F is for Falafel, Fish, Fortress, and Fodor's

F is for Falafel

Israel is THE place to eat Falafel. It is served everywhere much like we can drive through a McDonald’s or Chick Fil A here in the US. The restaurants serve a whole pita filled with falafel and a choice of sauces. Many vendors also put the salad in the pita and one restaurant even served our French fries inside the pita!

What is falafel? According to Wikipedia, 

“Falafel is a deep-fried ball, doughnut or patty made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern food that most likely originated in Egypt.”

The street vendors even sell falafel

This picture and one below

borrowed from the internet.

I thought I had a picture but

I don't!

salad in the pita - they use the whole pita

and slit the top open

F is for Fish

Fish is served all over Israel. Fish is caught in the Sea of Galilee and in the Mediterranean Sea and I’m sure it is caught in other places. Did you know that they even serve fish for breakfast? Yes . . . yes, they do!  Did I eat fish for breakfast? No, I didn’t but some of my friends did.

this picture and the one below

are from our trip in 2016. This is

called St. Peter's fish - it is 

actually Tilapia!!

hiding underneath all that other

yummy food is a piece of fish

F is for Fortress – Antonio Fortress

In 35 B.C. King Herod rebuilt the Baris, a strong fortress to protect the Temple Mount. It was located on the Northwest corner of the Temple Mount and called the Fortress of Antonia, named after Herod’s friend Marc Antony and another of Herod's landmarks. It stood 115 feet high and was partly surrounded by a deep ravine 165 feet wide. It functioned as headquarters for the Roman soldiers, a palace and a barracks. Herod constructed a secret passage from the fortress to the Temple.

While overlooking Jerusalem, the Antonia Fortress was garrisoned with 600 Roman soldiers, who watched over the Temple courts in order to preserve order. The Bible spoke about the Antonia Fortress as a barracks (Acts 21:37), and it was here that Paul gave an address to the people (22:1-21). (source: Bible-history.com)

source of cool photo - Generation World
Bible Teaching

 

F is for Fodor’s Review . . of the catwalks

Let me preface this part by saying that I didn’t read the Fodor’s Review but wished I had! One couple on our trip had to stay an extra night in Jerusalem and they did read about the Ramparts on top of the Old City and they walked up there after we started our travels home. They said it was so cool!  I found this review online and thought I would share for anyone else traveling to Israel. “The narrow stone catwalks of the Old City walls provide great panoramic views and interesting perspectives of this intriguing city. But they also offer an innocent bit of voyeurism as you look down into gardens and courtyards and become, for a moment, a more intimate partner in the secret domestic life of the different quarters you pass. Across the rooftops, the domes and spires of the three religions that call Jerusalem holy compete for the skyline, just as their adherents jealously guard their territory down below. Peer through the shooting niches, just as watchmen and snipers did in the not-so-distant past. The hotels and high-rises of the new city dominate the skyline to the west; Mount Zion is immediately to the south; the bustle of East Jerusalem is almost tangible to the north; and the churches and cemeteries quietly cling to the Mount of Olives to the east. There are many high steps on this route; the railings are secure, but small children should not walk alone; good footwear, a hat, and water are recommended.

The two sections of the walk are separated by Jaffa Gate, though the same ticket covers both (available from the commercial tourist services office just inside Jaffa Gate and at the entrance to the southern route). The shorter southern section is accessible only from the end of the seemingly dead-end terrace outside Jaffa Gate at the exit of the Tower of David Museum. Descent is at Zion Gate or just before Dung Gate. The longer and more varied walk begins at Jaffa Gate (up the stairs immediately on the left as you enter the Old City), with descent at New, Damascus, Herod's, or Lions' Gates. Allow 30 to 40 minutes for the shorter section to Zion Gate, adding 10 to 15 minutes to get to Dung Gate. For the longer section, it takes 20 minutes to walk north-northeast to the New Gate, another 20 minutes east to Damascus Gate, 15 minutes from there to Herod's Gate, and about 20 minutes more to Lions' Gate. Since much of the long northern route passes through or above Palestinian areas, it's advisable to end your walk at the New Gate during times of tension.”

A friend sent a message on facebook that she is trying to guess what I’m going to talk about with each letter! That comment has made this even more fun!!

Do you like to eat fish? Do you like to eat falafel?