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I don't think I ever thought of visiting Israel, until Cris decided to surprise me for my birthday with a weekend getaway to Tel Aviv. I had no idea what to expect but I was more than impressed to discover a very modern and boutique city, with a lot to offer! I guess hubby knows best! :)

When to visit:
The best times to visit are during spring and autumn, as the weather is pleasant and ideal to wander around the city. Summers in Israel are extremely hot and it can be a pain visiting the city in excruciating heat.


There are numerous things to do in Tel Aviv, not to mention the multitude of day trips that you can take to other places, like the Dead Sea or Jerusalem.
We were in the city for only 3 days, therefore we did not have the time to do all the possible trips as we wanted to properly explore Tel Aviv, but if you plan on staying longer they are something to take into consideration.

Take a stroll down the promenade
I can honestly say this is not what I imagined Tel Aviv to be, not sure what I imagined but I did not expect the Los Angeles / Barcelona vibes. The promenade is an incredibly sunny place during the day and very lively in the evening. Something you definitely cannot miss!


Get lost on the streets of Old Jaffa
Completely different from the promenade, this side of the city will take you back in time. The old town was definitely my favorite part to visit as it is rich with history and also has a very romantic vibe.


Rothschild Boulevard
This is the most iconic street in Tel Aviv and the oldest one as well, and it is basically a cultural, culinary and leisure centre.

Enjoy some fresh fish in the Old Jaffa Port
This place has been transformed into an up and coming art district with a lot of cool restaurants, coffee shops and art galleries.

Take a day trip/tour to explore the surroundings
As mentioned above as we had limited time in Tel Aviv we had to choose only one day trip, therefore we decided that the most suitable for us and something we really wanted to visit was the Dead Sea. However there are so many other great day trips that you can take, for example to Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
There are several tour company that operate these tours, but we are not big fans of organised ones so we rented a car in order to drive up to the Dead Sea.

Take a trip to the Dead Sea
Whatever tour you choose to do you still have to include the Dead Sea on your list. The place is absolutely incredible and it is definitely something unique.
It really feels amazing walking on salt and the myths are all true, you do float effortlessly in the water. Sometimes the landscape even makes you fell like you are on the moon...


HaCarmel Market
This one I definitely recommend! It is for sure the most famous market in Tel Aviv and it is as unique as it gets. A lot of variety of food, including fresh juices and delicious pastries! The pastries in Tel Aviv have been the best we have ever had anywhere in the world!


Try the local cuisine
The food in Israel is amazing and they have a lot of unique and cool places where you can try all of them. What we liked best from our trip:

The Humus Church - This is a must if you are a humus lover! The place looks like a church (ergo the name) and they only server humus, the best one ever!


Sabich - We watched "Somebody feed Phil" right before our trip to Tel Aviv and he recommended this place! And we are sure glad we went for a bite!


Miznon - for their traditional grilled cauliflower


Hakosem - in case you want to try the authentic falafel.

Weiss Bakery - for the most mouthwatering pastries

The Container - a cool place to sip a drink in Old Jaffa Port

Old Man & The Sea - great place to have lunch in the Old Jaffa Port, but a bit expensive. The appetisers here are delicious.

Well, the main idea is that wherever you choose to eat you must try their hummus, falafel and their pastries.

Tips and tricks:

- In Israel, due to Sabbath, the weekend days are Friday and Saturday; therefore most of the shops are closed from Friday evening until Saturday evening.
The bus, trams and trains also have a weekend schedule, most of them don’t even run on Saturday. So, if you arrive in Tel Aviv on a Saturday take into consideration that the train to the city from the airport is not running and you might need an alternative option, like a taxi or renting a car.
- If you choose to rent a car, you should know that the rental company will require a credit card and they will hold a deposit. We rented from Sixt right at the airport (but we made an online reservation before hand) and we were able to drop it at a hotel in Tel Aviv city center.
- In case you want to take a trip to the Dead Sea by car, keep in mind that highway no. 6 is a toll one. They will send the receipt to the rental car company which will later on charge your credit with that amount plus their handling fees.

Tel Aviv is great as a weekend getaway destination, especially if you want to go somewhere warm. However be prepared to spend some money as the city is pretty expensive when it comes to food and accommodation.


Sending hugs,
O

Taiwan is an up and coming tourist destination and the country has so many beautiful places just waiting to be explored.
We went to Taipei on a small detour from our Hong Kong trip and we spent two days there. Indeed the city does not have a lot of landmarks to visit, however its charm lies in something completely different.
Due to not being the typical city with a lot of attractions, Taipei developed a very large coffee shop and restaurant culture. You will find the craziest, most interesting or even the cutest places to enjoy your coffee here. Also the city's charm can be mostly observed at night when everything comes to life.

Press PLAY to get the right Taipei mood.

Here is a short list of things to do in Taipei:

1. Visit Taipei 101
This landmark is by far the most famous in Taipei so you must not leave the city without seeing it. The impressive building holds the tallest Starbucks in the world, but you need to call in advance for a reservation. Like a lot in advance, as we tried calling a day before but the lines were busy all the time.


2. Hike to the top of Elephant Mountain
...and enjoy the amazing view from above this lovely city. It's a great place to put things into perspective and actually realise how tall Taipei 101 is.


3. Explore the city by night
...and be mesmerized by the colorful neon lights.


4. Check out the crowded night markets
Taipei has a night market at every corner...well almost, but for sure has the most night markets we have ever seen in a city. They are very lively and offer a lot of variety of products, especially food. Our top picks: Raohe Night Market and Ningxia Night Market.


5. Indulge yourself in some tasty local food
...and if you feel brave enough and have a hardcore stomach, try the stinky tofu. We couldn't...the smell was just too appalling.



6. Visit their crazy and eccentric restaurants
One of the most famous ones is The Modern Toilet...I guess there is no need to explain the main theme here, right? However, this is not for everyone, I guess.

7. Try a 3d art latte
...or visit any cute coffee shop you can find. Trust me they have them at every step. From coffee shops were you can play with alpacas to ones were you can feel like Alice in Wonderland and sit in a huge tea cup, without a doubt in Taipei you will find at least one to fulfil your childhood fantasies.


The colorful neon lights and the lively night markets will for sure make for an unforgettable experience in Taipei.

Hugs,
O

Full disclosure: I always get hungry when I write this kind of articles!
Chris and I are both huge foodies so when we research a travel destination we always check out where and what to eat too. We always, I mean ALWAYS try the local food. The best way to experience a destination is by visiting its famous landmarks, meeting the locals and trying out the traditional dishes.
Unfortunately we have not yet mastered the art of taking photos of our food, that's because we usually stop for food when we are already starving and are therefore too impatient to eat, but we are working on it...sort of.

Nevertheless here is a list of our top picks:

Scampi at Giovanni’s

Scampiiiiiiiiii!!! (Evidently I am having a hard time hiding my excitement). This little food truck on the south shore of the island has the best garlic shrimp ever! Garlic shrimp is a must on the island and the one’s at Giovanni’s is to die for! We signed our names on the truck so if you go there look for Flip Flops Only and send us a photo. It would really make our day. As an extra try the macaroni salad as well.


Funnel cake at Lani's Yummy Yum

By far the best dessert I have had so far! (It even tops mom’s tiramisu! Sorry mom!). This food truck is in the same market area as Giovanni’s, so two birds with one stone. The truck doesn’t look much, but boy you are in for a treat. Make sure you get the fully loaded option with bananas, ice cream, chocolate and strawberry syrup. Need I say more?


BBQ corn

This one too is in the same market place as the ones above (I know, right? Best marketplace ever!). They have 3 kinds for you to choose from, number one is the best. (duh!)

Kailua Pork and Lau Lau

These two are traditional Hawaiian food and they were absolutely delicious. Kailua is shredded pork and Lau Lau is pork boiled in taro leaves. The come together with rice and the Hawaiian macaroni salad.


Poke

Poke means tiny pieces in Hawaiian and it’s usually small pieces of raw fish in all sorts of sauces and condiments. This is part of the Japanese influence on the island which you will get to recognize a lot.


Shave ice

Our initial thought (because most of the times we think alike) was: how good can syrup covered ice be? Isn’t that the Slurpee? Well…no! Just try it and you will not be disappointed!


Acai bowls

Getting to healthier part of food, Acai bowls are very famous around the island, so wherever you choose to try them you cannot go wrong. The ones at Banan were pretty good.

Arvo café

A lovely healthy coffee shop which we recommend for breakfast. The lavender latte is really good and they have some healthy good looking toasts too.


xoxo,
O