The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
~ Lao Tzu
Africa, Asia, and Europe converge at Israel. Its unique geography has shaped its culture and its landscape, from the breathtaking Negev and Judean deserts, to the Red Sea resorts of Eilat, to the bucolic Golan mountains. A journey through the country is a lesson in history and civilization. Begin in Jerusalem, an ancient city that is sacred to three religions. With hallowed places such as Galilee, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and the Jordan River to continue your explorations, you quickly realize that Israel packs huge historical and geopolitical importance into a surprisingly small size.
When people who have never been to Israel think of Tel Aviv, they tend to think it’s a provincial Middle Eastern city with slow-motion camels, armed soldiers everywhere, and some ancient Bible-time monuments around. But Tel Aviv is a stylish, completely contemporary Mediterranean metropolis filled with chic and bustling cafes, an exciting culture scene, fashionable trendy boutiques, beautiful lively people and a roaring nightlife.
Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, Israël circa 1996 The Beckers: Handsome, Yona and Slavit, 2014 on the kibbutzThe Eiffel Tower illuminating from our apartment, 2014The Eiffel Tower illuminating from our apartment, 2014Adorbs in Paris, 2014Mme Trouble à Paris, 2014Manger des escargots à ParisAn artist in ParisAn artist in ParisPosing in front of a famous tower in Paris, Summer 2014Une érection à Paris, 2014 View from the Seine, Paris, 2014 View from the Seine, Paris, 2014 Serving macaroons in Paris Posing in front of a famous tower in Paris, Summer 2014Posing in front of a famous tower in Paris, Summer 2014Posing in front of a famous tower in Paris, Summer 2014We 💙 this bookstore in Paris, right across from the Notre-Dame de Paris, 2014Lunch and beer in Paris, right across from the Notre-Dame de Paris, 2014Lunch and beer in Paris, right across from the Notre-Dame de Paris, 2014Delicious morning plate in ParisDinner in Paris — Dîner à ParisDining in ParisOur apartment in Paris 💙A view from our hotel in Jerusalem 💙Our apartment in Paris 💙Our apartment in Paris 💙 The Metro, Parijs, 2014 By the Louvre, Jia’s art in Parijs, 2014 Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014Taking a break, Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014A tourist @Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014A tourist @Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014A tourist @Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014Ms. MS, Le Louvre, à Paris, 2014Inspecting the breads in Parisאהבה @The Jerusalem Museum, 2014East Jerusalem 2014
بيت المقدس העיר העתיקהCannot remember where we took this photoIn East Jerusalem, where Jia got her new hat
כובע חדשEast Jerusalem 2014
بيت المقدس העיר העתיקהEast Jerusalem 2014 Dome of the Rock
بيت المقدس העיר העתיקהEast Jerusalem 2014 Dom of the Rock on the Temple Mount, Israël
بيت المقدس העיר העתיקהEast Jerusalem 2014 Dom of the Rock on the Temple Mount, Israël
بيت المقدس העיר העתיקהEast Jerusalem 2014 Dome of the Rock
بيت المقدس העיר העתיקההכותל המערבי בירושליםהכותל המערבי בירושלים: יונההכותל המערבי בירושלים: שמים פתקהכותל המערבי בירושליםהכותל המערבי בירושליםהכותל המערבי בירושליםBreakfast in Jerusalem 2014Breakfast in Jerusalem 2014Ms. Jia in Jerusalem 2014The Dead sea, Israel 2014Swimming in the Dead sea, Israel 2014 Masada, Israël 2014 (מצדה) On Masada, Israël 2014 (מצדה) On Masada, Israël 2014 (מצדה) On Masada, Israël 2014 (מצדה) On Masada, Israël 2014 (מצדה) On Masada, Israël 2014 (מצדה) On Masada, Israël 2014 (מצדה) On Masada, Israël 2014 (מצדה) On Masada, Israël 2014 (מצדה) Ashdod, Israel. A view from our hotel. 2014Ashdod, IsraelAshdod, Israel. A family photo in kibbutz Yad-Mordechai 2014Pinning a penny to her chin on a hot Israeli day on the kibbutz, 2014Yad Mordechai, Israël 2014
D’vorah’s grave in Yad Mordechai, Israël 2014
Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, Israël 2014 Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, Israël 2014 Lunch: Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, Israël 2014 Lunch: Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, Israël 2014 Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, Israël 2014 with Slavit and SmadarKibbutz Yad Mordechai, Israël 2014 with Miriam Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, Israël 2014Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, Israël 2014Jia and Geet on top of the Egyptian tank that was taken by kibbutz members in 1948. המוזיאון בקיבוץ יד מרדכי, ישראל 2014Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, Israël 2014משפחת בקר המורחבת באשקלון, לאחר ארוחת ערב סינית 2014משפחת בקר המורחבת באשקלון, לאחר ארוחת ערב סינית 2014קבוצת חצלת בקיבוץ יד מרדכיקבוצת חצלת בקיבוץ יד מרדכיSmadar and daughters, K. Yad Mordechai 2014צפד, עיר האמנויות ישראל 2014צפד, עיר האמנויות ישראל 2014תל מגידו בצפון הארץתל מגידו בצפון הארץהעיר הרומית בית שאן בצפון ישראל
Beit Shan, Roman City, northern Israel 2014העיר הרומית בית שאן בצפון ישראל
Beit Shan, Roman City, northern Israel 2014Beit Shan, Roman City, northern Israel 2014העיר הרומית בית שאן בצפון ישראל
Beit Shan, Roman City, northern Israel 2014העיר הרומית בית שאן בצפון ישראל
Beit Shan, Roman City, northern Israel 2014העיר הרומית בית שאן בצפון ישראל
Beit Shan, Roman City, northern Israel 2014 Beit Sha’an, Roman City, Israël 2014 Ashdod, Israel 2015The Eiffel and us 2014The Eiffel and Dork in 2014 Beit Sha’an, Roman City in Israël 2014 The Louvre, Parijs, 2014 Having Dinner by Lake Kinneret in northern Israel, 2014Notre-Dame de ParisPrices in Jerusalem’s breakfast (notice the price of “poopy”)Our hotel in Lake Kinneret, Israël 2014 Our hotel in Ashdod: Breakfast 2014Notre-Dame de Paris Hotel Lake Kinneret, Israël 2014. Having breakfast and strong(est) espresso in Jerusalem, 2014Eucalyptus tree in K. Yad Mordechai, Israel 2014Our hotel in Ashdod: Breakfast 2014Having breakfast and strong(est) espresso in Jerusalem, 2014 River Seine, Parijs, Frankrijk 2014 River Seine, Parijs, Frankrijk 2014 Moron visiting an erection in Paris, circa 2014Ashdod @ night: The Mediterranean Sea, 2014 Jeruzalem, The Western Wall, Israël 2014 העיר הרומית בית שאן בצפון ישראל
Beit Shan, Roman City, northern Israel 2014העיר הרומית בית שאן בצפון ישראל
Beit Shan, Roman City, northern Israel 2014העיר הרומית בית שאן בצפון ישראל
Beit Shan, Roman City, northern Israel 2014
About Abba Zë
This site started as “glida.org,” named after our dog Glida (read more in the sidebar). We brought Glida home after visiting Israel; she was a stray 🐶 looking for 💙…
We love traveling and this is our story in photos.
Thanks for visiting.
This little mutt with a healthy ego inspired in me the idea of creating a website. The site has evolved since but it’s core, seeing hazily, remained intact.
Glida was born in Israel and immigrated to the US in 1996. She’s a mutt with bogus interests and limited social skills, much like her dad. Besides chasing squirrels and bunnies (she never caught one!), she likes her two walks a day — rain or shine — and getting unhealthy treats. Feel free to roam the site and get lost in its forbidden lifelessness.
Sadly, on November 19, 2011, Glida passed away at 17. They say about Israeli natives (such as Glida and I), that we’re like Sabras (Israeli cactus): prickle on the outside and sweet on the inside. Glida, however, was prickle on the outside and prickle on the inside. Gonna miss you tons “Doggy Bag.”
