Israel

Photo by Mor Shani on Unsplash

Welcome to Israel!

Our first town is Beit She’an and it is very old – there is evidence of human occupation from as early as the 5th-6th millennia BCE. If we have time to visit the Beit She’an Archaeological National Park, we might see relics from every historical period from that time.

During parts of our run through Israel we will find ourselves alongside the Israel National Trail (INT). This 1,100km trail zigzags the length of Israel, from Kubbutz Dan near the border with Lebanon to Eilat at the Gulf of Aqab. The trail takes in desert, cities, villages, beaches, and the green plateau of the Golan Heights. It is hiked by tens of thousands of people each year, so we won’t be short of company. www.israeltrail.net

14,800km We are now in Hefa district. The street food stall aromas at Hefa and Netanya stop us in our tracks. Time to refuel! We could choose crispy falafel served with creamy tahini; bureka pastries stuffed with red peppers and spiced olives, or spinach and feta cheese, or meat. Or shawarma meat slow-cooked with cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric and paprika, with sliced tomatoes and onions served in flatbread. Recipes and some places nearby to eat here: 10 Best Israeli Food Recipes | Your Israeli Food Guide (luxurycolumnist.com)

Since we have reached Israel’s Mediterranean Coastal Plain we could take eat our goodies to eat by the shore. We are safe to take a dip in the summer but in the winter months hot water from the Hadera power plant draws in sandbar and dusky sharks by the hundreds.