My destination was Jaffa Port, one of the oldest harbors in the world. It’s referred to as Joppa in the Bible, and lies along the gently curving Mediterranean coast line, a few miles south of Tel Aviv. Its prominent clock tower and jutting pier are easily identifiable.
Ancient Jaffa was a strategic prize. It was conquered and reconquered countless times by Canaanites, Phoenicians, the Pharaohs, King David, the Assyrians and more.
My senses drank up the beauty of the crystal clear Mediterranean Sea as the gentle waves lapped the shoreline. Before I knew it, the familiar clock tower was clearly in sight and I began to look for a way off the beach.
As I approached a towering concrete structure supporting the boardwalk above, I met Jacob and we struck up a conversation.
He was a sweet man and he regaled me with stories of his life. In return, I told him how I came to be in Israel, and that I had just picked up a bouquet of flowers on the beach containing about $600. He struggled to believe me until I produced the evidence. (The full story is available in an earlier post entitled Treasure from the Sea.) 
Jacob is the same age as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (70) and they were childhood friends. When they left school to fulfill their mandatory military training, they were sent to the same place. Click the link below to hear some of our outlandish conversation about ‘Bibi’ and God…
I said goodbye to Jacob and climbed the steps to the boardwalk leading to the Old City of Jaffa. I was eager to explore this city that contained so much history…
Since I had not planned to come to Tel Aviv, I had no idea what awaited me here in Jaffa Port. Hindsight being 20/20, I would have allotted more time to explore.
In a moment, the bright and sleek modernity of Tel Aviv morphed to ancient and monochromatic. The buildings were predominantly constructed of a neutral tan limestone or sandstone.
In 2001, the sea wall was rebuilt along the same course and shape of the original, which was discovered during excavation. Several original sections remain and are highlighted.
Jaffa was fortified in the early 13th century by Louis IX. Four centuries later, during the Ottoman empire, the protective wall was built nearly 14 feet high and reinforced for protection.
As a highly integrated city and home to 18,000 Palestinian Israeli citizens, it’s not uncommon to see women in hijab, a head covering worn in public by some Muslim women.
Unlike some other areas in Israel, Jaffa is a peaceful place to visit. Churches and synagogues sit alongside mosques, as Arabs, Christians and Jews exist in a cultural fusion.
It’s my custom to wander freely without a plan. I was rewarded with a tiny art gallery- not much more than a hole in the wall…
Love this!- and one like it that I saw in Tel Aviv yesterday. I have been trying to identify the artist. If anyone knows, please comment or contact me. I’ll send you a T-shirt.
This entire stone grotto hosted no more than three dozen works of art. The temperature in here was a delicious 20 degrees cooler than outside.
This is mind-blowing photography. I can’t imagine what equipment you’d need for something like this.
Coming back out into the heat, I continued toward the Old City of Jaffa. There were restaurants, galleries and small shops offering ice cream and fruit smoothies along the wide promenade.
These informative multilingual signs with an ancient rendering or old photograph helped explain the history of the sites I encountered.
Below is my photograph of the Ottoman Customs House as it appears today.
Everywhere in Israel I saw original art work like these on public display. Not sure of the relevance of these in particular, but they are colorful and created by, in some cases, very young children.
Continuing along the promenade, I was delighted by the architecture and the old doors. People actually live in all of these buildings!
These are the Orange Steps where crates of Jaffa oranges, for which Jaffa was famous back in the day, were lowered on to ships bound for Europe.
But this is where the real fun began. Up these narrow stone steps lies Old Jaffa! Allow me to show you around…
I emerged into an “other” world, where among the mundane, some things seemed purposely exaggerated, almost outlandish.
If you can, zoom in on the gate. You’ll see all sorts of dangling gauges and other odd things.
It felt like an inside joke, as if someone were having a bit of fun with the tourists. What the Brits would say “taking the Mick”…
The clothes on the clothesline are ceramic.
And everywhere were beautiful ornately carved doors.
And cobble-stoned tunnels that led to cool courtyards.
I stumbled upon this little shop of weirdness, full of artifacts from an excavation. No, those aren’t snakes…
Artifacts found in the 2006 excavation of the “mysterious room of Adina Plastelina” were kept in a special temp-controlled room with black lights.
I will admit my attention span is that of a two-year old when it comes to numbered artifacts, but I found the presentation of these amusing and highly creative!
Emerging from the dark room, I found myself in a jewelry store of sorts. The video explains what they do here, and it’s worth a look. I have never seen anything like it!
And another stone passage to yet undiscovered gems…
It led past more art galleries and private residences with whimsical touches.
Note the ironic height of the door knocker and door handle.
I didn’t notice all of the cameras until I began editing. They’re probably still looking for me…
I love lighthouses, so I was overjoyed to see this sign and I set off to take pictures of it.
My plan to get pics of the lighthouse were thwarted by this balcony in front of it.
Wondering what the red bullet-shaped structure is and looking around for the nearest tree to climb, I see another historical placard.
Look what I found… (more like stubbed my toes on) the house of Simon the Tanner!
https://www.bibleversestudy.com/acts/acts10-simon-the-tanner.htm
This adorable German couple were on their honeymoon. We talked and took turns taking pictures of each other. They were so sweet my teeth hurt.
We discussed how Peter had stayed here with Simon when he was summoned from Lydda to raise Dorcas.
https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/568-acts-10-6-simon-the-tanner
While this looks like someone’s house, it was odd to see single family homes in this area. There was also a chain across the front door.
Lower right hand corner shows a pigeon in mid-flight.
This window ledge herb garden and clay pots looked fairly well-tended.
In 1792, this was an inn for Jewish pilgrims, and in 1949, a synagogue. Today it houses eateries, art, and upscale designer clothing.
The owner, Ilana Goor displays her collection of paintings, sculptures, and ethnic art from her travels around the world. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilana_Goor_Museum
As I walk up toward the town square, I am able to get a head shot of the light house, but I’m still on the wrong side of the wall.
Ahava is the Hebrew word for love, and is also a line of world-famous cosmetics manufactured with Dead Sea minerals. They are the best! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahava
Above the Ahava store- what’s not to love about this awesome balcony view?
As I rounded the corner I ran into Napolean Bonaparte! I seem to remember he sacked Jaffa right before 1800. And lost most of his men to bubonic plague, as well.
Nevertheless, a great photo opportunity; then up the steps to the village square…
The Old Jaffa Visitors Center was built upon the ruins of a Jewish house, and is actually an archaeological excavation site in a chamber underneath Kedumim Square.
Finally! The clock tower I have been talking about, looking at and walking toward ALL DAY! It displays four clocks – two of them showing the time in Europe, and two of them the time in Israel.
Yamit restaurant in Kedumim Square. I rarely eat in restaurants- just came in for pictures.
I loved the sculpture and beautiful water views. However, the re-views on Trip Advisor regarding food and service were uniformly terrible.
In the shadow of the clock tower, the Zodiac Fountain has an amazing history. When the site was excavated in 2011, artifacts corroborated an old legend from the Ottoman period of a wishing well.
Not sure what was going on with the Zodiac Fountain today. Here is an internet photo of it in healthier condition. It represents the twelve zodiacs in Old Jaffa, which also appear in the street names. Some examples are below.
Look closely at the engineering of this entryway. Can you imagine coming in after dark? I got dizzy just photographing it!
Abrage, another sea-facing restaurant in Kedumim Square. When I googled it for my research, the main complaint is the waitstaff have a bad attitude- even for Tel Aviv! LOL! That’s really bad…
This adds another dimension to casual dining. I didn’t eat, but I did use the rest room. It was free, but cost 5 shekels ($1.50) for soap and a towel to wash my hands. Which gave me a bad attitude…
This looked like a good way to go, so as usual, I followed my feet…
The stairs brought me to yet one more gallery, and then into another passage that affords glimpses of the sea.
It’s quite narrow and predominantly residential.
My research revealed Andre Revesz was a Hungarian-Israeli sculptor who died in 1999. From what I could see, he liked to do nude sculpture. Not him, per se, but the pieces he created.
https://rogallery.com/Revesz_Andre/revesz_andre-art_gallery.html
As I emerge from the stone maze I am greeted with ocean views and find I am now outside the “city” walls.
Built circa 16th-century, the Al Bahr waterfront mosque is said to be Jaffa’s oldest. The call to prayer is emitted five times per day.
If you find yourself in the proximity of a mosque at this time, it’s very loud, but hauntingly beautiful.
Finally, I have a full view of the elusive lighthouse. My research indicates the “bullet” is a medieval lighthouse. I would have put my money on a mosque.
It was beginning to get dusk-y and I felt that familiar tug at the end of another perfect day. I had a bit of a walk home, and although I had a Rav Kav bus card, I chose to walk. You miss a lot on the bus.
This handsome little guy with the stylish haircut had the biggest eyes.
As I made my way back from whence I had come, I couldn’t wait to review my photos and reflect on this amazing day.
As I leave the Jaffa Port promenade behind me, the second shift is arriving.
The wide and relatively flat main avenue was conducive to just about any wheeled vehicle- even the Segway.
These Israeli women were out for a night on the town. Jaffa Port boasts a lively night life.
The beaches were emptying as the day wound down.
I decided to walk along the Herbert Samuel Promenade between the beach and the main drag, back to Tel Aviv.
This man is laughing because we had a run in earlier on the beach. He was yelling at his hireling, and I told him I was glad I didn’t work for him.
The Etzel House museum contains a fine story of conviction and liberation. It’s interesting and edifying, so read about it, if you have time.
https://forward.com/culture/380340/how-jaffas-etzel-house-stands-at-odds-with-history/
The footpath I’m on is winding and easy on my feet. People are relaxing (some more than others!) and enjoying the beautiful mid-October weather.
The women with the suitcase is a reminder that I have not yet packed for my 7 AM flight.
I spent a few minutes talking with these German people. As I attempted to take their photo, the wind blew the paper up and covered her face. It was quite funny.
Looking back, Jaffa’s profile is shrouded in darkness by the position of the sun. The Med looks like slate.
The promenade I’m walking on reminds me of the yellow brick road. Except it’s not yellow… or brick. So I guess it really reminds me of chocolate and vanilla swirl ice cream. In road form…
I spent quite a while with these lovely folks from Denmark. They had been married 42 years. I think if I added all of mine together I’d have 36…Does that count for anything?
This women-only bike club was hilarious. I asked them if they wanted me to take a group picture and they got all excited and lined up. I took one with each of their phones, just forgot one for me….
The walking path ends and I am forced back into civilization, but what a pleasant walk it has been.
I have one more stop to make. I fill two gallon-size ZipLocs with sand from Jerusalem Beach. I found it to be the softest and finest, and in which I will display my ‘treasures’.
Now to find my way home. As I begin to recognize familiar sights, I find it hard to believe I only arrived in Tel Aviv yesterday.
The streets are relatively quiet in this time between day and evening.
The bike shop and graffiti above it tell me I’m home. Now, to pack and try to get a few hours sleep before I have to get up at 3 AM.
As I dry out the shekels and C-notes I found on the beach today, I think about all the wondrous things I have been blessed to experience. God has protected and provided for me as I traveled around this beautiful country the size of New Jersey.
To the casual reader: This was the end of my first month-long visit to Israel in 2018. I’ve been back twice since then. Please refer to my earlier posts for additional narrative on my excellent adventures. You never know what you’re going to get…
Thanks for your support. MH
