Israel

I was very lucky to spend two weeks in Israel during the month of June. While it wasn't the easiest taking two international trips back to back (New Zealand then Israel), I couldn't be happier visiting new countries. Plus, the warm, dry weather in Israel was much more to my liking (compared to the super cold of New Zealand). My trip started with one night in Tel Aviv, which could not have worked out any better. My flight arrived around 9:30am so I had the entire day to spend on the beach. We (myself and three coworkers from Portland) then made our way to Jerusalem where we spent the remainder of our time. Our hotel was very close to the Old City and was a great area for wandering around. On the weekend we took a tour to Masada, the Dead Sea, Jericho, Mount of Olives and Bethlehem. Those that we were working with also arranged a nice tour of the Old City on our last night.

View from my hotel room in Tel Aviv
(the beach was packed with people on saturday)

Sunset in Tel Aviv

Western Wall with view of the Dome of the Rock

Old City Light Show
The light show started the night we took the tour
with our group. It was really neat, they setup all
sorts of neat light fixtures in and around the Old City

View of the Old City from the Mount of Olives

View of the Dead Sea from the Masada ruins

We didn't enter the Dead Sea from En Gedi
but we stopped to take a picture of the sign

Floating in the Dead Sea

Enjoying the mud
(btw, I have no idea who that woman is... and I had
no idea she was there till I saw the picture. awkward.)

Greek monastery on the Mount of Temptation in Jericho
(this view is from the cable car...)

Mahane Yehuda
This is an amazing outdoor market in Jerusalem

Spices at the market

More spices at the market

Anti-Obama protest outside the American Consulate
(the day before Obama spoke in Egypt)

Security wall in Bethlehem

Security wall leaving Bethlehem

The wonderful people that I work with in Israel.

Rain fountain at the Ben Gurion airport.
It was really nice to sit by but you risk falling asleep :)