After an amazing autumn living in the Tuscan countryside, we decided to take advantage of a week-long school break and head to Israel. We packed up the house (for the fourth time), put everything in storage and headed off early to drove to Rome for the flight to Tel Aviv.
By the time we got to our apartment in Carmel Market, it was getting late, so we wandered around the neighbourhood and grabbed a quick dinner.
We woke up to a great view overlooking the contrasts of the city.
The next day we headed out to explore Tel Aviv and try our first local hummus.
I decided to start the following day with an early run along the beach.
Followed up by a shakshuka breakfast.
We had arranged to have a guide show us around the Carmel Market and explain the local food scene. First stop was to try malabi - a rosewater-flavoured milk pudding (served on a literal board).
From there we explored the various stands at the market, trying local fruit.
And teas.
After that, we headed to a tiny restaurant run by an amazing Ethiopian woman who insisted on getting Audrey to help.
The food was amazing. Apparently Jamie Oliver thought so too.
We said our goodbyes, and after a few more stops made it back to the apartment, very full.
The next day we went with a guide north to Caesarea to see the Roman remains.
As someone who has seen Ben Hur at least 20 times, it was amazing seeing the remains of the Hippodrome and imagining the chariot riders racing (and killing) each other around the oval.
From there we drove to Acre (Akko) to see the layers of civilisations that have built there. We headed underground to see the Crusader fort.
And then back up to watch the local kids cliff-diving off the ramparts. No doubt plenty of people had preceded them into the sea less voluntarily.
We capped off the day with dinner back in Tel Aviv at a fantastic restaurant attached to a butcher.
The following day we were lucky to find a local artist to take us on a tour of Tel Aviv’s street art.
We spent our final day in Tel Aviv meeting family for brunch in Jaffa and then exploring the area.
Then we said goodbye to Tel Aviv and headed south to the Negev Desert. We checked into our hotel and introduced ourselves to the locals.
The next day we went on a 4WD tour of the surrounding rock formations.
And headed back out that night for some astronomy.
I started the following day with a dawn run along the Ramon Crater.
Followed by an amazing breakfast and custom-printed cappuccinos.
From there we headed to the Dead Sea.
And then to Kfar Hanokdim to get a taste of Bedouin life.
And experience the most amazing sunrise we had on the whole trip.
After that, it was time to head back north, to Jerusalem. When we arrived, Mandi and Hayley headed to Yad Vashem, the holocaust museum while Audrey and I went to the Science Museum. (Note: paper plane launchers are amazing!)
The next day we spent with a guide, showing us the religious sites, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
And the Western Wall.
We headed back to our hotel through the Old City Market.
We spent our final night in Jerusalem and headed back to Italy, knowing we only had six weeks left in Tuscany before returning to Australia.