When the offer to go touring Glasgow landed in my inbox I nearly jumped out of my chair at work and gave myself a Hi 5. You see originally I’d intended to split my two year working holiday visa between Scotland and England. Alas plans changed so much that after 18 months abroad this was my first foray into the northern country.

Armed with a train ticket provided by Red Spotted Hanky, accommodation with thanks to Thistle Hotel Glasgow and three of my best travel blogging buddies from London the scene was set for an epic weekend sampling the Scottish lifestyle.

Many would argue that I should have visited Edinburgh for my first trip north, but to honest that’s almost to cliché as everybody says to go there (no offence Edinburgh). To me Glasgow doesn’t have that look at me feel like its neighbour, its more like a mate who’s always there to have a beer with you when you need it no matter your mood.

Still there are plenty of attractions for everyone to see, but again there is no attitude like you have with Paris and its plethora of famous landmarks. The grand old Glasgow Cathedral which at one point actually served as three churches stands its ground looking like it might have gone 3 rounds in a backyard fight and been dragged through the mud for added grittiness.

While on the other side of town you will find the Transport Museum saddled up next the River Clyde. If only that river could talk I’d imagine the stories it would tell of the great shipbuilding era would be some for the record books. After all, the city was such a leader in the heavy engineering industry for so long and it all happened right on that river.

As for the Transport Museum, well it’s like a boys toy store. With cars, motorbikes and trains stacked up the walls as high as the ceiling. I’ve long had a love for anything with a motor so any chance to swan around them and pretend I know more than I really do (in typical guy fashion) is always a hit.

The only tourist attraction I’d advise you to possibly hold off taking is the sightseeing bus, unless of course you’re a wooly mammoth because OMG does it get chilly sitting on a bus with no roof in Scotland. I’ve never ridden one of these bus’s before and while it’s a great way to see the city and snap a few photos, you’d want to be there in the middle of summer so as not to punish yourself like we did.

Luckily Glasgow has some of the most relaxed and on point pubs I’ve had the chance to visit in a while so had ample time to warm up. I won’t go into too much detail as Justin has captured my thoughts exactly over on his 48 Hour’s in Glasgow post. Just take it from this beer swilling Australian, you won’t struggle to find a pub with character.

My big takeaway from my stay in Glasgow was just how nice the people were to you. Be it entering or leaving a shop the person behind the counter always had a pleasant greeting for you. The Chef staff at our hotel on both mornings also made time to greet some of the guests during breakfast (which I have to say was what I’d call a proper full breakfast) and even people in the street felt genuinely friendly.

It didn’t matter that the weather was of the less than fantastic scale. The city just made me feel like it was a great old mate and while you have your ups and downs a good time is always guaranteed to provide a fun time.

No related posts.

Thanks for checking out my post - Touring Glasgow. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

This past weekend I spent time in the province of Skane (or Skåne) visiting the towns of Ystad, Lund and Malmo which all call the southern area of Sweden home. The last time I was in Sweden I travelled direct from Copenhagen to Stockholm and never even considered stopping to look around this part of the country. I was fixated on visiting the city I’d read about and heard in the news and so on.

I’ll be honest though, had I not been invited by Visit Sweden I don’t think I’d have ever set foot in this part of the world. The thing is though, it’s these little parts of the world that you’ve never heard of that often result in some of the most amazing experiences on your travels. These hidden pockets are the one you always remember well while the stories of Paris and Rome soon fade.

So here’s why I think you should visit Skane and add the towns of Ystad, Lund and Malmo to your travels next time you find yourself in Sweden.

Ystad unbeknownst to me is home to Wallander (think cop show like Frost), a Swedish TV Series. It even has its own English spin-off and between the two series has racked up some 26 movies. I took a tour of the town and the movie studio while there and was amazed by how much of the town is featured in the movies. Perhaps I’m just caught in my Neighbours frame of mind where the same backdrops are used over and over.

You will also find that Ystad has it’s very own night watchman. A tradition dating back to at least the 17th century a lonesome guard blows his horn every 15 minutes from the 4 cardinal points of the tower at St Maria’s Church to let the town know everything is safe and well. While more a symbolic figure these days as the guard doesn’t work all night and the police do all the hard work its a fascinating tradition that I’d never heard of before.

Sunrise in Ystad as seen from my Hotel

Lund is where you will find Lund University, one of Northern Europe’s most highly regarded. The statement must be true because of the 110,000 people who call the city home, 40,000 of them are students.

It was here that I also learnt just how much the swedes love their sushi. Yep you heard right sushi is big here and when you consider the stuff I inhaled at Rå Epok it’s no wonder why. I may still have an untamed palate for sushi but the fact nobody at the table with me held back is enough for me to recommend you check these guys out.

Sushi at Ra Epok

When your done feasting just a short stroll up the road looms Lund Cathedral and Kulturen, an open air museum. The second oldest museum of its type (only bested by Skansen in Stockholm) you will find a range of culturally important items and buildings documenting Sweden’s architectural and cultural past.

Finally you have uber cool Malmo. When a city can lay claim to the highest number of restaurants per inhabitant, a list of boutique clothes stores as long as your arm and a chilled night life you know you’re onto a winner. And if all of that isn’t enough, Copenhagen is only 30 minutes train ride away across the Oresund strait.

For me Malmo’s Old Town was a joy to stroll around as the pedestrian streets fork off in all directions lined with shops as far as the eye can see. The Town Hall dominates the main square here, while just behind it lies Lila Torg. A smaller square surrounded with restaurants that you can tell would become a mecca for anybody looking to relax after a days work or just used to escape the cold of the Swedish winter and enjoy a nice warm mug of Glogg.

Malmo Old Town

While I only got to scrape the surface of what you can see and do during my visit Skane weekend I have to say for a part of the world that I knew nothing about, I’m itching to get back. The only thing missing from my winter experience of Sweden was the snow.

The region was magical without it but I can’t help but feel cheated out of my life long dream to experience a truly magical snow experience and what better country than Sweden to do that in I ask you.

Related posts:

1. Lund Main Square At Sunset

Thanks for checking out my post - Visit Skane, Sweden. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

I’ve had some interesting experiences eating out while abroad, but none as much fun as what went on in South Korea recently. Imagine three guys (the other two being John and Paul) roaming the streets unable to read, speak or even comprehend Korean and it was a recipe for a good time whichever way you spun it. Our story of eating in Korea isn’t a nightmare food story though, oh no we ate like kings and laughed so hard it hurt.

The adventure into Korean food started with a good old Korean BBQ at a local restaurant not far from our first hotel. Navigating the I speak English you speak Korean barrier we sat and basically watched as the staff did all the work. The staff ordered for us, cooked for us and even deciphered Paul’s chicken dance moves to notion that we wanted to eat chicken (we think anyway). We ate well and were rather pleased with what had been accomplished until the bowl of liquid arrived.

It was clear with a bit of seaweed floating around in the bottom and had you seen our faces and known just how much we like a laugh the next words uttered might not have seemed so weird. Do we drink it or wash our hands in it? Some ten minutes or more passed as we sniffed, laughed and eventually tasted it (taste didn’t suggest it was so good for eating either) before we silently pushed the bowls aside, finishing our beers and departing hoping we didn’t look like complete fools on our first night in South Korea.

The second incident we’ll call it happened the following night. On the hunt to try local food as much as possible we found ourselves in a form of noodle bar. The directions on the wall might have been useful for some but we aimed for the menu and picked the meal that looked good, Bibim Naengmyong. It looked good and after a long day we were keen to eat a good hot noodle dish…

Turns out the noodles are served cold and are more of a summer dish we were later informed. We battled on and attempted to eat the noodles, umm well chew the noodles, ok maybe slurp the slippery bastards that seemed to be made of an invisible string substance that stopped them from being chewed.

Seriously these are like the superman of noodles and resisted all attempts to be eaten. The first challenge was to hold just a couple noodles and then chew them without either laughing, choking as u couldn’t chew them or wonder if the serving guy standing not a meter away was laughing hilariously in his head.

At some point we noticed scissors on the table and thought could these be for the noodles… no they couldn’t be, who uses scissors to eat their food. It was clear what we were doing was wrong but what if the scissors were like the soup/wash your hands liquid? Would we be laughed at for cutting our noodles or were they really there to save you the 30min+ of struggle with just chop sticks.

Eventually hunger got the better of me and after a quick motion to the guy behind the counter we learnt that you were in fact supposed to use the scissors to cut our superman noodles. It still felt wrong and Paul tried to resist as long as possible but when your fighting your noodles as well as the chilli burning sensation from the dish nobody can hold out forever.

It wasn’t all a great big adventure eating in Korea, we did find some amazing bar snacks that we named Hula Hoops because well what else would you call these delicious bar snacks that look like hula hoops.

Eating out abroad is always a joy but it’s never been that much fun in any of the countries I’ve visited so far. So it got me thinking if three guys can get into this much hilarity eating out then surely you guys as readers have some funny stories of your own that I’d love you to share in the comments below. It’s for our mutual enjoyment I promise.

If you want to experience what it’s like to eat out in Seoul then check out some of the cheap international flights available these days and do it for yourself. The experience of seeing another part of the world is worth every penny.

Related posts:

1. Prayer Ribbons At The DMZ South Korea

Thanks for checking out my post - Eating Out In South Korea. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

The beauty of Wales is that out of all the countries in the world it’s the closest to being the source of a real life once upon a time fairytale in my opinion. Winding tree encroached roads lead off to hidden forests as they fork out across the country. Castles sprout up from the ground as they battle to exist after years of punishment from the elements. It’s a country you could easily imagine was the set to a real life damsel in distress story.

Most of the world wouldn’t argue that Wales is considered the land of castles while others might think of it as the land of rain instead. Luckily my weekend stay in Cardiff was mostly rain free and it was the castles and countryside representing in full force.

Caerphilly Castle

Looking around as I drove out of Cardiff I couldn’t help but wonder what life was like way back in the day if everything is still so lush and beautiful now. Would the trees have been even more abundant, would the rivers and creeks have flowed with force and did it really rain as much a people say it does back then.

Woods Outside Cardiff

I’ve never hid the fact that I’m in Europe for its long and rich history. I love seeing buildings that have been around for years and imagining who once lived there. Were they rich/poor, a pillar of the community or a dirty rotten thief only looking after himself. I wish every castle, house and pathway could speak and tell the long history of its existence. Would the castle tell me of the wealth and knowledge that has passed through its doors or would it show scandal and long forgotten secrets?

Cardiff Castle Keep

Being surrounded by so many of those I wish I knew moments in Wales was an absolute thrill. The best part was all of this happened within a short distance of Cardiff, there is still some 400 or so castles to find spread out across the rest of Wales. Let alone the other significant buildings and stories of its long history.

All I know is that after a weekend there I just want to rent a car and set off up the coast and explore those winding roads and castles for myself. Perhaps I’ll find a damsel to rescue in one of those big old castles or maybe I’ll just sit and marvel at them and imagine the stories they could tell me.

Many thanks to the great folks at Visit Wales for sponsoring my weekend stay in Cardiff and organising everything to get me there and show me around.

No related posts.

Thanks for checking out my post - The Beauty of Wales. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

South Korea was never on my immediate list of MUST SEE countries but when the opportunity came up to go and spend a week there and attend the Korean Grand Prix I was hardly going to turn it down. After all, I grew up a country Aussie who may or may not have enjoyed the occasional thrill of driving his car like an idiot all in the name of burnt rubber.

The track for the Korean Grand Prix is located way down south near Mokpo in the South Jeolla Province. A not so short 3 hour bullet train ride south of Seoul will get you there without much trouble. The cinema carriage can help you to pass the time if the free wifi doesn’t interest you so it’s not all bad. I do however wonder why they have the track so far away from well… everything as it seems Mokpo hasn’t caught up with the demand for accommodation just yet.

Normally you would find me watching the Formula 1 from the comfort of my couch at home so actually being at the race meant I was going to miss some of the luxuries that come with it (like cold beers and a toilet 5 meters from my seat). That was all soon forgotten as the atmosphere of hearing the cars with my own ears quickly made me realise what I’d been missing out on for so long. I can honestly say you have never experienced loud until you hear an f1 car rip past you at lightening speed. It leaves your ears ringing as the searing pain echoes deep into your brain.

Watching the race unfold right before me really was a treat and I hope next year I’ll get the chance to see another race somewhere else (hint hint guys in Spain). I know we would have all loved a seat out on one of the corners of the track in the hopes of getting a better view and the chance to take some better photos. But in the end with the cars going so fast I think any spot at all is a bonus and our pole position location did allow us to take in the pit stops as they happened.

Oh and lastly (and some might say the most important) if you step away from the track for a minute there are of course the other major attractions found at all good manly car racing events. The girls in the barely their clothing and the shopping strip of racing merchandise sold at ridiculously expensive prices. Judging by the reaction of some guys on race day I think I know what they came to see.

A big thanks to the guys at travelllll.com for organising, Expedia for sponsoring, and to KLM for the most awesome flight to and from South Korea.

No related posts.

Thanks for checking out my post - Blog Tripping to the Korean Grand Prix. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

If I was to say New Zealand, Ireland, France or even the Philippines there is a fair chance an image of what the countries landscape looks like forms in your mind. You can see the glaciers of New Zealand and the tropical islands of the Philippines easily, but what if I was to ask you about the Israel landscape? Do you imagine a barren wasteland, green farming land for as far as the eye can see or something completely different.

Personally I expected dry desert conditions to face me from all directions, even with the mediterranean running the entire length of one side of the country. Maybe that’s because every image I’ve ever seen on the news about the middle east has only shown barren landscapes full of holes terrorist can hide. Perhaps it’s just my lack of understanding that part of the world that really shines out I don’t know.

No matter the reason I was overwhelmingly surprised by what I saw while traveling from the far north to the very south of the country. Starting at the lofty Golan Heights (photo above) where Israel borders with Syria down to the Sea of Galilee I found fields of green (even with the drought hitting Israel). Even the stunning Jordan River was awash with a color I’d never seen in a river in my life.

Working my way towards central Israel and the landscape around Tel Aviv and Jerusalem couldn’t be any different if they tried. Tel Aviv borders the Mediterranean Sea and offers up gorgeous beach views that any sun worshiper would die to have.

While Jerusalem for the most part is held hostage by rocky hills covered in trees for as far as the eye can see. It’s amazing to see such a change occur within around 60 kilometers as that is the distance between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Once you get south of Jerusalem however things quickly become less scenic, unless rocks are your kind of thing. Something almost expected thought given the Dead Sea is down that way and as it’s some 8-9 times saltier than the ocean I know if I was a plant that’s not the place I’d be choosing to grow.

And then finally you reach Eilat, the southern most city of Israel and part of the southern Negev Desert. While the Red Sea provides the allure of a city by the sea, the fact is that the place has lots and lots of rocks no matter which direction you look.

If you’d have asked an Australian to describe the landscape of their country then they would probably have said it’s made up of most of what you see above, along with your token tropical rain forests to really gloat that we have everything. The thing is though, this is all spread out over hundreds of kilometers where Israel has all the above squished up between the sea and 4-5 other countries.

I find it fascinating to see so much diversity in landscape across a country so small. I know for a fact that I missed out on seeing so many other parts of Israel that would add to what you see above like the Makhtesh Ramon and the Rosh HaNikra Grottoes that one of my israeli friends has pointed out to me since I left. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to return and see more of the ever-changing landscape of Israel but for now I’ll just have to dream.

Is there a part of the world where you have been surprised by what you have seen in the landscape? If so I’d love you to leave a comment and let me know where so I can add it to my ever growing list of amazing places to visit.

Many thanks to the Ministry of Tourism, Stand With Us and the Once In A Lifetime 2.0 students for inviting myself and the other bloggers to see Israel with them.

Related posts:

1. First Impressions Of The Israel Blog Trip
2. The Dead Sea Israel
3. Did You Know This About Israel
4. Israel – A Land of Memories

Thanks for checking out my post - The Changing Israel Landscape. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

Israel is listed as the 159th smallest country in the world and about the size of New Jersey, or specifically 470km by 135km at its widest and longest points. Keeping that in mind it blew me away to learn that in proportion to its population it has the largest number of startup companies in the world (of course they don’t ALL succeed). Oh and they are only behind the US and Canada in terms of the number of companies trading on Wall Street. Think about that for a second, a country as tiny as it is and with such a controversial existence is only ranked behind the US and Canada on Wall Street… I don’t care what you say about the country, that’s mind-blowing for me.

How much of that do you hear about on the news? How about the fact this little country invented an algorithm to enable NASA to send images from Mars and that they were the one to invent that tiny pill with the video camera inside so doctors can see whats going on right from your mouth to well you know the other end. They are a leader in stem cell research and even Intel has a major stake in the country with some of the processor’s for your computers being invented here.

Aaron Ciechanover, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry

To add to those facts I was also lucky enough to meet a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Aaron Ciechanover from the Technion. His research lead to a major breakthrough in cancer research. This isn’t their only Nobel Laureate either and the list keeps growing with another announced just this past couple of weeks (I believe they have 10 now for a population of 7-8 million or so). I don’t remember the last time a winner was announced for my poor little Australia.

To add to that list of “I never knew that facts“, I actually got to experience driving a fully electric car while in Tel Aviv. The folks at Better Place are rolling out fully electric cars right across Israel. With charging stations already installed all over the country and battery swap stations going up so you can enjoy a drive without having to stop and charge on your trip. Driving the car was an absolute trip. You know when you turn the key of your car and wait for the usual noise etc? Yeah I didn’t even know the car had started until the guy told me. Check out the video below for a look of me driving.

Perhaps it was a little naive of me to think of a country in this way but when I thought of Israel way back before my trip I never ever had ideas of Nobel laureate winners, advanced medical research or even electric cars being associated with the country. Quite a difference from the far more sinister and less inviting topics that I’ve grown up with on the news.

Out of everything I saw and learnt about it’s not the great inventions and research that blows me away (even though they are amazing), it’s the fact that all of this has come about in the last 30 or so years while the country has been tied up in wars and so much unrest. I don’t care what your belief of the country is, you have to pat them on the back and say job well done for providing such valuable knowledge and tools to the world.

Many thanks to the Ministry of Tourism, Stand With Us and the Once In A Lifetime 2.0 students for inviting myself and the other bloggers to see Israel with them.

Related posts:

1. Israel – A Land of Memories
2. The Changing Israel Landscape
3. First Impressions Of The Israel Blog Trip

Thanks for checking out my post - Did You Know This About Israel. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

Travel has given me a great many experiences that will forever bring a smile to my face and no other country seems to have as many places in my memory banks as Israel. One of my favourites is from my time diving with the dolphins in Eilat. This experience made even more special given I’d never been diving in my life.

The site for my 30 minutes of joy under the sea was Dolphin Reef on the shores of the Red Sea. What makes this site different to so many others is that for the most part the dolphins decide if they want to come and say hello to you or not. There is no set routine that the dolphins must adhere to, they just swim about doing their own thing as if they were swimming the open seas. For the great majority of my dive they seemed content to swim about annoying each other which made for a great show under the water.

Heading off to dive with the dolphins

For the first 6 years of operation the dolphins were actually free to come and go 24/7 by way of the open sea policy at Dolphin Reef. There was no learning tricks/routines to do, they just hung out if they wanted. Otherwise they would head out to see for a week or two doing what dolphins do. This was a first for a dolphin facility and personally a great idea for them to pioneer. Unfortunately over time the dolphins suffered from people nearby feeding them and other issues that came up due to the trust they had in people. As it was impossible to protect the dolphins from this in the wild the open sea policy had to end. Luckily on occasion during rough sea days they can still escape into the open waters before returning home in their own time.

As for my experience diving for the first time… well after I got over my gag reflex and relaxed my breathing I didn’t want to get out. It didn’t feel natural to breath underwater so I found myself short of breath and having to concentrate in the beginning to make sure the air was going in and then I was blowing it all out.

Putting that aside there is something so very peaceful about swimming around under the water with nothing but coral and the fishes to keep you company. I’d never had the longing to go diving before because ever since needing to wear glasses/contact lenses, water and me don’t work so well. Now knowing that I can survive underwater and not be freaked out my goggles will fill with water and I have to watch my contact lenses float away the willingness to learn is growing. I can see a stop over in *insert great diving site here* coming up this summer, perhaps Israel will have me back…

Diving Success!!!

Have you been diving or got yourself certified? I’d love to hear about where you did it and why you love diving. Leave a comment below to help me decide on a place to follow in your footsteps.

Lastly I want to say thanks to the Ministry of Tourism, Stand With Us and the Once In A Lifetime 2.0 students for inviting myself and the other bloggers to see Israel with them and enjoy great activities like diving with the dolphins in Eilat.

Related posts:

1. Israel – A Land of Memories

Thanks for checking out my post - Diving With Dolphins in Eilat. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

Ever wanted to swim with dolphins or stay in a hotel room bigger than your house/flat? Then you need to get in on what the luxury/food bloggers are doing because these guys have it made. Sandwiched into my very busy summer of travels I joined that exclusive club when I sampled the luxury Dubai lifestyle staying at the Atlantis The Palm.

To say I was out of my element staying here was an understatement. While I could almost see the food bloggers frothing at the mouth with anticipation about the mountain of food we would soon be eating (I kid you not it was a mountain of food). I sat looking at the menu trying to decipher exactly what I was eating. I mean pancetta and black truffles… that’s not the usual dish on my travel menu.

While the restaurants took centre stage as the feature of the trip (more on them in my next post) and left me in a food induced coma while longing to be a food blogger, it was the other offerings at the hotel that brought the luxury travel blogger out in me. I mean it’s not very often I get to stay in a place that offers this sort of luxury.

Hotel Bathroom Bigger Than My London Flat

11 Million Litre Aquarium inside the Hotel

Ride the Leap of Faith Water Slide

The Chance to Swim with Dolphins

What I liked about the Hotel was that while my room was so extravagant I passed many everyday families staying at the Hotel and enjoying the same facilities as me. Most staying by way of a package holiday deal, it’s great to see a Hotel of this 5 star rating offering deals that can be made affordable by the masses.

The biggest attraction obviously with so many families around was the Water Park. After all Dubai isn’t the coolest (temperature wise) place, especially in August and with the water park sitting right next door to the hotel it was a short walk through the wall of heat to the cool of waves, vertical drop water slides and rubber tubes. This isn’t some kiddies water park though, oh no this place has rides that even I was not up to the challenge for. The grand daddy of them being the Leap of Faith shown above… yeah my faith wasn’t that strong.

The big event of the trip for me and I know the food bloggers will most likely say it was eating at Nobu (not that I knew what Nobu was…) was getting to swim with the dolphins at the hotels Dolphin Bay. Their skin is so smooth and even though the sun was melting us in the water I could have easily played around with them all day, such peaceful animals.

I know you all know that I love the joy of planning my travel and exploring the world as a solo traveller BUT… I have to admin that after a couple of days enjoying the luxury Dubai life like so many this way of travel isn’t so bad either. Everybody needs a bit of pampering now and then right?

I have to say a very big thank you to the Atlantis The Palm for sponsoring my stay at their hotel and allowing me to sample the food and facilities on offer, it was an absolute joy.

No related posts.

Thanks for checking out my post - Luxury Dubai Travel. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.

Visiting Jerusalem for me seemed somewhat of a surreal experience honestly. The adult in me knows it’s a city full of the usual hustle and bustle with people going to work and driving their cars and so on. But the little boy in me from my childhood knows it as the land of Jesus, making it a somewhat mythical place. Like it couldn’t really exist because I’d read about it in the bible (don’t worry there is no messiah complex coming up).

I could have spent days, months wandering the streets trying to work out how old a building is and meeting the people who make up this place easily. After all that’s the big draw card for me in Europe, to explore buildings and places that are far older than my little Australia and meet the people who have grown up there. You can only imagine what it was like TO BE in one of the oldest cities in the world, sort of blows your mind a little.

So what did I see in this holy of holy cities with the time I had?

Sound and Light Show at the Citadel

A Tour Of the Old City

The Western Wall Above and Below

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

As well as touring East Jerusalem, Mount of Olives, the Jerusalem City Council offices, Yad Vashem – Holocaust Memorial and even planting my own tree in the Jerusalem Forest. Not too bad for a couple of days as a tourist I’d say.,AND I’ve not even covered all the different people I met there yet.

It’s easy to see why Jerusalem is the most visited city in Israel when all the above holds so much religious meaning and can be seen in such a short time frame as well.

For me visiting Jerusalem merged the memories of my childhood and adulthood into one. While I’m not very religions (sorry mum) you can’t go there and stand before the Western Wall or enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and see the Tomb of Jesus without feeling somewhat connected to something.

With everything I heard and experienced visiting Jerusalem (and I won’t go into it to much now) and knowing the human need to believe in something and champion for their own cause/belief/religion it’s hard not to expect some sort of conflict to rage on here for longer than anybody will ever want. You just have to look back at Jerusalem’s past to see its been going on for centuries, after all how many other cities have endured that sort of past….

Millions of people come from all over to worship at this one tiny part of the world, lets hope many more millions can come in the future without the knowledge of time as we know it today.

Many thanks to the Ministry of Tourism, Stand With Us and the Once In A Lifetime 2.0 students for inviting myself and the other bloggers to see Israel with them.

Related posts:

1. Israel – A Land of Memories
2. A Year On…
3. The Beauty of Wales
4. Luxury Dubai Travel

Thanks for checking out my post - Visiting Jerusalem – The Holy City. For more of the same head on over to my blog The Aussie Nomad and check out all of my other travel articles.