Jaffa: Sea Mosque

Founded as the Bible by Japheth, one of the sons of Noah, after the Flood, have gained from the pharaohs to the mythical Persian King David, Saladin, Richard the Lionheart "Napoleon. It Jaffa, the old city of Tel Aviv, one of the oldest ports in the world, boosting the minaret of the mosque of the sea on the vast blue of the Mediterranean.

The trip

Founded as the Bible by Japheth, one of the sons of Noah, after the Flood, have gained from the pharaohs to the mythical Persian King David, Saladin, Richard the Lionheart "Napoleon. It Jaffa, the old city of Tel Aviv, one of the oldest ports in the world, boosting the minaret of the mosque of the sea on the vast blue of the Mediterranean.

The pull of tourism inevitably overshadows Jerusalem the capital of Israel, Tel Aviv, simply a transit point for most tourists visiting the Jewish state. Little can be done against the overwhelming history of the Holy City, favorite destination every year hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. As they say around the capital: "God is in Jerusalem, but the checks are in Tel Aviv ». Tel Aviv, besides checks, has also history. Approach Jaffa, the embryo ancient and one of the oldest ports in the world, is to walk through a privileged who coveted the great empires. In its steep streets leading down to the sea takes the pulse of the commitment of people to reinvent in art galleries, restaurants, craft workshops and small cafes.

Jaffa has gone hand in hand through the centuries as the counterfeit currency. Its port, that it was used in the Bronze Age, has been dominated by Canaanites, Phoenicians, Egyptians, Jews, Romans, Persians and Ottomans

The tour begins at the bottom of Jaffa, on the Boulevard where stands between the palm Rehov tower Ruslau, clock which for a century indicates the entrance to the ancient city. A few meters ahead is still standing the old entrance to Jaffa during the Ottoman rule, now lined with street stalls. Behind, as a lookout insomniac, excels the minaret of the Mosque Mahmoudiya.

Jaffa has gone hand in hand through the centuries as the counterfeit currency. Its port, that it was used in the Bronze Age, has been dominated by Canaanites, Phoenicians, Egyptians, Jews, Romans, Persians and Ottomans, to name a few of the people that have played. Few places in the world accumulate so much history. In this port, Without going any further, landed the cedars of Lebanon used in the construction of Solomon's temple. Little more can be added.

Guns and minarets

Going up the hill on which sits the old part of Jaffa, and with the city of Tel Aviv at our feet, soon reach the promenade leading to the main square of Kedumim. The road is dotted with old cannons still point to the harbor, emphasizing the history of invasions and looting with this strategic promontory that loads. Stories like deception of Pharaoh Thutmose III to Governor Canaanite city, who in the year 1470 BC gave him what looked like a rich present divided into huge baskets. Within, instead of jewels, Armed soldiers were hiding the Pharaoh, Jaffa taking expelling the Canaanites. Or as the siege of the troops of Napoleon, three centuries later, which ended with the sacking of the city, then in the hands of the Turks, and with the execution of more than 2.000 prisoners.

Suddenly, in the eyes of the traveler is cut the minaret of a mosque as an obelisk driven into the vast blue of the Mediterranean. It is one of those moments that soothe the spirit and inviting to pass up losminutos imagining ancient times. The mosque of the sea, with the omnipresent backdrop of Mare Nostrum, ensuring the cercana Tel Aviv, their very presence evokes times of conquest and reconquest, cross landings, of pilgrims flocking to this port variegated, avenged massacres in other massacres, and so on to infinity, to the eternal present of suffering and misunderstanding between Israelis and Palestinians.

The rock of Andromeda

The square is full of local craft stalls. Beside, the church of San Pedro, within which exhibit the foundations of the ancient city. At a glance, one can see that the rehabilitation of the Jaffa thousand times destroyed and raised again have been remarkable. There is a certain atmosphere of cardboard in some corners, immaculate furniture and palm-postcard, that is tempered when brujulea towards the port, a maze of narrow streets smelling of salt and wet stone.
Junto a Kedumin Square, the terrace restaurant 'She', a splendid balcony over the Mediterranean, is a good place to see the call "Rock of Andromeda», where, according to Greek mythology, Perseus rescued the princess Andromeda as was to be sacrificed to Cetus, a terrible monstruo marino at the hero turned into stone (as mythology scenarios are uncertain location, other versions place this rock on the shores of ancient Abyssinia).

The road

From the center of Tel Aviv you can reach Old Jaffa in just over half an hour walking. Addition, there are two buses, the 8 and 10, doing this tour. The best option, for which you have time, is reached on foot.

A nap

Old Jaffa Hostel & Guest House (Amiad 13 Street). This is an old renovated building offers a prime location, one step away from the clock tower, and with prices not too expensive. From the airport can be reached by bus 475 and, once in the station, take the 46 to the clock tower, or get on the 222 and ten minutes walk from the stop Dan Panorama Hotel.

A table set

At Kedumim Square there are several restaurants for tourists. VaP. not entered in any, so little I can say, except that I think might be better to opt for those found near the port, further away from the historic center.

Highly Recommended

Walking down the green areas close to the beaches of Tel Aviv, but before you do approach the former palace of the Ottoman governor, curious that houses exhibitions in an enclosure in which, the traveler does not go unnoticed, condense many years of history.

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