A spring trip to Israel in May 2016 was just what I needed…. I’m sitting on the beach in Tel Aviv!!! I will have 20 days of holiday and I have rented a room via Airbnb. It is just wonderful here. Every day I get to explore another part of the city, the markets, the beach and other parts of the country. The sun and warm weather makes it all feel like summer is just around the corner.

Because I took the night flight, I arrive early in the morning in Israel. The arrivals hall is a “cemetery of helium balloons”. Countless balloons hang under the high ceiling, unreachable to everyone. But I do not stay here long and make way into Tel Aviv to meet my host for the next weeks. I cannot believe my luck that I am going to spend a few weeks here and get to explore and relax. I have really been looking forward to this holiday.

The first few days I pass with reading by the beach, strolling through different parts of the city and partaking in guided city walks. This way I learn a lot about life in Old Yaffa and about the architectural style of the Bauhaus buildings. City tours are also great for meeting other travellers. The markets are always one of my favourite places. The smells, the sights, the many delicious looking fruits and vegetables, falafel and baklava, household items, clothes, electronic devices… I love doing my shopping here for lunch or dinner, but there are also so many delicious restaurants and street vendors. It is hard to choose at times.

After a few days in Tel Aviv I venture out into the surrounding area. The bus terminal is not far from where I live and I love mastering a new country, a new system, a new language. My first stop is the Apollonia National Park. It is famous for its ruins along the sea. It was begun by the Phoenicians, and then came Greeks, Crusaders and Arabs. There is not a lot to see, but I love being outside of the city. Tel Aviv is still visible in the distance. The sun is shining, birds are chirping. It feels like being on holiday. For a while I observe a pair of bee-eaters. Their coat shimmers in the sunlight and they are busy hopping and flying around. I find a nice secluded spot on the coastline and continue my book. I love the mix of relaxing and exploring.

Another day-trip brings me to the North, to Akko. I am completely fascinated by the Crusader city underneath current-day Akko. The Osman ruler Al-Jazzer built his city over the destroyed Crusader city. Walking through the halls from time to time I come across glass panels showing Greek, Phoenician or Roman remains underneath the Crusader’s structures. The audio guide gives so much interesting information and I feel fully immersed in the life of the people then, their everyday life.

I also love the “upstairs” Akko. The old part of the city is mainly made up of small alleyways with lots of corners and the occasional tunnel passage. Mosques, synagogues and churches can be found here as well as lots of residential houses. The harbour is small and hoopoes hop around at the side of it.

Another item on my “to visit list” is Caesarea. The Phoenicians built here along the coast and the Romans added an amphitheatre, stadium, baths, markets, palaces and a harbour. At the height of the city 50.000 people live here. I try to imagine what life must have been like for people then. Today it is hot and after visiting the ruins I continue my walk along the coast. A secluded and empty stretch of beach is going to be my resting place for a few hours. Sitting in the shade, reading, looking out onto the sea, collecting shells…

I guess no trip to Israel would be complete without a visit to Jerusalem. I spend two days here and love discovering and uncovering the old town with all its historic sights.

A guided city tour provides me with more information than I can process. But it helps me orient myself in the maze of the old town and so it is easier to stroll around afterwards. We visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Wailing Wall, the Temple Mount, the Via Dolorosa and much more. I am fascinated by the religions, the history, the architecture, everything is laden with symbolism.

A bus brings me to the top of the Mount of Olives and with the view over the old town, the Rock Dome and the Al-Aqsa Mosque I walk back down again. I stop by the Garden of Gethsemane and from afar I can already hear the calls to prayer. It is Friday today. I continue my strolls through the old town. I pass through the Muslim quarter, the Christian, Jewish and Armenian areas. The alleyways are small and there are few tourists about. I lose myself in the lanes and love finding out what lies behind the next corner.

After two days at the beach I end my trip to Israel with a visit to the Dead Sea. We leave Tel Aviv in the middle of the night as we want to experience the sunrise from Masada. The hike up to the plateau is already an adventure in itself. It is only beginning to get light and we slowly walk along the serpentines. At five o’clock it is already 30°C. But the view is worth all the sweat. The sun rises slowly over the Jordanian mountains and colours the lake and the plains in soft pastel tones.

Everywhere on the ruins are tour groups. I try to stay clear of them and imagine myself to be alone up here. The view over the Dead Sea is phenomenal, but I equally love the Wadis to the other side. Everything is intensely golden and so beautiful. From up here you can see that the lake used to be much bigger.

Swimming in the Dead Sea is wonderful. The high salt content keeps you afloat and makes you stay on the surface. The mud feels amazing on my skin. We give ourselves mud scrubs and enjoy the rest of the day.

Israel was a lovely holiday with lots of wonderful things to do and see. I have met so many wonderful people on this trip, eaten lots of delicious food, seen so many sights, swam in the sea, visited museums and much more. Such a lovely time.