Tel Aviv to Nazareth - following Jesus life

We had some lovely days in the north of Israel.  Slept in Nazareth in a little cosy hostel, everything clean and nice people around. Amazing breakfast - very good Isreal Food. !! We felt at home.

Nazareth is known as "the Arab capital of Israel". In the New Testament, the city is described as the childhood home of Jesus, and as such is a center of Christian pilgrimage. Maria and Josef lived there and Maria get pregnant with Jesus by the Holy Spirit as mentioned in the Bibel.

Nazareth is a very religios place. Muslim,  Jewish and Christian People live here next to each other.

People of Israel "shalom chaverim"

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak with two locals about Israel and their difficulties. Israel is a very new country with big problems. Arabics and Jewish People fight for their landscape since years.  They try to live together with different cultures,  different ideas,  different religions. 

The conflict at Gaza was and is still hard and everyone here has to live with it. When the alarm should go on everybody has to be within seconds in a shelter. Most of the people are under pressure, for example the car drivers. You can hear all day long the sound of their hooter. So far the conflict is not dangerous anymore and we do not feel any strange behaviour.

Katrina, how is life in Switzerland? You feel free?... Hard Question, when you get to know that people of Israel are not feeling free and you know that you personally are so privileged to think, belive, and do what you want.

Tomorrow will be a holy day in Isreal.  Simchat Tora - Celebration of Tora.
Therefore we will have to travel tomorrow morning, because from 2 p.m. on no Jewish People is allowed to work. Means no buses are running until Friday morning. We will travel tomorrow to Nazareth. And will not go to Jerusalem because of this holy day - as advises were given that we shouldn't be there for security reasons on these days.
Jerusalem will be done after Nazareth.

Chilling in my hammock - wishing a lovely night to everyone. The Night is beautiful here. =)

Israel - Tel Aviv

Arrived yesterday in our new adventure country Israel already explored Tel Aviv. We stay in a hostel and sleeping on a terrace in a hammock.  Quite funny and a lot of people around from different countries.

Today we discovered Tel Aviv City Centre and Jaffa, which was very interesting.

Goodbye Turkey - Antalya to Tel Aviv

Ready to take off =)
Thanks to the Coffee Man ;)

Being a Backpacker

We have a Budget of 28 Euro per day in Turkey. I spent 37 Euro a day for Sleeping,  Eating,  Admissions and Travelling through Turkey. So I am currently over Budget. We decided today that we can do it better ;)...

We slept in very basic rooms. Currently we have a room of maybe 12 m2 not really clean,  but at least we have hot water. I am really thankful for my sleeping bag and cushion - so you feel at least a bit clean and at home.

We feel always secure in Turkey and are enjoying it pretty much. Traveled in one week through Turkey and saw a lot of interesting and beautiful things.

We stay until Sunday in Antalya and are doing some relaxing on the beach and enjoy city life.

my home is where my backpack is =).

Pamukkale

Arrived yesterday night by train and bus in Pamukkale.  Pamukkale meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish - in southwestern Turkey.

The city contains hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water. People have bathed in its pools for thousands of years and now also we three. Beautiful nature experience - water is our favourite element =)

The ancient Greco-Roman and Byzantine city of Hierapolis was built on top.

Izmir to Ephesus

Izmir - big city on the coast line of Turkey,  nothing really to say about. Unfortunately no beach, but nice promenade. We couldn't hear the heart beat of this city... Surrounded with so many dogs -  it will remain us for ever as "the dog" city.

Today we went by train to Ephesus. Ephesus is an antique village,  nowadays called Efes. Just amazing to stand in such an historical place - magical moment. 

Ephesus was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, three kilometers southwest of present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey. It was built in the 10th century by Greek colonists. The city flourished after it came under the control of the Roman Republic in 129 BC.

The city was famed for the Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In 268 AD, the Temple was destroyed or damaged in a raid by the Goths. 

Ephesus is also mentioned in the Bibel. Apostle Paulus did here some of his missionary work. Ephesus was one of the seven churches of Asia that are cited in the Book of Revelation. The Gospel of John may have been written here.

Stefanie got beaten from a wasp in Ephesus. God bless she's not allergic to it. She "only" has headache and will recover soon.

Currently on the train to Pamukkale.  Let's see what happens next =)