Jaffa

Jaffa street near Kdumim Square and House of Simon the Tanner

Tel Aviv is officially Tel Aviv-Yafo, as the old port of Jaffa was incorporated into Tel Aviv some years ago. But though it shares a border with Tel Aviv, it feels a world away.  Jaffa is the ancient port city of the Mediterranean that for many centuries was the showpiece of the Arab world. There are few natural ports along this area of the Mediterrean, and Jaffa is one of them.  The port has been continuously inhabited for nearly 4,000 years.  It contains mosques and churches, but is primarily Arabic.

Fisherman on the coastline just north of Jaffa

 After having visited the delightful Nachelet Binyamin open-air market (again), and fueling ourselves with street falafels, we made our way to Jaffa along the promenade that hugs the Tel Aviv coast for several miles.  It is arguably one of the most scenic and pleasant spots in the world.  Yesterday was the beginning of February, but the sun and surfers were out.  We headed south at a leisurely pace.  It was early Friday afternoon and it seemed everyone in Tel Aviv was out and about.  In Israel, the work week is Sunday through Thursday, so their Friday is our Saturday, and it was time to unwind.

Betsy at the ampithreatre, with spectacular views of Tel Aviv behind her. 

We reached the famous Clock Tower at the edge of Jaffa, and we immediately felt we had left the modern world.  Chic shops and restaurants fill the streets, interspersed with fishmongers and their bins of pungent local fish.  We stopped for gelato and lemonade (away from the fishmongers), then continued exploring.  Jaffa is mostly pedestrian and each turn seems to bring another turn, and then a breathtaking vista.  We stumbled upon the Alphi auditorium, an open air ampitheatre with spectacular views of downtown Tel Aviv, to remind us we hadn’t entirely left the modern world. Across from it was St. Peter’s church, and just across a bridge lined with Zodiac symbols (for good luck), was another square, with narrow steps down to the old port of Jaffa.

Steven at the Bridge of Wishes.  St. Peter's is behind him. 

The port is still in use by fishermen, but it is also a tourist attraction, lined with outdoor restaurants.  Full from our gelato, we did not stop to eat.  We left just as the sun was setting over the water.