Trip to the Holy Land - photothread.

[malmomike77]

Bets, that's amazing value, you got time travel back to the 70s thrown in too

[Bettyboo]

Did a good 7+ hours drinking session last night - tried many different beers, and you know how that works out...

I started taking pics of the beer at the lobby bar, then the rooftop bar which closes at 11pm then another bar on the second floor that goes on...

After a while, I was getting sociable, it's a big place with loads of people, and had a good time. Lots of Israelis, three lovely young ladies that I played pool with for a couple of hours, I presumed were in their early 20s, all three stunningly attractive and fun/smart, but later on they told me they were 17. Mature 17 year olds for sure. I chatted with a few American ladies at different points of the evening who were nice and on their own. I also chatted to mixed groups of Israeli, German ( ), and various other countries. I got utterly wrecked, but didn't make a fool of myself, and I also made it home.

The lobby bar also has a separate outside terrace which is nice.

The first pics are ones I took then some general stock pics to show you the place: Abraham Hostel Tel Aviv.

























Stock pics, so you can get a better idea of the place:























Thanks for all your positive comments.

[Looper]

Champion stuff Betty

I don't know how Israel works but I always thought I would plan to stay in Jerusalem if I went.

I watched The Life Of Brian on Friday night after making that comment on your fine thread. It is still so funny even 40 years later!

I would want to absorb as much of the vibe from the ancient city as possible.

[PAG]

What a great thread BB. The UK part was enjoyable, and moving into what for many of us is unchartered territory (the non arab middle east) is very enlightening.

[Bettyboo]

Kind of heartwarming that the goat most probably would get Halal'ed.

I will be behaving. &, Paul Mariner is a legend.

Are you local? Royston is a town for local people who like strange sausages..

Well BB, I'm impressed you sampled a Spooons and I look forward to your pics from the wailing wall.

Shalom

Royston is a bit of a strange yokels type place, t'is true. Not too bad though. My parents live pretty close.

^ Pretend you're doing a 'selfie', that's what I do.

There's always a way!

You are a bad man, Mendip!

I suppose I must be getting old and feeling a bit more respectful towards the more aggressive sex. As, you will see from the upcoming beach photos...

@betty - that's your only bag? You weren't didn't check in any wheeled luggage? If that's your only bag, I'm impressed!

It's all about traveling light, Katie. In the UK, I threw some old t-shirts and stuff away, also have various clothes in the UK. In Israel, only 3 or 4 days, and I can clean my clothes in the shower and let them dry during the day - there's an iron at the apartment.

^ Nice blue skies.

I've never done this Airbnb thing...

I was against it for years, but was forced to use the app to find last minute accom when on an Easy coast of Korea trip - I find it very useful now.

Keep it coming Betty, how about some examples of Israeli femininity?

There's a fear factor here that if I take a sneaky snap of a lady, she might kick the crap out of me (much deserved...).

Bets, that's amazing value, you got time travel back to the 70s thrown in too

Yeah, and I got the hangover to prove it. Hope I sleep well tonight - up early tomorrow morning and have a full day of sightseeing.

Champion stuff Betty

I don't know how Israel works but I always thought I would plan to stay in Jerusalem if I went.

I watched The Life Of Brian on Friday night after making that comment on your fine thread. It is still so funny even 40 years later!

I would want to absorb as much of the vibe from the ancient city as possible.

Yes, it's not long enough, just a short trip on the way back to Korea. I could certainly come another time and spend longer; quite a lot of other sites to see too.

I'm looking forward to Jerusalem tomorrow.

[Bettyboo]

What a great thread BB. The UK part was enjoyable, and moving into what for many of us is unchartered territory (the non arab middle east) is very enlightening.

Thanks, PAG.

Yeah, Israel is interesting. I've seen Muscat quite a lot, and also Dubai (which I didn't much like), and Tel Aviv is nothing like those places. In some ways, it's more like Miami, but with the economic centre, banking, etc.

I went along the beach today, and everyone is active, buffing up or playing volleyball or speedwalking dogs or doing yoga... Lots of wine bars on and just off the beach too. Pics coming in a bit.

[Bonecollector]

Could be worse, could be Norwich.

Ed carrot top is a massive codpiece.

[Bonecollector]

By the looks of it Betty, you will have to upgrade to business for the flight back!

[Bettyboo]

Went out just after 6 to look around the local area for food. I then planned to walk along the beach towards Jaffa old town - did that. Then I planned to walk around a flasher restaurant/wine bar area - did that. Had some food. Got back early, so I could update this, chat to the wife, and get to bed for an early start tomorrow...

Around the area is nice, some nice buildings, a big working market with fruit, food (stalls), clothes, all sorts:


























Turned out I wasn't hungry, so decided to walk down to the beach - 10 minutes from. y apartment.

[Bettyboo]

Here are some beach pictures.

I've never been to a city beach before (Muscat has some beaches, but not the same, not the focal point) - quite strange, not sure whether I like it or not. The locals seem to take advantage of being right on the beach; Tel Aviv is long and thin with many beaches, and they are all supposed to be busy/crowded.









































^ Up there on the right is Jaffa old fort, old city - I decided to walk towards there...

[Bettyboo]

It was a pleasant evening with a nice breeze, so I decided to walk towards (perhaps to) Jaffa.

I just took quick and easy snaps on the iPhone 13 mini, no special settings. The phone is supposed to have decent night time/dusk pictures which is one reason why I wanted it before this trip. I'm crap at photos, obviously, but let me know what you think of the pics as a point and click "effort".











It's a well planned beach with lots of toilets, showers, exercise areas, cycling paths, even dog beach areas...






















After about 30-40 minutes of that walk, I started to get a bit hungry...

[Bettyboo]

...so, I took a left off the beach road and headed back towards the market.

I might go on a two hour guided tour of Jaffa in a Wednesday (my final morning).

Got the classic falafel for dinner... Cost £7 with some chips and a coke. Tasted good.





That wasn't the end of the evening, but I'll post the other photos later because I'm really tired now.

[Joe 90]

I tell you what BB, you are definitely selling me a trip to the Holy City!

Looks great, enjoying the travel pics and commentary!

I personally wouldn't be in any rush to return to SK, a few kids I know are being evacuated..

All scouts leaving South Korea camp as storm looms - BBC News

Shalom.

[malmomike77]

Bets do you ever go on Hols with Mrs Bets

[Mendip]

^

^^ You could get some beer glasses with that Hebrew writing on for your collection!

BB, those beach pics very much remind me of Rio. City beaches took me a long while to get used to, they don't really seem to exist in the UK. We have cities and we have beaches, but rarely together.

[bsnub]

Most of the UK is rather unimpressive when compared to Australia and much less so the US. The food factors into that equation.

[Stretchy]

Then, walked into a different room to have your passports checked, and here I had an amusing encounter. I had pre-bought a esim data package, and I was logging onto the free airport wifi (quick and easy) then activating the esim (quick and easy), and somehow while doing so, my backpack must have dislodged one of those fabric "arms" on the Q guide barriers (just like the ones on the Luton airport Qs). I didn't realise until a security guard came up behind me:
"Hey, look what you've done."
"Did I? Sorry I didn't realise."
"Fix it!"
"What me? Am I allowed to fiddle with?"
"You made the problem, you fix the problem!"
"Ok"

It slotted in easily, I smiled and apologised again, and he walked off. Just seemed like a weird interaction, buy I enjoyed it - I was in Israel!

Another security guy saw this interaction, came over to me, gave me a "passed through passport control ticket", smiled, and said pleasantly that I could go through to the next space/room. No passport control for me...

The next place had a couple of folks checking that you'd gone through passport control and taking the ticket off you - then you're in baggage reclaim hall.

Aren't you concerned about not going through passport control and being in thier system and therefore being in the country legally? You might have a much bigger problem when you try to leave the country.

[Joe 90]

Most of the UK is rather unimpressive when compared to Australia and much less so the US. The food factors into that equation.

You got your beer goggles on?

[Joe 90]

^

^^ You could get some beer glasses with that Hebrew writing on for your collection!

BB, those beach pics very much remind me of Rio. City beaches took me a long while to get used to, they don't really seem to exist in the UK. We have cities and we have beaches, but rarely together.

Eh, eh mate, calm down.

Liverpool has a beach, you can count turds on it for fun washed in by the River Mersey.

[katie23]

@mendip - here's Conan O'Brien with some ladies of the Israeli defense forces. Somehow, I imagine Bettyboo will be in the same situation if ever he decides to participate in that obstacle course!



@betty - nice pics, thank you. Did you buy Jesus sandals for your trip to Jerusalem? If yes, we need proof!

*******

Re: beaches & cities, it's the same here in PH (like in UK). We have cities and we have the swimming beaches. They're separate and I like it that way. Noyhing like Miami or Rio (?) where you can see ppl wearing their beach outfits while walking around the city.

I was quite surprised when I went to Da Nang (Vietnam). Around the beach area, there were lots of tall hotels. Seemed a bit too Las Vegas-y for me. (But Betty liked the Da Nang beaches). I liked Da Nang for the food & the atmosphere but not so much the beach part.

Edit:
@Mendip - here's Gal Gadot. She's am Israeli actress whose most famous role (so far) is Wonder Woman. I think she was also in the Fast & Firious earlier films. When she was younger, she was a beauty queen - she participated in the Miss Universe pageant.

[Bettyboo]

^ not an unattractive lady, Katie...

Danang is really lovely. I agree the beaches are not as nice as the ones I saw in your homeland.

I tell you what BB, you are definitely selling me a trip to the Holy City!

Looks great, enjoying the travel pics and commentary!

I personally wouldn't be in any rush to return to SK, a few kids I know are being evacuated..

All scouts leaving South Korea camp as storm looms - BBC News

Shalom.

Korea is pretty shite - worth a visit for it's uniqueness, perhaps.

I visited the Holy City today; pictures on the way.

Bets do you ever go on Hols with Mrs Bets

I went with her to Laos for a week, and apparently everything is better in Thailand... She does like Luang Prabang a lot, but she hasn't been there since the Chinese and Simon43 invaded!

BB, those beach pics very much remind me of Rio. City beaches took me a long while to get used to, they don't really seem to exist in the UK. We have cities and we have beaches, but rarely together.

I'd love to go to Rio.

Most of the UK is rather unimpressive when compared to Australia and much less so the US. The food factors into that equation.

You've obviously never been to Felixstowe.

Aren't you concerned about not going through passport control and being in thier system and therefore being in the country legally? You might have a much bigger problem when you try to leave the country.

Once you go through the electronic machines and get the tourist permit everything is in the system; the passport control is for psych checks (mostly Americans and our muslim friends), so I obviously passed with flying colours just by my smile.

[Bettyboo]

Last evening, the last thing I did was pop around Rothchild Street for a looksee:





& a hotel of the same name:








There's a central boulevard that's pleasant to walk along an upmarket wine bars/restaurants - mostly...

[helge]

Found a place who serve bacon and eggs yet ?

[Bettyboo]

^ no, that wouldn't be Kosher.



Now, the Holy Land photos start. There are a lot (135), and I'm not gonna do much commentary; first Jerusalem, then Jaffa.

The coach; 1 hour from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; 16 folk. A nice tour guide, Israeli lady called Tal:





Getting very hilly close to Jerusalem which is in the mountains. Jerusalem is a much bigger city than Tel Aviv with massive growth going on.




The first few shots of Jerusalem:











Entering the Jaffa gate (the closest port and a very important trade route for fuk loads of years...





Some people might feel lonely travelling/holidaying by themselves - I quite like it, but I'm quite sociable...

There were 16 people on this tour, and I during the day I spoke with everyone, some more than others, and everyone was nice.

The Jaffa tour, later was similar.

The first night drinking loads was very sociable too. But, other than that it was general interactions and going around places at my own pace. I enjoyed the balance over 4 days and 3 nights.

[malmomike77]

Did you have an epiphany or what ever her name was?