Israel Strut

day

Looks like I'll be in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in about a month, so I come to teh strut for advice.

1. Any record spots I should check?

2. Any cultural areas (besides The Wailing Wall) I should see?

3. Any food spots?

4. Am I gonna get blown up out there? (srs question)

Thanks and L'Shana Tova, homies and homettes

discos_alma

day said:

2. Any cultural areas (besides The Wailing Wall) I should see?

This spot looks pretty epic, but getting there might be a headache since you'd have to drive around the West Bank to get there. Wish I was familiar with other spots closer to the cities you'll be staying at.


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piedpiper

4. Am I gonna get blown up out there? (srs question)

/quote]

Don??t worry. Not much more risky than elsewhere.


Tel Aviv has amazing nightlife and a great vibe. Walk around in old Jerusalem. There are so many superior options to record digging. Have a great time!

Hollafame

Agreed with the two posts above. Tel Aviv is an amazing city with a ton of great restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, etc. Be sure to check out Jaffa, the old city of TA. I tried to hit up a couple record spots in the city, with limited success. Third Ear is the biggest I think, just off Dizengoff Square, which is a major shopping area.

Although not Israeli food, which you can get your fill of just about anywhere in the city, I recommend Tapas 1 Haam - a Spanish-style tapas joint. Great food and great vibe.

Jerusalem is Jerusalem...you know what you're getting there. But be sure to check out Ben Yehuda Street and the Market.

If you have the time, Masada and the Dead Sea are must-do's. Might be worthwhile finding a small tour group to head up Masada. Best way to experience it is to hike up early in the morning and watch one of the most epic sunrises you will ever see. A ton of crazy history and ruins while you're up there, then you can tram down. It is a major tourist attraction, so you will have no difficulty getting there.

And no, you (probably) won't get blown up.

fishmongerfunk

there is so much to see in do and israel that it seems a waste to go looking for records (although i do understand the impulse, believe me). i heartily recommend doing dead sea/masada if you get a chance. if you do masada, read up on the history before you go and it's super fun to run down the mountain after. how much time will you have in the country? are you traveling with others? i never got the chance to check dahab, but apaprently that's the move if you want some hedonism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahab

the security situation is fine, millions of tourists go there every year. there are young israelis with sub-machines just about everywhere. btw, and not to be sexist or creepy or whatever but some of the female israeli soldiers will blow your mind with their beauty and toughness.

meistromoco

Be sure to get some Sabich (fried eggplant sandwich) in Tel Aviv. Shit is off the charts good. Everyone has a favorite spot, so ask someone local when you get there.

For Hummus, there is a really good place in Jaffa near the flea market. Also, in central Tel Aviv, Abu-Dhabi is really good and is constantly pumping reggae and dub.

Records are pretty expensive from what I remember and I didn't find much.

Masada is great -- worth the trip (and sunrise hike). Dead sea is right there, but otherwise I wouldn't go too far out of my way for it. And, if you have the time, crossing into Jordan to go to Petra is a must.











Petra

rootlesscosmo

Definitely check out Mahane Yehuda when you're in Jerusalem:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/at-mahane-yehuda-outdoor-market-a-window-into-jerusalems-hungry-soul/2013/12/26/0d772b72-6b38-11e3-b405-7e360f7e9fd2_story.html

The thing about Jerusalem is that once you've seen the Old City and all that, you hopefully will have a chance to get out and see that it's actually a living, breathing modern (beautiful) city. Great walking town, too. The Cinemateque, German Colony, Mahane Yehuda (described in the article above), Yad Vashem and Israel Museum would be my top 5 non-Old City sites to check in Jerusalem.

rootlesscosmo

MusicaDelAlma said:

day said:

2. Any cultural areas (besides The Wailing Wall) I should see?

This spot looks pretty epic, but getting there might be a headache since you'd have to drive around the West Bank to get there. Wish I was familiar with other spots closer to the cities you'll be staying at.


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Masada is amazing and not a headache to reach at all. Take Highway 1 east out of Jerusalem (a beautiful descent down through the Judean Hills to the Dead Sea) and then turn south onto Highway 90 and head south along the dead sea. You're technically in the W Bank but it's not "like that"; the lowlands along the Dead Sea (called the Jordan Valley or "Bekah") is just desert and very safe. Stop somewhere and dip in the Dead Sea for sure. The oasis of Ein Gedi is also a cool stop along the way. Half-day trip from Jerusalem or TA.

One thing you'll notice is that Israel is SMALL. It's about the size of Rhode Island I think. You can travel the length of the country in one (long) day's drive. Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is only a 45 min drive without traffic.

day

Thanks all. This will definitely help. Pretty much my entire fam is shook that I'm going, so I'm trying to put minds at ease. I'm looking forward to it. I've heard nothing but good things from everyone who's been there.