, Caesar Hotel Tiberias, Novatel Thalassa Hotel, Neve Zohar Dead Sea, Hotel Caesar Eilat, Mercure Marina Hotel Tel Aviv, and the Avia Hotel Yehud. All of the hotels served a lavish breakfast spread. Lots of salads (tuna, egg, pasta) sliced fresh veggies, great yogurts, and plenty of fresh fruits. They had Apricot and some sort of “dewberry-like” jelly for the homemade bread that you sliced yourself. They also had eggs and pancakes sometimes, but no meat, only fish. They do not serve meat and dairy at the same meal. We filled up “so full” at breakfast that we didn’t eat again until the evening meal. We found lots of excellent restaurants for dinner wherever we stayed, but one restaurant stands out: The Blue Fish Restaurant in Eilat. This is a restaurant for seafood lovers. Hope you have a great trip.   Bill Docekal Intermediate Member Username: Bill_d1 Post Number: 119 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 76.186.199.157 Posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 12:13 am:    We rented a SIXT Peugeot at Ben Gurion A/P during Jan. 2004 on a 10 day independent travel trip, and we stayed at the Novatel Hotel Jerusalem, Caesar Hotel Tiberias, Novatel Thalassa Hotel, Neve Zohar Dead Sea, Hotel Caesar Eilat, Mercure Marina Hotel Tel Aviv, and the Avia Hotel Yehud. All of the hotels served a lavish breakfast spread. Lots of salads (tuna, egg, pasta) sliced fresh veggies, great yogurts, and plenty of fresh fruits. They had Apricot and some sort of “dewberry-like” jelly for the homemade bread that you sliced yourself. They also had eggs and pancakes sometimes, but no meat, only fish. They do not serve meat and dairy at the same meal. We filled up “so full” at breakfast that we didn’t eat again until the evening meal. We found lots of excellent restaurants for dinner wherever we stayed, but one restaurant stands out: The Blue Fish Restaurant in Eilat. This is a restaurant for seafood lovers. Hope you have a great trip.   Robert Max Member Username: Rmax Post Number: 26 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 71.230.146.41 Posted on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 - 03:11 pm:    Has anyone been to Israel lately? Any recommendations re restaurants, special out of the way places, etc? I am taking a tour with Globus and need some recom. Thanks!