Monthly Archives: May 2012

Traveling in Israel with Insight Vacation

by

Travel in brief

This past week my travels took me to Israel. The best way to see this country, in my opinion, is to join a tour group. Not having ever been on a guided tour before I wasn’t sure what to expect; It was a life change for me, I knew that many of the places I wanted to visit would be both hard to find and time consuming, so on the advice of my travel agent we (my wife and I) joined Insight Vacations for our Israel and Greek tours.

Our journey started in Tel Aviv, Israel’s largest and also its most modern and vibrant city. Highlights are the Habimah National Theatre, Rabin Square and the Carmel market. After a couple of days we left Tel Aviv and drove along the seashore to the ancient port of Jaffa. We spent some time in the flea market and several artists’ galleries. Also we visited mini Israel, a miniature, featuring 330 replica models which showcase Israel’s cultural, historic, and religious diversity.

The next day we toured along the coastal road and explored the Roman and Crusader ruins at Caesarea; then further on to Haifa, Israel’s northern port, and on  to Acre. One thing I did not know was that part of this port Israel leases to Jordan so they can gain access to the western markets. We saw the fortress, the old harbour area, and the Crusader crypt before continuing on to Nazareth.

Day four dawned and began with a ride on the Sea of Galilee on an old  wooden boat, similar in style to what was used 2000 years ago except this one had a motor. The ride was a highlight; it was so peaceful and beautiful and we learned  an Israeli dance which was really fun. Later we visited Capernaum where Jesus is said to have entered the Synagogue and taught then on along the Jordan valley to take a dip (or should I say, float) in the Dead Sea which is ten times more salty than sea water,

Day five, we left our hotel early to take a cable car ride to the top of the ancient fort/palace, Masada, where in 73 AD, 967 Jewish Zealots held out against the Romans for four years until choosing mass suicide rather than slavery when the Romans finally found a way to breach Masada’s walls. From there we drove past the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered and visited the tomb of King David on Mount Zion and the Western Wall, better known as the Wailing wall, Judaism’s most sacred site.

Day six was taken up with sightseeing around Jerusalem’s famous sites and a side visit to Bethlehem, which is under Palestinian authority.

Day seven we walked around the Garden of Gethsemane then the quarters of the old city. Later we viewed the Temple Mount, one of Islam’s holiest sites. Then e walked in Jesus’ footsteps along the Vi Dolorosa and the Stations of the Cross; saw the Ecce Homo Arch, Pool of Bethesda and finally reached the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the site of the Crucifixion.

We were fortunate to have a guide who was so knowledgeable about  the history of the region. Next, on to Greece…more later…creating more of the life style

Holidays in the South West of England

by

One of the great joys of driving around the English countryside in April/May is seeing the beauty of Spring, with its life changing new colours in the woodlands and hedges, primroses and bluebells blossoming everywhere and the trees coming to life after months of laying dormant

Corfe Castle is a fortification standing above the village of the same name in the English county of Dorset. Built by William the Conqueror, the castle dates back to the 11th century and commands a gap in the Purbeck Hills on the route between Wareham and Swanage. The first phase was one of the earliest castles in England to be built using stone when the majority were built with earth and timber. Corfe Castle underwent major structural changes in the 12th and 13th centuries.

In 1572, Corfe Castle left the Crown’s control when Elizabeth I sold it to Sir Christopher Hatton. After two sieges in the English Civil War, Corfe Castle was demolished on Parliament’s orders. Owned by the National Trust, the castle is open to the public and in 2010 received around 190,000 visitors. It is protected as a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. (Taken from wikipedia)

Southern England is scattered with thatched cottages and when it’s a pub it adds to the charm and the atmosphere. These buildings are often hundreds of years old.

The pub featured here is near Poole in Dorset  and is one of the best of its kind. The interior public area is one long room with a fire at either end and little nooks to make it cosy for small groups of 4-6. There are open areas for larger groups with low ceilings and beams everywhere, posts as old as the hills, and a marvellous old bar. the place is full of character and is a must visit for those travelling in this county.

Without doubt Dorest is one of Englands most charming counties. The countryside is second to none and the villages are not to be missed.

In Bath, Somerset, England,The Circus is an example of Georgian architecture. Begun in 1754 it was completed in 1768. The name comes from the Latin ‘circus’, which means a ring, oval, or circle. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.[1]

Divided into three segments of equal length, the Circus is a circular space surrounded by large townhouses. Each of the curved segments faces one of the three entrances, ensuring that whichever way a visitor enters there is a classical facade straight ahead.

The Circus, originally called King’s Circus, was designed by the architect John Wood, the Elder, although he never lived to see his plans put into effect as he died less than three months after the first stone was laid. It was left to his son, John Wood, the Younger to complete the scheme to his father’s design. The initial leases for the south west segment were granted in 1755-67, those for the south east segment in 1762-6, and those for the north segment in 1764–6.

The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Bath, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is an Anglican parish church and a former Benedictine monastery in Bath. Founded in the 7th century, Bath Abbey was reorganised in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries. Major restoration work was carried out by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 1860s. It is one of the largest examples of Perpendicular Gothic architecture in the West Country.

The church is cruciform in plan, and is able to seat 1200. An active place of worship, with hundreds of congregation members and hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, it is used for religious services, secular civic ceremonies, concerts and lectures. The choir performs in the abbey and elsewhere. There is a heritage museum in the vaults. (Information from Wikapedia)

My Travels – South West of England

by

Creating a lifestyle takes a lot of work at the beginning but if it’s something you really want to do, and it makes your life complete, then surely it must be worth doing. For some, creating a new lifestyle may be finding more time to read and learn. For others it might be fishing or boating, gardening, surfing and even climbing mountains. Mine is travel and all its offshoots like trying new foods, cooking, searching through antique  and op shops for that special something.

This year, having sold my business, I took the opportunity with my wife to spend six months wandering around the UK and Europe.

We began our roaming in the South West of England, starting in Devon and dipping here and there into Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset, before moving north.

Devon and Cornwall have some of the most  beautiful rolling countryside in the world, steeped in history with many buildings dating back 500 and, in some cases, up to a 1000 or more years.

Plymouth, with a population 256,000, boasts the ninth largest university in the UK with 30,000 students and a staff of nearly 3000. During the second world war, Plymouth City was subjected to intense bombing campaigns by German night raiders intent on destroying the famous Devonport naval dockyard which, even today, is still one of the largest in Western Europe. Notably, Plymouth was the point from which the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for America on September 6th 1620. The city is also noted for the Royal Albert Bridge, built in 1859 by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
The Devonport dockyard at its peak employed over 10,000 people and is still a major Plymouth employer.

barbican The Barbican. Plymouth city’s historic heart. In this relatively small area visitors can view the 16th century Merchant’s House Museum, the Elizabethan House and the Mayflower Steps – symbolic leaving point of the Pilgrim Fathers for the New World. The Old Fish Market is now home to the Barbican Glassworks. Also nearby is the famous Plymouth Gin Distillery.

Sir Frances DrakeVice Admiral Sir Frances Drake, seen here on the left (1540 – 27 January 1596) was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician to Elizabeth 1st. It’s said that when the Spanish Armada was sighted coming up the English channel, he was playing bowls on the Plymouth Hoe and insisted on finishing his game before engaging with the Spaniards.

Pubs across England
A particularly popular tourism interest across England is to visit as many of the old pubs as possible. The charm and atmosphere of many of these places is an experience to be found nowhere else on such a scale.
One such pub, The Williams, at Braunton near Ilfracombe in North Devon, was built in 1650 and was originally a farmhouse. Today it is listed as one of the top 100 pubs in the UK.

A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain,[1][2] Ireland,[3] Australia[4] and New Zealand. There were approximately 53,500 public houses in 2009 in the United Kingdom but this number has been declining since so that nearly half of the smaller villages no longer have their own local pub.[6] This is unfortunate as, especially in villages, the pub is often the focal point of the community. The writings of Samuel Pepys describe the `Pub’ as the heart of England.

Oh, I do Like to be Beside the Seaside...

Situated on the North Devon coastline, the town of Ilfracombe, is a Victorian resort with real seaside flavour. It has a cinema and a theatre for local and national events and, in the summer, their Victorian pageant is a popular drawcard as is the town’s own paddle steamer, operating from the harbour.

Plenty of hotels and guest houses dot the town landscape but, as Ilfracombe is a particularly popular and busy summer destination for tourists, it pays to book ahead. Other places to stay can be found on the main road towards Combe Martin and Barnstaple.
If you are planning on visiting the South West, Ilfracombe is a must-visit, full of interesting and attractive places to see. things to do, and lovely mouth-watering things to eat. A great time to visit if crowds aren’t your thing are Spring and early Summer. Also a must to visit is Padstow on the North coast of Cornwall. Go there, you won’t regret it.

Historic Tintagel

The village and nearby Tintagel Castle are associated with the legends surrounding King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. The village has, in recent times, become particularly attractive to tourists and day-trippers  from all parts of the world and, today, is one of the most-visited places in Britain.
Visit King Arthur’s Inn situated on the main road in Tinagel.

Many of the country roads in Devon and Cornwall are too narrow for two way traffic with just a few wider areas to pass oncoming vehicles.

The photo you see here is the narrowest of roads with no possible way of passing. It’s here you may have to reverse some distance before letting an oncoming vehicle pass. Best to keep off these roads from July through to September.

If travelling on these B roads (minor), best time is April/ May, you will see some of the most breathtaking countryside that Springtime has to offer.

In this lifestyle blog I’ve only mentioned a few of the fantastic places to visit. I shall cover more in a later post.

WordPress theme: Kippis 1.15