Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
Until some years ago no tourist would stop by in Málaga, Spain. Who ever arrives at Málagas Costa del Sol airport would directly continue to Córdoba, Granada or Sevilla. It was a typical city that once only generated wealth by having a harbour (and subsequently a lot of industry). But things have changed, the city center has been cleaned up and really a lot of museums invite you to stay. Continue reading “More than a harbour”
Eschwege is a sleepy small town in northern Hessia, Germany. It is quite beautiful but not too many people go there – unless it is the second weekend in August. Then 15.000 to 20.000 people visit this place to enjoy the Open Flair Festival. Four days of music, camping and fun. And a city that really loves to host such a huge amount of freaky folks.
When I had to select the destination for my 34th birthday, Israel came into my mind – mainly because I wanted to see Yad Vashem. When I started to talk about this idea I was bothered with a lot of security issues. Friends and family didn’t like the idea of me being at an unsafe area influenced by the conflict between Israel and Palestine. When travelling throughout Brazil I read Breaking news by Frank Schätzing (which in some part tells the history of Israel and the storyline is also situated at Jerusalem) and the decision to go to the Holy Land finally was made.
Continue reading “Terra Sancta”
It is said that in Jerusalem they pray, in Tel Aviv they live and in Haifa they work. And if you look at Haifa you absolutely agree: it is nicely fitted onto the foothills of Mount Carmel, but it hasn’t much sights worth visiting. It reminded me much on La Spezia in Italy. And don’t walk throughout the city to find a city center or old town – there isn’t one that deserves that name.
Continue reading “Made for business”
Israel is a country with a very good infrastructure and getting snacks and something to drink was absolutely no-frills. But within Jerusalem I only found small shops and no big supermarket chains where you could simply fill your trunk with some bottles of mineral water – as I normally do while travelling throughout countries with high temperatures; a pure necessity.
If you try to plan your route throughout Palestine, you’re kind of left alone. Popular map software shows streets but no street names and only some limited points of interest. Open Street Map helps you out; but the ignorance is a political signal. Some areas and routes are defined as no-go places. By good reason?
When travelling through Israel you will often read that restaurants are kosher. Or even if you don’t recognize this, the rules of the Thora and the Bible will influence what you’ll get to eat. At first Jews are only allowed to eat mammals that are cloven-hoofed and ruminants (no pigs, no rabbits, no horses) or that have scales and fins (no clams, no prawns, no lobster).
When you drive along the Dead Sea, shortly before Ein Gedi, the street leads you back from Palestine to Israel – and you have to face another IDF checkpoint. As I remembered those checkpoints from eastern Europe I prepared my passport and visa and waited for a tough questioning or thoroughly inspection.
The motorway network of Israel is in really good condition. Driving from Tel Aviv-Yafo to Jerusalem needs 45 minutes from city center to city center. All road signs are in Hebrew, Arabic and English and there is only one toll road: number 6 leading along the Westbank from south to north. My car was registred for this service, I could simply drive through and was billed afterwards.
Going to a country where a language with an own alphabet is used is always fun for me – because it is often a challenge and you have to learn like a child again. In Israel, Hebrew (Ivrit) is the official language, though a lot of Arabic is spoken. Most signs are trilingual (Hebrew, Arabic, English) and a lot of people speak English. And if not: there is always someone immediatly starting to translate if you seem to be in need.