When we hear about the Israel, we immediately think of shootings, wars, and conflict. But what IS the truth? Is Israel safe or dangerous?
My first travel destination in Israel takes me to the modern city of Tel Aviv.
Starting off at Jaffa
After Karen and myself got a chance to rest up during the night of our arrival (and sleeping in most of the next day) we set off to explore the city of Tel-Aviv as well as its world famous ancient site: the Old Port City of Jaffa.
To reach Jaffa, we would have to walk 45-60 minutes along beach of Tel Aviv until we reach this ancient port.
The first thing that I noticed was that the beach has a Miami feel to it. People are very conscious of their image and take the time to workout and get ripped. The beach of Tel Aviv is littered with outdoor gyms, TRX suspension training and bike/running lanes. Besides the fact that people spoke Hebrew here, I didn't feel like I left North America at all!
Being of Chinese descent, we were greeted with random people shouting at us saying "Ni Hao" and "Konichiwa" which is "hello" in Mandarin and Japanese.
People were also very playful and would attempt to photo bomb Karen and myself whenever they see that they are in the background of our pictures.
Old Jaffa Dates to 7500 BCE
Upon arriving at the Old Jaffa, we were treated with this magnificent city that dates 7500 BCE. We wandered through alleyways, streets, and buildings having fun exploring this ancient settlement.
We were having so much fun that we lost track of time and before we knew it, nighttime fell upon the city causing Karen and myself to wonder if it would be safe to walk back home in the dark.
On the long walk back to the hotel, we noticed that the city suddenly came to life. People littered the streets and beaches and started playing loud Islamic and Hebrew music. People were dancing, working out, swimming and having barbecues at the middle of the night. It was a sight to see.
Most importantly, during our walk back to our hotel in the middle of the night, not once did we feel scared or threatened at any given point.
The only real obstacle we faced in Tel Aviv is their very expensive price. This led me to the conclusion that the real danger to visiting this city is going bankrupt from the expensive prices and not from any physical danger or threat.
Tel Aviv Stats
Accommodation: $30 USD for two nights after redeeming Best Western Points (accommodation in Tel Aviv is expensive, make sure to travel hack using hotel points here)
Food: 20 shekels for two slices of Israeli pizza ($7.50 Canadian dollars)
Taxi: 95 shekels (190 shekels divided by two between Karen and myself)
Taxi Tip - The fair value to take a taxi from the airport to downtown Tel Aviv is 170 Shekels (we were overcharged by 20 shekels)
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