Don't.
They lead you down paths that go no where and take you to places that don't exist. They also make you wait in really long lines for sights that you didn't actually intend to visit in the first place.
Once Xavier and I (mostly Xavier) figured out the streets of the Old City without the help of a map, we settled down for breakfast with a few new friends (apparently the idea that friends don't bite other friends doesn't apply to cats. Thankfully I don't have rabies).
We began the day with a "short" trek around Mount Zion to check out the many significant religious sites including Dormition Abbey (where Mary fell into eternal sleep) and the Church of Peter Gallicantu (where Peter decided he was too cool for Jesus and denied knowing him 3 times).
We also made a brief pit stop via Oskar Schindler's grave. Here I am placing a rock on it.
Our tourist time ended when Xavier decided it appropriate to get into an argument with a gang of small children over two olive branches. The children came off second best.
Xavier spent the rest of the afternoon giving me a "personally designed" tour of the Mount of Olives. It was very informative and to prove it, here's a picture of me looking very interested.
We then headed to the Church of All Nations and the Garden of Gethsemane, the spot where Judas was a bit of a douche to Jesus and dobbed him in. This is the culturally accepted rock where the event went down.
Next stop a tour of Masada and the Dead Sea. This was a great idea until we realised that the tour was aimed at people over the age of 55. I knew it was going to be a GREAT day when our guide gave us all a sticker with his phone number displayed in big blue font, just incase one of us got lost.
The tour of fun began at 8am with Xavier running around an Arabic bus station clamming that he was a victim of "tourism fraud" because the tour company hadn't arrived to pick us up. Fortunately 5 minuets later a nice looking bus from the company pulled over and took us to meet our group.
First stop Masada, where Xavier trekked all the way to the top (by himself cause I took the fun and safe cable car) and continued to boast about it all day. Our guide showed us around and explained the significance of Masada, which was a beautiful place where I managed to snap some nice pics.
We were allowed a couple of minuets free time in which Xavier enjoyed prancing over the hilly landscape. Can you spot him?
I on the other hand took pictures of rocks. Here are my four favourite pictures. They are now yours.
The senior citizens tour concluded with a flail in the dead sea.
Most of you have seen the picture on Facebook of me covered in mud, but to spice things up here is a picture of me doing the obligatory NSWYL power fist (except that this one is much cooler cause I'm power fisting in the Dead Sea with the Jordanian Mountains in the background. So I win).
Bethlehem and Jericho were next on our tourist hot spot list and we headed to The Church of the Nativity first (Via this check point).
After Bethlehem we headed to Jericho, the oldest city in the world to visit a few archeological sites.
Here's a picture of the Mount of Temptation where Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and nights. The Monastery on the mountain is the culturally accepted place where the devil tempted him for the first time. Our guide told us that only one monk lives there!!
Oh and here's a picture of a 2000 year old tree.
We headed back into Israel (which was really good because my travel insurance didn't cover me throughout the West Bank) and then headed to Tel Aviv, which is where I am now (its AMAZING!!!).
They lead you down paths that go no where and take you to places that don't exist. They also make you wait in really long lines for sights that you didn't actually intend to visit in the first place.
Once Xavier and I (mostly Xavier) figured out the streets of the Old City without the help of a map, we settled down for breakfast with a few new friends (apparently the idea that friends don't bite other friends doesn't apply to cats. Thankfully I don't have rabies).
We began the day with a "short" trek around Mount Zion to check out the many significant religious sites including Dormition Abbey (where Mary fell into eternal sleep) and the Church of Peter Gallicantu (where Peter decided he was too cool for Jesus and denied knowing him 3 times).
We also made a brief pit stop via Oskar Schindler's grave. Here I am placing a rock on it.
Our tourist time ended when Xavier decided it appropriate to get into an argument with a gang of small children over two olive branches. The children came off second best.
Xavier spent the rest of the afternoon giving me a "personally designed" tour of the Mount of Olives. It was very informative and to prove it, here's a picture of me looking very interested.
We then headed to the Church of All Nations and the Garden of Gethsemane, the spot where Judas was a bit of a douche to Jesus and dobbed him in. This is the culturally accepted rock where the event went down.
Next stop a tour of Masada and the Dead Sea. This was a great idea until we realised that the tour was aimed at people over the age of 55. I knew it was going to be a GREAT day when our guide gave us all a sticker with his phone number displayed in big blue font, just incase one of us got lost.
The tour of fun began at 8am with Xavier running around an Arabic bus station clamming that he was a victim of "tourism fraud" because the tour company hadn't arrived to pick us up. Fortunately 5 minuets later a nice looking bus from the company pulled over and took us to meet our group.
First stop Masada, where Xavier trekked all the way to the top (by himself cause I took the fun and safe cable car) and continued to boast about it all day. Our guide showed us around and explained the significance of Masada, which was a beautiful place where I managed to snap some nice pics.
We were allowed a couple of minuets free time in which Xavier enjoyed prancing over the hilly landscape. Can you spot him?
I on the other hand took pictures of rocks. Here are my four favourite pictures. They are now yours.
The senior citizens tour concluded with a flail in the dead sea.
Most of you have seen the picture on Facebook of me covered in mud, but to spice things up here is a picture of me doing the obligatory NSWYL power fist (except that this one is much cooler cause I'm power fisting in the Dead Sea with the Jordanian Mountains in the background. So I win).
Bethlehem and Jericho were next on our tourist hot spot list and we headed to The Church of the Nativity first (Via this check point).
The other side of the wall boasts some interesting graffiti. 
Xavier has all the pictures of The Nativity Church on his camera and unfortunately I'm not allowed to put any of them up because his are the "official Facebook photos of the trip" blah blah blah.
After Bethlehem we headed to Jericho, the oldest city in the world to visit a few archeological sites.
Here's a picture of the Mount of Temptation where Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and nights. The Monastery on the mountain is the culturally accepted place where the devil tempted him for the first time. Our guide told us that only one monk lives there!!
Oh and here's a picture of a 2000 year old tree.
We headed back into Israel (which was really good because my travel insurance didn't cover me throughout the West Bank) and then headed to Tel Aviv, which is where I am now (its AMAZING!!!).
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