Israel Travel Guide
7/02/2008 at 12:46 PM
Tags: Summer-Vacations-With-An-Edge, Summer Travel, Hiking (all tags)
Ever wished for divine intervention amidst a particularly hard climb? Such invocation isn't required to hike a new path following the footsteps of Jesus Christ in Israel; on holy land all bets are off.
The 65-kilometer Jesus Trail in northern Israel takes hikers to New Testament landmarks from Nazareth to the Mount of the Beatitudes and the Jordan River over four hot days. What gives this the edge is not only the desert heat but also the schlepping: Organizers suggest carrying 5 liters of water per person, per day.
Follow the Jesus Trail by yourself with GPS directions or use one of the suggested tour guides.
Related Stories:
· Suggested Itinerary [Jesus Trail]
· Windsurfing Where Jesus Walked [Forbes]
· Swimsuit Issue Travel: Is '08 The Year For Israel? [Jaunted]
· Summer Vacations with an Edge coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: B & R Folsom]
by egw
6/24/2008 at 12:45 PM
Tags: Adam Sandler, Culture Travel, Movie Travel (all tags)
Critics gave a jaded eye-roll to Adam Sandler's latest flick in which he plays an Israeli assassin-slash-hairdresser, expecting it to garner half-hearted protests for its outsized characterizations. But "You Don't Mess with the Zohan" found an unlikely audience in Israelis, the very people Sandler's character spoofs.
MORE...
by egw
6/02/2008 at 11:05 AM
Tags: Celeb Travel, Natalie Portman, Packing Tips, Devendra Banhart (all tags)
Natalie Portman and her folksy boyfriend Devendra Banhart went to see the sights in Jaffa, Israel recently, but what's with his ultra-short shorts? They may be cool on the beach or in most American cities, but that is a whole lotta leg for sightseeing abroad.
While Portman sports some demure and clean Bermudas, her sleeve-free arms may also pose a problem if she wants to enter holy buildings, which occasionally ask women to cover up. (In a mosque she would also probably be asked to cover her head out of respect.)
Time to add a pashmina or shawl to our one bag packing list. If Natalie doesn't want to wear it, maybe he could... as a skirt.
Related Stories:
· Natalie Portman Finds Her Own Hotel For Lovers [HotelChatter]
· Chasing Natalie Portman Wraps In Toronto [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: celebrity-gossip.net]
by egw
5/01/2008 at 9:30 AM
Tags: Museums, Art, Israel (all tags)
Want to pay to watch a room full of people sitting in a room, scratching their heads because they've got lice? Now you can! An exhibition at the Museum of Bat Yam near Tel Aviv has just that.
Although it sounds totally random, and not exactly enticing, there is some reasoning behind this bizarre display. The museum wanted a display exploring the theme of hosts and guests, and so seven young artists from Berlin came up with the idea of the museum hosting them, while they in turn hosted head lice, for three weeks. And unsurprisingly:
The group acknowledged that living with lice was uncomfortable, but said it was worth it for the sake of art.
It's kind of like Big Brother, with lice. A catchy concept? Probably not, but you might catch the lice.
Related Stories:
· Are Lice Art? [Reuters]
· Israel Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Museums coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: pshab]
by amandak
1/30/2008 at 2:35 PM
Tags: Tourism Board Travel, Tourism Boards, Tourism Marketing, Bar Refaeli, 2008 Swimsuit Issue (all tags)
Am I overdressed?
It's amazing that Sports Illustrated has managed to keep it's cover model and shooting locations secret, but a lack of facts didn't stop New York Post gossip queen/crazy lady Cindy Adams from speculating that the issue would feature Israel. The Ministry of Tourism, Adams says, sponsored a trip to the Holy Land for a photo shoot with native Israeli Bar Refaeli on the shores of the Dead Sea.
SI has confirmed that a crew was in Israel, but added that the tourism department didn't pay for anything. (Directly chipping in money would be a journalism no-no.) The ministry did something similar last year when it helped Maxim put together a "Women of the Israeli Defense Forces" spread.
Funny thing is, the country doesn't really need the free publicity. Riding the wave from its largest-ever advertising campaign, Israel set a new record for tourist arrivals in 2007, with more than 2 million visitors dropping by.
Related Stories:
· SI Swimsuit Issue Heavy on Israel [NYP]
· Ethics of the SI Swimsuit Issue [Portfolio]
· Make-Your-Own Beyonce Getaway [Jaunted]
[Photo: Bar Refaeli]
by pbb
10/24/2007 at 10:30 AM
Tags: Garbage Travel, Weird (all tags)
We do our best to appreciate even the weirdest tourist attractions, but we're still not sold on visiting a landfill outside Tel Aviv. Set to be renamed Ariel Sharon Park, the 2,000-acre dump will be converted into a veritable theme park of trash, with exhibits that are all-too-in-your-face.
A visitors' center is already in place, with a reception desk crafted out of recycled bottles and benches fashioned from crushed soda cans. Plans for a pond and landscaping are in the works, and money collected from the dump's recyclables will soon go to keeping it lit at night.
The landfill itself closed down nine years ago, so it's not as trashy as you might imagine. But it's still near a garbage transfer station that provides some stink, and the pile still emits plenty of methane and sulfur. That won't be stopping trash fans, though, says a former Central Park designer who's worked on the project:
It will be a place people visit like Bilbao or Stonehenge, an international destination.
Related Stories:
· Ayalon Park [Official Site]
· Recycling the Whole Dump in Israel [NYT]
· Chinatown Garbage Tour [Jaunted]
· Israel Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Rina Castelnuovo for The New York Times]
by pbb
9/14/2007 at 9:02 AM
Tags: Religious Travel, Celeb Travel (all tags)
This week the Chosen People among us celebrated the turning of a new year, Rosh Hashanah. Kabbalist (and Mr. Madonna) Guy Ritchie took some time out to head for the Mediterranean Sea.
He's probably just running on the beach between trips to the synagogue, but any time is a good time for the beach. Starting the year 5768 well rested, care of the Tel Aviv InterContinental Hotel? Now that is sweet. (At least until Southwest Airlines makes you put your shirt on.)
The plans of the people we know who were celebrating included "going home for dinner," "going to temple" and "sleeping in." We must not know enough celebrities, otherwise we would know the only way to ring in a New Year is in Israel!
Related Stories:
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Tel Aviv Hotels [HotelChatter]
[Photo: Just Jared]
by egw
3/22/2007 at 9:30 AM
Tags: Restaurants, Religion (all tags)
While large-breasted, scantily-clad girls serving up burgers are not usually what you'd associate with the Holy Land of Israel, they're about to go together. The Hooters chain is planning to open a restaurant in Tel Aviv soon, and hopes to expand throughout Israel quickly.
Hooters has already opened in Australia, China and Brazil, but there are a few people wondering if it'll fit into the religious ways of Israel. While they may adapt the menu to suit "food availability and local tastes," the gals' uniforms will be the same and so will the basic casual dining atmosphere. And while Hard Rock Café and Planet Hollywood have both failed in their attempts to crack the Israeli market, Hooters executives have this to say:
We are positive that the Israeli's quest for great food and atmosphere will end at Hooters.
[Photo:
digitalhead!]
Related Stories:·
Hooters To Open in Tel Aviv [Israel Today]
·
Hooters To Expand To Israel [Forbes]
by amandak
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