Israel: March 6-18, 2018

Tuesday, March 6

• Fly to Israel on AC 084

Wednesday, March 7

• Visited Israel Museum to see the Shrine of the Book: 54 NIS
  • Could spend much, much more time than the 90 minutes I took
  • Aleppo Codex is impressive 
  • Jerusalem Crown is cool too
• Picked up Race Kit
• Supper at Beer Bazaar, Etz Hayyim St 3, Jerusalem, 9431803: 117 NIS
• Tarantino Sandwich
• Slept at Carousela Jerusalem B&B in Rehavia 

Thursday, March 8

• Breakfast at Cofix: 13 NIS
  • Orange Juice
  • Oreo Cookie
• Holy City Tour by Abraham Tours with Yoni Dinur: 120 NIS
• Meet the Ultra-Orthodox Jews Tour by Abraham Tours
• Bought bread and sweets at Nechama's Bakery, Ha-Rav Zonenfeld St 3
• Slept at Carousela Jerusalem B&B in Rehavia

Friday, March 9

• Run Jerusalem Half Marathon
• Jerusalem Shabbat Experience by Abraham Tours with Paul: 100 NIS
• At supper at Glen Whisk(e)y Bar, Queen Shlomziyon St 18, Jerusalem, 94146
• Slept at Carousela Jerusalem B&B in Rehavia 

Saturday, March 10

• Special Bedouin Tour by Green Olive Tours
• Went to a market
• Goats 1,500 NIS
• Ewes: 1,000 NIS
• Camels: 15,000 NIS, used for milk
• Slept at Carousela Jerusalem B&B in Rehavia

Sunday, March 11

• Took Masada Sunrise Tour by Abraham Hostel Tours with Mickey: 252 NIS
• Visited Ammunition Hill National Memorial Site, Ammunition Hill, 5 Zalman Shragai Street, Jerusalem, 91181: 15 NIS
  • Amazing film about the Battle of Jerusalem
  • Took tram: 5.90 NIS 
  • Slept at Carousela Jerusalem B&B in Rehavia
  • Drank at A Buddy's Bar: 31 NIS 
  • Drank at BeerBazaar Jerusalem: 37 NIS 

Monday, March 12

• Bethlehem Half Day Tour by Bein Harim Tours? with Kamil
  • We spent a lot of time on buses -- many buses -- and only saw two things in Bethlehem before going to a gift shop.
• Took taxi to Central Bus Station: 47.40 NIS
• Took 16:15 bus from Jerusalem to Nazareth: 37.50 NIS
• Ate at .... 182 NIS (including tip)
• Slept at Villa Nazareth in Nazareth: US$90

Tuesday, March 13

• Sea of Galilee and Golan Heights Tour by Abraham Tours with Aba: 290 NIS
  • Bought wine at Barat Winery: 190 NIS
• Supper at Kitaabon: 180.50 NIS
  • Shish Barak
• Slept at Villa Nazareth in Nazareth: US$90

Wednesday, March 14

• Eat Breakfast at Villa Nazareth Hotel: US $13
• Took the Nazareth Walking Tour from Fauzi Azar Inn: 20 NIS
  • Interesting tour of the old part of Nazareth
  • I was abandoned at the end after drinking cinnamon at Abu Salem Café
    

    Abu Salem Café

    Abu Salem Café

• Took a cab to the bus stop: 45 NIS
• Took a bus to Haifa: 16 NIS
• Took the train to Acre: 37 NIS
• Visited ...: 37 NIS
• ACRE PERIODS:
  
  • Phoenican    1200-586 BC
  • Persian        586-332 BC
  • Hellenistic    332-63 BC
  • Roman        63-324 AD
  • Byzantine    324-638 AD
  • Early Islamic    638-1099 AD
  • Crusader Period    1104-1291 AD
  • Mamluk
  • Late Period    1260-1517 AD
  • Ottoman        1517-1917 AD
   
• War of St. Sabas (1256-1258)
  
  • Hospitallers & Genoveans vs. Templers & Venetians & Pisans
   
• Visited The Moslem Wakf: 10 NIS
• Picked up a copy of the Koran
• Ate supper at Uri Buri: NIS 
• Amazing food and service
• Restaurant is right across the street from the sea
• Alomg was my waiter
•  Slept at Banker's Boutique, 10 Sarah St. Haifa 3326311, Israel

Thursday, March 15

• Took taxi to Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art: 35.09 NIS
• Visited Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art, 89 Shderot ha-Nasi, Haifa 346421: 60 NIS
  • Small museum. You only need to spend an hour.
  • Features some great Japanese art. 
  • Bought a book on Japanese art: 58.50 NIS
• Ate lunch at Abu Shaker, Sderot HaMeginim 29
• Falafel: 12 NIS
• Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum, Derech Allenby 204, Haifa, 35472
  • A museum devoted to the founding of Israel and its navy.
  • An odd collection of ships, including a submarine, and naval guns are in the courtyard.
  • Allow 90 minutes.
• National Maritime Museum, Derech Allenby 198, Haifa, 35472: Covered by Museum Pass
  • Cool museum devoted to ships from many ages.
  • Allow two hours.
• Took train to Tel Aviv-Yafo: 27.50 NIS
• Slept at Peer Guest House, Kehilat Eden St 36, Tel Aviv-Yafo, 65601

Friday, March 16

• Visited Milk & Honey Whisky Distillery, HaThiya St 16, Tel Aviv-Yafo: 50 NIS
• New Make @ 50% abv
• Oily, Long Finish with Full Flavour
• "Smooth"
• Young Single Malt @ 46% abv
• aged in ex-Bourbon barrels for 16 months
• More mellow than New Make
• Long Finish
•  Gin Levantine
• Hand-sourced from Levinsky market: cinnamon, chamomile, black pepper, lemon peel, verbena (aloysia citrodora), coriander and hyssop (Za'atar)
• Unique flavours
• Not sure how it would work with tonic water
• Bought a bottle of Young Single Malt: 190 NIS
• Took Free Tour of Old Jaffa with Naama from Sandman Tours
• Ate supper at Porter & Sons, HaArba'a St 14, Tel Aviv-Yafo
  • Got a great tour of their beer cellar
• Slept at Peer Guest House, Kehilat Eden St 36, Tel Aviv-Yafo, 65601

Saturday, March 17

• Visited Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Sderot Sha'ul HaMelech 27: 50 NIS
• Nice collection of Impressionism and Post Impressionism and Modern Art
• Lots of Temporary Exhibitions to keep things fresh
• Allow at least a couple of hours
• Took Tel Aviv City Tour with Michel from Sandman Tours: 90 NIS
• Slept at Peer Guest House, Kehilat Eden St 36, Tel Aviv-Yafo, 65601

Sunday, March 18

• I took Gett to the airport: 174.71 NIS
• Ate a Almond Butter Croissant from Aroma Espresso Bar at Ben Gurion International Airport
• Shopped at James Richardson Duty Free
• Bought K Exbourbon: $189.90 US
• I thought it was 189.90 NIS!
• I did get rid of lots of Israeli change
• Flew AC 069 from Tel Aviv to Toronto