Middle East, Assorted Photography - M1key - Michal Huniewicz
Tel Aviv beach
Tel Aviv beach
This is the beach in Tel Aviv, the second most populous city in Israel (404,400, while its metropolitan area has over 3 million residents).
It's a little over 100 years old (founded in 1909) and was pretty much built from scratch in the desert in the Bauhaus style.
Tel Aviv is where you party all around the clock; it's also the financial centre of the
country. It is sometimes referred to as the gay capital of the Middle East.
Monument of faith, Jaffa
Monument of faith, Jaffa
While Tel Aviv is very young, Jaffa is very old - there is evidence of human activity from the Middle Bronze Age. The two cities became a single municipality in 1950.
Today, Tel Aviv is inhabited mostly by Jews, Jaffa mostly by Arabs.
The monument shows three scenes from the Jewish history: Jacob's ladder dream, the near-sacrifice of Isaac, and the fall of Jericho.
According to the Bible, Jaffa is where Jonah set sail for Tarshish, just to be swallowed by a 'great fish'.
Street art in Tel Aviv
Street art in Tel Aviv
A rather odd piece of art in Tel Aviv.
Street art in Tel Aviv
Street art in Tel Aviv
And part two.
Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is one of the oldest port cities in the world. It used to be surrounded by walls, but in the 19th century,
as security improved, they were torn down to allow for expansion.
In the picture, the Artists' Quarter where you can buy local art.
Jaffa
Jaffa
Narrow streets of Old Jaffa. The municipality of Tel Aviv-Jaffa is working on beautifying this area, as well as
on restoring Arab and Islamic landmarks, such as the Mosque of the Sea.
I ordered lunch in Jaffa and they gave me 12 (twelve) starters with it. I thought I would next have to order a crane
to get me back on my feet.
After camel ride
After camel ride
Girls after a camel ride in Israel, South of Jerusalem.
Masada
Masada
Masada is the place where 2 thousand years ago a siege took place, being the final accord of the First Jewish-Roman War.
About a thousand Jews defended themselves on top of this mountain turned into a fortress by Herod the Great decades before.
The long siege eventually led to the mass suicide of the outnumbered (15:1) Jewish rebels, who had run out of food but
refused to surrender.
View from Masada
View from Masada
Today you can either climb a steep path or take the cable car. In the picture, you can see the Dead Sea,
two cable cars, and what used to be a Roman guardhouse (the square in the centre of the picture). As a
side note, the Romans also had a brothel there.
Khen
Khen
This is my friend Khen whom I met in Jerusalem, and who attracted a lot of attention of young boys hiking along.
View from Masada
View from Masada
The Dead Sea is technically a lake! The coast on the other side is not Israel - it's Jordan. I did swim in
the Dead Sea, even though it was in December and after dusk - or rather I floated. It was one of my childhood
dreams.
Khen
Khen
Khen telling the story of Masada with pride.
Amman
Amman
This is Amman, the capital city of Jordan. Amman turns out to be an excellent place for business, lots of people
from the region immigrate there, and it is considered one of the richest cities in the whole of the Middle East.
What makes Amman interesting to a tourist is the fact that it's been inhabited by several different civilizations,
the first one around 10 thousand years BC!
In the picture you can see a Roman Amphitheatre surrounded by modern buildings.
Citadel Mosque
Citadel Mosque
This picture was taken in Amman on the Citadel Hill, which is a historic site and a museum, and a large part of it
remains unexcavated.
What you can see there now is both Roman ruins and, pictured, remains of the Umayyad Palace. The Umayyads were the ones
who constructed the Dome of the Rock I showed you in my
Jerusalem - the City gallery.
Amman
Amman
The Roman Temple of Hercules on the Citadel Hill.
Amman
Amman
This is also taken from the Citadel Hill. This is basically what Amman looks like.
If you go to Amman, I suggest you step off the beaten track and just walk around those neighbourhoods,
see their shops, cafes, interact with people who are a lot more natural and nicer than those waiting for you
in the tourist areas. But never trust your taxi driver! I pissed off every single taxi driver I met in Amman
trying not to get ripped off.
The flag you can see is said to be the biggest flag in the world.
Amman
Amman
Typical houses in Amman.
Roman amphitheatre
Roman amphitheatre
This amphitheatre was built in 138-161 AD. It allowed for 5000 people to watch the spectacle. I heard it is connected
to the Citadel with a long and deep tunnel.
Roman amphitheatre
Roman amphitheatre
Boys playing in the Roman Amphitheatre.
Roman amphitheatre
Roman amphitheatre
Anything for a good shot!