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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Jaffa to Jerusalem

BobM

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
V Frances; V Podensis; V Francigena; V Portugues; V Francigena del Sud; Jakobsweg. Jaffa - Jerusalem
Re my intended December walk from Jaffa to Jerusalem, I have pretty much sorted out my route etc.

There are many interesting POIs along this route: Important sites relating to the 1948 War of Independence, a British Cemetery at Ramla dating back to WW1, tombs of Old Testament Prophets (eg Dan) and the reputed graves of St George and Abraham, places associated with the old Jaffa-Jerusalem railway, the Israel Burma Road (google it) etc.

This is a short walk, but after planning it I was surprised by the number of interesting places to see. I am sure I have only scratched the surface.

Unfortunately, for some reason I don't understand, I cannot insert a working link here to the HTML map on Google Drive. GPSvisualizer only allows downloads of maps in HTML format, alas.

If anyone is really interested, just PM me with an email address and I will send you the actual GPX files covering WPs, Accom. Food and POIs. Disclaimer: None of the data has been checked in the field - it is purely a desktop planning exercise.

Bob M
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
The walk sounds like a wonderful adventure, Bob. :)

I suppose it should have been obvious given the 20th century military history of the region, but I had not realized that one can take a Military History Tour of the Holy Land.

There are many interesting campaigns from the time of WW1 and the subsequent British Mandate over Palestine and the Israel War of Independence that immediately followed the British hand-back of the Mandate to the UN. Definitely worth thinking about for history buffs.

I hope to make side trips to Beersheba (very famous in WW1) and to the critical area of Latrun in the 1948 War of Independence.

Few people would realise that the British had a strong influence on the Jordan Army which fought the Israelis at Latrun and other places in 1948. Glubb Pasha was a key figure in the Jordanian military. Another very eccentric (and sometimes successful) British WW2 officer, Orde Wingate, was involved in Zionism before WW2.

Bob M
 
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Sure does ! Looking forward to more on this one Bob
😊
I don't want to count my chickens too early, but I hope to peck out a daily report with a few pics on my phone once the walk is underway.

I have written a short 'guidebook' for my use with maps, routes, accommodation, POI's and background info. Completely over the top for a 4-day walk, but I have found that the more I know about my walks ahead of time, the less stress there is. So I have managed to get a fix on the known unknowns:), but there are always the unknown unknowns:eek:.

Anyway, we shall see.

Bob
 
Re my intended December walk from Jaffa to Jerusalem, I have pretty much sorted out my route etc.

There are many interesting POIs along this route: Important sites relating to the 1948 War of Independence, a British Cemetery at Ramla dating back to WW1, tombs of Old Testament Prophets (eg Dan) and the reputed graves of St George and Abraham, places associated with the old Jaffa-Jerusalem railway, the Israel Burma Road (google it) etc.

This is a short walk, but after planning it I was surprised by the number of interesting places to see. I am sure I have only scratched the surface.

Unfortunately, for some reason I don't understand, I cannot insert a working link here to the HTML map on Google Drive. GPSvisualizer only allows downloads of maps in HTML format, alas.

If anyone is really interested, just PM me with an email address and I will send you the actual GPX files covering WPs, Accom. Food and POIs. Disclaimer: None of the data has been checked in the field - it is purely a desktop planning exercise.

Bob M
I am interested in your info Bob, but as I'm not leaving until May, I might wait to see how it all panned out actually the ground...if you don't mind. As walkers we know 'best laid plans' & all that....! 😄
Time is flying, October already...you'll be off before you know it.
👣 🌏
 
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. . . I might wait to see how it all panned out actually the ground... Time is flying, October already...you'll be off before you know it.

Time is certainly flying. I leave home on October 27 on another trip and I won't actually get to Israel until November 24 and a few rest days before starting my walk.

Anyway, I have done all I can re Israel at this stage - except for a 20km 'I-hope-I-can-still-do-it' training walk with my pack.

Bob M
 
I hope you do report back, Bob M. Have a fantastic pilgrimage!
 
I hope you do report back, Bob M. Have a fantastic pilgrimage!

Thank you for your kind thought. Apart from 'field reports' written on the go, I hope to write something more substantial when I get home.

The various pilgrimage routes in Israel are very interesting, but the lack of user friendly guides and maps (at least so far as I have found) probably deters a lot of people who might love to walk in Israel.

Bob M
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
November 28. At Jaffa

Tomorrow I will start my walk to Jerusalem. Today, standing in the sea, I threw two seashells brought from home into the sea at the port of Jaffa. One shell symbolized my journey from Canterbury, and the other my hopes for the future.

The Wishing Bridge was not far away. I stood on the pavement inscription for a few reflective moments, then touched my zodiac sign as I walked across the bridge making a wish as I did so. We shall see.

Anyway, I will try to peck out a daily reporton my phone.

Bob M
 

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November 28. At Jaffa

Tomorrow I will start my walk to Jerusalem. Today, standing in the sea, I threw two seashells brought from home into the sea at the port of Jaffa. One shell symbolized my journey from Canterbury, and the other my hopes for the future.

The Wishing Bridge was not far away. I stood on the pavement inscription for a few reflective moments, then touched my zodiac sign as I walked across the bridge making a wish as I did so. We shall see.

Anyway, I will try to peck out a daily reporton my phone.

Bob M
Happy trails Bob! 🚶‍♂️Really looking forward to your dispatches. I didn't know about the Wishing Bridge so have added that to my plans; seems an appropriate & meaningful place to begin. Lovely sentiments casting your shells into the ocean too. When I'm there in May, I'll be sure to pay my respects to Pisces from my Capricorn vantage point! 😄
Safe walking through this most fascinating of regions.
👣 🌏
 
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3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
Thinking of you Bob! I stopped in Neve Shalom on the way to Jerusalem, it was inspiring.
Have a look if you can 🙂 Not the hotel - very luxurious (and pricey) - but some simple rooms they let.
Wishing you good weather and...happy trails!!

edit: I can’t see the cheap accommodation anymore, maybe they’ve stopped doing it?
 
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The cheap rooms seem to be gone. But the staff are fantastic, especially after I told them I was walking to Jerusalem. Maybe it's the curiosity factor to meet the crazy hiker.

BTW there was no cheap accommodation on my chosen route except Shumachers near Ramla where I will stay tonight 29 Nov. Speaks English. Very helpful and communicative.

My hotel Margosa in Jaffa old town costs $us150/night.Lavish courtyard breakfast included. Speak English. Very helpful and will keep my bag with stuff not wanted on my walk until I return.

Small supermarket next to the hotel .

Bob
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Fri 28 Nov Jaffa to Ramla
18.4km (5 hrs incl breaks) today from the Margosa Hotel to Shumacher's in Ramla. Pretty flat going but the bright sunny weather and 23 degrees C made it a bit tying at the end.

The whole stage was on the busy Route 44, but it was very safe walking with wide verges where bike/footpaths did not exist. See pics.

"Welcome bikers" rest stop at a service station where I had a break at the tables and seats provided for bikers. Many pics incl "Trump and Pence making America great." Ads for Harley bikes etc etc. Biker culture is the same the world over.

One pit stop for a break and snack was at the only safe spot where the verge widened enough for a vehicle to make a brief stop. Used toilet paper and the acrid stench of well-aged shit made it a very short stop for a quick snack.

Service station owner commented on my walking (unspoken assumption this guy is either crazy or has a story). I told my story which he repeated to all the cars filling up. Much smiling and expressions of goodwill. No offers of a lift. The owner filled up my water bottle with cold water and shook my hand.

Shumachers is very basic but very welcoming. The owner Shimon Shumacher speaks good English and probably 50 other languages.

Small shopping area close by run by an Arab family where you can buy snacks and food. Open on Friday until 2pm. Owner fixated on his CCTV monitoring for theft.

That's it for today. Fingers tired pecking this stuff out on my phone. Also feeling a bit beat. It takes a couple of days to get into camino routine.

Tomorrow I walk about 22km to Neve Shalom and its pricey rooms. Better be good.

Bob M
 

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I'm following with great interest, and hope you'll post your distances and that map when you're back home.
No problem. I am also recording my GPS track each day and can make the tracks available to anyone interested.

Bob M
 
"Trump and Pence making America great."

Saw those in May when I was over. A new "messiah" perhaps.

If you get a chance in Jerusalem, why not go over to Bethlehem if you can. Only a short [by distance] bus ride but it may take a while as the traffic is terrible.
 
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St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Sat 30 Nov Ramla to Neve Shalom
I had the wrong date yesterday, should have been Fri 29.
Today 22.6km in 7 hrs incl breaks. 23 degrees C and sunny.
Route on R44 to the big junction with R431 and R424. I followed the quieter R424 which was the main Jerusalem to Tel Aviv road intil the 6 Day War.

Very pleasant country walking on mainly flat terrain intil the last few km up to Neve Shalom.

I took most of my breaks at shady bus stops with seats. Heaps of these bus stops yesterday and today. Pic

After the junction of R424 with R3 I left main roads and walked a bit of the INT after the Latrun Monastery and vineyard. Lots to see if you have time: Monastery, Armoured Corps Museum and vineyards.

The final few km to Neve Shalom involved a tiring ascent of about 100m.

I was sure glad to arrive at the wonderful guesthouse and excellent room. See pics. Great staff.

BTW, I was not very happy with Shumachers last night. Very amateurish. Crappy breakfast. Not too clean. Poor privacy. Some sort of permanent resident smoking and reading just outside my door. Junk and clutter everywhere incl in my room and kitchen. But it was conveniently located

That's it for today. Enjoy the pics.

Bob M
 

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Forgot to mention the cafe abd convenience store at the junction of R3 and R424. Great for a break or to stock up on food before the last few km to Neve Shalom guesthouse. The restaurant was closed for both dinner (and breakfast next day) on the Saturday I arrived. They are giving me a special breakfast at 7 am tomorrow. Very solicitous of hikers like me.

Bob M
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Sun 1 Dec. Neve Shalom to Kibbutz Tzuba.

20.6 km in 6.5 hrs. Sunny and 19 degrees C at Tzuba.

Today was a story of three relentless climbs as I finally ascended the Judean Hills. I went from 300m to 740m but that was not the whole story. It involved a total ascent of 847m and a total descent of 408m. But the gradient on roads was steady so I could adjust to a steady rhythm. Ascents are particularly trying on off-road paths.

The route today was the prettiest so far even though most of it was on R44 followed by R395. The first few km out of Neve Shalom were on trails eg part of the INT. Very beautiful. There is an option to follow the INT for much of the day but it would add several km to the day and involve more strenuous ascents.
Navigation has been very easy on the off-road bits. The route is very safe except for a short dangerous section where R395 passes through pretty hills. Blind corners and no verge here.

The weather got noticeably cooler as the altitude increased.

Another wonderful hotel and staff at the Kibbutz Tzuba (various spellings) Hotel. It costs $130/night including breakfast. I will have dinner in the communal dining room for an extra $20. I will also have breakfast there tomorrow.

Excuse mefor not responding to each individual post, but that does not mean that I have forgotten you.

Enjoy the pics. More to come of my room here

Bob M
 

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Room at Kibbutz Tzuba Hotel.

Bob M
 

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Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Tomorrow is only a short 14km+ to the Jerusalem Tower Hotel.

It is already assuming the air of a victory lap, which is a complacent attitude. None of these walks are ever easy and no doubt tomorrow will have its challenges .

Bob M
 
Hi Bob! Such memories, I too stayed at tzuba kibbutz! 🙂 It is a short walk tomorrow but we did it in torrential rain 😳 I hope you have better weather!
 
Sun 1 Dec. Neve Shalom to Kibbutz Tzuba.

20.6 km in 6.5 hrs. Sunny and 19 degrees C at Tzuba.

Today was a story of three relentless climbs as I finally ascended the Judean Hills. I went from 300m to 740m but that was not the whole story. It involved a total ascent of 847m and a total descent of 408m. But the gradient on roads was steady so I could adjust to a steady rhythm. Ascents are particularly trying on off-road paths.
The route today was the prettiest so far even though most of it was on R44 followed by R395. The first few km out of Neve Shalom were on trails eg part of the INT. Very beautiful. There is an option to follow the INT for much of the day but it would add several km to the day and involve more strenuous ascents.
Enjoy the pics. More to come of my room here

Bob M
😄 Re scenery pic #10...
No 'off-piste' pit stops with that roadside foliage Bob... 🌵 ouch! 🌵 🙈 🤭
👣 🌏
 
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Join the Camino Cleanup in May from Ponferrada to Sarria. Registration closes Mar 22.
Monday 2 Dec.Tzuba to Jerusalem
14km in 4.5 hours. Cold at times with one spell of light rain that had me putting the rain cover on my pack and having my poncho to hand.

The route had a lot of variety today. I started on a steep section of the INT (I think - haven't figured out the various waymarks).

I rejoined a dangerous section of R395 near Sataf (?) and the ancient agricultural terracing. Very interestng. There are many interesting sites along the walk yesterday and today, but I had no time to explore them. I had planned a 7-day variant to the walk to allow time for tourist stuff, but in the end chose the 4-day option.

Back to my friend R395. Heavy traffic and very narrow verge. It would be possible to walk on the other side of the crash barrier (pic) but I took my chances on the road itself.

The final section left R395 before the suburbs of Jerusalem and involved dirt roads and a section of narrow rocky path that required a bit of scrambling. Two small sections had been washed away in a storm but these sections were passable with care.

BTW, I simply used a route chosen by Google Maps. There are many variants possible for this stage.

I'm staying at the Jerusalem Tower Hotel. Ok but nothing special. Tomorrow I take the bus back to Jaffa to collect my big bag and return to Jerusalem to spend some days at Ecce Homo. Extra baggage is a great pain.

Anyway, that's pretty much it. Ending this walk which had nagged at me for some years closes this chapter.

I will post followup stuff as it occurs to me over the next few days. Questions welcome. I will be in Europe until end Dec and will sort out my tracks and other stuff that might help others.

My big takeaway would be to sort out accommodation and set it up especially around the Thurs - Sat period.

Enjoy the pics

Bob M
 

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Well done and enjoy your few days in Jerusalem.

Israel is a fascinating place with such a mix of people, history and dare I say, politics. It is such a small place but interesting nonetheless. It's on my list to return, probably on the INT.
 
Monday 2 Dec.Tzuba to Jerusalem
14km in 4.5 hours. Cold at times with one spell of light rain that had me putting the rain cover on my pack and having my poncho to hand.

The route had a lot of variety today. I started on a steep section of the INT (I think - haven't figured out the various waymarks).

I rejoined a dangerous section of R395 near Sataf (?) and the ancient agricultural terracing. Very interestng. There are many interesting sites along the walk yesterday and today, but I had no time to explore them. I had planned a 7-day variant to the walk to allow time for tourist stuff, but in the end chose the 4-day option.

Back to my friend R395. Heavy traffic and very narrow verge. It would be possible to walk on the other side of the crash barrier (pic) but I took my chances on the road itself.

The final section left R395 before the suburbs of Jerusalem and involved dirt roads and a section of narrow rocky path that required a bit of scrambling. Two small sections had been washed away in a storm but these sections were passable with care.

BTW, I simply used a route chosen by Google Maps. There are many variants possible for this stage.

I'm staying at the Jerusalem Tower Hotel. Ok but nothing special. Tomorrow I take the bus back to Jaffa to collect my big bag and return to Jerusalem to spend some days at Ecce Homo. Extra baggage is a great pain.

Anyway, that's pretty much it. Ending this walk which had nagged at me for some years closes this chapter.

I will post followup stuff as it occurs to me over the next few days. Questions welcome. I will be in Europe until end Dec and will sort out my tracks and other stuff that might help others.

My big takeaway would be to sort out accommodation and set it up especially around the Thurs - Sat period.

Enjoy the pics

Bob M
Well done Bob, CONGRATULATIONS ! 😎
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Monday 2 Dec.Tzuba to Jerusalem
14km in 4.5 hours. Cold at times with one spell of light rain that had me putting the rain cover on my pack and having my poncho to hand.

The route had a lot of variety today. I started on a steep section of the INT (I think - haven't figured out the various waymarks).

I rejoined a dangerous section of R395 near Sataf (?) and the ancient agricultural terracing. Very interestng. There are many interesting sites along the walk yesterday and today, but I had no time to explore them. I had planned a 7-day variant to the walk to allow time for tourist stuff, but in the end chose the 4-day option.

Back to my friend R395. Heavy traffic and very narrow verge. It would be possible to walk on the other side of the crash barrier (pic) but I took my chances on the road itself.

The final section left R395 before the suburbs of Jerusalem and involved dirt roads and a section of narrow rocky path that required a bit of scrambling. Two small sections had been washed away in a storm but these sections were passable with care.

BTW, I simply used a route chosen by Google Maps. There are many variants possible for this stage.

I'm staying at the Jerusalem Tower Hotel. Ok but nothing special. Tomorrow I take the bus back to Jaffa to collect my big bag and return to Jerusalem to spend some days at Ecce Homo. Extra baggage is a great pain.

Anyway, that's pretty much it. Ending this walk which had nagged at me for some years closes this chapter.

I will post followup stuff as it occurs to me over the next few days. Questions welcome. I will be in Europe until end Dec and will sort out my tracks and other stuff that might help others.

My big takeaway would be to sort out accommodation and set it up especially around the Thurs - Sat period.

Enjoy the pics

Bob M
Box ticked, itch scratched, call answered, mission accomplished, chapter closed.
Good job Bob! 👏 🎉 🙂
👣 🌏
 
😄 Re scenery pic #10...
No 'off-piste' pit stops with that roadside foliage Bob... 🌵 ouch! 🌵 🙈 🤭
👣 🌏
The prickly pear caught my eye. I saw quite a bit of it, including one giant specimen at Shumachers. Some of it was in fruit; which is quite tasty once you gingerly pick it and rub off the very fine needles. I did not try on this occasion.
 
Well done and enjoy your few days in Jerusalem.

Israel is a fascinating place with such a mix of people, history and dare I say, politics. It is such a small place but interesting nonetheless. It's on my list to return, probably on the INT.
It is hard to get a fix on a country during a short walk like mine. I will have a better feel after my stay in Jerusalem. It is certainly a traumatized society in many ways.

As for the INT, that is one challenging walk, not only the terrain and logistics eg crossing the Negev Desert, but also the difficulty of tee-ing up accommodation each day. There are Trail Angels. The INT forum has heaps of good advice, but is not particularly user friendly in my limited experience with it. Then there are the complexities of Shabat to negotiate.

An easier option to familiarize yourself with hiking in Israel would be one of the religious trails eg Jerusalem or the Jesus Trails. Not sure if I have the names right. Google and you will find plenty of options apart from the INT, which is a pretty hard-core route.

I met a lady on the VF who had walked the INT entirely. What sticks in my mind about her is that she bought a bigger pack so she could carry more stuff! A very impressive young woman indeed.
Best Wishes
Bob M
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Well done Bob, CONGRATULATIONS ! 😎

Thank you, domigee. My experience cannot compare with your epic walk in one go from the UK to Jerusalem. Your good wishes are even more welcome in that context.

All the best
Bob M
 
Box ticked, itch scratched, call answered, mission accomplished, chapter closed.
Good job Bob! 👏 🎉 🙂
👣 🌏
It is an odd experience for me completing one of these big challenges. There is certainly satisfaction, relief, and a sense of having proved something to myself. But no euphoria or a desire to shout to the world about it. The opinions of experienced hikers in this forum are far more important because we share something in common that other people simply cannot relate to meaningfully. But all of us here know what is really involved.

But there is also a let down and a casting about for a new challenge.

A complex set of feelings indeed.

Best wishes
Bob M
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Sometimes when I mentioned that I had basically walked from Canterbury over a number of years, I was met with a neutral response - because such a walk is so far out of the normal experience that people simply cannot comprhend it.

But when I said that I had walked from Jaffa to Jerusalem I was invariably met with surprise - because the shorter distance was very familiar to people who have probably driven it often, so the idea of walking it was something of a shock.

Bob M
 
It is an odd experience for me completing one of these big challenges. There is certainly satisfaction, relief, and a sense of having proved something to myself. But no euphoria or a desire to shout to the world about it. The opinions of experienced hikers in this forum are far more important because we share something in common that other people simply cannot relate to meaningfully. But all of us here know what is really involved.

But there is also a let down and a casting about for a new challenge.

A complex set of feelings indeed.

Best wishes
Bob M
Thanks for your insight & for sharing your experiences & information.
I completely understand your feelings at journey's end. I've never grasped people wanting to 'party' on reaching their goal...it's the last thing I feel like doing. Acknowledgement comes from within & is as individual as each of us.
I've quoted this before but it's so true;

"The sorry relief of arrival."
Gideon Lewis-Kraus 'A Sense of Direction'

Again, well done you! It's some feat to commit to a multi-year undertaking; you could have just 'let it go'...but you didn't. Best wishes for your future endeavours...whether they be ambulating or chronicling! 😊
👣 🌏
 
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Bob, I normally never tell people I walked to Jerusalem, except to a few on here who may be interested.
I was told off for it last Easter on my walk from Toulouse to Lourdes, by a priest.... 😀
‘Why on earth would you keep quiet about it? Tell everyone!’

Again, many congratulations for walking to Jerusalem, it does not matter one bit how one does it nor in how much time. I am in awe 😎
 
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
I forgot to mention that regret is also in my mix. Regret for taking physical and mental shortcuts to make my walk a little bit easier when the spirt flagged. Regrets for being impatient and terse from time to time and doing hurt to another person as a result.

Long walks test us in ways that help us to grow as human beings if we listen to our inner voice and try to be better. None of us is perfect and there is nothing better than a challenging walk to expose our imperfections - and, for a few brief, shining moments we sometimes find we are better than we thought and are able to transcend the lows and difficulties that temporarily daunt us.

Anyway, enough of confession.

Bob M
 
A few words about Ecce Homo where I will be staying for 6 nights as a period of reflection and a base for a few trips.

I highly recommend it. Perfect location in the Old City. Great views over the city from roof top terraces. You can see the Dome of the Rock.

Chapel. Historic ruins. The atmosphere reminds me a bit of the Hospice at the St Bernard Pass and a few of the Franciscan Convents I stayed at on the VF.

I walked through the Damascus Gate, which is also a very convenient stop on the tram line, and made my way through the narrow streets lined with shops. It's about a 20 minute walk to Ecce Homo. Via Dolorosa on my doorstep.

Very good room.

Enjoy the pics.

Bob M
 

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My earlier pic of a leaflet about Ecce Homo is not that helpful. Better to Google it. Others who have stayed here might like to add their views.

There are a number of other similar places to stay in the Old City.

Bob M
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Here are two of my GPX files used for planning. My internet connection is very slow. Will upload Stages 3 and 4 and POIs later.
You may have to convert the files to Google Earth KML or KMZ if you don't have an app that will read GPX files. GPSvisualizer should be able to do the conversion.

I will upload my actual tracks when I get a moment.

Bob M
 

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Here are two of my GPX files used for planning. My internet connection is very slow. Will upload Stages 3 and 4 and POIs later.
You may have to convert the files to Google Earth KML or KMZ if you don't have an app that will read GPX files. GPSvisualizer should be able to do the conversion.

I will upload my actual tracks when I get a moment.

Bob M
 
My internet connection is messing up my uploads.

Here is the missing Stage 2
 

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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Here are my actual GPX tracks.

The earliest file shows my track from the port where I cast my shells into to sea, back to the Margosa Hotel.

The next 4 show my daily stages.

The last track is from the Damascus Gate tram station to Ecce Homo.

Let me know if there are any problems with the files.

BTW If you also load the POI file sent earlier you will be able to relate them to my actual tracks.

Enjoy!

PS. The weather looks like changing into winter mode. 15 degrees max and some rain. I sure was blessed with good weather on my walk.

Bob M
 

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Since I had some spare time I have converted my GPX tracks and the POI file to KMZ format that can be opened in Google Earth and Google Maps.

I need to work on tidying up the descriptive section for each stage before offering it to interested hikers. It has notes on history, descriptive notes on the route and some info on the POIs. That job won't be done until early 2020.

BTW my POIs have been selected as a desktop exercise. None (other than the accommodation I used) has been verified in the field. That is relevant to eg cafes that may disappear.

Bob M

Best wishes
Bob M
 

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December 10. Departing Jerusalem

After a very peaceful time in Jerusalem and meeting wonderful people at Ecce Homo, I am at the airport heading to Larnaca. Here are some final thoughts.

One of the volunteers at Ecce Homo from California (Amy) has walked an amazing number of pilgrimages in Europe as well as a number in Israel. She posts in Ivar's forum but I don't know her tag. She would be a great help to anyone thinking of hiking in Israel but still a bit unsure of it. Hopefully by some miracle she may spot this post and offer her experience.

Near the church in Ecce Homo there is a tiny open courtyard with a stony path of about 12 steps leading to a statue of Jesus. My final act in Jerusalem was to walk this final micro-stage of my long journey.

Best wishes to all of you who have been with me on all my journeys, not only this one.

Bob M
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Here is a photo of the micro-stage.

Bob M
 

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Dec 11. Another itch is developing. Will this nightmare ever end?

Bad weather in Larnaca has confined me to my hotel. What an ineffable luxury it is not to have to walk! I lolled over breakfast as the rain tumbled down and felt the indescribable pleasure of not having to put on pack and poncho to face the elements.

Alas! Idle reverie has sown the seeds of another nightmare: I think my next pilgrimage will be parts of the Kumano Kodo in Japan. That will be a completely different cultural and spiritual experience.

Bob M
 
It contagious, Bob. And you have a very bad case of it. Almost terminal ...or from one air terminal to another.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
It contagious, Bob. And you have a very bad case of it. Almost terminal ...or from one air terminal to another.
The air terminal part at the start and end is the real nightmare.

Pilgrims living in Europe don't realize how luxurious your hiking lives are. Planes stacked up in the sky like pancakes, at your beck and call. Trains to your doorstep to whisk you in comfort from one end of the continent to the other.

Those of us living in the uttermost regions of the globe must endure great suffering before we even start to hike.

Bob M
 
Now that I am home again, I have tarted up my planning notes for the four stages of my walk, including maps and some notes on places of interest. It might be useful as a starting point for others considering a walk from Jaffa to Jerusalem. It supplements information already posted here.

Unfortunately, I cannot upload the docx file with its maps and hyperlinks. That format is forbidden by Ivar's forum for some reason. If anyone can help solve the problem, I would appreciate it.

In the meantime, you can view the file on this Google Drive link.

Bob M
 
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I hope someone can help me identify the Israeli memorial (?) in the third pic. I have also attached two pics taken only a few minutes before I arrived at the memorial. I tried Google Translate, but it did not help.

If someone reads Hebrew, they might be able to translate the signs. Even better, someone might recognize the memorial in the third photo

I took these photos about an hour after leaving Neve Shalom on my walk to Tzuba (aka Tsova). it is in the Latrun area and possibly relates to the 1948 War of Independence.

Bob M
 

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Ideal pocket guides for during & after your Camino. Each weighs only 1.4 oz (40g)!
No, sorry, I saw them, walked the same way. I just took them as memorials and paid my respects. I don’t read Hebrew either.
 

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