Tel Aviv is simply beautiful. I can’t say that I enjoy the 11 hour flight to get there, but upon arrival I forget all about it. The city itself offers fantastic beachfront, amazing food and markets you could spend hours in. If that isn’t enough, short bus rides away are some of the most stunning religious and historical sites. I know what you are thinking and NO Tourism Tel Aviv is not paying me for this post, I just really like it there.
I was given the very rare opportunity to spend a grand 48 hours there and this is everything that I did. (Including the two infections I got – but that’s merely a testament to my bad luck).
Day 1
After a quick costume change in the hotel I headed straight to the ocean. Coming from a city lacking accessible salt water I get a little crazy when I am within a short radius of it. I practically sprinted to the beach (with a quick perusal around the market). I took a quick dip and then a 3 hour nap in the sand. Jet lag is no laughing matter friends. It will get you wherever and whenever it wants. After I woke up, I felt a slight scratch in my throat and burning pain in my eye. I chose to ignore both, because that obviously makes you feel better in the long run, right? I will return to these pains in due time.
Second costume change of the day, I headed to the Old Port area of the city and had a fantastic dinner by the water. I ordered fresh fish and was happily surprised by the four plates of appetizers they brought on the house. I soon learned that this was an Israeli custom. Stomach full, I called it a night so I could start early the next day.
Day 2
I had to float in the dead sea. It was my mission for this layover. So, at 6am I was packed and ready to start my day trip. So you can get a visual, I think it’s important to note that I was ill-packed and only had flip flops and a grocery bag with me. Needless to say I looked really really cool.
I booked a tour through my hotel to go to Masada and the Dead Sea and they picked me bright and early from the hotel. The tour guide was hilarious and appropriately named Israel. Especially amazing for someone like me who can never remember people’s names. It was myself, a lady from Venezuela who spoke zero English, and an older gentleman from Germany. We became the three’s company of the Israeli desert. If you can’t be with friends, make them.
The day started great with a tour of the Masada mountain. I tried really hard to listen to the tour, and I could probably explain 70% of the story. Something about King Harold and Romans building a ramp to get to the people living up there. Something or other happened. They all killed themselves to avoid capture, and that was the end. I am not proud of my horrible listening skills nor do I recommend it. In my defense though my attention span is sometimes that of a 5 year old, and it was very hot.
I got the gist though, and it was absolutely beautiful. The Three’s Company crowd then moved on to the Dead Sea, where I was for the second time in my life able to float. TAKE THAT my dolphin level swim instructor. Truly one of the coolest things I have ever done though, and I would go back again and again if I could. (make sure to take the “casually reading while floating picture”, you wont regret it).
Before we finished with the sea, my eye pain got so bad that I had to toss my right contact out, thus rendering me a Cyclops. It made the AHAVA spa and store stop fairly interesting. I apologize to all the people I bumped into and all the merchandise I knocked over. My tour bus dropped me back at my hotel and I stumbled all the way to my room and to sleep.
My doctor later told me that I had a double ear and double eye infection. He was shocked that I didn’t cry all the way into descent. It was a pretty horrible ending. I got a 2 day Tel Aviv, and I came home with 2 different sicknesses. Would I do it again though? Obviously.