Tel Aviv ~ The Start of The Trip of a Lifetime
“Tel Aviv is a dynamic international city with a lot of smart people, great fashion, food and there's this great energy everywhere.” - Greg Dulli
Tel Aviv Yafo or just Tel Aviv with a population of 460,000 plus people is located on the Mediterranean Sea. Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv serves as the International Airport for Israel.
The name Tel Aviv comes from Aviv which is Hebrew for “spring” symbolizing renewal and Tel which is an artificial mound created over centuries through the accumulation of successive layers of civilization built one over the other and symbolizing the ancient. What a fitting name for a city that embraced the idea of a renaissance in the ancient Jewish homeland as it welcomed Jewish settlers.
in these post pandemic times, on arrival at Ben Gurion airport, all non-citizens have to go through a COVID Testing protocol regardless of any pre-travel tests that they might have undertaken prior to arrival. The time between the test and results is supposed to be spent in quarantine before wandering this city with its curious mix of old and new. I spent my first evening in my hotel room but then had 2 full days to explore the city.
My first stop was the Neve Tzedek neighborhood very close to my hotel. This was the first outpost of the Jewish settlers when they moved away from the ancient port city of Jaffa.
Neve Tzedek is a quaint neighborhood full of narrow streets and houses going through renovations and make overs. Cafes and interesting shops line the streets encouraging wandering and browsing.
A short walk took me to Carmel Market, the local fruit, and vegetable market. Here one can browse for inexpensive souvenirs, taste local culinary delights as one wanders inspecting exotic fruit and cheese. I stopped at a little stall selling what is best falafel and hummus for a quick taste.
The narrow side streets leading away from the market are full of cafes and eateries with locals enjoying the weather and the tasty delights.
A short Gett ride took me to the Old Port with its slightly more sophisticated eateries and shops. Sail boats were out in full force even as fishermen lingered with their fishing rods and bikers and all manner of people were out and about enjoying the beautiful afternoon sunshine.
The next morning started with an exploration of the old port of Jaffa. Our first stop was at Andromeda’s rocks where Andromeda was bound as a sacrifice to the sea god Poseidon. Fortunately, she was rescued by brave Perseus who killed the sea monster and married her.
Inside St. Peter’s church in Jaffa. The beautiful altar piece describes the visitation of the angel who explains to Peter that any food provided by the Lord is pure and fit to eat.
The gate of faith in Abrasha Park which tells the tales of Jacob’s dream, the binding of Isaac and the capture of Jericho. This sculpture from Galilee stone was done by the sculptor Daniel Kafri of Jerusalem.
A few minutes walking brought us to this site which marks the location of the Canaanite Jaffa from the 19th century B.C. There was a group of teenagers on a school trip that we came across during our walk in Jaffa. I got to enjoy an interesting conversation with some of the girls, I am reassured to find that teenagers all around the world are more alike than one would imagine.
The vibrant artists quarter in Jaffa strolling through which is like strolling through an art gallery.
The Jaffa Clock Tower stands in the middle of the street at the entrance of Jaffa. Made of limestone it commemorates the Israelis killed in the battle for the town in 1948.
The Saraya Building, which was once the Ottoman governor’s palace, only has key parts still standing. The rest you have to imagine.
After a morning spent in the old city of Jaffa, we headed for lunch in modern Tel Aviv and to get a feel for the vibrant energy around food and shopping.
Sarona Market is Tel Aviv’s latest culinary center, offering a sharp contrast to Tel Aviv’s traditional food markets, such as the Carmel market. The market is all about ‘culinary excellence’ and houses around 100 businesses, from local producers of spices, cheeses, meats, and other goods, to imported delicacies and specialties from around the world.
As we walked across the square, we noticed this group of men praying together. Orthodox Jews pray three times a day. For the mid-day prayers, one person can gather other people to help participate and form the necessary minyan or group of ten.
The Bauhaus architecture style which was brought to the city by the Germans giving it the name of white city.
To round off our time in Tel Aviv we ended up at a wonderful restaurant with a family style meal of cold and hot appetizers and main courses that we all got to sample. Our food was accompanied by a local wine. Tonight, set the stage for the gastronomic delights that would be a part of our journey through this amazing country.