Mini tour of Israel
When entering one's home, a visitor abides by the invisible rules of respect and courtesy in exchange for the host's hospitality. The same applies to a tourist in a foreign country; you would not want to disturb the citizens of Israel in their own homeland. However, foreigners are encouraged to ask questions because the friendly natives are more than eager to share about their heritage, politics, and religion. Just be sure you are talking to trustworthy people who won't take advantage of your naivete. If you take a trip to Israel, the one phrase you will probably learn return home with is shalom which means "peace" but is used as a greeting.
Contrary to popular belief, you won't find the majority of the country walking around in jet-black suites with curls streaming down their heads, running around reciting words from a little prayer book all day long.
Israelis are dressed, for the most part, casually. Exceptions are in religious holy places where modest attire is appropriate for the occasion. If you want to see the Orthodox in mass quantities, go to the infamous Wailing Wall where you will find many people bowing and praying or writing prayers on little pieces of paper which are then shoved into cracks in the wall.
Customs are slightly different than that of other countries, especially America. Almost everything shuts down for shabbat which is the Jewish Sabbath, or religious high holidays. Shabbat always falls on Friday nights at sunset until sunset the next day. Most people stay indoors during this time, for it is a holy time, so you won't find buses running or shops open, and very few people will be on the roads. You will want to find a place to stay and rest, keeping in mind that smoking is usually offensive to the Orthodox Jews on this day.
Cuisine in Israel is absolutely amazing. The different styles of foods, from spicy to sweet, represent the different places Jews have come from all over the world. Most restaurants follow the original dietary laws and are labeled kosher which means "fit to eat." These dietary laws stretch back thousands of years. Even though prescriptions are specific, there is room for interpretation in many cases. Don't be weary, you may find some places that will serve a pile of bacon and a cold glass of milk, you just have to search.
As for transportation, buses are the most efficient automobiles to get from place to place because of how cheap and fast they are. Many citizens do not even own cars, but rather use the bus transportation system provided by the government. Two bus companies EGGES and DAN are the most popular.
For a guided tour of the land, go here. You may build your own dream tour and go to the places you personally would like to visit. Ofcourse you may have to do some research of your own to find a less expensive price.
All-in-all this country is not one you would want to miss when traveling the world. They say if you ever get a chance to travel anywhere in the world, go to Israel. It is rich in religious diversity and is overflowing with enriching historical facts and sites that can even be found in the Bible.
Contrary to popular belief, you won't find the majority of the country walking around in jet-black suites with curls streaming down their heads, running around reciting words from a little prayer book all day long.
Israelis are dressed, for the most part, casually. Exceptions are in religious holy places where modest attire is appropriate for the occasion. If you want to see the Orthodox in mass quantities, go to the infamous Wailing Wall where you will find many people bowing and praying or writing prayers on little pieces of paper which are then shoved into cracks in the wall.
Customs are slightly different than that of other countries, especially America. Almost everything shuts down for shabbat which is the Jewish Sabbath, or religious high holidays. Shabbat always falls on Friday nights at sunset until sunset the next day. Most people stay indoors during this time, for it is a holy time, so you won't find buses running or shops open, and very few people will be on the roads. You will want to find a place to stay and rest, keeping in mind that smoking is usually offensive to the Orthodox Jews on this day.Cuisine in Israel is absolutely amazing. The different styles of foods, from spicy to sweet, represent the different places Jews have come from all over the world. Most restaurants follow the original dietary laws and are labeled kosher which means "fit to eat." These dietary laws stretch back thousands of years. Even though prescriptions are specific, there is room for interpretation in many cases. Don't be weary, you may find some places that will serve a pile of bacon and a cold glass of milk, you just have to search.
As for transportation, buses are the most efficient automobiles to get from place to place because of how cheap and fast they are. Many citizens do not even own cars, but rather use the bus transportation system provided by the government. Two bus companies EGGES and DAN are the most popular.
For a guided tour of the land, go here. You may build your own dream tour and go to the places you personally would like to visit. Ofcourse you may have to do some research of your own to find a less expensive price.
All-in-all this country is not one you would want to miss when traveling the world. They say if you ever get a chance to travel anywhere in the world, go to Israel. It is rich in religious diversity and is overflowing with enriching historical facts and sites that can even be found in the Bible.
Labels: foreign travel, Israel, tourist
