Tel Aviv as a Base for Discovering Israel

There are many gems to see in Israel. For those who love the exotic in native dress and custom, the Druse villages near the Syrian border are quite a draw. A visit in the December-March time frame may include snow, so dress appropriately. Watch for orchards of grapes, apples, and olives. Even in the December cold of approaching winter, a blossom or two from a vining flower may catch your eye on these heights. My trip to the Lebanese border included a stop in Galilee. You have an opportunity to stop for lunch here and then board a boat for an excursion on the lake. The captain throws bread to the seagulls and they dive in every direction for their lunch too. Ask for a few pieces of bread if you wish to help feed them! It is a very religious experience to trawl these waters. You will also likely stop at Yardenit on the Jordan River--a popular place for pilgrim baptism. Entire platforms are erected there to baptise pilgrims enmass, however, the stop is very scenic and the river and trees dominate.

Quick Tips:

Things to remember so as not to be detained when entering or exiting the country:

* Do not have visas from other Middle Eastern countries stamped in your passport. I had visas from Jordan and Syria. Despite the fact that Syria ponied up troops to help with the US Operation Desert Storm, they are still considered bad guys to Israelis.

* Do not carry a radio any larger than a Walkman--Israli Border Control may decide to dismantle it.

* Do not carry with you too little luggage. It looks suspicious.

* Do not forget to keep a log of places you've been. If there are questions when clearing customs departure you can ease concerns with your tourist's journal.

* Taxis are generally inexpensive and the drivers very helpful and knowledgeable about the geography/history of the city and country. Use them.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking can get you many places if you start at the Hotel Adiv on Tel Aviv's Mendele Street. The beach is two minutes away. Shopping centers are as little as five minutes away, including several charming little shops where discount trinkets and jewelry can be found.

Taxis are a great resource in Tel Aviv, but you may wish to try some of the bus routes as I did. The people of Tel Aviv are very helpful to visitors trying to get the hang of various transportation. Also, a train runs up and down the length of the country and is a bargain travel vehicle for backpackers. A taxi can get you to the train station from anywhere in the city reasonably fast and reasonably cheap. Also, whether you are a snacker or a gourmet, the food is fantastic. Every morning I visited a food stand outside of the Adiv and picked up a bagel or a mega-sized pretzel. Don't forget to try local breads and fruits such as dates.

From the Ben Gurion Airport, take bus 222 which parks near the Dan Hotel on the beach area of the Mediterranean. If you are traveling fairly light, you can walk the block or so over to the Adiv. Or wait to catch a two minute taxi ride.

The Hotel Adiv is a great place to set up your Israeli base camp. Here is a current URL that will fill you in on the Adiv itself and also link you to other affordable lodging possibilities in the Tel Aviv area:

http://hotelguide.net/tel_aviv/data/h100036.htm

One very positive item about the Adiv is that it is only a couple of blocks from the Mediterranean and it is in safe area for walking. The beach is beautiful! Another plus is the 'free' van ride to a diamond facility that will likely be offered you. The driver points out interesting facts along the way and there isn't really much pressure to buy anything. I saw some nicely crafted enameled jewelry--very colorful--in the $50 to $100 range. Cheaper than the diamonds anyway.

Another positive is your ability to book bus travel for almost any destination in Israel and to Cairo, Egypt as well. The buses are comfortable, the guides friendly, and the cost very reasonable. Ask your hotel clerk for details. If you choose to use a travel agency in the city, do not wait till Friday afternoon as many shops close early ahead of the Saturday Sabbath.

Youth Hostel Bethel is a great place to spend a safe, inexpensive night in Haifa. Check-in times are later in the day and check-out at nine in the morning. If you arrive too early to check in, there is a nice parlor area for guests to rest. You are within walking distance of a bus stop that takes you to the train depot. I took the train up from Tel Aviv (plenty safe since fully half the riders were military). You are also mere blocks away from the home of the famous artist Marc Chagall. E-mail Bethel at: bethel@netvision.net.il

The guided tours I took in Israel were short in the walking the territory of the land. Sure some of them require an occasional brisk walk, but somehow it falls a little bit short of really seeing a country to only follow a guide.

But remember, unguided guests to this country are treated much more suspiciously when attempting to pass through customs on the way out.

Contemplating my departure close at hand, I made my usual stop at the snack shop outside the Adiv hotel for some night-time munching.

A woman wrapped in a dark sweater served me a bagel and a soda.

'This is my last night at the Adiv,' I said. 'Tomorrow I fly back to the US.'

'Ah,' she replied, 'You leave on a special day--it is the start of the Hanukah. Tonight I make latkes.'

'What's that?' I asked.

'Latkes are a special pastry we prepare for the Hanukah celebration. They are like a donut filled with jelly. I will have some for you as well.'

I thanked her, but thought nothing of it afterwards. The next morning I made my last stop for a bagel and was served by the same woman. As I gobbled down my on-the-run breakfast, she handed me a small, brown paper bag.

'These are for you,' she said, 'May you have a blessed Hanukah.'

In the bag were several latkes. It was not only the day that was special--I felt special too.

Tel Aviv Airport...

The trouble started when I presented my passport to the Israeli Ben-Gurion Border Control. Since my only previous foreign travel experience had been in Central and South America, I had taken the liberty of procuring travel visas to enter adjacent Middle Eastern countries as I had done before when planning the negotiation of Latin locales. The border control officer was this dark haired matron (for some reason, women make the most intimidating customs personnel).

She listlessly picked up my passport and began browsing first former travel habits and then the newer visas. 'Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,' read one stamp. 'Embassy of the Syrian Republic,' read a second. The officer looked up with a glare that suggested I'd just dumped her to run away with her roommate.

'The Syrians are our enemies!' she declared. I was clueless. Hadn't they sent troops to support Desert Storm in subduing Israel's old nemesis Iraq?

'I want to know every place you have stayed in Israel since your arrival,' she barked.

'Well, the first night I stayed at a youth hostel in Haifa...here's the receipt they gave me,' I replied.

'How did you know about this hostel?' she asked.

'The tour guide told me,' I said, beginning to mix up in my mind hostel with hostile.

'Who is this guide? I want his name!' she said.

'He doesn’t have a name...'

'Then you will give me a description...'

'I’m talking about the tour guide of Israel from the Wausau Public Library that I photocopied pages out of before I left for my trip,' I said.

'You will come with me,' she said. I was obviously too clever of a terrorist for her level of expertise.

I was taken to a waiting area in the back and turned over to another female officer. She was younger and prettier, but twice as vicious.

'You will tell me every place you have traveled in Israel since your arrival,' she said as she began taking apart my luggage piece by piece, examining even my dirty socks as if potentially lethal weapons, (which perhaps they were).

I managed some sort of reply about sightseeing I'd done, but was soon interrupted.

'You have been in Israel for a week, yet you have only one small bag. I find this unusual, don't you? Where is your other luggage?' she asked.

'I don't have any. I travel light. Check it out--there's two changes of clothes there,' I said.

'To me that still is not enough,' she said with an air of impatience.

'I washed my dirty clothes by hand in the hotel I was staying in,' I said.

'Why did you take this radio along with you?' she asked.

I was unnerved by the question. Indeed, I hadn't been so unnerved since I was hand-frisked by a pistol toting PM at the Bogota International Airport while a soldier stood by cautiously training a submachine gun on me.

It was a radio cassette player I'd picked up in Guatemala City during the Persian Gulf War for the sole reason that it also had short-wave feature on it so I could access the Voice of America during Desert Storm. I had taken it along to record a little local music but now realized I was attempting to leave Israel with a short-wave radio in my possession.

Fortunately the 'SW' label on the short-wave switch was too worn to be read.

'To listen to music and catch the weather,' I answered.

'Why did you bring such a big radio? Why didn't you bring a Walkman?' she asked.

I was getting the impression I was leaving the Iron Curtain rather than the Holy Land.

'Because I don't have a Walkman!' I shouted. This seemed to have the effect of swaying her to the notion that perhaps I was nothing more than a disgruntled tourist.

'It will be necessary to dismantle your radio,' she informed me and directed a second officer, who was unraveling all of my carefully wrapped souvenirs, to take the radio to the shop to open it up as well.

I was taken to a small cubicle and hand searched by a male attendant who apologized for having to do it. Then I was returned to my nightmare.

'Will I get my radio back?' I asked.

'What makes you think you wouldn't get your radio back?' she replied. I didn't bother to ask her if she'd ever been in a third world country.

'You are free to go--an attendant will escort you to your flight shortly,' she said.

I was handed a ball-point pen with the Ben Gurion Border Control insignia emblazoned on it and a little card that read:

Israel Airports Authority

Dear passenger,

We apologize for any inconvenience that may have been caused to you during the procedure. We wish you a pleasant flight and hope to welcome you to Israel again.

With Best Regards,

Ben-Gurion International airport Office of the Airport Director

On the plane I noticed a well dressed businesswoman occupying the seat in front of me and writing a note with the exact same pen as mine. One could only imagine what her Border Control experience had been like. Funny, she didn't look the terrorist type.