Photography & travel

Tel Aviv #laugh

Many cities have a flip side. This is no different with Tel Aviv. I’m always attracted to that side because in all its ugliness you can always find beauty. If you care to look behind that facade. Not often it is also a very creative area where people express themselves freely in their own way. NOTE: for best reading experience goto first post Walking around we stumbled upon a funny guy seated behind a little table and a red clowns nose. He is a man with a plan and therefore wearing his red nose was on purpose. He believes that …

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NEGEV Desert

Leaving Jerusalem & Bethlehem behind with a lot of thoughts and questions seated in one of the busses of the Egged company. Heading for Mitspe Ramon, a small town in the midst of the Negev desert. Founded in 1951 as a camp for the construction workers of highway 40 to Eilat it is not the most attractive place to visit. But there’s a secret. Makhtesh Ramon, or also known as the worlds greatest ‘Ramon Crater’. The crater is breathtaking. And you may also take that literally. When you start your hike everyone advises you to bring enough water with you. …

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HARAM AL-SHARIF aka HAR HABAYIT

A golden landmark in the Old City center. It’s very easy to spot the Dome from far away. It sparkles & glitters in the sunlight, covered with 80kgs of gold foil. But kind a difficult to visit the area. Out of 12 entrances only 1 acces gate is opened to the public. Mughrabi gate -check upfront the time table as opening hours varies- is the only entrance for non-muslims next to the Western Wall. All others are controlled by heavy armoured Israeli police officers. We tried several other entrances but were summoned to retrace our steps on every attempt. The …

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JERUSALEM #2

Jerusalem’s Old City is a real microcosm, roughly divided into 4 areas. The Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Armenian quarters surrounded by monumental defence walls that were built in 1541 by Suleiman the Magnificent. A genuine melting pot. Each area has is own identity but still shares the great history of the city. Walking around it looks like a labyrinth at first. But once your inner pigeon gets familiarised with the small streets and corners, you start to know your way around. The Islam area is covered with little candy shops, seeds, spices and a zillion shops stuffed with trinkets. Sales …

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JERUSALEM #1

Where to start?To enter Jeruzalem that’s an easy one, you just have to use one of the gates.But how to describe the city itself? The moment you set foot you can sense the tension. It’s like tons of religious scriptures try to crush you, that’s how heavy the atmosphere feels. You can also feel hope. From both sides. Jewish hope that one day they can walk again mount Moria instead of praying at their Western wall.Muslims hope that finally one day they own the city again.On both sides they increase their population. The Jewish community does this by luring Russian …

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UNIVERSITY

Education is key to build a society. To understand, to accept, to be different, to be one, to be unique, to believe, to realise you’re not the norm…Located in the North-West of Tel Aviv, on a hill side, you will find the biggest university of Israel. It’s a 30 mins bicycle ride from the city center. Bikes are easy to rent from different providers. Bird, Lime, city bikes or from your hostel. Cycling lanes are wide and well maintained. As a student, i would have loved to take art classes here. The university campus is inspiring. Nice buildings, spacious, art, …

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PUBLIC TRANSPORT

In the South part of Tel Aviv, one of the poorest area’s of the city, you will find the second largest bus station world wide. It’s size, 230.000m2 on a total of 8 floors. It connects Tel Aviv with te rest of the country. It’s the easiest way to travel in Israel, and the cheapest. You could also rent a car. But keep in mind that the Israeli are lousy drivers, words of a Telavivian guy, and they constantly use the horn in an aggressive way. Traveller TIP. Buy a Rav-Kav card in the central station and travel the whole …

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BAUHAUS

Walking around in the white part of Tel Aviv is startling. It looks like you’re strolling in lovely Berlin, but with better temperatures. Multiple bauhaus buildings will be your share. Around 1930 a lot of Jewish architects started to immigrate to Tel Aviv. Because they studied at the Bauhaus school there style was strongly influenced. I have to admit it is w o n d e r f u l. In 1933 Belgian King Albert I visited Tel Aviv. When he died in 1934 the city honoured him by naming a square after him.

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TEL AVIV #2Israel, Tel Aviv

Sea side always attracts people. Often to relax and enjoy the sun. Less to enjoy the view and feel the wind. This is no different in Tel Aviv. Best part is old Jaffa, build on a hill which gives you a nice overview of the surroundings. And no beach. If you wander around in Jaffa’s winding alleyways you will see multiple little art shops. Often with a performing artist. Seafood lover? I’m sure you’re able to find a perfect table somewhere.

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TEL AVIV #1

A citytrip or a country trip? Nature? Let’s combine all of the above because you can in the land of the Messiah. Tel Aviv is a sparkling city. But once outside the city borders you enter a different world. This makes Tel Aviv an effervescent tablet in a long drink glass for the whole of the region. Arrived during lunch time, our stomach assigned us a lovely task. Please fill me up. No problem in Tel Aviv. First stop was ‘North Abraxas’ a small restaurant from chef Eyal Shani. I never knew that you could pimp a cauliflower to the …

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