Day 11: TEL AVIV - JAFFA
Monday, December 31, 2012
Today is our last day of trip to Israel and Palestine that we had been planning for so long and we have finally done and will know Tel Aviv and Jaffa, two of the places that we had the most interest to know first hand all the things we have read about them.
Apart from being a special day because it is “that” last day of the trip, we have to add that today is December 31, today is the day that ends the year 2012, a very complete year for Street Travelers.
We woke up a little later than usual, since today we have a pretty hard day ahead and a night a little busy because just below the Sun City Hotel there is a pub and the noise has revealed us several times.
Our flight takes off at 5.30 in the morning to Barcelona and we will go directly to the airport from Tel Aviv to save time and a hotel night that this day skyrockets in price. And total, having to be at 2 in the morning at the airport (recommend being 3 hours before the controls) we could not take advantage of the room at all.
And, we are not going to lie, with that thought of the day that lies ahead, we will have breakfast at a cafeteria that is a couple of streets above the hotel, for which we have been given a couple of vouchers that include a breakfast quite complete.
Before leaving the hotel, we leave our bags and book a taxi to take us to the airport for 160 shekels. With this reservation we remain calm that we will have transportation, despite being the end of the year.
They had already confirmed that despite the fact that there are people celebrating it in Tel Aviv, by "calendar" is not a day in which there are problems for transport or for restaurants ... etc.
After breakfast, we just have to follow Allenby Street, for less than 5 minutes to reach the beach.
How different it looks Tel Aviv in the daylight!!
A good option to get to know the most essential places in the city is to book this guided tour in Spanish or this free tour through the old town of Jaffa. Free!
Today we have a fantastic sunny day that will make it much harder to say goodbye to what is our last day of trip to Israel and Palestine.
As soon as we reached the area of the Opera Tower, we stayed with our mouths open, finding a city that we imagined in a totally different way.
Opera Tower area. Tel Aviv and Jaffa
Opera Tower area. Tel Aviv
If yesterday we already said that, on the way to the hotel with the taxi, Tel Aviv It reminded us of the beaches of the west coast of the USA, today, in the light of day, it reminds us much more.
Tel Aviv Beaches Israel
From this area to Jaffa, which is our main destination today, we will have to travel about 2 kilometers, which are the ones that separate us.
But today we have all day to enjoy Tel Aviv Y Jaffa, so time doesn't worry us.
We meet gyms on the beach, beach bars as famous as Banana, which gives its name to a beach, also very famous ...
Gym on the beaches of Tel Aviv
Banana Beach Tel Aviv
We are at December 31 and the temperature is over 18 degrees. We have to say that in all the trip to Israel and Palestine We have not been cold, but neither heat. We have had very good temperatures and weather that have made us enjoy much more, if possible, of this trip.
But today we can not stand the coat that has accompanied us during these days and a few minutes from being on the seafront, we have to keep them in the backpacks.
Walking the Tel Aviv promenade
As we move forward we realize how different it is Tel Aviv from the rest of the cities we have visited in this trip to Israel and Palestine and we are even surprised to see the color so blue with which this piece of Mediterranean receives us that we still did not know.
The Tel Aviv Sea
Another thing that surprises us is the amount of people in the street and on this walk.
We see that, like most, it is local tourism and people from the city who take advantage of this day to play sports, walk ...
We have been walking for a little over an hour and we have 100% charged the batteries.
More practical information to prepare your trip to Israel
- 10 essential places to see in Tel Aviv
- 10 essential places to see in Israel
- 10 essential tips for traveling to Israel
It even seems that we have changed countries! It is not that the previous days have not liked us, the other way around, but not waiting Tel Aviv So, we were pleasantly surprised.
Group of visiting schoolchildren ... Tel Aviv and Jaffa
We arrive at a point on the promenade where there are some rocks where we see the possibility of sitting down to rest and above all to contemplate the wonder that lies ahead.
Tel Aviv
Roger can't help going down to touch the water ... Tel Aviv
Images in Tel Aviv
Time flies here and when we look at the clock and see that the minutes do not give us a little truce, we decided to take another breath and stay a little longer.
Enjoying a sunny morning.Tel Aviv and Jaffa
Here we spend some very special moments and we check again, that many times you do not have to be before large monuments to feel full.
We are in Tel Aviv !!!
It's been just over an hour without realizing it and we want to visit Jaffa before eating, so we put some batteries in this last section to fulfill this idea.
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv walk
As much as we try, every time we see a bank or somewhere where we stop to contemplate the landscape in front of us, we cannot let it pass.
Enjoying our Tel Aviv ride
Tel Aviv walk
As we get closer to Jaffa We recognize the change of scenery that we are about to live.
Arriving in Jaffa ...
Tel Aviv from Jaffa
Another thing that catches our attention is the amount of helicopters that travel along the coast of Tel Aviv Y Jaffa. During all the time we are here, we don't stop seeing each other in the sky of the city.
Controlling the coasts of Tel Aviv and Jaffa
Before going to know the Old Jaffa, we walk around the harbor and the lighthouse.
The Port is undergoing renovation, since it was abandoned for a long time.
Jaffa port. Tel Aviv
Jaffa Lighthouse. Tel Aviv
Book Tel Aviv's best rated tours and excursions in Spanish by travelers:
- Day trip to Masada and the Dead Sea from Tel Aviv
- Excursion to Jerusalem
- Excursion to Bethlehem and Jericho
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They are a little less than 1 noon and although it would not be hours to eat anything, we cannot resist asking for 2 ice creams in the port for 40 shekels.
Surroundings of the Port of Jaffa
Color and more color inTel Aviv and Jaffa
And after 1 noon the time comes to introduce us to the Old Jaffa, where the bourgeois old town, its views of the sea, its bells ringing in the wind, its galleries, its relaxed atmosphere ... They make us move to another place during the time we walk its streets.
It was Old Jaffa. Tel Aviv
For 4000 years while Tel Aviv It was a sea of dunes, Jaffa It stood as one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean.
Old Jaffa Tel Aviv
Jaffa streets. Tel Aviv
Colors in Old Jaffa. Tel Aviv
We started to walk the streets of Jaffa Without any sense of the march. We just want to walk through these streets that seem taken from a story, dotted with art galleries, where we stand in more than one shop window.
Details of Old Jaffa. Tel Aviv
Walking the streets of Old Jaffa. Tel Aviv
Old Jaffa Tel Aviv
This is the perfect ending for our trip to Israel and Palestine. A relaxed and quiet visit that we are enjoying very much.
Corners of Old Jaffa
Art Galleries in Old Jaffa
Tree in Old Jaffa
At every step we take we find some detail that makes us shoot the camera again and stop to contemplate it.
We met several couples, who with a photographer travel the same streets as we do that photo report that any future married couple wants.
Old Jaffa details
After touring the streets several times of Jaffa we reach a hill, which is covered with grass, the HaPisgah Gardens.
Old Jaffa Tel Aviv
Old Jaffa Tel Aviv
When we turn to look at the clock it is already 3 in the afternoon and it is time to go to eat !!
Before we had already looked at a restaurant in the port and we go straight there, where we have to wait 5 minutes to eat on the terrace.
Today, which we have all the time in the world, is our last day of trip to Israel and Palestine and it is the end of the year, we will pay a good tribute!
Eating at the Port of Old Jaffa
We ordered 2 menus, one of squid and one of kebab that have impressive starters and with which we put on our boots for only 182 shekels.
Enjoying Israeli cuisine in the Port of Old Jaffa
During the meal we see again those helicopters that have not stopped controlling what has happened since we started to ride and we intuit that they are always ...
Control in the Port of Tel Aviv and Jaffa
When it is almost 5 in the afternoon and there is very little left for the sunset, we decided that it is time to return to Tel Aviv, having enjoyed as dwarves in Jaffa and watch the sunset on the walk.
Old Jaffa Harbor
On the way back we pass through a place, somewhat dilapidated, that encourages the walk of Jaffa to the rhythm of the music of Saturday Night Fever. We see how a man, in his 80s, gets out of his cart and in the middle of the walk, starts dancing ...
He will be "our person" of Jaffa. Every time we remember this day, we will also remember him and that vitality that for two minutes recharged our batteries to all who were there.
"Our Person" in Old Jaffa. Tel Aviv
As we move towards Tel Aviv we met that sunset that we wanted to see in this city.
We return to sit on some rocks and there we wait for it to happen ...
This will be our particular sunset in our trip to Israel and Palestine.
Sunset in Old Jaffa¡
Sunset in Old Jaffa¡
We cross again with many couples who do the wedding reports in the shelter of the sunset and who encourage the walk that take us back to Tel Aviv.
Sunset of "boyfriends" in Old Jaffa. Tel Aviv
Our sunset in Old Jaffa. Tel Aviv
It's 6 in the afternoon and although we still have a few hours to catch the taxi that takes us to the airport, our minds already have that state of “back home” that they usually have the day the trip ends.
Once we arrive at the Opera building, we advance to the Sun City Hotel and arrive at the Carmel Market, which is just under 5 minutes away and there we have a good time, among fruits, vegetables and lots of color.
The time has come when making time becomes a goal and we do it in a small cafeteria on Sheinkin Street, where before walking around the stores, we stop to have a couple of soft drinks.
When we get up it is 8 in the afternoon and we go to the shopping center area, where we get lost in the streets, seeing how in most bars they are already preparing the party tonight ... today we change the year!
Without taking the plane we get back to the promenade area, but much further north of the area of our hotel, so we find the time to travel the coast in the moonlight and surrounded by luxury hotels, which we look at sideways, thinking that it would not be bad to spend the remaining hours in one of their rooms 😉
And so the 10 of the night arrive and we return to the Sun City Hotel, where we are taking advantage of the internet connection to catch up and come to pick us up the taxi that takes us leaves at the airport in 20 minutes.
We pass security checks without any problems, after showing passports and answering a few questions like what is our relationship, what have we come to, if we know someone in the country ...
We have to say that for us these controls have been fast and not at all uncomfortable, but we see people who open their bags and take off all their clothes, look at laptops ... etc.
So we have to recommend that it is best to go with something more than 3 hours in case those records "touch you" have plenty of time ...
And without realizing it, we look at the clock and see that there are a few minutes to 12 at night, for the change of year and we look around, seeing that nobody is looking at the clock, only us.
We intuit that it is not something important for the people around us. Really for us either.
We are not people celebrating Christmas or the New Year, nor other parties imposed by the calendar or society.
We are people who celebrate every day, life and celebrate being able to do what we really like.
There are a few minutes left until the end of the year ... and we are TRAVELING.
Day 12TEL AVIV - BARCELONA
