A trip through Israel
Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world
Gustave Flauvert
That quote perfectly defines what this trip through Israel meant to me.
Israel is an Asian country located on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. As a country it is a very popular tourist attraction. It has a great deal of natural wealth due to its location between desserts and the Mediterranean sea. Also historical events have left a large cultural legacy. There are many things to do and to see in Israel, but we only had three days to visit this historical land and we were ready to make the most of it. Resting was not on our plan, so right after our plane landed in Tel Aviv we took a rental car and started the adventure. This was our route:

The first stop was the Holy City of Jerusalem. This millenary city is one of the oldest in the world. We parked and we went to the Old City, where Islam, Judaism and Christianism, the three big monotheistic religions, coexist. The Old City gave me the impression of being in another world of a past time because of the oriental atmosphere that you could feel and because of the architecture and the structure of the city. The area, surrounded by walls, contains some of the most famous monuments in the world. Therefore, we had the opportunity to see the Western Wall or the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, among others.


It was a hectic, non stop day, literally. We didn´t almost sleep because we took the car at night to be able to see the sunrise in the Masada National Park. It is an ancient Jewish fortification and a symbol of the resistance againt the Romans. Masada is located on a mountain in the Judean Dessert next to the Dead Sea. After a little bit of hiking we prepared ourselves to see one of the most beautiful sunrises in the world.
Sunrise Timelapse from Masada Desert
When we finished the visit in Masada we went to the Dead Sea. It is a salt lake where Cisjordania, Jordania and Israel share borders. The Dead Sea is below the sea level and its salinity leads to an enviroment where natural life does not have room to grow. We went in to the lake and swam, wich is not really necessary because you float without effort due to the salt.

In the afternoon we went to the Neguev Dessert, which is in the south of Israel. This dessert occupies the 60% of the country territory. Despite of that, only a 5% of the tourists of the country decide to visit it every year. We did sandboard and we were marvelled to watch the sunset in the dessert. Then we came back to Tel Aviv.

The last stop was Tel Aviv. After a night of good rest we had the entire last day to see it, so for the first time of the trip we decided to take it easy. Tel Aviv is a modern city located in the mediterranean coast of Israel. You can find small buildings and monuments next to skyscrapers. It is really a strange and crazy combination. We took a walk by the beach and the Boulevard. Also, we visited the Old City of Jaffa and we had the opportunity to experience the smells and tastes of typical Israeli food in the Carmel Market.


Tel Aviv is the place where this trip through Israel ended, and also where it started. Three days is not enough to visit a place like that, but better three days than zero. This experience, travelling to another country, the vision of this new world and new culture, has changed me, I think. Here there are some words that, once more, define what travelling means for me:
Travel isn´t always pretty. It isn´t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that´s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind
Anthony Bourdain
Despite of the hurries and the problems, I can assure that I will come back to Israel in a future. I don´t know when or in which conditions but I will. I hope so. Because there are places or moments that stay recorded in our memory and one wants to live that again.