Public Bus
Protected/separated bike lanes
Median parks
Lots of scooter/small motorcycles
Public bike share
Car share (similar to zip car in USA)
Friday, June 29, 2012
Walking in Tel Aviv
Plenty of urban planning aspects/infrastructure in this Israeli city of ~half million people
Public Bus
Protected/separated bike lanes
Median parks
Lots of scooter/small motorcycles
Public bike share
Car share (similar to zip car in USA)
Public Bus
Protected/separated bike lanes
Median parks
Lots of scooter/small motorcycles
Public bike share
Car share (similar to zip car in USA)
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Traveling through the West Bank
"The cabs are yellow, but don't be confused...you are NOT in America" 
Monday, June 25, 2012
David Ben-Gurion
Today we visited the desert home of the first Prime Minister of Israel...and yes, that is his personal bathroom (there was another one for his wife).
More to come regarding Ben-Gurion soon!
More to come regarding Ben-Gurion soon!
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Camping...Israel Style
June 24--Night
We arrived at the Bedouin tent area late this afternoon called "Chan Hashayarot." Since we are in the middle of the Negev Dessert, the tent is located in the middle of nowhere.
There are multiple long tents set up and we are one of maybe 3 or 4 groups staying here. It's designed to show tourists what the Bedouin experience is like. After observing the camels (which we will ride tomorrow...great...), we ate dinner. Sitting at 5 to a "table," we actually sat on the floor of a tent. The food was served to us on a large platter and we weren't given plates...just pita, chicken/meat and rice, two types of humus, and veggies. Delicious.
Afterwards, the "leader" (i can't remember his name or title) talked to us about Bedouin life...which consists of up to 4 wives, arranged marriage, camels/tents/cars and a shifting culture.
It's nice to have the soldiers with us now. They (4 girls and 4 boys) are young...oldest is 21 and they are just like ordinary young adults. Same interests and curiosities are shares among the two groups. A few are within months of being done with their service...while others still have a year or so left. Many are planning on traveling when done, but they don't have much money to do so... They make like 100 dollars a month while in the army. More on them later...
The sky is so clear tonight, a gorgeous starry night. Hanging by the fire was nice, though the sleep conditions are interesting to say the least. Sleeping on the ground is not extremely appealing, especially on nasty looking "mattresses" and sleeping bags. This looks to be a different night.
We arrived at the Bedouin tent area late this afternoon called "Chan Hashayarot." Since we are in the middle of the Negev Dessert, the tent is located in the middle of nowhere.
There are multiple long tents set up and we are one of maybe 3 or 4 groups staying here. It's designed to show tourists what the Bedouin experience is like. After observing the camels (which we will ride tomorrow...great...), we ate dinner. Sitting at 5 to a "table," we actually sat on the floor of a tent. The food was served to us on a large platter and we weren't given plates...just pita, chicken/meat and rice, two types of humus, and veggies. Delicious.
Afterwards, the "leader" (i can't remember his name or title) talked to us about Bedouin life...which consists of up to 4 wives, arranged marriage, camels/tents/cars and a shifting culture.
It's nice to have the soldiers with us now. They (4 girls and 4 boys) are young...oldest is 21 and they are just like ordinary young adults. Same interests and curiosities are shares among the two groups. A few are within months of being done with their service...while others still have a year or so left. Many are planning on traveling when done, but they don't have much money to do so... They make like 100 dollars a month while in the army. More on them later...
The sky is so clear tonight, a gorgeous starry night. Hanging by the fire was nice, though the sleep conditions are interesting to say the least. Sleeping on the ground is not extremely appealing, especially on nasty looking "mattresses" and sleeping bags. This looks to be a different night.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Crossing The Judea Mountains
Sunday June 24
While I'm a few posts behind...I figured I would write a little while on the bus. I am currently traveling from Jerusalem to Ramla near Tel Aviv and there are plenty of cars on the road, since it's a work day.
Some people in the group say they heard "bomb" noise last night. I must have slept right through it, like most Israelis. Despite this news (there were some air strikes along the border with Gaza), the country continues to operate, continues to move forward. This is a hard concept to realize as an American who vividly remembers 9/11 As I enter another day in Israel, it's becoming clearer that while in a petty bad location, Israelis are not afraid...or at least they don't express that.
As we drive to our next location before sleeping in a Bedouin tent (no wifi, no outlets), I'm getting the opportunity to see the landscape. Israel's size is often compared to New Jersey...and the landscape should be compared to western New Jersey and Pennsylvania (more to come about Pennsylvania soon). Rolling hills and crop lands. Smart irrigation provides the opportunity for this. I'm also getting a glimpse of some of the 240 million trees planted by JNF since 1901. There are some beautiful forests.
Then again, I must mention the bus lanes, variable speed and message signs, and well-kept pavement on the highways here. :)
About to get off the bus to Ramla/Lod where we will meet the Israeli soldiers who will be joining us for a few days.
While I'm a few posts behind...I figured I would write a little while on the bus. I am currently traveling from Jerusalem to Ramla near Tel Aviv and there are plenty of cars on the road, since it's a work day.
Some people in the group say they heard "bomb" noise last night. I must have slept right through it, like most Israelis. Despite this news (there were some air strikes along the border with Gaza), the country continues to operate, continues to move forward. This is a hard concept to realize as an American who vividly remembers 9/11 As I enter another day in Israel, it's becoming clearer that while in a petty bad location, Israelis are not afraid...or at least they don't express that.
As we drive to our next location before sleeping in a Bedouin tent (no wifi, no outlets), I'm getting the opportunity to see the landscape. Israel's size is often compared to New Jersey...and the landscape should be compared to western New Jersey and Pennsylvania (more to come about Pennsylvania soon). Rolling hills and crop lands. Smart irrigation provides the opportunity for this. I'm also getting a glimpse of some of the 240 million trees planted by JNF since 1901. There are some beautiful forests.
Then again, I must mention the bus lanes, variable speed and message signs, and well-kept pavement on the highways here. :)
About to get off the bus to Ramla/Lod where we will meet the Israeli soldiers who will be joining us for a few days.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Welcome to Israel
Wednesday, June 20/Thursday, June 21, 2012
I have had my fair share of international travel over the past 3 years, though I don't think I felt the way I did 30 minutes prior to landing at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. The flight attendant notified the passengers that we had entered into Israeli airspace.
"Welcome to Israel," the attendant stated...as we were still in the air.
My Birthright journey began in Philadelphia...and don't ask me why. Most of the people on the trip are from NY, NJ, MA (with some exceptions being Texas, Colorado, Florida, among others). As Melanie does best, she asked to get my seat changed so we would be closer together on the aircraft...meaning we got the last row (next to the bathroom, yay :( ) but we traded some seats and sat together during the 11+hr flight.
Unlike Egypt, I got a kosher meal on the flight...though it wasn't very good. Chicken in a [pareve] creme sauce with some bread and a Kosher for Passover-tasting chocolate cake. Yum. Yum. Breakfast was eggs and a cheese sauce...and bread.
And then we arrived in Tel Aviv. Amazing. I still can't believe I am in Israel. As we went through Border patrol, there was no problem and just told the man that I was with the Birthright group.
We met our tour guide, a 37-year old man named Orie (meaning light in hebrew). We traveled through the Judaean Mountains (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaean_Mountains) from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recited the Traveler's Prayer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tefilat_HaDerech). What a beautiful 45 minute ride. Orie said we will recite the prayer each time we leave a city.
On our way to our hostel in Jerusalem, we stopped at the infamous Haas Promenade where we viewed the "City of Gold," or the Old City. Pretty amazing. We recited the Shehecheyanu (a prayer for special occasions) with some grape juice at this site with our group.
The Birthright experience has been very interesting so far. We have two group leaders who traveled with us from Philly to Israel (one lives in the US, the other lives in Canada). In addition, we have the aforementioned tour educator and a medic. There are 40 kids on the trip, ranging from ~19 to ~23 and we are staying in hostel with 2 to 3 people to each room. We stay at this hostel: http://www.uscj.org.il/tichnor.php for three nights. We have played some ice breakers and people are still trying to feel each other out. A lot of smokers on this trip, for whatever reason...one girl said that she "wants to take up smoking because she is in Israel." Alrighty then.
Anyway, I still can't believe I am in Israel. A place that is always talked about in Hebrew School and beyond. A place that is always in the news. Birthright is a gift that I plan on cherishing because it truly is a blessing and an amazing opportunity. Who else gets to go to the land of their people FOR FREE?
Tomorrow should be an amazing day at the Western Wall.
I will post some pictures in the next post!
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