Depending on one's political orientation, Israel, or Palestine, is among the oldest travel destinations in the world, with almost every prominent personality, be it Moses or Mark Twain, dreaming of visiting. Although prophets are hard to come by these days, and the crusaders seem to have found nobler professions, there are still many tourists who constantly visit the mystical lands in search of god. However, Israel is much more than just a spiritual haven for tourists, and the same is evident on the surprised faces of the tourists who arrive here to find that the country they see is much more than the one they hoped to find. The country has as much variation in landscape as one would want, with mountains, deserts and beaches to suit everybody's taste. Also, one can enjoy surfing, skiing, horse riding, clubbing and savouring fine wines alongside watching splendid theatre performances.
Akko: The city is certainly not the first place one should visit en route to Israel, as once a person sees the vast treasures that have been preserved in form of the city of stone, every other kind of historic landmark across Israel would seem like just another supplement to the real deal! Situated on a narrow piece of land adjoining the sea, Akko is home to a multitude of geographical variety in the form of secret passageways, subterranean vaults, narrow alleys and tall minarets. However, unlike other towns that are in the habit of packaging themselves to attract more tourists, Akko follows a more subtle approach, so to speak. It is the Acre of the Crusaders, besides being the capital and port of the Latinate Kingdom of Palestine. St Francis of Assisi and Marco Polo are among the few distinguished guests who have dined in the knights' halls. And even though many decades have passed by since that time, some of the magic still remains, and can be experienced by tourists travelling through the streets. However, there is a drastic shortage of accommodation, and that is precisely the reason that tourists only come here for a day, although Akko gets really romantic at midnight.
Haifa: Sitting adjacent to Mt Carmel and offering spectacular views of the sea, Haifa is home to the famous twisted roads and one of the most beautiful gardens in the world. Further, its rich cultural lineage has earned it a unique image in the Middle east, even though the co-existence of Jews and Arabs in the same city is also an amazing reality considering the volatile conditions in the rest of Israel. In all its essence, Haifa is a blue-collar city that has developed tremendously in the recent years, resulting in a dynamic economy that has made its mark on the global platform. However, the recent past has also seen it improving the art and culture communities via museums and similar establishments, much to the delight of tourists and locals alike.
Visiting Israel is incomplete without the provision of calling friends and family at any point in time without caring about the bills. Matrix international sim cards not only offer savings up to 80% on every call, but also have great network coverage in all the major destinations across the world.
For more information related to international SIM card, sim card for Israel, International communication, international travelling sim cards please visit: - http://www.matrix.in
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Israel: The spiritual haven
If one is willing to go on an unorthodox vacation with the purpose of understanding religions, Israel is the best place to visit.
Jerusalem: Much has been written about this fabled city for a majority of its 3000 year old history, but Jerusalem still leaves one spellbound at the first glance. The ancient walled city is not only a
visual treat, but more importantly, is a behemoth when it comes to cultural significance, as it is revered as the holy grail in terms of cities for three religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and it is owing to this very magnanimity of its stature among these three faiths that Jerusalem is the centre of attention of a significant portion of tourists from the world over. The most spectacular and truly unforgettable sight here is that within very close proximity to each other, one can find Jews dancing by the Western Wall, Muslims praying at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Christians following the same practice at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The labyrinth of alleys and bazaars in the city can easily confuse anyone, while the city on the whole is surrounded by sites of paramount importance, like the city of David and the Garden Tomb (Christ's supposed crucifixion site).
Nazareth: The largest Arab city in Israel takes one by surprise at the initial glance, albeit in all the wrong contexts! There are loud car horns honking their way on every street, hordes of market vendors, church bells constantly going off every now and then – this is certainly not the kind of promotion the city gets in brochures and postcards. However, the city has the vibrancy of a small village, and packs in a punch by offering more than its pilgrim history. Besides the multitude of churches that are surely must-visits, there are the much-fabled cobbled streets with fascinating souq, restaurants dishing mouth-watering delicacies, and mansions right out of the pages of history. Further, even as the much hyped Nazareth 2000 project (a collaborated effort of the government and the local municipality towards restoration of the Old City to usher in the new millennium) was stopped midway due to lack of investment planning, tourists can certainly visit the early successes in the form of the winding alleyways that are lid brilliantly at night, offering a spectacular view. Additionally, some of the old historical homes have also been preserved, along with many new accommodation options that have been a great boon for tourists to visit this city. Nazareth's proximity to important Christian sites like Mount Tabor has made Nazareth a tourist base of sorts to explore the rest of Israel.
Galilee: An apt combination of picturesque scenery and centuries of cultural heritage, Galilee has lush green valleys, abundant forests, fertile farmlands, and last but not the least, the Sea of Galilee – everything in stark contrast to the dry lands in the south. It is believed that Jesus Christ grew up in this region, gathered his disciples and preached his lessons – no doubts over the fact that its importance to Christians is paramount.
While travelling to Israel, individuals subscribing to Matrix international sim cards have the distinct advantage of talking to their friends and family at 80% lower rates compared to international calling charges, giving them more time to talk their heart out without worrying about the bills.
For more information related to international SIM card, sim card for Israel, International communication, international travelling sim cards please visit: - http://www.matrix.in
Jerusalem: Much has been written about this fabled city for a majority of its 3000 year old history, but Jerusalem still leaves one spellbound at the first glance. The ancient walled city is not only a
visual treat, but more importantly, is a behemoth when it comes to cultural significance, as it is revered as the holy grail in terms of cities for three religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and it is owing to this very magnanimity of its stature among these three faiths that Jerusalem is the centre of attention of a significant portion of tourists from the world over. The most spectacular and truly unforgettable sight here is that within very close proximity to each other, one can find Jews dancing by the Western Wall, Muslims praying at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Christians following the same practice at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The labyrinth of alleys and bazaars in the city can easily confuse anyone, while the city on the whole is surrounded by sites of paramount importance, like the city of David and the Garden Tomb (Christ's supposed crucifixion site).
Nazareth: The largest Arab city in Israel takes one by surprise at the initial glance, albeit in all the wrong contexts! There are loud car horns honking their way on every street, hordes of market vendors, church bells constantly going off every now and then – this is certainly not the kind of promotion the city gets in brochures and postcards. However, the city has the vibrancy of a small village, and packs in a punch by offering more than its pilgrim history. Besides the multitude of churches that are surely must-visits, there are the much-fabled cobbled streets with fascinating souq, restaurants dishing mouth-watering delicacies, and mansions right out of the pages of history. Further, even as the much hyped Nazareth 2000 project (a collaborated effort of the government and the local municipality towards restoration of the Old City to usher in the new millennium) was stopped midway due to lack of investment planning, tourists can certainly visit the early successes in the form of the winding alleyways that are lid brilliantly at night, offering a spectacular view. Additionally, some of the old historical homes have also been preserved, along with many new accommodation options that have been a great boon for tourists to visit this city. Nazareth's proximity to important Christian sites like Mount Tabor has made Nazareth a tourist base of sorts to explore the rest of Israel.
Galilee: An apt combination of picturesque scenery and centuries of cultural heritage, Galilee has lush green valleys, abundant forests, fertile farmlands, and last but not the least, the Sea of Galilee – everything in stark contrast to the dry lands in the south. It is believed that Jesus Christ grew up in this region, gathered his disciples and preached his lessons – no doubts over the fact that its importance to Christians is paramount.
While travelling to Israel, individuals subscribing to Matrix international sim cards have the distinct advantage of talking to their friends and family at 80% lower rates compared to international calling charges, giving them more time to talk their heart out without worrying about the bills.
For more information related to international SIM card, sim card for Israel, International communication, international travelling sim cards please visit: - http://www.matrix.in
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