By Nick Maker
In November I went on a ten day vacation to Israel and visited almost all of the famous religious landmarks from during the Bible age. I will share with you the experience of how I felt around the country and maybe convince you to take a vacation there too!
I went with a church group and took a tour bus, so don’t worry that I got in trouble on anything that you might have heard in the news. It is always fun to be with a group and on a tour bus especially with a tour guide, because I was astonished about the city and the people living in it. I visited Tel Aviv, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem, and some small towns which were all fun and interesting.
I took a bath in the Dead Sea which I should warn you about, the mud there is very slippery like oil so hold your ground. You can put the mud on your skin and in twenty minutes your skin is as soft as a baby’s skin. I went to many old Roman cities like the famous city of Caesarea where I went to an old stadium of a chariot race! I went to many churches where two popes have been, and another church where Elijah proved himself to the priests by demonstrating the fire test. I’ve been baptized in the Jordan River, and got a certificate for being in the river (in case my friends don’t believe me.)
The people in Israel are friendly but in terms of business they can be crabby as it’s supposed to be custom for them (I guess.) Note that you don’t ever haggle with them because it’s an insult to them. Also be warned when buying stuff on the streets, check each price of an item and see which one is the cheapest and good quality. Because I got a bag for two dollars but someone else got it for a dollar, same bag and same quality! I forgot to mention they accept US dollars and Euros, but in Israel the currency is shekels. Five dollars is equivalent to twenty shekels, and a dollar is five shekels.
The old city is narrow and crowded, so you better be careful to not get lost since is easy to get lost. Now the big question when planning a trip and one that everyone will ask: is it safe? If it is not I wouldn’t be typing this story now would I? Yes it is safe as long as you don’t go to the Gaza strip, and it’s always best with a tour bus with someone that knows the country, like a tour guide.
All in all it’s a fantastic experience to enjoy with friends and family!
About Nick… “I am a studious person who loves reading and loves researching about virtually anything! I play the piano and every year I have to give a performance in a church. I love video games – especially when it’s a puzzle and action game. I would like to become a programmer one day in the field of computer science. I love my family so much, even if we drive each other crazy sometimes, we’re still one big happy family.”