A Year Since My Promised Landing

A year ago today, on March 25, 2009, I arrived in Israel for the first time. I still remember the ride in the Sherut--a shared taxi--from Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv to my hotel in Jerusalem. And I remember walking from my hotel to the Old City and being a bit baffled about how to get in. And once in, how to get to the Wailing Wall.

I remember a lot about the trip, which also took me to Petra in Jordan and into Egypt to see the Giza Pyramids. I saw a lot of amazing things, but also had numerous hassles, from security personnel, taxi drivers and others that made the trip not one of my favorites.

Although at a Passover Seder this Monday, I will undoubtedly read a prayer hoping for "next year in Israel," but I won't really mean it. Perhaps one day I'll go back, but I'm not itching to anytime soon.

But along with the memories--and a detailed travelogue that is still the most recent series of postings on my Travel Blog; if you're gluttonous enough to want to read it, start from March 25, 2009--I have plenty of photos. Like thousands plenty.

I long ago posted some of the very best, which you can view by clicking here, but to commemorate the anniversary of the trip, I quickly looked through many digital files and somewhat randomly chose 10 photos that I hadn't before posted to do so now.

The one above is what you see upon entering the Old City in Jerusalem through the Jaffa Gate (I think), and below is a food cart nearby. I bought one of the raising things; it was pretty dry.

This falafal was a bit better. I think I bought in the Arab section of the Old City and was eyed suspiciously when trying to access the Jewish Quarter.

These are some old famous tombs in Jerusalem, but I can't quite recall whose.

This is from the top of Mount Masada.

This is in Eilat; the mountains in back are in Jordan.

This is along the boardwalk in Tel Aviv.

This in in Old Jaffa, now part of Tel Aviv.

This is in the Old City at Acre (Akko).

This is in Zefat (Safed); note the people with baskets on their heads.

I figured I would just stick to some Israel pictures here; perhaps in the days ahead I might uncover some more of Egypt and Petra, but the best ones can be found here, with the best of Israel.