Petra • Transfer to Tel Aviv
After an early breakfast, transfer to Tel Aviv where we begin our discovery of Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures. Please note: Due to security regulations, O.A.T. travelers will pass through Customs unassisted when entering Israel.
An O.A.T. representative will meet us upon our arrival this afternoon at Tel Aviv’s airport, where we’ll meet travelers who took the pre-trip extension to Jordan. We’ll transfer to our hotel and settle into our rooms, and then our small group’s Trip Leader will deliver a short orientation briefing before we share a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. Israel’s cultural and commercial hub, Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 near the ancient port city of Jaffa (with which it later merged) as a planned “garden city” on the Mediterranean coast, and blossomed into the largest collection of Modernist buildings in the world. Today, Tel Aviv is home to about one-third of Israel’s population, and is a thoroughly modern city in every sense of the phrase—whatever it may lack in ancient history, it more than makes up for in vibrancy and contemporary culture.
After an early breakfast, transfer to Tel Aviv where we begin our discovery of Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures. Please note: Due to security regulations, O.A.T. travelers will pass through Customs unassisted when entering Israel.
An O.A.T. representative will meet us upon our arrival this afternoon at Tel Aviv’s airport, where we’ll meet travelers who took the pre-trip extension to Jordan. We’ll transfer to our hotel and settle into our rooms, and then our small group’s Trip Leader will deliver a short orientation briefing before we share a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. Israel’s cultural and commercial hub, Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 near the ancient port city of Jaffa (with which it later merged) as a planned “garden city” on the Mediterranean coast, and blossomed into the largest collection of Modernist buildings in the world. Today, Tel Aviv is home to about one-third of Israel’s population, and is a thoroughly modern city in every sense of the phrase—whatever it may lack in ancient history, it more than makes up for in vibrancy and contemporary culture.
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Friday September 8
We have to get going early because the Israeli Shabbat (Jewish day of rest) starts on Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. So the border crossing and everything else closes earlier to get ready for this which means we have to be at the border in plenty of time.
First p-stop. Actually, this is were Iyad picked up our lunch boxes.
In the bus Iyad of course gave us instructions what to do at the border ... and what not to do. He also talked a lot about life and customs. And he showed us the different ways the men wear the keffiyeh.
Second p-stop.
And then we are at the first border. Of course no picture taking. Iyad takes all of our passports and leaves us in the bus. He told us you never know how it is going to go. But all seems fine today. It takes a while but then he comes back, gives us our passports back and we have to say good bye.
Our bus driver has permission to drive us to the other side. We hope for his sake that he makes it back in time before they close.
We are in no-man's land and I can't resist taking the photo of the sheep and goats (they were actually mixed) crossing the street in front of us in their sweet time.
The border into Israel was all about security. We had to go with our suitcases and all other things through the scanners etc. It was just about lunchtime so we had not touched our boxes yet. They were not treated so nicely. All my French fries and cut tomatoes were outside the styro shell with the chips bags and drinks in the plastic bag. Yuck.
Passport control took a little while too but I think that all can be expected. Our new guide Yael was waiting outside the door with a new much larger bus.
She gave us some information but the most important I heard was that the water in the faucets are totally good and safe all over Israel which means that we also can eat salads and fruit and veggies without any worries. 3xYeah!
The drive to Tel Aviv went faster then I thought. I only took one photo. A part of the fence around Palestine. Sigh.
We arrived at the Center Hotel and settled in. The room is a bit small and we had to really think how to arrange the suitcases so not to fall over them in the night. But otherwise everything is really nice.
She told us that "happy hour" was going to be at 5 pm next door in the sister hotel Cinema.
Very nice. Free wine and nice nibbles on the rooftop. You can see our hotel here. We are on the first floor which is great because we don't have to bother with the elevator. I don't know whether you can see the figures on the third floor "telephoning from one balcony to the other?
At 6 pm we were all meeting in our lobby. The great introduction. We have two more couples and one single lady join us and are now 16.
After the orientation we all walk to the beach to have dinner there in a restaurant. It is a balmy night and lovely sitting outside. We had all sorts of nibbles and offerings and plenty of red and white wine. And a lively conversation.
Afterwards we walked back to the hotel. After sitting in the bus a lot today that all felt good.
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