My trip to Israel with photos.

[LilGMom]

Gorgeous pictures and I imagine being at some of those locations were breathtaking not only for the visual reasons but the significance of them as well.

 

[mikelan6]

Wonderful photos! Israel looks like a beautiful place. How interesting to see landmarks from Jesus' time. Amazing.

Were you frightened a bit while there? I think I might have been. (I don't mean to be offensive by that...just curious).

Thanks! I was not frightened at all. It was the same as visiting any major city where you have to be careful where you go and watch your wallet in crowded areas. Other than that, we had a great time.

We did have one incident taking a taxi in Jerusalem (in a brand new Mercedes mind you), when the driver offered to take us to Bethlehem without a passport, which is controlled by the Palestinian authority. We were overly cautious and declined the offer and while I know other people in tour groups visited Bethlehem without any problems.

 

[mikelan6]

BEAUTIFUL pictures!!!!

really lovely...

You managed to see an incredible amount in a very short time.

we just did a Segway tour of jerusalem last month....
it was amazing...the views were stunning...

2 small corrections to your captions:
1. The model of the jerusalem gate in your picture from mini-israel is actually Damascus Gate (not jaffa gate)

2. the model that you're calling the 7 arches hotel i'm pretty sure is actually the YMCA - a famous site in Jerusalem (the real one in Jerusalem is right across from the King David Hotel). I walk by it every Sunday.

thanks for the pictures of the Scots hotel - i've wanted to stay there...
i've only heard great things about it..

thanks again for all the pictures....
(and that ice cream sunday....yummmmm)

Thanks for the corrections. I will update the information now. I could have sworn that the sign in front of the YMCA said "YMCA/Seven Arches hotel)

WOW! Those are stunning pics. That must have been a trip of a lifetime and now it makes me want to go to! Thanks for sharing them!

Was it an organized tour that you went with?

We did not take an organized tour, we went on our own as we're very independent people, but will recommend an organized tour to make the most of it.

Gorgeous pictures and I imagine being at some of those locations were breathtaking not only for the visual reasons but the significance of them as well.

Yes, I was VERY emotional at the Western Wall. I can't explain why, but I just started crying as I approached the wall.

 

[disneyholic family]

Thanks for the corrections. I will update the information now. I could have sworn that the sign in front of the YMCA said "YMCA/Seven Arches hotel)

the 7 arches hotel is on the mount of olives....i think it's what used to be called the intercontinental hotel, but i'm not sure..
but in any case, it's a newish looking hotel...here's a picture of it from their website:
http://www.7arches.com/gallery02.htm

the building in the mini-israel model and also earlier in your pictures, is the YMCA.....
http://www.jerusalemymca.org/ENG/Building/Building.html

however i think found the source of the confusion - i found a website that refers to the YMCA/ three arches hotel...
so maybe there's a 3 arches hotel in the YMCA...(not 7 arches)

so i guess we're both sort of right...

We did not take an organized tour, we went on our own as we're very independent people, but will recommend an organized tour to make the most of it.

you did your OWN tour????????????

wow!!!!! now i'm truly impressed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


i was sure you did that on a tour....
that's totally incredible that you managed to cover all that on your own without a tour group...

"kol hakavod"!!!!

 

[Decorated_Dust]

Yes, I was VERY emotional at the Western Wall. I can't explain why, but I just started crying as I approached the wall.

I would have, too. The Wailing Wall has so much sad history attached. It is the last remnant of their temple.

After looking at your pictures, I figured I probably would have cried at the Christian sites, as well. All of this talk I have at my school about the difference between "traditional" sites and "actual" sites goes away when you're actually there, imagining Christ there. I still get teary-eyed at Christmas even though I know the nativity story most likely happened shortly before Passover.

It's something about being there where it all happened that gets to you. Your are so fortunate to have gone!!!!

 

[bytheblood]

Thank you so much for taking the time to share this. Your photos are amazing, some of them made me tear up. I would love to go to Israel and walk where my Lord once walked during His earthly ministry.

How thoughful of you to share with all of us.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

What a great trip!!! I love all the photos of the different parts of the city. That (miniture)palace was amazing. The beaches were so pretty. Thanks for sharing them.

 

[challer]

Great pictures. I'm going to Israel with my family in April - cannot wait!

Did you happen to do the Western Wall tunnels tour? I found that to be awe inspiring. Not just religiously, but historically. I feel it's a can't miss.

 

[HillPete]

Great pictures! I especially like the ones of the Western Wall. My cousin just asked me this morning to make a cake for her son's Bar Mitzvah next summer. What shape cake, you ask? Why, the Western Wall, of course!

I'll need to check with the Rabbi on this one, but if it's Kosher, I'll use your photos for reference.

--H

 

[Iggipolka]

Absolutely stunning. What an amazing trip. Thanks for sharing it with us!

 

[mikelan6]

Did you happen to do the Western Wall tunnels tour? I found that to be awe inspiring. Not just religiously, but historically. I feel it's a can't miss.

Thanks! We did not do the tunnel tour as we didn't have the time. I also wanted to see the City of David, but couldn't. Please do a trip report when you go!

Great pictures! I especially like the ones of the Western Wall. My cousin just asked me this morning to make a cake for her son's Bar Mitzvah next summer. What shape cake, you ask? Why, the Western Wall, of course!

I'll need to check with the Rabbi on this one, but if it's Kosher, I'll use your photos for reference.

--H

I would be honored if you used my photos as reference! Thanks!

 

[mandymommy4]

Amazing pictures! I am a follower of Jesus AND a have a intense interest in history. I don't know if I will ever got to visit the Holy Land so thanks for sharing and letting me live through your pictures!

 

[NeverLandDreamer]

Thanks! I was not frightened at all. It was the same as visiting any major city where you have to be careful where you go and watch your wallet in crowded areas. Other than that, we had a great time.

We did have one incident taking a taxi in Jerusalem (in a brand new Mercedes mind you), when the driver offered to take us to Bethlehem without a passport, which is controlled by the Palestinian authority. We were overly cautious and declined the offer and while I know other people in tour groups visited Bethlehem without any problems.

Good to hear!

That incident must have been a tad frightening, but thank God you were safe and made the right choice.

 

[NeverLandDreamer]

Thank you so much for taking the time to share this. Your photos are amazing, some of them made me tear up. I would love to go to Israel and walk where my Lord once walked during His earthly ministry.

How thoughful of you to share with all of us.

I couldn't say it better myself.

 

[challer]

Thanks! We did not do the tunnel tour as we didn't have the time. I also wanted to see the City of David, but couldn't. Please do a trip report when you go!

Sure - did City of David. Great if you like to see how archaeology helps us learn about how the city has changed over the (thousands of) years.

 

[challer]

Good to hear!

That incident must have been a tad frightening, but thank God you were safe and made the right choice.

I go to Israel relatively frequently. Unless I'm in the Palestinian territories or East Jeruslaem, I feel more comfortable there than I do in alot of places here in the Bronx! Nothing to fear.

 

[crazydisneyman]

Thanks so much for your pictures.

I want to go to Israel someday, and your pictures were a welcome reminder of that dream.

Thanks for taking the time to share this trip with us!

 

[TSMAMI]

stunning

 

[disneyholic family]

Thanks! We did not do the tunnel tour as we didn't have the time. I also wanted to see the City of David, but couldn't. Please do a trip report when you go!

yes, definitely do the tunnel tour - it's very interesting....
both seeing the length of the wall...
and also they have a model of the temple mount through history - it moves up and down, so you see the different layers...
really interesting..

also interesting by the temple mount area, is the southern wall dig area and Davidson garden...

and the City of David is extraordinary....
in addition to the tour of the city of david itself, there are also lots of great tours sponsored by the city of david -
they're who run the Segway tour we went on....the guide was outstanding!!!!
i've been to jerusalem a zillion times, and i learned a ton of new things from him...

and our neighbors took a jeep trip sponsored by them and said it was also fantastic....

by the way, in your picture taken from the cable car on masada - you show the snake path winding up the hill...that's the way we go up to masada....usually in the middle of the night so that we can watch the sunrise from the top...
then we go down by the cable car (although i HATE the cable car...i am TERRIFIED of heights, bridges, elevators, cable cars, airplanes, etc etc etc etc -
i force myself to do all this stuff, but i'm TERRIFIED the whole time )

thanks again for your pictures - almost as good as being there

 

[NeverLandDreamer]

I go to Israel relatively frequently. Unless I'm in the Palestinian territories or East Jeruslaem, I feel more comfortable there than I do in alot of places here in the Bronx! Nothing to fear.

I hear that...the Bronx scares me to pieces.