Another glorious day in an old town with a familiar name today.
We set off by taxi at 9.30 and made for Bet Yehoshua train station aiming in the general direction of Tel Aviv: Hannah to go to Carmel markets while I headed to the old city of Jaffa as I hadn’t been there before.
Arriving at Tel Aviv Hagannah Station we were accosted by a taxi driver offering to take us. I suspect we accepted too quickly and my return to the station cost only half his asking price! Nevertheless, we reached our destination safely and I thoroughly enjoyed discovering this ancient city on the shores of the Mediterranean, now hardly distinguishable from the new city of Tel Aviv. Indeed, they are often talked of as Tel Aviv-Jaffo.
From the moment I stepped out of the over-priced taxi I knew I was going to love it! Artisans by the dozen with some lovely unique items – dangerous! Temptation! And, of course, I had to buy! Initially not for myself, but later for me, too. The work is high quality and the designs are original- generally unique to just one artist in the Old City of Jaffa: so, money well spent!
The first thing to catch my eye in the ‘flea market’ end of the town was the display of t-shirts above: it seemed to be that there was a fair bit of humour around. But they were bettered by the next one I saw:
Then came the artists shops: varieties of modern Judaica- mezezahs, menorah, Seder plates, plates for Shabbat bread all in really interesting modern styles and materials. And there was humour : the first art works to catch my eye were of cyclists and clocks. They were colourful and thought provoking and very ‘of the time’.
An uphill saunter along the seafront is always good and this one offered Mediterranean views over the beaches of Tel Aviv and a series of coastal rocks associated with the story of Andromeda and of Jonah. After strolling through the alleyways of Old Jaffa, I even had a coffee overlooking the Med. The colours are hard to beat.
I had forgotten that this was the city where Simon Peter was called to go to the home of the centurion and where he had the dream which led him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. Then, of course, it was ‘Joppa’. This is also where he raised Tabitha from the dead.
The Franciscan church dedicated to Saint Peter is towards the top of the hill near the Artists’ market. I loved the inside of the church, especially the window behind the altar with its dove of peace. A real focal point.
There were little alleyways and courtyards everywhere, often shaded by trees, sometimes dominated by a cross or a Star of David or even a crescent moon. In fact that was what the decorative lights were for nighttime illumination. Just like Christmas lights in town centres in the UK.
The need for cool became overwhelming so I found a cafe which looked as though it was just in the central square – and then I realised that there might be a view of the sea inside: there was and I enjoyed drinking iced coffee surrounded by glorious Mediterranean colours.
Then it was back to walking and discovering more along the seafront and the alleys adjacent to it.
And so it was time to grab a taxi and head to the train station before the last train left me stranded and needing to pay 170 shekels for a taxi to Even Yehuda.
Having travelled back alone I can now claim to have taken every form of public transport in Israel unaccompanied – bus from the airport to Jerusalem, tram (light rail) to Yad Vashem and back and now train from Tel Aviv to Bet Yehoshua. Mission accomplished!
Living the Journey 