Immigration Departure Experience in Israel Ben Gurion Airport

fearless face-off on the World's most strict airport immigration security

10 November 2013 Sunday

Jerusalem city trip 5th part; inside the old city

As on my experience, I confirm below paragraph is 100% correct because this was the process exactly happened to me. Honestly, I just know only the fact exiting Israel is more difficult than entering when I was already on my Day-2 inside Israel. In this regard, the impact given by the immigration officers on arrival has not been diminished and the worry has been striking in my mind constantly .Though I have nothing to hide, reading about other experience especially by western travelers made me more to be on-guard at all times with my stuff and the way I respond to their interrogation. Despite the strict security, I still continue how I perform my usual travel style like walking alone off the streets, bringing my tripod everyday and going home at night by just walking only.

Ben Gurion airport prides itself in being one of the most secure in the world. It achieves this through a number of means. On joining the queue for this security check, a security official will ask you several questions. Based on these (and what appears to be racial profiling) and a brief inspection of your passport, you will be assigned a number from 1 to 6. 1 signifies the lowest security concern and 6 the highest. Foreigners will typically get between a 3 and a 6. Age, appearance, stamps from Arab countries, evidence of visits to the Palestinian territory and other vague factors will be taken into account. Depending on the number you get (stuck on your passport and luggage), the security check is more or less thorough. Travelers who have visited the Palestinian territory will almost certainly receive a 5 or 6 (but this is not exclusive to this cohort; you can get 5 if you have never been to Israel before, and are of European descent). With a 5 or a 6, you can expect every single item of luggage to be taken from your bag and inspected in detail. Security officials have been known to check individual bank-notes. With a 6 (but sometimes even 5 if they have time), you can also expect to be taken to a cubicle and asked to remove your belt, shoes and have a personal inspection. If your clothes contain any metal that would set off a detector (such as studs in your jeans or a zip) even if plainly visible on the outside, you will be asked to remove the item of clothing.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Jerusalem

Israel exit permit visa card (front)

Jerusalem City Trip 5th part; Inside the Old City

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

Jerusalem city trip 4th part; Inside Mount Olives

The Old City is a 0.9 square kilometers (0.35 sq mi) walled area within the modern city of Jerusalem. The Old City is home to several sites of key religious importance: the Temple Mount and its Western Wall for Jews, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Christians, and the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque for Muslims. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site List in 1981. Traditionally, the Old City has been divided into four uneven quarters, Muslim Quarter, Christian Quarter, Jewish Quarter and the Armenian Quarter. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_City_%28Jerusalem%29
 
Muslim Quarter is the largest and most populous of the four quarters extending from the Lions' Gate in east, along the wall of the Temple Mount in the south, to the Damascus Gate route in west. Christian Quarter extending from the New Gate in the north, along the western wall of the Old City as far as the Jaffa Gate - Western Wall route in the south, bordering on the Jewish and Armenian Quarters, as far as the Damascus Gate in the east, where it borders on the Muslim Quarter. The quarter contains the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Christianity's holiest place. Armenian Quarter is the smallest of the four quarters of the Old City. Although the Armenians are Christian, the Armenian Quarter is distinct from the Christian Quarter and their Patriarchate remain staunchly independent and form a vigorous presence in the Old City. Jewish Quarter stretches from the Zion Gate in the south, along the Armenian Quarter on the west, up to the Cardo in the north and extends to the Western Wall and the Temple Mount in the east. The quarter has had a rich history, with a nearly continual Jewish presence since the eighth century BCE.

Muslim Quarter (Dome of the Rock, photographed from David's Tower)

Jerusalem City Trip 4th part; Inside Mount Olives

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

Jerusalem city trip 3rd part; strolling Mount Zion

The Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to the Jerusalem's Old City. It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes. The southern part of the Mount was the necropolis of the ancient Judean kingdom. The Mount is central to Jewish tradition since it has been used as a Jewish cemetery for over 3,000 years and holds approximately 150,000 graves. Several key events in the life of Jesus as related in the Gospels took place on the Mount of Olives, it is described as the place from which Jesus ascended to heaven.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_of_Olives

Landmarks on the Mount of Olives include Yad Avshalom, the Tomb of Zechariah, the Church of all Nations, the Church of Maria Magdalene, Dominus Flevit Church, Chapel of the Ascension, Gethsemane, Mary's Tomb, Church of the Pater Noster, the Seven Arches Hotel, Augusta Victoria Hospital, Orson Hyde Memorial Garden and Beit Orot. At the foot of the mountain lies Emek Tzurim National Park and the Temple Mount Sifting Project.

strolling Mount Olives (Church of all Nations & Mary Magdalene Church)

Jerusalem City trip 3rd part; Strolling Mount Zion

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

Jerusalem city trip 2nd part; underground cave of old city

Mount Zion is a hill in Jerusalem just outside the walls of the Old City. Mount Zion has been historically associated with the Temple Mount. In the Bible, Mount Zion is synonymous with Mount Moriah, the site of the binding of Isaac and the Jewish Temple. Important sites on Mount Zion are Dormition Abbey, King David's Tomb and the Room of the Last Supper. Most historians and archeologists today do not regard "David's Tomb" there to be the actual burial place of King David. The Chamber of the Holocaust (Martef HaShoah), the precursor of Yad Vashem, is also located on Mount Zion. Another place of interest is the Catholic cemetery where Oskar Schindler, a Righteous Gentile who saved the lives of 1,200 Jews in the Holocaust, is buried.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Zion

inside Mount Zion (King David's Statue)

Jerusalem City Trip 2nd part; Zedekiah's, Underground Cave of Old City

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

South Israel tour last part; short visit to Ein Gadi Reserve

9,000 square meters of secrets and legends beneath the Old City.

Some of the most fascinating archeological discoveries in the Land of Israel were the result of fortuitous circumstances. In 1854, an American Biblical Scholar working in Jerusalem was taking a walk outside the Old city walls with his son and his dog.  The three of them were enjoying a sunny winter day, when suddenly the dog vanished. The dog was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, in the midst of drainage at the foot of the wall, the boy came upon a deep cistern created by the flow of water from recent rainfall. Peering inside, he was surprised to hear the sound of barking emanating from the depths of the earth. Gazing into the sewage, the Scholar spied a huge dark cavern. The dog lifted out and all three returned home. Thus, that adventurous dog is credited with rediscovering one of Jerusalem's most fascinating ancient site; the largest artificial cave ever to be uncovered.

Entrance fee cost 16ils ($4.6), admission is up to 1600H only. Anyone strolling through the alleyways of Old City, between the Sisters of Zion convent and the Herod's Gate, cannot avoid, when walking along certain streets, treading on sections of this huge cave.

Zedekiah's Cave, Jerusalem's largest cave

South Israel Tour last part; Short Visit to Ein Gadi Reserve

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

Knights festival in the Old City; a Jerusalem nights specials

En Gedi Nature Reserve is located on the Eastern edge of Judean Desert, on the shore of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth (approximately 400m below sea level). The reserve contains vast differences in elevation over relatively short distances and as a result, one of its distinguishing features is its sheer cliffs. The reserve covers an area 3,587.5 acres and was designated a protected nature reserve in 1972.

The combination of the reserve's geographic location, topographic composition, warm temperatures and lack of cold days, coupled with the abundance and quality of the water, make it possible for a variety of flora and fauna, representing different geographic regions, to survive within the territory of the En Gedi Reserve.

I went here via bus #5 in Jerusalem Central Bus Station departing at 0800H, fare at 37.5ils ($10.7) with travel time of 45mins. Admission to David waterfalls costs 29ils ($8.3).
 

En Gedi Reserve (David Waterfall)

Knights Festival in the Old City; a Jerusalem Nights Specials

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

Jerusalem city tour 1st part; Israel Museum and the Dead Sea scrolls

Scores of knights and other figures in full dress, jousts, tales of heroism and an array of performances await visitors to Jerusalem's Old City on Thursday evenings from late October through November 2013, ensuring a unique and exciting experience for visitors of all ages. Jerusalem invites us to stroll within the Old City's Ancient stone walls and along its picturesque and mysterious alleys on the enchanted festival evenings and view and participate in traditional dances, knightly battles, acrobatic and fire performances, street theater, medieval fashion shows, story-telling sessions, colorful pageants, horse-drawn carriages, stirring musical performances, a medieval knights pub, and other spectacular shows and surprises!

The festival format is that of self-guided tour in which visitors navigate among the various theatrical events taking place along a marked route in Jerusalem's Old City. The route is circular, beginning and ending at Jaffa Gate Plaza. The route winds through the old City's alleys and cannot accommodate baby carriages/strollers. Admission is free.

Jerusalem Old City's Knights festival 2013 (Medieval Dance)

Jerusalem City Trip 1st part; Israel Museum and the Dead Sea Scrolls

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

Bethlehem tour 2nd part; Church of Nativity and Milk Grotto

From Old city Jaffa gate, I just walked by myself going to this place with the aid of asking the local Jews at any point I felt lost. Entrance fee cost 50ils ($14.3).

Since opening in 1965, Israel Museum has built a collection of nearly 500,000 objects representing the full scope of artistic creativity and the world material culture. The galleries at the top of the campus contain permanent displays from the collections as wells as temporary exhibitions. In addition, the Museum offers its local and international visitors a dynamic youth wing, a serene art garden, and the Shrine of the Book, home to the 2,000 years old Dead Sea Scrolls.

The Shrine of the Book is home to the world-renowned Dead Sea Scrolls, archeological artifacts, and rare medieval manuscripts of the Hebrew bible. The upper level of the Shrine introduces visitors to the story of the Scrolls and the Judean Desert sect. At the her of the Shrine is a presentation of original Dead Sea Scrolls - examples of sectarian texts and the oldest biblical manuscripts in existence, from the eight most complete scrolls ever discovered - surrounding a full-scale facsimile of the magnificent preserved Great Isaiah Scroll.

Israel Museum (Dead Sea Scroll)

Bethlehem Tour 2nd part; Church of Nativity and Milk Grotto

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

Bethlehem tour 1st part; Inside the Palestine territory

Since Bethlehem is administered by the Palestinian Authority, an Israeli military checkpoint stands on the road connecting the two locations. When I was there, no checkpoint occurred entering from Jerusalem, around morning. When I went back to Jerusalem, I just simply flash my passport to a roaming Israeli soldier inside bus, no questions asked, just that. Tourists are free to enter and exit the checkpoint to Bethlehem and back to Jerusalem as many times as he or she would like without any restrictions. Make sure to bring passport with Israeli-issued tourist visa to enter and exit the Palestinian areas.

I visited this place on 7th of November, Thursday, 48 days before Christmas celebration. I went via self-guided trip using public bus and the maps on erected post along the road. Travel time was around 30 minutes for 7.3 shekels ($2.1) fare only. No payments to be made on crossborder checkpoints. When the bus arrived in Bethlehem bus terminal, there was this one cab driver who I had an argument due to his aggressive persuasion to take a cab rental whom I did not want to. I told him that I'd like to walk the Little town of Bethlehem by myself alone. He was completely surprise given the worldwide fact of political disputes and war inside this territory. I told him again I'm not scared because I know Palestinians are nice people. He let me passed-by and even helped pointing out where to head to the major tourist spots.

Bethlehem is a small city located some 10 km (6 miles) south of the Old City of Jerusalem within the West Bank, in an "Area A" zone administered by the Palestinian Authority. The "little town" of Bethlehem, mentioned in any number of Christmas carols, attracts pilgrims worldwide on account of its description in the New Testament (and particularly the Gospels) as the birthplace of Jesus, whom Christians believe to be Messiah and Son of God. The Church of the Nativity, one of the oldest churches in the world, is the focus of Christian veneration within the city. Bethlehem is revered by Jews as the birthplace and home town of David, King of Israel.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Bethlehem
 

Grotto of the Nativity (beneath is the cave where Christ was born)

Bethlehem City Tour 1st part; Inside the Palestine Territory

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

South Israel tour 2nd part; Dead Sea floating experience

“Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French. It is wrong and inhuman to impose the Jews on the Arabs... Surely it would be a crime against humanity to reduce the proud Arabs so that Palestine can be restored to the Jews partly or wholly as their national home” ― Mahatma Gandhi

My 29th country state to visit where recognized as 2nd of only 2 observer state by United Nations, 26th solo backpacking trip, 5th visa on arrival application encounter outside Southeast/Northeast Asia, 4th winter travel and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure. 

The Palestinian territories or occupied Palestinian territories (OPT or oPt) comprise the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip. People have lived continuously in the land of historic Palestine for thousands of years. Th earliest to form cities were Canaanites, ancestors of today's Palestine. For the past 5,000 years, Palestine has been ruled by many groups including the Egyptians, Phillistines, Hebrews, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arab Caliphs and Ottomans. As the Holy Land, Palestine is important to Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

In the late 1800's, a small group of Ashkenazi proposed creating a state for Jews-only in line with the political ideology of Zionism, which, then as now, opposed by many Jews. After considering different locations, the Zionist decided the Jewish state should be Palestine and the native population be drive out. Zionism capitalizes on the myth that the Ashkenazi are descendants of Jews evicted from Holy Land 2,000 years ago. In fact, European Jews are mostly descended from mass conversions to Judaism.

self-guided walk inside Bethlehem, Palestine Territory (Manger Square)

South Israel Tour 2nd part; Dead Sea Floating Experience

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

South Israel tour 1st part; astounding palace of Masada

Dead Sea is the lowest point in the world at 394.6 m (1269 ft) below sea level. 

The second part of the organized trip for Southern Israel. After we took our lunch inside the private hotel near Dead Sea (my bill was 73ils($21)), we continued our journey to Dead sea floating.

The Dead Sea has its western coast in Israel and the West Bank. Currently, 25 km of Dead Sea coastline lie within Palestinian Authority territory, including Qumran and Ein Feshka. The Israeli side of the Dead Sea is a possible day trip from Jerusalem (39km from Northern Dead Sea via the West Bank), Eilat (220km from Southern Dead Sea), or Tel Aviv (98km from Northern Dead Sea). There are three main road entry routes into the Dead Sea area. The first is via Highway 1 and Highway 90, through the West Bank, from the Jerusalem area, Hwy 90 is a long relatively easy scenic downhill on a bicycle with two moderate uphill climbs. Alternatively, you could access the area from Eilat via Highway 90 from the south, or from the road from Beersheva via Arad.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Dead_Sea_%28Israel%29

Water in the Dead Sea is extremely salty, and estimated to be the second saltiest major body of water in the world. Its name is derived from the fact that the water is far too salinated for marine inhabitation. Beware! Several people drown every year in the Dead Sea because they do not obey the rule: Only float on your back.

Ein Gedi Dead Sea Spa Beach

South Israel Tour 1st part; Astounding Palace of Masada

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

West Israel tour 2nd part; Old Acre and Rosh Hanikra 

November 06, Wednesday, the last day of pre-organized trip, for biblical highlights of Southern Israel. This trip includes Masada and Dead Sea, with charge of $109 economy seat per pax and the departing point is Tel-Aviv. Departing time is 0730H while my arrival destination is Jerusalem at around 1800H.

Masada National park opens from 0800H-1700H, closes 1-hr earlier on Fridays and holidays. There are two entrances, East and West. Eastern entrance include archaeological displays, cashiers, souvenir shop and access to the mountain by a 3-min cable car ride or a 45min walk up to the snake path. Western Entrance includes Cashier, snack bar and 15min climb. There is no road between the east and western side of Masada. Driving time from one side to another is approximately 1.5 hr.

Masada was inscribed on the UNESCO world Heritage list in 2001. Masada was the last bastion of Jewish freedom fighters against the Romans; its fall signaled the violent destruction of the kingdom of Judea at the end of the Second Temple Period. The tragic events of the last days of the Rebels at Masada transformed it into both a Jewish cultural icon. Built by Herod, King of Judea, Masada was a palatial fortress in the style of the Ancient Roman east. The camps, fortification, and assault ramp at its base constitute the most complete surviving ancient roman siege system in the world.
 

Masada National Park

West Israel Tour 2nd part; Old Akko (Acre) and Rosh Hanikra

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

West Israel tour 1st part; Caesarea and Bahai Garden 

The second part of the organized trip for Northern Israel. After we took our lunch inside Old Acre posh restaurant (my bill was 50ils($4.3)), we continued our journey to Old Acre and Rosh Hanikra. 

The Old city of Akko (Acre) invites us to discover its two-fold secrets; those above ground and those below. The secrets of Old City offers a unique experience of discovery found only here (in a spellbinding tour of the city above and below). Only in the Old City of Akko will you dicover a perfectly preserved Crusader City being unearthed and brought back to life, located directly under the city built above it. A unique phenomenon, the Old City of Akko is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.Wondrous discoveries await us here;  walls and fortresses, knights halls, churches, synagogues, and mosques, all reminder of the city's conquerors and religions, from Canaanites and Romans to the Crusaders, Turks and British.

The Templars were a monastic military order that guarded European pilgrims arriving in the Holy Land to visit the Holy Places. The order's main fortress in Akko was built at the western end of the tunnel. The tunnel, the bottom section of which is cut in natural stone, and the upper section comprising hewn stone, extends from the Templar fortress to the port, a distance of 350m, serving as a strategic undeground passageway linking the fortress with the port.

Rosh Hanikra

West Israel Tour 1st part; Caesarea and Bahai Garden

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

North Israel tour 2nd part; Capernaum, Tabgha and Yardenit 

November 05, Tuesday, the second day of pre-organized trip, for biblical highlights of Western Israel. This trip includes Caesarea, Haifa, Acre and Rosh Hanikra, with charge of $98 economy seat per pax and the departing point is Tel-Aviv. Departing time is 0730H while going back is around 1800H.

Caesarea  is a town in Israel located mid-way between Tel Aviv and Haifa (45 km), on the Israeli coastal plain near the city of Hadera. The town was built by Herod the Great about 25–13 BCE as the port city Caesarea Maritima. It served as an administrative center of Judaea Province of the Roman Empire, and later the capital of the Byzantine Palaestina Prima province during the classic period. Following the Arab conquest in the 7th century, the city had an Arab majority until Crusader renovation, but was again abandoned after the Mamluk conquest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesarea

Shrine of Bab in Bahai Gardens of Haifa

North Israel Tour 2nd part; Capernaum, Tabgha and Yardenit

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

North Israel tour 1st part; Nazareth Churches

The second part of the organized trip for Northern Israel. After we took our lunch beside Galilee Sea (my bill was 50ils($4.3)), we continued our journey to Capernaum, Tabgha and Yardenit.

Capernaum was a fishing village in the time of the Hasmoneans. Located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Archaeological excavations have revealed two ancient synagogues built one over the other. A church near Capernaum is said to be the home of Saint Peter. Actually the ruins of St Peter's house has a church built over over it. St Peter built a large 2 room dome shaped house about 25 to 30 feet in diameter, entirely carved out of rock. The hole in the roof is still visible from where the paralytic man had been let through to be healed by Jesus. According to the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus selected this town as the center of his public ministry in the Galilee after he left the small mountainous hamlet of Nazareth (Matthew 4:12–17). He also formally cursed the city, saying "You shall be brought down to Hades," (Matthew 11:23) because of their lack of response to his teaching.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capernaum

Tabgha is an area situated on the north-western shore of the Sea of Galilee in Israel. It is the traditional site of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Mark 6:30-46) and the fourth resurrection appearance of Jesus (John 21:1-24) in Christianity. Until 1948, it was the site of an Arab village. The site's name is derived from the Greek name Heptapegon ("seven springs"). St. Jerome referred to Tabgha as "the solitude".
 

Yardenit, Jordan river baptismal site

North Israel Tour 1st part; Nazareth Churches

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

Tel-Aviv city tour last part; the city above and at night

Availing a pre-organized tour is very unusual for a budget backpacker like me. I did this because of the following reasons;
1. I did not research well for public transportation.
2. No/limited public transportation access on some areas.
3. To avoid frequent questioning of military authorities just in case I passed them.
4. I am very exhausted on my 23days solo backpacking from Central Europe
5. somehow I needed explanation as I'm not in particulars on how this land became so famous and be called as "The Promised Land".
 
Since all travel agencies require credit card and I have problems on using my credit card at this moment, I decided to visit personally any travel agencies nearby. The nearest from my hostel is Mazada tours. For this day (Nov. 04, Monday), I availed the tour for biblical highlights of Northern Israel. This trip includes Nazareth, Tiberias and the Galilee sea, with charge of $85 economy seat per pax and the departing point is Tel-Aviv. Departing time is 0730H while going back to this place is around 1800H.

inside the Church of Annunciation in Nazareth

Tel-Aviv City Tour last part; the City Above and At Night

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

Tel-Aviv city tour 1st part; just walking the streets

After booking my 3 daily tours starting tomorrow on consecutive basis, I decided to look again for the map and examine how can I see the city by overlooking at night. Good thing there is this a modern building called "Azriéli Center" where there there is an indoor floor observatory at level 48. Azrieli Center is a complex of skyscrapers located at the corner of Dereh Begin road and Hatahmoshet road. At the base of the center lies a large shopping mall. The Azrieli Center Circular Tower, is the tallest of the three towers, measuring 187 m (614 ft) in height. The tower has 49 floors, making it the tallest building in Tel Aviv and the second tallest in Israel, after the Moshe Aviv Tower in Ramat Gan built in 2001. The top floor has an indoor observation deck and a high-end restaurant, and the 48th floor is home to Mr. Azrieli's personal office.
 

sightseeing Tel-Aviv City above

Tel-Aviv City Tour 1st part; Just Walking the Streets

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel
November 02 to November 10, 2013

Visa-on-Arrival Experience in Israel Ben Gurion Airport

I arrived in Israel on the time when Sabbath was just finished. Sabbath refers to a weekly day of rest or time of worship from Friday sunset up to Saturday sunset. Thus, there was irregular bus schedule. The moment I overcome the experience in Ben Gurion Airport, I went to bus station outside then waited for Bus #5, fix fare of 5.5ils($1.6) going to waiting shed for all major bus. I think this bus arrives every 30 mins. Then, waited for bus going to Tel-Aviv but when I asked other bus driver they told me there is no bus trip for this night so they recommend go back to airport where the train is located. I've wasted almost two hours just to get-out of the airport. Finally, the train departed around 2145H for 15ils ($4.3), arriving at Hagana Station for only 20min travel time.

Since I came from Central Europe where countless museums to look for, I'm fed-up to look for this kind of tourist spot. So I decided the usual thing, walk the map by myself and just look for those places might attract my attention. Nov. 03, Sunday, grabbing the free map from the hostel, I started the morning going to Old Jaffa where just 500 meters away only. Honestly based on research, there is not much to see in Tel-Aviv, just want to see sight-see this city. From Old Jaffa, I walked until I reached the travel agency which has an almost 10km distance. Yes, it's very safe and photography is allowed.

Tel-Aviv public beach

Visa-on-Arrival Experience in Israel Ben Gurion Airport

fearless face-off on the World's most strict airport immigration security

02 November 2013 Saturday

Flight Departure Experience from Rome Airport, Italy

As of 2013, Israel no longer stamp passports when arriving at Ben Gurion Airport. Instead, they give you a slip the size of a credit card, which act as your visa. When you leave the country you must present the slip as your proof of entry, so do not lose it! This makes it unnecessary to ask Ben Gurion staff not to stamp your passport - and, in fact, if you ask, it may lead to some suspicion on their part. Security is extremely stringent at Ben-Gurion Airport, and is especially suspicious of travelers with Muslim names or visas from Islamic countries in their passports. Expect to be stopped and questioned for several hours both on the way in and on the way out.

1st encounter with Immigration Security Officer;
I boarded from Rome Airport at Easy Jet Airline on afternoon flight. Upon touchdown and stepping on the 1st escalator, roaming passport control officer immediately asked me immigration-related questions that lasted around 5mins. This includes the following;
- what will you do in Israel?
- how long will you stay? Why 1 week only?
- what places will you visit?
- where will you stay?
- why are you traveling alone?
- what is your work, where? How long have you been working there?
- where do you live? Where is your family?
- do you know anybody in Israel right now? Sure?
- why you visit Israel just now?
- (seeing some visas to other countries) so you travel also on this country on holiday also? Why you travel a lot?
- what did you do in Lebanon & Egypt? Do you know someone there? Why traveling this countries separately?

Israel stay permit visa card (front)

7 Days Pinoy Solo Backpacking in Winter Israel

a very unbelievable self-guided trip inside the Promised Land
November 02 to November 10, 2013 

"Courage is a special kind of knowledge: the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought not to be feared." - David Ben-Gurion

My 28th country to visit, 26th solo backpacking trip, 5th visa on arrival application encounter outside Southeast/Northeast Asia, 4th winter travel and usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure.

Israel has been called the Promised Land because God promised Israel to the children of Abraham through Isaac, as the Old Testament states "And I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your temporary residence, all the land of Canaan as an eternal possession and I will be a God to them." (Genesis 17:8). Romans kicked Israelites out. Arabs settled there for thousands of years then the Land came known as Palestine. British settled Jews there so land could be SHARED but neither party wanted that....

State of Israel, in its basic laws, Israel defines itself as a Jewish and Democratic State; it is the world's only Jewish-majority state. Israel has the highest standard of living in the Middle East and the third highest in Asia. According to the Torah, God promised the land to the three Patriarchs of the Jewish people. Israel is considered part of the Holy Land (together with areas of Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Territories). The 3 monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—all have historical ties to the region.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel

the only souvenirs I bought inside the Promise Land