South East Asia Travel Blog

You Are Here: CushTravel > Asia > Middle East > Israel

In Mount Herzl, the Dead are Never Forgotten

By Leave a Comment

Jerusalem is one of the most famous cities in the world, known to all races and religions, and highly revered by all Jews, Christians and Muslims. Spending your next vacation here means spending the next days or weeks of your life within and alongside some of the holiest and oldest religious landmarks in the world. But Jerusalem has more to offer than its intrinsic spirituality. It also boasts of natural treasures, hi-tech museums and modern facilities. One of the places you can visit that has nothing to do with religion but equally important is Mount Herzl.

mount herzl, jerusalem, israel
Mount Herzl Cemetery

Located to the west side of the city beside Jerusalem Forest, Mount Herzl is also known as Mount of Remembrance since it is the country’s national cemetery. The mountain was named after Theodor Herzl, considered the father of the State of Israel, whose remains …

Say a Prayer for the Garden of Gethsemane

By Leave a Comment

The Garden of Gethsemane is a pivotal location to the Gospel narrative in the New Testament. This was where Jesus and his followers prayed the night before their leader was taken by the soldiers and ultimately crucified. The garden is located at the foot of the Mount of Olives in the Kidron Valley, but although the sacred mount is easy to locate today, there are disputes as to where the famous garden was originally located.

garden of gethsamane, israel, jerusalem
The Garden of Gethsemane

There are four groups of people pointing to four different spots. Traditionally, devotees believe that the garden is near the Tomb of the Virgin Mary to the north of the Mount of Olives, the Greek Orthodox believes it is to the east, the Church of All Nations points to a …

Church of the Holy Sepulchre: Most Holy and Controversial

By Leave a Comment

Jerusalem is the center and birthplace of Christianity, as it is the spiritual home of Judaism and Islam. These three faiths peg their origins to Abraham, the supposed historical father of Islam and Judaism, and spiritual father of Christians. Pilgrims from all over the world come to Jerusalem. Although pilgrimages are not as important for Christians as they are for Muslims, thousands of Christians make their way to Jerusalem every year, specifically to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

church, holy sepulchre, israel, jerusalem
Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Located in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is considered by many as the most …

Israel Museum: Israel’s Pride and Joy

By Leave a Comment

To say that Jerusalem is a city of museums is an understatement. There are more than 60 museums in the city, which is very impressive for a tiny city compared to other major metropolis and tourist destinations in the world. While a majority of these museums are excellent and the best in their field, the most important museum in the Holy City and the entire country is the Israel Museum.

jerusalem, entrance, israel
The Israel Museum (entrance)

Perhaps the most exciting archeological finds ever are the Dead Sea Scrolls, and where are they now? You guessed it, in the Israel …

Garden Tomb: He is not Here — for He is Risen

By Leave a Comment

Christianity is the only religion in the world that claims the resurrection and ascension of its founder. Jesus was resurrected after spending three days in the grave. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher maintains that within its compound is the actual grave where the body of Jesus was kept for three days. The Holy Sepulcher is one of the most revered and visited sites in the Old City in Jerusalem. But just in case the church leaders got it wrong, there is an alternative location in Jerusalem for Christ’s tomb — the Garden Tomb.

garden tomb, israel, jerusalem
The Garden Tomb

The belief that this could be the probable site of Christ’s actual tomb is not without evidence. Believers look to textual, historical and …

What’s Inside the Hai-Bar Yotvata Nature Reserve

By Leave a Comment

Situated in the southern Arava, north of Eilat, the Hai-Bar Yotvata Nature Reserve is a 4,000 acre breeding and reclamation area, run by the National Parks Authority and the Israel Nature Reserves. The nature reserve is the desert counterpart of the Hai-Bar Carmel Nature Reserve that operates in the northern Mediterranean forest.

hai-bar yotvata nature reserve, eilat, jerusalem

It has been established to nurture and breed locally extinct animals mentioned in the Bible as well as other desert animals that are on the brink of extinction for possible reintroduction to Negev desert. The nature reserve covers an array of arid-land habitats such as …