Israel
While Israel claims to be a world class destination with various cultural attractions, Israel does not appear to offer anything more than other middle eastern countries. It is overpriced especially considering how cheap Egypt and Jordan are in comparison.
- Location: Middle East
- Capital: Jerusalem
- Climate: Mainly hot and dry.
- Currency: Shekel (₪)
- Language: Hebrew (also Arabic and English spoken)
- Related Link: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/middle- east/israel-and-the-palestinian-territories
May 5, 2007 @ 3:43 am
Catherine said,
My husband and I visited Israel and really loved the place. We hired a taxi driver for 4days very cheaply, he took us where and when we wanted to go. He even took us to meet his family and found us very cheap a hotel room at the Jerusalem Tower. The food was good and wholesome and he even showed us places we would not have visited on a tour bus. It is one of the most memorable holidays we have ever had, and yes we are planning to go there again soon.
July 4, 2007 @ 8:22 pm
Shaloom said,
ya sure i agree with u it’s the best place especially when u know it’s real name is Palastain not Israel and when u know that it’s a captured country its original citizens were kicked out frm their houses, lands , farms, even schools… it’s a real shampful fact supported by tourests.. : ‘(
April 27, 2008 @ 9:05 am
Ruth Ray said,
Hey Shaloom-you can’t even spell Palestine, so it’s no surprise you don’t know the history of the country. If you can read well enough, why don’t you look it up online-all about the original citizens
April 27, 2008 @ 9:18 am
Sandra said,
It’s perfectly understandable that someone may know how to speak English and not know how to spell it if they did not learn English in an official school setting. It is a plus when people speak more than one language and honestly when you are traveling abroad speaking is more important than spelling.
May 25, 2008 @ 10:35 am
Uzitiger said,
Israel belongs to the Jewish people and Shaloom’s trying to politicize a tourist area is a cheap shot. He can;t even give the land an original name but one stolen from the Romans. I love traveling in Israel and seeing biblical history in every step I take in the Jewish land and if one is savvy then traveling in Israel is not so expensive. Naturally if you go to the big name hotels and restaurants it will cost a lot but you can travel and enjoy Israel inexpensively.
August 18, 2008 @ 10:13 am
Reen said,
i travelled to israel. and it was the bst country ever. scenery beatiful. everything was amazing. no reason why it should be in the worst destinations AT ALL
August 18, 2008 @ 12:17 pm
Morten Sortodden said,
People in Israel are very unfriendly. It’s only the palestinian you can talk to. It’s terrible to see under which circumstances they are living, because of the occupant.
September 29, 2008 @ 11:10 am
My Name is Mud said,
My first tour to Israel was fantastic. Frankly out of all my world travels, the tour to Israel with Insight Tours was the best. Everything was wonderful.
My next tour to Israel was a year later over the Christmas & New Year holidays with General Tours (a company I have traveled with many times). The airline lost my luggage, which happens but the local tour company was of little assistance in ensuring the suitcases caught up with the itinerary. My luggage was playing catch-me for over half of the tour. The local company should have known our itinerary and which hotel I was at, but they could have cared less. Our tour guide smoked every step of the way no matter how many times we implored him to not smoke around us (not to mention it is a violation of the contract with General Tours). Our tour guide did not follow the itinerary but took us to military sites (he had been in the military) that were staked with ‘caution land mine’ signs. Christmas we were told there were no churches so we couldn’t attend church. I asked the Sheraton Tiberas concierge if there were any churches around and he quickly helped locate a church for a Christmas service. He said the tour guide had lied to us. Our tour guide made up strange stories and lies about historical facts. How do we know? He joked about it to other tour guides while in our presence! Talk about humiliating. While at the area that is the center of Jewish Mysticism he refused to answer questions and made nasty jokes about members of our tour group. I asked about Jewish Mysticism and he told me to ask Madonna. Apparently the pop singer Madonna has traveled there to study. He also screwed up our transfer to Petra, Jordan. My child and I spent half a day detained by the Jordanian military because the tour guide had directed the driver to take us to the wrong border crossing (where we couldn’t purchase entrance visas). After we returned from our ‘adventure’ in Jordan (I must say, however, the Jordanian military and local tour company were top rate), I received an e-mail from the company I scheduled the tour with. It was a “welcome home, take a minute and tell us about your trip”. I responded with an e-mail outlining the above. Within 36 hours the US tour company e-mailed the stateside company headquarters who e-mailed the local Israel Tour company (Gordon Tours—avoid at all costs). The night before flying home we were packing to leave and some manic nuisance of a man claiming to be President of Gordon Tours in Tel Aviv called me at the King David Hotel and harrassed me for complaining. Apparently there was fallout over my e-mail. What made it even worse was Gordon Tour company blasted me for not being happy and relaying our experience. You would think they would be concerned about an unhappy customer, the guy launched into a tirade yelling at me and pitching a fit. I hung up. Spent over $10,000 on our tour to Israel and that’s what I got. They even stalked us down the last evening in country to belittle and harrass. Blech.
If this were my only travel experience to Israel I would caution everyone to stay away. But the problem was a bad tour company (Gordon Tours).
September 29, 2008 @ 11:25 am
My Name Is Mud said,
Wanted to add that the Israeli and Palestinians both politicize the region. It’s personally appalling after Eastern European Jews being corralled in ghettos, that Israeli Jews would build their wall. It is starving the Palestinians, who gross annual earnings are 1/10th of the Israeli. I’ve heard every argument pro and con about the wall and still look at the Israeli’s wall with disgust. Anyone thinks a wall is a solution doesn’t know much about history. I had expected better.
Everything is politicized. There is a strange mindset I have not experienced elsewhere. The wall is a tangible object of what I sensed throughout my travels. Only in Israel have I been lobbied for US government assistance and money. Even the King David Hotel staff wanted to discuss US Politics and the upcoming 2008 election. I’m a freaking tourist! I don’t want a debate or to be drawn into their petty range wars.
November 21, 2008 @ 5:57 am
Amr said,
i am palestenian, im from jerusalem and my english is very good + OUR COUNTRY DOES NOT BELONG TO THE JEWISH!
انا فلسطبني من القدس
بلادنا ليست لليهود!؟
January 23, 2009 @ 9:01 pm
Manuel said,
During my one and only visit to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem (In 1968) I came across what I would have never expected anywhere. One afternoon, feeling tired from extensive travel and time changes, I decided to take a nap. Later on, after I had awakened and showered, a young Israeli room maid of about 35 knocked on my door and asked if there was anything she could do. She then looked at my bed, where I’d been minutes before, and angrily inquired: “Did you have to go to sleep in the afternoon and mess things up? Who do you think we are? Servants?” I did not reply to her anger, for I felt that I’d probably lose…
Two days later, as I was leaving, an elderly room keeper, stopped me prior to my entering the elevator and asked whether I was leaving without giving her a tip. When I paid no attention to her inquiry, she moved her hands disdainfully and said something in Hebrew which I did not understand. Ironic as it may seem, I had already left something in the room - a dollar for each of the nights I had slept there.
In my career, I visited 65 countries. Except for a frighteneing cab ride in Teheran and a driver who wanted a tip in advance prior to getting me to the airport if I didn’t wish to be left in the middle off nowhere in a dark night, I had never experienced similar behavior anywhere…
February 14, 2009 @ 11:23 am
Livin' in This Century said,
Manuel: I can see that your experience 41 years ago was seared into your memory. Don’t you think it’s time to let it go, or at least put it in perspective? Come on, Dude — I know you can do this.
August 25, 2009 @ 4:27 pm
Madeleine said,
To Shaloom and Amr: No one can re-write history. Jews have been a presence in Israel since Abraham. get with it!! read the Bible. Further more do something positive for your people- stop the hate and violence!!
you never dared say a word under Jordan before 1967- Because Hussein took good care of the Palestinians in Black September!! REMEMBER??
Stop the hate and violence and copy what Israel has done for their People after the Holocaust!!! Learn something positive! Look what the Patah and Hamas how they are killing each other!! What is wrong with you People! We Jews celebrate Life: LEHAYIM and you celebrate DEATH!! Oh yes with 72 Virgins!!!
September 21, 2009 @ 4:18 am
Norman Bates said,
Israel is the most horrible country in the Middle East. There are stinking hassidic jews everywhere (they never bathe) and everyone trys to rip you off in typical jewish manner. It is a totally money orientated society, so your hotel will rip you off, you taxi will rip you off, everyone will rip you off. The airport is a nightmare and I was interrogated because I had an Arab country stamp in my passport. The whole state is supported by rich USA jews and you can tell. I have recently changed my opinion and support Iran’s quest for a nuclear bomb. Avoid Israel for a holiday; stick to Egypt, at least they are friendly and don’t treat the British people like scum (which is what Israeli jew do). It doesn’t surprise me now, that Germans developed a deep-seated dislike of the jews.
October 7, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
The Pig said,
Mr. Bates you are not worthy of a response due to your abhorent anti-semitic views.
April 28, 2010 @ 10:30 am
Alan said,
I think Israel is a really great place to travel too. I have been to Israel 6 times & each time you learn something. Israel is not just another middle east destination. I have personally travelled to many cities across the middle east, but nothing beats her. Go give it a try.
May 30, 2010 @ 4:29 am
tropicana hotel las vegas said,
tropicana hotel las vegas
I still could not understand some of your thoughts after reading this article. Sunday for me, bad day, because yesterday I worked all day. good luck
June 9, 2010 @ 4:30 pm
John Smith said,
Absolutely horrible, disgusting and illegitimate place - Aviod At All Costs!
I’ve been to the Palestinian occupied territories several times and to experience what Israel does to ethnically cleanse and commit genocide to have an exclusive, (extremely racist) solely-Jewish States is disgusting. Especially since Palestinians have live there for over 2.5 thousand years!
Israel itself is a horrible place for a holiday. Extremely political, US flags everywhere, unfriendly and arrogant masses (a greater proportion of neo-conservatives than any nation) and very expensive too!
I would like to see more people go to experience the plight of the Palestinians at the hands of this land-grabbing entity, but I urge you not to go and spend foreign money sponsoring apartheid.
Peace.