Running Around Israel and a Quick Jaunt to the West Bank

My late start day ended up being pretty great. After going to the internet cafe in Jerusalem, Dana and I walked through the Arab suq to the Damascus Gate and caught a taxi up the Mount of Olives. A few of the churches were closed but we did make it to one of my favorites--Pater Noster. It's a modern Franciscan church with a beautiful view of the Dome of the Rock.

Then our real adventure began. At the bottom of the mountain (really a hill) we decided to take a taxi back to the hill. We got in and our taxi drive (an Arab-Israeli) offered to take us to Bethlehem. This is, of course, a good way to make easy money. $70 was a little expensive but he offered us a ride there and back AND a tour guide. I really wanted to see how Palestinean Territories (West Bank) had changed since I went there.

We ran into a lot of traffic. Tons. But we finally made it. I didn't see the controversial wall although I'm sure it was nearby. You only have to go through security to get into Israel. Not to get out.

Construction was so bad that we had to go through Beit Jalla (a West Bank city of mostly Arab Christians) and we only had ten minutes to spare when we got to Manger Square in Bethelehem.
We ran to the the church and then sped through the sites. Our tour guide kept saying "Please hurry." But we made it to all the little chapels. Just in time since the Franciscan monk closed the doors right after us.

Then, as usually, we enjoyed the hospitality of one of the storekeepers that our driver new. Yummy tea and (ridiculously strong) wine. Of course I bought something...you just can't help it.

Yesterday we went to Akko. That sounds simple, but it invovled a shared taxi, a bus, a train and then another taxi. Then the same on the way back. We traveled for about 4 hours each way. Akko still has its crusader walls intact and is right on the Mediterranean. It was actually quite lovely. We were wiped out at the end of the day and stumbled to our hotel.

One thing hat really surprised me was Tel Aviv. There are way more Asians than I remembered from a year. It has really become a multi-cultural city.