6243tes@whuts.UUCP (STERKEL) (10/19/85)
Interested in actual experiences of people who
traveled to Isreal in the last two years. I
will be with a church group that will tour Isreal
for a week in early February, 1986. I am spe-
cifically interested in your direct experiences
and advice on the following:
1. Do I take dollars and exchange to shekels?
or exchange to shekels here, or take tra-
veler's checks and exchange/redeem into
shekels there, or stick to dollars and do
all bazaar purchases in dollars. (note:
the Isreali tourist bureau in manhattan,
NYC stated that immediate conversion to
shekels was mandatory; the tour guide says
that the shekel is worthless the "good old
American dollar is far more desirable and
that is the *only* way I will get bargans".
(help, I am confused)
2. Is the heavy use of American Express or
VISA encouraged? If so, why, and which one.
3. Cities/Towns that are *not* recommended for
wandering around in alone, (or specific parts
of a town).
4. Health concerns. Your favorite diarhea, air
sickness, etc. concoctions, and more seriously,
are they, in your experience, needed in Isreal
(food and water, etc.).
5. Weather in Isreal in February (brrrrrrrr?),
be specific on best combinations of clothes.
6. What passes for acceptable attire for dinner in
in a first class hotel restaurant.
7. Things *NOT* to do, tacky things that the typical
American (ME) would not know to avoid, cultural
oversights and slights. etc.
If there is sufficient response I will summarize the responses
(flames allowing) and post on the net.travel in one month
(about 15 November 1985). To avoid tying up the net, please
mail responses to me at the address above which I hope is:
ihnp4!whuts!6243tes
in any case, I will acknowledge all mailings "return post"
style so you *will* know that you made it to me within two (2)
business days.
thanks.
Terry
.ir682@sdcc6.UUCP (Gerald Steinberg) (10/22/85)
First, it is ISRAEL, not Isreal. 1.The Shekel is the only LEGAL currency in Israel, and while some merchants might accept dollars, I would not do this. In the past, the Shekel was subject to frequent devaluations, and there were mornings in which someone holding shekels would find their value in dollars reduced by up to 30%. The government has held the vaue of the Shekel steady for a few months now, and the risk of sudden devaluation may be less. Still, to be risk-free, you might wish to change a small portion of your traveler's checks every few days so you are not holding too many Shekels. On the other hand, you might actually gain a few percent if the Shekel appreciates. 2.Large major hotels and resturants take major US credit cards. Most other enterprises do not. 3.Large Israeli cities are much safer than US cities like New York, Chicago etc. While there is not the kind of frequent mugging, rape and other violent crimes, there is always a small risk of random terror incidents, but statistically, these are very small. 4.You can drink the water in Israel just as you would in Europe or the US, but there are different bacteria in the water and food, and there may be an adjustment period. Still, there is no need to use Tijuana rules. 5.In February, Jerusalem might be close to the freezing point, and even have light snow, while Tiberias and Jericho are quite warm and you can leave your sweaters at home during the day. Eilat and the Negev could even be very hot, and Tel Aviv pleasant. Israel has an excellent selction of locally manufactured clothing, so you ca always buy a sweater there. Have a good time. It is a great place to be. Make sure you get away from the tourist guides and go to the market areas, the suburban neighborhoods, wander the Jewish and Armenian Quarters of Jerusalem's Old City without a mass of other tourists, and talk to the locals.
mickey@cca.UUCP (Mickey Levine) (10/29/85)
Here are my suggestions based on my living in Israel 15 years ago, and my most recent visit this past spring. > 1. Do I take dollars and exchange to shekels? > or exchange to shekels here, or take tra- > veler's checks and exchange/redeem into > shekels there, or stick to dollars and do > all bazaar purchases in dollars. (note: > the Isreali tourist bureau in manhattan, > NYC stated that immediate conversion to > shekels was mandatory; the tour guide says > that the shekel is worthless the "good old > American dollar is far more desirable and > that is the *only* way I will get bargans". > (help, I am confused) DO NOT CHANGE YOUR MONEY IN THE US! The rate of exchange changes so dramaticly that you do not want to be carrying any more Shekels than you have to. There is no manditory 'changing' rule. $US does hold many advantages but mainly as cash (not travelers checks). > > 2. Is the heavy use of American Express or > VISA encouraged? If so, why, and which one. Credit cards are readily accepted, although the biggest card is Diner's Club, second Amex, then a tie between VISA and MC. As with any credit card, be careful where you use it. > > 3. Cities/Towns that are *not* recommended for > wandering around in alone, (or specific parts > of a town). In general, the country is very safe with the following exceptions: The West Bank (excluding Jehrico and Bethlehem) The poorer parts of Tel Aviv The docks of Haifa Some parts of Nazereth > > 4. Health concerns. Your favorite diarhea, air > sickness, etc. concoctions, and more seriously, > are they, in your experience, needed in Isreal > (food and water, etc.). The food is quite good and depending on your own constitution, should not make you sick. You can avoid the water by drinking mineral water, Coke (classic) or beer. > > 5. Weather in Isreal in February (brrrrrrrr?), > be specific on best combinations of clothes. The weather varies from snowy and blustery (far north and Jeruselem) to warm and comfortable (Jordan valley, Tibereas, Dead Sea, Negev). The most important piece of equipment would be a good raincoat (like Goretex) since it rains 4 out of 7 days. > > 6. What passes for acceptable attire for dinner in > in a first class hotel restaurant. Noboby dresses up (that is coats/ties for men, dresses for women). Slacks and open shirts and sweaters are standard fare. On some occassions, you could probably wear designer jeans. > > 7. Things *NOT* to do, tacky things that the typical > American (ME) would not know to avoid, cultural > oversights and slights. etc. If this is your first time, take the tours because there is so much to see. If you have traveled before, you'll know when you're being taken into a 'tourist trap' type souvenier shop. (Sorry I had to post this, but I couldn't get the message through the net to Terry). Mickey Levine decvax!cca!mickey
am@vilya.UUCP (MALEK) (11/06/85)
In article <4711@cca.UUCP>, mickey@cca.UUCP (Mickey Levine) writes: > Here are my suggestions based on my living in Israel 15 years ago, and > my most recent visit this past spring. > > 3. Cities/Towns that are *not* recommended for > > wandering around in alone, (or specific parts > > of a town). > In general, the country is very safe with the following exceptions: > The West Bank (excluding Jehrico and Bethlehem) This is not net.politics, so you should not put political opinions here. To call parts of Israel (I assume you refer to the teritories which the Jordanians captured in 1948 and occupied until the Israelis freed them in 1967) West Bank is a political statement. Jericho (sp) and Bethlehem are in the geographic areas known as the Jordan Valley and Judea, respectively. The Northern part of this area you mentioned is called Samaria. As a Jew, you should never refer to parts of Israel by improper names. (flames to net.politics) By the way, it is a good idea to carry a weapon in Jericho as well. All of Israel is quite safe for a group which contains some armed people, as many organized tour groups do. Most Jewish bus drivers are army veterans and carry a (licensed) concealed weapon. > The poorer parts of Tel Aviv I do not agree about this one either; all of Tel Aviv is safer than most of NYC and many other US cities as well. > The docks of Haifa Are you trying to be funny? > Some parts of Nazereth Any area of Israel which is primarily inhabited by Arabs can be a source of unpleasant experiences for Jewish tourists (or any Americans who are mistaken for Jews) if one goes there alone. In groups it is quite safe. The actual number of people killed in auto accidents and in terrorist incidents combined in Israel is much less per capita than it is in the USA. > > > > 4. Health concerns. Your favorite diarhea, air.... > > (food and water, etc.). > The food is quite good and depending on your own constitution, should > not make you sick. You can avoid the water by drinking mineral water, > Coke (classic) or beer. The water is safe also. In Eilat and some other areas is does taste quite foul. This is from hardness however, not from pollution. > > 5. Weather in Isreal in February (brrrrrrrr?), > > be specific on best combinations of clothes. > The weather varies from snowy and blustery (far north and Jeruselem) to > warm and comfortable (Jordan valley, Tibereas, Dead Sea, Negev). The > most important piece of equipment would be a good raincoat (like Goretex) > since it rains 4 out of 7 days. On most rainy days in Israel, you have sun for most of the daylight hours. Most of rain is at night so winter is a good time for touring. You should bring sweaters, since only first class hotels are well heated and most tourist spots are not well-heated by American standards. > > 6. What passes for acceptable attire .... > Noboby dresses up (that is coats/ties for men, dresses for women)..... Bring at least one "modest" piece of clothing to wear to holy places and very Orthodox neighborhoods. >> 7. Things *NOT* to do, tacky things that the typical >>American (ME) would not know to avoid, cultural oversights and slights. etc. > See number 6. You should avoid offending the sensibilities of so called Ultra-Orthodox Jews. This is important especially on the Sabbath, when one should not drive into certain neighborhoods. You also should try to listen to one of the Kol Israel English news broadcasts, since the only English newspaper is controlled by the Labor Party. There is broadcast in English several times a day. Also, realize that most Israelis and Arabs understand English. -- Avi Malek @ATT Bell Labs Parsippany, NJ