Six Day War(mth) - Into The Israeli And Palestinian Sun On W6 And IZ
Nov 20, 2017, 2:42 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
Six Day War(mth) - Into The Israeli And Palestinian Sun On W6 And IZ
Background
Since having visited Israel for the first (and so far only) time eight years ago I was longing to get back once. My stay back then culminated the end of a more than three-months-long backpacking trip through the Middle East - and was aptly timed to make sure I'd be in Jerusalem during the Easter and Pesach holidays. But after spending so many weeks in such Middle Eastern places like Damascus, the Wadi Rum Desert, Qatar and some other far-flung places, I did not enjoy Israel as much as I thought back then. I found Eilat boring, Jerusalem eerily similar in its conservative character to Aleppo. Worse, I failed to feel the imagined peaceful Easter atmosphere, although the blame could be entirely on me for having too much expectations, still being very young and being a bit weary of so much travels at that time. In the end I escaped Jerusalem after already two days and fled to Tel Aviv - which I did enjoy a lot as it was a sea of sophisticated European culture after spending three months in more conservative places. Call it the first - and so far only time ever - in which I felt a bit homesick!
Flights And Route
Even if my time in Israel wasn't necessarily as great eight years ago compared to other countries I visited on that trip and expected more of it, I still enjoyed it. I knew for sure that one day I would give it another fresh go - especially Jerusalem which normally be the kind of historical city I'd love to explore but for which I did not have any energy at all during my first time in Israel.
I did not expect to plan to Israel this month - but could not resist a 9.99 EUR offer from Wizzair (W6) to promote its new Bucharest - Eilat route when I saw the weather was 33 degrees Celsius (that's 91 Fahrenheit for those living in the Yankee colonies across the pond) compared to the drizzly late autumn weather in Romania. Some sun and warmth would definitely do me good - and was a great incentive to explore more of the country.
I quickly made my plan and decided to stay two nights in Eilat, after which I would take a 45 EUR domestic flight on Arkia (IZ) to Tel Aviv. A very well-priced flight compared to an otherwise relatively long bus journey through the desert - with the added risk that my trip would take place on a Friday morning in which buses might easily get fully booked before all traffic halts over Sabbath. After a day in Tel Aviv, I then decided to also check out the other side of the line of control and to visit Ramallah in the Palestinian Territories. Call it a weird interest/desire to visit as many countries/distinctive regions (especially ones with quirky status) as possible - and add to that a journalistic instinct of wanting to see as much as possible with my own eyes and to talk with people on the ground everywhere I can.
From Ramallah, it would be back to Jerusalem for the fifth and sixth day of the short trip to Israel, flying back from Tel Aviv to Bucharest on Wizzair for a very decent 30 EUR.
Romania and Israel are well-connected with Israel being a popular destination for Romanians to work and travel, and vice versa Romania getting more attractive for Israeli tourists, without doubt helped by the fact that many places in Romania have a long Jewish history with Israeli citizens flocking over to discover their family heritage. El Al (or is it UP operating for El Al?), TAROM and Israir also operate between the two countries besides Wizzair - although their prices usually start at 60-70 EUR one way. For just a two hour fifteen minutes short haul flight in economy, I can't be bothered with whom I fly or if I get a free drink or not and thus go for the best schedule and price -- in this case Wizzair on the Tel Aviv route.
An Israir ATR 72 on Eilat's city airport - which is great for some plane spotting!
Since having visited Israel for the first (and so far only) time eight years ago I was longing to get back once. My stay back then culminated the end of a more than three-months-long backpacking trip through the Middle East - and was aptly timed to make sure I'd be in Jerusalem during the Easter and Pesach holidays. But after spending so many weeks in such Middle Eastern places like Damascus, the Wadi Rum Desert, Qatar and some other far-flung places, I did not enjoy Israel as much as I thought back then. I found Eilat boring, Jerusalem eerily similar in its conservative character to Aleppo. Worse, I failed to feel the imagined peaceful Easter atmosphere, although the blame could be entirely on me for having too much expectations, still being very young and being a bit weary of so much travels at that time. In the end I escaped Jerusalem after already two days and fled to Tel Aviv - which I did enjoy a lot as it was a sea of sophisticated European culture after spending three months in more conservative places. Call it the first - and so far only time ever - in which I felt a bit homesick!
Flights And Route
Even if my time in Israel wasn't necessarily as great eight years ago compared to other countries I visited on that trip and expected more of it, I still enjoyed it. I knew for sure that one day I would give it another fresh go - especially Jerusalem which normally be the kind of historical city I'd love to explore but for which I did not have any energy at all during my first time in Israel.
I did not expect to plan to Israel this month - but could not resist a 9.99 EUR offer from Wizzair (W6) to promote its new Bucharest - Eilat route when I saw the weather was 33 degrees Celsius (that's 91 Fahrenheit for those living in the Yankee colonies across the pond) compared to the drizzly late autumn weather in Romania. Some sun and warmth would definitely do me good - and was a great incentive to explore more of the country.
I quickly made my plan and decided to stay two nights in Eilat, after which I would take a 45 EUR domestic flight on Arkia (IZ) to Tel Aviv. A very well-priced flight compared to an otherwise relatively long bus journey through the desert - with the added risk that my trip would take place on a Friday morning in which buses might easily get fully booked before all traffic halts over Sabbath. After a day in Tel Aviv, I then decided to also check out the other side of the line of control and to visit Ramallah in the Palestinian Territories. Call it a weird interest/desire to visit as many countries/distinctive regions (especially ones with quirky status) as possible - and add to that a journalistic instinct of wanting to see as much as possible with my own eyes and to talk with people on the ground everywhere I can.
From Ramallah, it would be back to Jerusalem for the fifth and sixth day of the short trip to Israel, flying back from Tel Aviv to Bucharest on Wizzair for a very decent 30 EUR.
Romania and Israel are well-connected with Israel being a popular destination for Romanians to work and travel, and vice versa Romania getting more attractive for Israeli tourists, without doubt helped by the fact that many places in Romania have a long Jewish history with Israeli citizens flocking over to discover their family heritage. El Al (or is it UP operating for El Al?), TAROM and Israir also operate between the two countries besides Wizzair - although their prices usually start at 60-70 EUR one way. For just a two hour fifteen minutes short haul flight in economy, I can't be bothered with whom I fly or if I get a free drink or not and thus go for the best schedule and price -- in this case Wizzair on the Tel Aviv route.
An Israir ATR 72 on Eilat's city airport - which is great for some plane spotting!
Previous Trip Report:
1. Three Nights On A Train - Into The Wild Romanian Mountains
(still plenty to write before I catch up with the Flyertalk Trip Report legends..
)
1. Three Nights On A Train - Into The Wild Romanian Mountains
(still plenty to write before I catch up with the Flyertalk Trip Report legends..
)Last edited by Romanianflyer; Nov 20, 2017 at 2:50 pm
Nov 25, 2017, 3:24 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
Day 1: Bucharest - Eilat Ovda, Wizzair, departure: Bucharest (OTP) 18:30, arrival Eilat Ovda (VDA) 21:20, Airbus A320-232
As I wrote before, the route is a relatively new one for Wizzair, which started operating to Eilat from a number of (Eastern) European cities. As it was just the 2nd or 3rd flight since operations began, I managed to snatch a deal in the launch sale for the route for just 9.99 EUR - a steal.
The evening departure time allowed me for a day of work out in the Carpathian Mountains some 2-3 hour drive north of Bucharest. Compared to the normally short and uninspiring drive from downtown Bucharest to the airport, it made for an amazing journey in its own right with some late Autumn colours and the first bits of snow on the mountaintops. I'll let the pictures do the talking here.
I arrived at the airport at T-2. Bucharest's Otopeni Airport won't win any awards for its designs and at times can be a crowded affair - especially during the early morning rush hour as dozens of flights of the hub-airlines TAROM, Wizzair and Blue Air depart, together with some airlines such as LH, KL and AF which stay for the night.
There are two points to clear security - one in the older claustrophobic check-in area where you first enter the departures terminal, and one in the more modern building directly connected with it to the left. If queues are big, it pays off at times to walk a few steps to the more modern check-in area as often the queue there is half the size.
It looks like a fairly long queue, but it took just 10-15 minutes in the end
No matter which security line you use, they both end up at the same passport control area, which was well-staffed and had no queues at all. The path then leads you through a duty free shop, which opens up in the gate area. As I was flying a budget airline and thus have no lounge access (and would never pay for it in Bucharest given how basic the lounges are), I set up shop at the Peroni Cafe right below the TAROM lounge for a very decent Romanian red.
Internet at OTP is horribly slow and unreliable for those wanting to get some work done. Luckily plugs are plentiful in the cafe and I have my 4G connection to set up my own fast network to get some work done.
At around 50 minutes before departure I walked the last few steps to the end of the concourse - the newest and most modern part of OTP - from where my flight would depart. No gate lice whatsoever, plenty of seats available - a good sign for the flight. When I checked the Wizzair app earlier the day, I saw tickets were still being sold for 50 EUR, coming to the conclusion that no way this flight will be even close to full.
Boarding was a quiet affair and I quickly settled in my seat 10F. The middle seat stayed empty during the flight - I estimate that no more than 50-60% of the seats were booked.
The Airbus A320-232 of Wizz seemed to be one of the older ones - which I actually quite liked. In comparison, the newer aeroplanes (especially the newest A321s) have slimline seats which are rock-hard and much less space. This was perfectly doable for a flight just under three hours. Being 1.85 metres tall (6' 1") I never felt cramped. Not sure though if I would still say the same on the longer Wizzair routes (Budapest-Astana, Bucharest-Tenerife) if the plane would be full!
The flight was enjoyable as far budget airlines go (I always bring a good book to read anyway). The plane already started its descent just off the Israel coast, and brought us gorgeous views of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem by night.
Jerusalem by night
The final flight path, taking the plane over Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the Dead Sea.
Arrival at Ovda Airport was smooth. The airport is so small that we could walk to the little terminal building instead of being bused - which is always a plus! Located in the Negev Desert some 60 kilometres to the North of Eilat, the airport is only used by charter flights and low cost airlines. Today's arrivals all seemed to come from Eastern Europe and Russia, although there are also flights to Western Europe. Eilat also has an airport right in the city centre used for domestic flights - more on that later.
As most Flyertalkers will now (especially those with a big stamp collection in their passport) - arrival in Israel can be a pain in the a**. I don't blame Israel for that at all - I rather fly and enjoy my holiday knowing that I will be safe than having a possible suicide bomber seated next to me. Especially Western European governments can learn a lot from Israel when it comes to anti-terror measures.
The last and only time in Israel (eight years ago) it took me forever to get into the country when crossing the Aqaba-Eilat land border. I still fondly remember the IDF-draftee, a good looking young girl, browsing through my passport. With every stamp and page (Syria, Pakistan - to name a few) her face got more white. Her supervisor was super friendly and the border guard you wish to have: he brought me a cup of tea and informed me honestly about the steps it would take to get clearance to enter Israel (they had to crosscheck with someone in some higher offices in Jerusalem/Tel Aviv) and the time it would take. We even had a nice chat while waiting for clearance to arrive about my native Western European country which he visited a few times (I was surprised that he ever heard of my home town!). In the end it took me 3 hours to cross the border.
Luckily, this time I had a new passport with the only stamps so far being those from Moldova, Ukraine and Turkey. After 3 easy questions and just 5 minutes (what am I going to do, do I know anyone in Israel, what is my profession) I was in Israel. Score!
In the baggage reclaim area a lovely girl of the Israel Tourism Board (or something similar) was waiting to give every arriving passenger a complimentary bottle of hand cream. As I had no luggage to collect, I went straight to the desk next to the baggage belt to collect my ticket for the Egged bus to Eilat. I had booked the ticket before online for 5 EUR, and the friendly bus driver manning the ticket booth had it already printed out for me. Yet there was no need pre-booking, as the bus turned out to be less than 30% full and the driver told me they time the departure with arriving flights - and wait for the last passenger to have cleared customs unless they are detained for a while longer to get clearance to enter Israel. As I was one of the first to clear customs, I had a chat with the bus driver and girl of the tourism board while waiting for the bus departure.
One big bit of advice which caught some people off guard: there is no ATM what I could see at Ovda - bring EUR/USD/whatever other currency if you need shekels to pay for the bus!
Baggage reclaim area and the booth of the Egged airport bus
Small gift to welcome people into Israel
Ovda Airport, which literally looks and feels like some containers placed into the desert
An hour after arrival, the bus departed to Eilat. I had a seat in front of the bus to continue the chat with the bus driver, who told me that in those eight years since my last time in the city not much has changed. He called Eilat "a small town in which everyone knows each other", and just looking at how he seemingly greeted everyone at the airport like they are best friends that could perfectly be true. I was pleasantly surprised with the friendliness of the bus driver and the girl of the tourism board handing out the hand cream - it's like already the airport so far had this combination European culture, Middle Eastern hospitality and a laid-back beach resort feel.
Whilst driving along the Israeli-Egyptian border down to Eilat, the bus driver talked about his city and (geo)politics, which is an interesting topic nowadays. The upper part of the Red Sea is shared by Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The bus driver said that the regional authorities (and countries as a whole) are getting increasingly close due to shared interests. Jordan was and is for many years one of the more reliable and stable Middle Eastern countries for Israel, Egypt has increasing worries about its vital tourism industry in the Sinai thus is seeking increased cooperation with Israel, and on a greater level the same counts for Saudi Arabia which covertly now shares intel and meets with Israeli dignitaries to thwart Iranian ambitions in the region. Interesting times for sure!
The road through the Negev Desert along the Egyptian border from Ovda Airport to Eilat
On arrival, I checked into my room at Arava Hostel - a pretty much nondescript hostel, although with a lovely front patio with huge seating area between the palm trees, and staffed by a a knowledgeable and super friendly team led by the lovely Ruth.
As I didn't have dinner and was craving a quick bite - I walked 5 minutes to a place opposite the central bus station for what both the bus driver and Ruth said was the best falafel in town. It didn't disappoint!
Being completely drained after a day of working, the long drive to the airport from the mountains, and the flight - I called it an early night.
Next up: Day 2: A day in Eilat at the Red Sea.
As I wrote before, the route is a relatively new one for Wizzair, which started operating to Eilat from a number of (Eastern) European cities. As it was just the 2nd or 3rd flight since operations began, I managed to snatch a deal in the launch sale for the route for just 9.99 EUR - a steal.
The evening departure time allowed me for a day of work out in the Carpathian Mountains some 2-3 hour drive north of Bucharest. Compared to the normally short and uninspiring drive from downtown Bucharest to the airport, it made for an amazing journey in its own right with some late Autumn colours and the first bits of snow on the mountaintops. I'll let the pictures do the talking here.
I arrived at the airport at T-2. Bucharest's Otopeni Airport won't win any awards for its designs and at times can be a crowded affair - especially during the early morning rush hour as dozens of flights of the hub-airlines TAROM, Wizzair and Blue Air depart, together with some airlines such as LH, KL and AF which stay for the night.
There are two points to clear security - one in the older claustrophobic check-in area where you first enter the departures terminal, and one in the more modern building directly connected with it to the left. If queues are big, it pays off at times to walk a few steps to the more modern check-in area as often the queue there is half the size.
It looks like a fairly long queue, but it took just 10-15 minutes in the end
No matter which security line you use, they both end up at the same passport control area, which was well-staffed and had no queues at all. The path then leads you through a duty free shop, which opens up in the gate area. As I was flying a budget airline and thus have no lounge access (and would never pay for it in Bucharest given how basic the lounges are), I set up shop at the Peroni Cafe right below the TAROM lounge for a very decent Romanian red.
Internet at OTP is horribly slow and unreliable for those wanting to get some work done. Luckily plugs are plentiful in the cafe and I have my 4G connection to set up my own fast network to get some work done.
At around 50 minutes before departure I walked the last few steps to the end of the concourse - the newest and most modern part of OTP - from where my flight would depart. No gate lice whatsoever, plenty of seats available - a good sign for the flight. When I checked the Wizzair app earlier the day, I saw tickets were still being sold for 50 EUR, coming to the conclusion that no way this flight will be even close to full.
Boarding was a quiet affair and I quickly settled in my seat 10F. The middle seat stayed empty during the flight - I estimate that no more than 50-60% of the seats were booked.
The Airbus A320-232 of Wizz seemed to be one of the older ones - which I actually quite liked. In comparison, the newer aeroplanes (especially the newest A321s) have slimline seats which are rock-hard and much less space. This was perfectly doable for a flight just under three hours. Being 1.85 metres tall (6' 1") I never felt cramped. Not sure though if I would still say the same on the longer Wizzair routes (Budapest-Astana, Bucharest-Tenerife) if the plane would be full!
The flight was enjoyable as far budget airlines go (I always bring a good book to read anyway). The plane already started its descent just off the Israel coast, and brought us gorgeous views of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem by night.
Jerusalem by night
The final flight path, taking the plane over Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the Dead Sea.
Arrival at Ovda Airport was smooth. The airport is so small that we could walk to the little terminal building instead of being bused - which is always a plus! Located in the Negev Desert some 60 kilometres to the North of Eilat, the airport is only used by charter flights and low cost airlines. Today's arrivals all seemed to come from Eastern Europe and Russia, although there are also flights to Western Europe. Eilat also has an airport right in the city centre used for domestic flights - more on that later.
As most Flyertalkers will now (especially those with a big stamp collection in their passport) - arrival in Israel can be a pain in the a**. I don't blame Israel for that at all - I rather fly and enjoy my holiday knowing that I will be safe than having a possible suicide bomber seated next to me. Especially Western European governments can learn a lot from Israel when it comes to anti-terror measures.
The last and only time in Israel (eight years ago) it took me forever to get into the country when crossing the Aqaba-Eilat land border. I still fondly remember the IDF-draftee, a good looking young girl, browsing through my passport. With every stamp and page (Syria, Pakistan - to name a few) her face got more white. Her supervisor was super friendly and the border guard you wish to have: he brought me a cup of tea and informed me honestly about the steps it would take to get clearance to enter Israel (they had to crosscheck with someone in some higher offices in Jerusalem/Tel Aviv) and the time it would take. We even had a nice chat while waiting for clearance to arrive about my native Western European country which he visited a few times (I was surprised that he ever heard of my home town!). In the end it took me 3 hours to cross the border.
Luckily, this time I had a new passport with the only stamps so far being those from Moldova, Ukraine and Turkey. After 3 easy questions and just 5 minutes (what am I going to do, do I know anyone in Israel, what is my profession) I was in Israel. Score!
In the baggage reclaim area a lovely girl of the Israel Tourism Board (or something similar) was waiting to give every arriving passenger a complimentary bottle of hand cream. As I had no luggage to collect, I went straight to the desk next to the baggage belt to collect my ticket for the Egged bus to Eilat. I had booked the ticket before online for 5 EUR, and the friendly bus driver manning the ticket booth had it already printed out for me. Yet there was no need pre-booking, as the bus turned out to be less than 30% full and the driver told me they time the departure with arriving flights - and wait for the last passenger to have cleared customs unless they are detained for a while longer to get clearance to enter Israel. As I was one of the first to clear customs, I had a chat with the bus driver and girl of the tourism board while waiting for the bus departure.
One big bit of advice which caught some people off guard: there is no ATM what I could see at Ovda - bring EUR/USD/whatever other currency if you need shekels to pay for the bus!
Baggage reclaim area and the booth of the Egged airport bus
Small gift to welcome people into Israel
Ovda Airport, which literally looks and feels like some containers placed into the desert
An hour after arrival, the bus departed to Eilat. I had a seat in front of the bus to continue the chat with the bus driver, who told me that in those eight years since my last time in the city not much has changed. He called Eilat "a small town in which everyone knows each other", and just looking at how he seemingly greeted everyone at the airport like they are best friends that could perfectly be true. I was pleasantly surprised with the friendliness of the bus driver and the girl of the tourism board handing out the hand cream - it's like already the airport so far had this combination European culture, Middle Eastern hospitality and a laid-back beach resort feel.
Whilst driving along the Israeli-Egyptian border down to Eilat, the bus driver talked about his city and (geo)politics, which is an interesting topic nowadays. The upper part of the Red Sea is shared by Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The bus driver said that the regional authorities (and countries as a whole) are getting increasingly close due to shared interests. Jordan was and is for many years one of the more reliable and stable Middle Eastern countries for Israel, Egypt has increasing worries about its vital tourism industry in the Sinai thus is seeking increased cooperation with Israel, and on a greater level the same counts for Saudi Arabia which covertly now shares intel and meets with Israeli dignitaries to thwart Iranian ambitions in the region. Interesting times for sure!
The road through the Negev Desert along the Egyptian border from Ovda Airport to Eilat
On arrival, I checked into my room at Arava Hostel - a pretty much nondescript hostel, although with a lovely front patio with huge seating area between the palm trees, and staffed by a a knowledgeable and super friendly team led by the lovely Ruth.
As I didn't have dinner and was craving a quick bite - I walked 5 minutes to a place opposite the central bus station for what both the bus driver and Ruth said was the best falafel in town. It didn't disappoint!
Being completely drained after a day of working, the long drive to the airport from the mountains, and the flight - I called it an early night.
Next up: Day 2: A day in Eilat at the Red Sea.
Last edited by Romanianflyer; Nov 25, 2017 at 3:30 pm
Dec 2, 2017, 10:46 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
I really should go back as well in the next few years to see more of the country. This was a spontaneous (and thus low budget trip for most of it) - but would love to rent a car, see more of the Negev, the Dead Sea and Masada, and go up North to Haifa and the Sea of Galilee. Had a great time in the country!
I hope to have the next installment of the trip report up tomorrow. Had zero time the last week due to a lot of work in general and three long days guiding some people around (which involved too much great food, wine and craft beers, so I guess I should lay off the humus too for a while too
)
Dec 4, 2017, 12:30 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
Day 2: Eilat
Due to some unforeseen circumstances I ended up working for most of the day - but being in Eilat that meant looking for a nice beach side cafe, open my laptop and work while soaking up the sun and drinking a beer or cocktail
Eilat is a pretty small town and as the bus driver told me does have a small town atmosphere. It might not look that way when staying at one of the beachside resorts, but venture inland (where my accommodation was located) and shop in the supermarkets and it certainly does feel like half the town knows each other. After chatting with a friendly local at one point ended up being offered a free ride back to my accommodation - something that doesn't happen often at all in Western societies.
After stocking up on some groceries and doing some work at the hotel in the early morning hours, I walked to the beach promenade for a quick dip in the sea and some lunch. At 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) - and what I was told some 22 degrees Celsius (71 F) sea water - it was perfect.
Sure, there are better beaches than the mixed sand and pebbly beach at Eilat - probably already just outside of the city, or otherwise for sure in Egypt. But having braved autumn storms and rains the days before I didn't care a minute about it.
After a quick dip, I settled down at a beach side cafe. About 90 shekels (20 EUR) got me a pint of unfiltered Goldstar Weizen beer and a giant plate of Israeli mezzes. The friendly waiter warned me that two people can eat from it, but as I was hungry I easily managed to eat it all. Needless to say - it was excellent.
As I still had some work to do and the wifi connection was more than decent (good public wifi network as well along the major streets!), I stayed for a while longer. As it was right next to the water, I could easily jump in for a quick dive and have a drink during several short intervals in between the work.
After a while, I was finished with my work and continued the short city tour along the promenade and beach. There isn't really anything at all to see in Eilat (although locals told me there are great canyons inland) - but sightseeing isn't the point of a short beach trip anyway. I knew there would be plenty of culture awaiting me later in Tel Aviv and especially in Jerusalem.
One thing flying fanatics will love about Eilat is the location of the city airport. In the previous chapter, I featured Ovda Airport which is preliminary used for international charter flights besides being a base for Israeli Air Force.
Eilat has however a second (domestic only) airport which is located just a few feet away from the beach. It's not exactly St. Maarten's Maho Bay beach in the Caribbean, and mostly ATR 72s are flown besides the odd narrow-body Airbus, but it comes close! There is great aeroplane watching both from the beach and from a green meadow located right next to the runway (more on that in the next installment).
As the sun was about to set, I bought a beer or two from a mini market on the beach promenade and watched the colours change over the Red Sea.
The purple haze looking East towards the Jordanian and Saudi side of the Red Sea was gorgeous. And what did I miss the sea coupled with great mountain vistas (having lived on Crete, and being a huge fan such countries as Montenegro, the combination of both is just so much better than a beach at a country that's completely flat).
I don't have a picture of it (some forgettable hamburger) and I just kicked back the evening in my room with an eminently drinkable bottle of Israeli red wine I previously bought in the local supermarket for a tenner.
Next up: Day 3: Flying from Eilat (ETH) to Tel Aviv Sde Dov (SDV) on Arkia (IZ)
Due to some unforeseen circumstances I ended up working for most of the day - but being in Eilat that meant looking for a nice beach side cafe, open my laptop and work while soaking up the sun and drinking a beer or cocktail
Eilat is a pretty small town and as the bus driver told me does have a small town atmosphere. It might not look that way when staying at one of the beachside resorts, but venture inland (where my accommodation was located) and shop in the supermarkets and it certainly does feel like half the town knows each other. After chatting with a friendly local at one point ended up being offered a free ride back to my accommodation - something that doesn't happen often at all in Western societies.
After stocking up on some groceries and doing some work at the hotel in the early morning hours, I walked to the beach promenade for a quick dip in the sea and some lunch. At 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) - and what I was told some 22 degrees Celsius (71 F) sea water - it was perfect.
Sure, there are better beaches than the mixed sand and pebbly beach at Eilat - probably already just outside of the city, or otherwise for sure in Egypt. But having braved autumn storms and rains the days before I didn't care a minute about it.
After a quick dip, I settled down at a beach side cafe. About 90 shekels (20 EUR) got me a pint of unfiltered Goldstar Weizen beer and a giant plate of Israeli mezzes. The friendly waiter warned me that two people can eat from it, but as I was hungry I easily managed to eat it all. Needless to say - it was excellent.
As I still had some work to do and the wifi connection was more than decent (good public wifi network as well along the major streets!), I stayed for a while longer. As it was right next to the water, I could easily jump in for a quick dive and have a drink during several short intervals in between the work.
After a while, I was finished with my work and continued the short city tour along the promenade and beach. There isn't really anything at all to see in Eilat (although locals told me there are great canyons inland) - but sightseeing isn't the point of a short beach trip anyway. I knew there would be plenty of culture awaiting me later in Tel Aviv and especially in Jerusalem.
One thing flying fanatics will love about Eilat is the location of the city airport. In the previous chapter, I featured Ovda Airport which is preliminary used for international charter flights besides being a base for Israeli Air Force.
Eilat has however a second (domestic only) airport which is located just a few feet away from the beach. It's not exactly St. Maarten's Maho Bay beach in the Caribbean, and mostly ATR 72s are flown besides the odd narrow-body Airbus, but it comes close! There is great aeroplane watching both from the beach and from a green meadow located right next to the runway (more on that in the next installment).
As the sun was about to set, I bought a beer or two from a mini market on the beach promenade and watched the colours change over the Red Sea.
The purple haze looking East towards the Jordanian and Saudi side of the Red Sea was gorgeous. And what did I miss the sea coupled with great mountain vistas (having lived on Crete, and being a huge fan such countries as Montenegro, the combination of both is just so much better than a beach at a country that's completely flat).
I don't have a picture of it (some forgettable hamburger) and I just kicked back the evening in my room with an eminently drinkable bottle of Israeli red wine I previously bought in the local supermarket for a tenner.
Next up: Day 3: Flying from Eilat (ETH) to Tel Aviv Sde Dov (SDV) on Arkia (IZ)
Last edited by Romanianflyer; Dec 4, 2017 at 12:44 pm
Dec 9, 2017, 3:35 pm
#11
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Day 3: Eilat (ETH) - Tel Aviv Sde Dov (SDV), Arkia Flight IZ 1810, departure: 08:30, arrival 09:30, ATR 72-500
Of the entire trip, this was one of the moments I was especially looking forward to as the entire route seemed a kinda novelty to me. Unlike having to go to a faraway airport miles out of the city centre, both airports are actually located either in or just outside the city centres of Eilat and Tel Aviv respectively.
Eilat's city airport is located just a few minutes away from the start of the beachfront boulevard and most hotels - you can literally walk there.
600 metres - 8 minutes walking - I can't think of many cities that have such a centrally located airport! The roundabout visible on the map has a nice meadow at the start of the runway. Aeroplanes land coming South from the sea, and depart to the North, making for some great plane spotting and an ideal airplane lovers picnic place. Already the day before, I stopped by for half an hour and managed to take some nice snaps of a departing ATR 72-500 of Israir. I would fly the same play today with rival Arkia.
The Arkia flight was the first one of the day, and the airport only opened one-and-a-half hour before departure at 7am. Even though the ridiculous small walking distance I was of course too early and the airport was not yet open. A "bad" Germanic habit which I still haven't lost despite even living a while in such places like Greece! I decided to walk to a nearby petrol station just north of the airport to buy a coffee and croissant, and to eat it on a bench in front of the terminal.
Before you can check-in at the desk to drop off your bag and get your boarding pass (no such think as online check in AFAIK) you have the typical Israeli security check. Unfortunately, I got tagged as a single male traveler with a few stamps in my passport. It meant that a security guy walked with me to the check-in desk to get my boarding pass (no bags to check as I was travelling HBO) and walked with me all the way to the luggage scanner.
Afterwards, he asked politely if I would sit down as he needed to check my luggage - in a security room away from my eyes. Now I don't really feel comfortable giving my bag away to a stranger. It's not that I don't trust Israeli security personnel, but w.t.f. really - you get questions like "have you left your baggage unattended at any time?" and then they demand you to basically leave your bag unattended! Why not check the bag while I watch over it?
Of course, I didn't have a choice here really. Refusing would for sure have left me kicked off the flight - or worse. I sat down at a chair next to the baggage scanner, and waited for minutes, and more minutes. At T-30 the security guy came back, saying the bag was searched but that he needed the password for my tablet. Again - really? Slightly annoyed by the very intrusive breach of privacy I gave it - nothing to hide anyway! At T-15 the guy came back with my bag and tablet, thanking me for my patience.
All in, he was professional and courteous, and I do really understand and appreciate the need for extra security in Israel to protect the Jewish state. But what's the purpose of such a gross breach of privacy? Whats wrong with me typing in the password of the laptop and giving it back to him for the security people to do whatever they need to do (I guess scan the device if it contains suspicious files with suspicious software?). Curious if perhaps anyone here has any clue!
Alas, I had no time left to get another coffee as it was quickly making 2 pictures in the terminal and into the plane for the flight to Tel Aviv!
Only domestic flights at this airport - and only to the two Tel Aviv airports today. I do believe occasionally on demand there are also flights to Haifa.
The sole ATR 72 of Arkia is fairly old and shows its age. As expected, it was a bit cramped, but still comfortable enough for a flight of just an hour. The only real annoyance were the dirty windows (probably more because of simple wear and tear than the lack of cleaning). Boarding was fast - you could walk to the plane from the terminal, no buses used! Before I knew, we were in the air. Some lovely desert views while taking off. Today's route would take us right over the Dead Sea, before we would turn left towards Tel Aviv, where the plane does a 270 degree turn to realign with the Sde Dov runway.
The landing path to Tel Aviv, turning left at the northern end of the Dead Sea, and then making a 270 degree turn to align for the Sde Dov runway.
Not the best pictures - but with such a dirty window its hard to focus/work around the spots on the window
I was surprised to see the crew doing a drinks round - got myself an orange juice. Not bad for such a short domestic flight as I expected no service at all. The magazine had some articles in English. If I remember correctly it wrote that two thirds of Arkia employees were ex-military personnel - although that is perhaps not surprising from a country with a strong military tradition.
Flying over the Dead Sea
Jerusalem's Atarot Airport (JSR) as seen from the air - closed since the second intifada
The Tel Aviv skyline
Safely arrived - on time - at Sde Dov Airport. Bus terminal, which meant a for a small airport relatively long ride (5 mins) to the terminal, passing by all kinds of general aviation planes. Interesting airport it is indeed!
Picture from the bus to the airport terminal - with some light aircraft and the Reading Power Plant on the background
As Tel Aviv Sve Dov is so centrally located, and the weather was gorgeous with 25 degrees Celsius, I decided to walk to my accommodation at the famous beach boulevard of Tel Aviv as it's just 4 kilometres and 50 minutes. I never had a flight before in my entire life where I could just walk at both ends of the flight - and it felt a bit like cheating if I would take a taxi now. For those who might one day consider walking too, its a super easy and enjoyable walk on the pavement ("sidewalk" for the Yankee colonials who don't know the proper word for it in normal English). The road and pavement go through a residential area and across the Reading Power Plant/bus terminal and through a nice park next to the Tel Aviv Hilton.
Besides the security oddities - a highly enjoyable flight and walk! And at only 45 EUR not really much more expensive than taking the bus - which in Tel Aviv would have left you equally far from the main beachfront promenade as Sve Dov airport.
Next up: exploring the sights and sounds of Tel Aviv and Jaffa
Of the entire trip, this was one of the moments I was especially looking forward to as the entire route seemed a kinda novelty to me. Unlike having to go to a faraway airport miles out of the city centre, both airports are actually located either in or just outside the city centres of Eilat and Tel Aviv respectively.
Eilat's city airport is located just a few minutes away from the start of the beachfront boulevard and most hotels - you can literally walk there.
600 metres - 8 minutes walking - I can't think of many cities that have such a centrally located airport! The roundabout visible on the map has a nice meadow at the start of the runway. Aeroplanes land coming South from the sea, and depart to the North, making for some great plane spotting and an ideal airplane lovers picnic place. Already the day before, I stopped by for half an hour and managed to take some nice snaps of a departing ATR 72-500 of Israir. I would fly the same play today with rival Arkia.
The Arkia flight was the first one of the day, and the airport only opened one-and-a-half hour before departure at 7am. Even though the ridiculous small walking distance I was of course too early and the airport was not yet open. A "bad" Germanic habit which I still haven't lost despite even living a while in such places like Greece! I decided to walk to a nearby petrol station just north of the airport to buy a coffee and croissant, and to eat it on a bench in front of the terminal.
Before you can check-in at the desk to drop off your bag and get your boarding pass (no such think as online check in AFAIK) you have the typical Israeli security check. Unfortunately, I got tagged as a single male traveler with a few stamps in my passport. It meant that a security guy walked with me to the check-in desk to get my boarding pass (no bags to check as I was travelling HBO) and walked with me all the way to the luggage scanner.
Afterwards, he asked politely if I would sit down as he needed to check my luggage - in a security room away from my eyes. Now I don't really feel comfortable giving my bag away to a stranger. It's not that I don't trust Israeli security personnel, but w.t.f. really - you get questions like "have you left your baggage unattended at any time?" and then they demand you to basically leave your bag unattended! Why not check the bag while I watch over it?
Of course, I didn't have a choice here really. Refusing would for sure have left me kicked off the flight - or worse. I sat down at a chair next to the baggage scanner, and waited for minutes, and more minutes. At T-30 the security guy came back, saying the bag was searched but that he needed the password for my tablet. Again - really? Slightly annoyed by the very intrusive breach of privacy I gave it - nothing to hide anyway! At T-15 the guy came back with my bag and tablet, thanking me for my patience.
All in, he was professional and courteous, and I do really understand and appreciate the need for extra security in Israel to protect the Jewish state. But what's the purpose of such a gross breach of privacy? Whats wrong with me typing in the password of the laptop and giving it back to him for the security people to do whatever they need to do (I guess scan the device if it contains suspicious files with suspicious software?). Curious if perhaps anyone here has any clue!
Alas, I had no time left to get another coffee as it was quickly making 2 pictures in the terminal and into the plane for the flight to Tel Aviv!
Only domestic flights at this airport - and only to the two Tel Aviv airports today. I do believe occasionally on demand there are also flights to Haifa.
The sole ATR 72 of Arkia is fairly old and shows its age. As expected, it was a bit cramped, but still comfortable enough for a flight of just an hour. The only real annoyance were the dirty windows (probably more because of simple wear and tear than the lack of cleaning). Boarding was fast - you could walk to the plane from the terminal, no buses used! Before I knew, we were in the air. Some lovely desert views while taking off. Today's route would take us right over the Dead Sea, before we would turn left towards Tel Aviv, where the plane does a 270 degree turn to realign with the Sde Dov runway.
The landing path to Tel Aviv, turning left at the northern end of the Dead Sea, and then making a 270 degree turn to align for the Sde Dov runway.
Not the best pictures - but with such a dirty window its hard to focus/work around the spots on the window
I was surprised to see the crew doing a drinks round - got myself an orange juice. Not bad for such a short domestic flight as I expected no service at all. The magazine had some articles in English. If I remember correctly it wrote that two thirds of Arkia employees were ex-military personnel - although that is perhaps not surprising from a country with a strong military tradition.
Flying over the Dead Sea
Jerusalem's Atarot Airport (JSR) as seen from the air - closed since the second intifada
The Tel Aviv skyline
Safely arrived - on time - at Sde Dov Airport. Bus terminal, which meant a for a small airport relatively long ride (5 mins) to the terminal, passing by all kinds of general aviation planes. Interesting airport it is indeed!
Picture from the bus to the airport terminal - with some light aircraft and the Reading Power Plant on the background
As Tel Aviv Sve Dov is so centrally located, and the weather was gorgeous with 25 degrees Celsius, I decided to walk to my accommodation at the famous beach boulevard of Tel Aviv as it's just 4 kilometres and 50 minutes. I never had a flight before in my entire life where I could just walk at both ends of the flight - and it felt a bit like cheating if I would take a taxi now. For those who might one day consider walking too, its a super easy and enjoyable walk on the pavement ("sidewalk" for the Yankee colonials who don't know the proper word for it in normal English). The road and pavement go through a residential area and across the Reading Power Plant/bus terminal and through a nice park next to the Tel Aviv Hilton.
Besides the security oddities - a highly enjoyable flight and walk! And at only 45 EUR not really much more expensive than taking the bus - which in Tel Aviv would have left you equally far from the main beachfront promenade as Sve Dov airport.
Next up: exploring the sights and sounds of Tel Aviv and Jaffa
Dec 13, 2017, 3:11 am
#12
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You appreciate Israel's approach to airport security yet you got abused being forced to giveaway your passwords and let them check your carryon away from your eyes 
I would never do that especially leaving my belongings getting inspected while I'm not close by.
Good photos though!
I would never do that especially leaving my belongings getting inspected while I'm not close by.
Good photos though!
Jan 17, 2018, 12:33 pm
#14
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You appreciate Israel's approach to airport security yet you got abused being forced to giveaway your passwords and let them check your carryon away from your eyes
I would never do that especially leaving my belongings getting inspected while I'm not close by.
Good photos though!
I would never do that especially leaving my belongings getting inspected while I'm not close by.
Good photos though!
Jan 17, 2018, 1:02 pm
#15
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Day 3: A Full Day In Tel Aviv And Jaffa
My day in Tel Aviv was mostly spend walking around (a lot!) and eating and drinking in some of the many great foodie spots of Tel Aviv. For this part, I will let the pictures do the talking as there isn't that much to be said about Tel Aviv what hasn't been said before. It's a very, very lively city with fun markets, great restaurants and a Mediterranean atmosphere with a cool beach scene. Tel Aviv and its residents try very hard to be hip. Think muscled bodies, outdoor running, pop up bars and restaurants, and electronic bicycles. I already had good memories when I first visited many years back, and was definitely surprised that not only the city was as good as it was then, if one thing it was even much livelier and crowded. One day doesn't do justice to Tel Aviv and the old town of Jaffa which the sprawling city sort-of incorporated. I do need to come back once and stay a bit longer!
The Tel Aviv beachfront and boulevard
On a Friday at the beginning of Sabbath, all cafes and restaurants were filled to the brim. Although I have the idea that in such a lively city as Tel Aviv this is actually an everyday situation with people enjoying life.
Tel Aviv city hall on Rabin Square. Then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated here at the conclusion of a peace rally on 4th November 1995. The square was later renamed after him.
First pit stop of the day, NY style cream bagel and coffee in a very nice bookshop cafe
On to Carmel Market, a very lively and crowded area with hundreds of market stalls and small restaurants. I could easily spend a full day walking and eating around here! I had some yummy grilled meat at an open corner restaurant but forgot to take a picture.
The famous flea market at Carmel
Just outside the market area was this nondescript restaurant overlooking a parking lot and bits of the Tel Aviv skyline. Absolute yummy shakshouka (spicy tomato egg dish) and a refreshing cold beer.
After Carmel, I headed towards Jaffa. A long walk and unfortunately only a very short visit to this beautiful part of Tel Aviv, but still worth it as I managed to get some decent sunset pictures.
Overlooking the Tel Aviv skyline from the seaside park between Tel Aviv proper and Jaffa.
The sunset over Jaffa.
Looking back from Jaffa towards Tel Aviv
The Tel Aviv skyline at night
Next up: Travelling into the Palestinian Territories and spending a day and night in Ramallah.
My day in Tel Aviv was mostly spend walking around (a lot!) and eating and drinking in some of the many great foodie spots of Tel Aviv. For this part, I will let the pictures do the talking as there isn't that much to be said about Tel Aviv what hasn't been said before. It's a very, very lively city with fun markets, great restaurants and a Mediterranean atmosphere with a cool beach scene. Tel Aviv and its residents try very hard to be hip. Think muscled bodies, outdoor running, pop up bars and restaurants, and electronic bicycles. I already had good memories when I first visited many years back, and was definitely surprised that not only the city was as good as it was then, if one thing it was even much livelier and crowded. One day doesn't do justice to Tel Aviv and the old town of Jaffa which the sprawling city sort-of incorporated. I do need to come back once and stay a bit longer!
The Tel Aviv beachfront and boulevard
On a Friday at the beginning of Sabbath, all cafes and restaurants were filled to the brim. Although I have the idea that in such a lively city as Tel Aviv this is actually an everyday situation with people enjoying life.
Tel Aviv city hall on Rabin Square. Then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated here at the conclusion of a peace rally on 4th November 1995. The square was later renamed after him.
First pit stop of the day, NY style cream bagel and coffee in a very nice bookshop cafe
On to Carmel Market, a very lively and crowded area with hundreds of market stalls and small restaurants. I could easily spend a full day walking and eating around here! I had some yummy grilled meat at an open corner restaurant but forgot to take a picture.
The famous flea market at Carmel
Just outside the market area was this nondescript restaurant overlooking a parking lot and bits of the Tel Aviv skyline. Absolute yummy shakshouka (spicy tomato egg dish) and a refreshing cold beer.
After Carmel, I headed towards Jaffa. A long walk and unfortunately only a very short visit to this beautiful part of Tel Aviv, but still worth it as I managed to get some decent sunset pictures.
Overlooking the Tel Aviv skyline from the seaside park between Tel Aviv proper and Jaffa.
The sunset over Jaffa.
Looking back from Jaffa towards Tel Aviv
The Tel Aviv skyline at night
Next up: Travelling into the Palestinian Territories and spending a day and night in Ramallah.