Jaffa, April 27

Tuesday, April 27, 2010: We started the day with a trip to Jaffa or Yafo, which was the Arabic port that became the beginning of Tel Aviv a little over 100 years ago. It still is a small port with fishing boats, but what is most impressive is the old city with very old stone walls along the hill over the port. We parked the car and walked through the big flea market and then walked past the mosque with its high minaret and then up the hill to the town. Many of the old buildings have been restored, and there is still excavation going on. There are many shops and restaurants and art galleries built into the old buildings. It is very lively and full of people, both natives and tourists. It is perhaps the oldest port in the world. According to the Bible the cedars used in the construction of the Temple passed through Jaffa on their way to Jerusalem; the prophet Jonah set off from Jaffa before being swallowed by the whale. We went to the museum of Ilana Goor, who is a pretty famous sculptor of Israel.