Hong Kong and China!

After 1 1/2 years I am finally returning to the place where I once, and still do, call home; Hong Kong and China. This time, though, I am going with my wife and our daughter to Hong Kong and China!

We are at T-Minus 25hrs to flight time. All our bags are packed (sort of), we’re ready to go (basically) taxi will be waiting beside our door…

We will be in both Hong Kong and China for over a month.

This will sure to be an unbelievable adventure, trip, experience, and more.

My wife is from China and we are thrilled to be going back to Shanghai to visit her family. We’ll be moving around the country exploring new lands, foods, and customs. I’ll be back hard at work, traveling around Hong Kong and China, visiting factories and working on our goods.

And through it all, I’ll be writing it all down. The good, the bad, the not so great, my feelings, and tribulations. I am both super excited and honestly, a bit nervous, too, to return to the place where I grew up and had learned so much of the world in my 20’s. How much is the same? Different? So many of my friends are gone, some are left. Some will never leave.

What is it like stepping off of a 16hrs flight from New York to Hong Kong and China (direct) with a 2 year old? We land 530 in the morning. How smoothly can we make it through immigration and customs? Get to our apartment? Get settled?

Start enjoying our time in Hong Kong and China!

Be prepared for something never done before, up close, personal. 100% real. Video’s, audio, writings, you name it.

Have a suggestion, or want me to write about something in my day? No problem, just drop me a line and let me know!

I can’t wait! How about you?

So come along and join me for what will sure to be a once in a life time, up close and personal, experience, in Hong Kong and China!

Thanks!

Sentosa Island Singapore – Asia’s Favorite Playground

I vividly remember my visit to the Sentosa Island Singapore. I simply love how some of these countries have dedicated whole islands for tourists, isolating the destination from the city life and the pollution that comes along with the urban lifestyle.

Sentosa Island Singapore has progressed a long way since its inception in 1972. Anyone who has visited the island would agree with my claim of Sentosa Island Singapore being one of the most wonderful places to visit in Asia.

Beaches

The Sentosa Island Singapore  hosts three of the most amazing beaches in the region, Palawan Beach, Siloso Beach and Tanjong Beach

• In the centre of the vast and expansive southern coast of Sentosa Island Singapore, lies the Palawan Beach. Upon the first footprint on the warm sands of Palawan Beach, the gentle yet firm sea breeze had a blinding effect. The beach was filled with a diverse group of tourist, some swimming, few sunbathing while others mingling at the minimalist bars, complementing the natural beauty of the terrain. The best part was the shared sense of wonder over the gorgeous beach.
• The western portion of the southern coast, Siloso Beach attracts tourists more inclined towards physical outdoor activities, such as, canoeing, mountain biking, beach volleyball, skim boarding and the list goes on. Siloso beach has a more urban feel, with food courts and shopping outlets dominating the area.
• The crescent shaped beach, Tanjong Beach is much more secluded then its counterparts on the southern coast. This part of the coast is mostly used for private parties and special events.

MegaZip Adventure Park

The adventure park is the first of its kind in Singapore, atop Mount Imbiah. The park hosts Asia’s longest and steepest zip wires. Although, the park has several other activities which are impeccable in their own right, for example, a freefall simulator, an ultimate physical challenge course. But none can compare to the extreme zip line experience, the 450 meter long, 75 meter high, an adrenaline junkie’s idea for heaven.

Finally, I was strapped in, heart throbbing, blood rushing, and a thought crept up, all this before the experience even started, within a second it had vanished, along with me into the madness. I sped over the gorgeous lush green canopy jungles of Mount Imbiah. And across the greens were the emanating sands of Siloso Beach, swallowed up by the warm embrace of the clear waters.

It was one heck of an amazing experience. The sights were seared into my mind for the coming eternity. They say that a person is capable of taking only a few things through that unknown transition that awaits us all. Well, when I say this, I say it with certainty, this experience was one of those things that can even outlast time itself.

Enjoy!

Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, also known as its ‘rice bowl’ is a beautiful scenic landscape, carpeted in myriad shades of green and surrounded with grand waterways. Dubbed as Vietnam’s biological treasure trove, the delta’s unexplored terrains have been home to over 10,000 new species.

There are simply so many interesting and amazing things to do outdoors in Vietnam, it’s no wonder that the Mekong Delta is so frequently visited.

A trip to the Mekong Delta will be a completely new experience for you and it will open you up to a world you have only seen on TV before.

The delta is a water world…literally, it has restaurants, houses, and even markets that are floating upon the Delta’s rivers, canals, and streams. Now that’s something you only see in futuristic movies, but it becomes oh so real in the Mekong Delta.

My trip to Mekong Delta was really amazing. I have had a lot of adventures in Vietnam, but this one tops the list. Just after breakfast at Saigon, our bus picked us up and we traveled to My Tho. From there, we set off on a cruise of the Tien River, and rejoiced in the view of the four lovely islands that we saw: Dragon Island, Unicorn Island, Turtle Island, and Phoenix Island.

This cruise was the highlight of the trip in my opinion, as we saw natural beauty aplenty on the islands. We also experienced the tranquil local villages around and saw many rural people working the rice fields. All this was quite simple and ordinary, yet we saw beauty in it. And yes, we did take pictures. We snapped several pictures of the amazing fisherman’s port and its stilt houses.

We had some local tropical fruits, and they were not only juicy but delicious too. After a little time, we found ourselves climbing into a small sampan boat, and were handed cute conical hats as well. We cruised through the serene waterways and canals in our sampan boat while soothing our ears with local folk music. The man rowing the sampan boat demonstrated his rowing skills as he moved the boat through the groves of water coconut trees.

We were taken to a bee farm, where there was a small market with items such as sunglasses, clothes, souvenirs etc. The time spent at the bee farm was really full of fun; we tried natural honey produced on the bee farm which was yummy. We also tasted the honey tea, which had some grains at the bottom, and was very delicious and sweet.

The boat stopped at too many shops, souvenir stands, and agricultural sites on its way forward on the Mekong Delta.

We took break for lunch and dined in at a local restaurant where we got to ate fresh spring rolls, rice, curries, grilled fish, fresh fruits, and more. Also, we got half an hour to ourselves to relax around in hammocks, and we enjoyed this part a great deal, before we set off with the tour to discover the rest of the natural bounties of the delta.

Then came the fun part, where we rode on motor carts to roam around the roads and down the jungle lanes. After a while, we headed to the coconut candy factory, which gave a true tourist feeling to us. At the factory we were offered coconut wine and we saw the production of sticky coconut candy. Then we headed back to the water once more to reach the mainland. The delta has quite a lot to charm its visitors with.

The name of the Mekong Delta literally translates as “River of Nine Dragons” and is home to nine tributaries that flow like arteries throughout the delta. It is a majestic place, and if you ever go to Vietnam, you must visit it.

Beijing, one of the vastly urbanized cities in China, holds an immense collection of science, art, culture, and history. These are displayed in the top Beijing Museum.

It’s probably one of the main reasons why I’ve always loved going to Beijing. I always try to stay near the center of town. So much is in walking distance.

The top Beijing Museum contain events of Chinese culture and significant occasions in history, which present amazing opportunities for enthusiasts from all over the planet.

A number of them preserve old-fashioned architectural characteristics, while others are contemporary with superior technology. Touring museums in Beijing, compliments its significant heritage locations.

Beijing Capital Museum

Built in 1981, Beijing Capital Museum houses a great collection of valuable Chinese mementos and educational artifacts, and has the most excellent museum show service.

This top Beijing Museum is separated into five floors above ground in addition to two floors underground with an area of 63,390 square meters. The grand structure, a variety of exhibitions, and superior service make Beijing Capital Museum, one of the best museums in China.

Its plentiful relics like; calligraphy works, porcelain, bronzes, along with Buddhist figurines; have won an elevated standing around the world. Most of the compilations were uncovered after the birth of the People’s Republic of China, and a number of them date back to the New Stone Age.

Three chief components of the museum illustrate the momentary exhibits, the major display, and the excellent art compilation. Subsequently, there is the Stele of Emperor Qian Long, which is the prized collection of the museum.

National Art Museum of China

National Art Museum of China was reserved for the compilation, study, and demonstration of contemporary and modern artistic mechanisms in China. More than 100,000 portions are domiciled in this huge top Beijing museum, which encompasses an area of approximately 18,000 square meters; separated into five floors.

A compilation of masterpieces by well-known Chinese artists along with high-quality workings from the late Qing Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, with the early Republic of China period; are the riches of this museum. Not including the family pieces, plenty of overseas creative works are well-liked in this museum.

Thousands of important demonstrations of prominent artists from China and overseas have been held in National Art Museum of China in the past.

Beijing Theater Museum

Beijing Theater Museum was initially built in 1807 (for the duration of the Qing Dynasty), and modernized and revived for the community in 1997.

In the older Xiangxianci Building, which is the major display hall of Beijing Theater Museum, the record of the growth of the museum is also told. The growth of Peking Opera initiated in this museum. You can also discover some pictures and acoustic recordings of famed Beijing Opera artists, like Mei Lanfang.

China National Film Museum

China National Film Museum is the biggest museum in China with the key intention of showing the times gone by; depicting the civilization of the Chinese with pictures and films.

A group of sophisticated multifunctional halls, over twenty exhibition rooms, one IMAX cinema, with two digital protuberance cinemas; offer an absolute experience of the modern cinema culture in China.

There are many other locations that are worth visiting but these are the absolute best and top Beijing Museums to visit. They are very interesting and worth visiting.

Enjoy!

Enjoying Thailand street food is one of my favorite activities in Bangkok. It is tough not to locate a street bend with a chain of handcarts aligned dishing out food like noodle broth, BBQ chicken, beef cakes and appetizing fried fish. Makes your mouth water, doesn’t it?

The most important facet is that Thailand street food also has various reimbursements for you as a vacationer. It is in general safe (because you can observe what is being prepared and if it is clean) and apart from that, you also get to relate with the local people of Thailand.

Chinatown

If you adore Thailand street food then you are definably going to love paying a visit to Chinatown situated in Bangkok. It sports numerous street food stalls, marketplaces, pushcarts and restaurants. Night is the time Yaowarat, the name by which Chinatown is as well recognized as, will astound your flavor buds. You should just seek for the ad hoc stands, the synthetic chairs and tables, devour loads and loads of delicious food and then wash it all down with Singa Beer!

Silom Road

Because it is the innermost commerce region of Bangkok, it has a large group of citizens, starving people who want fast food in the middle of administrative center hours.

This means that you will discover quite a lot of diverse Thailand street food choices.

Soi 20 and Soi Convent are two of the locations where you almost certainly will want to go and gobble up the inexpensive varieties of Thai food.

Soi Rambuttri

This is one of my many preferred roads in Bangkok; a place where you can get away from the insanity of the hustle bustle of Bangkok. I loved eating and drinking here. There is a reason it is considered an appealing Bangkok retreat

Banglamphu

Banglamphu is the district in the region of the river, in close proximity to the Golden Palace which comprises of the back packing journey region of So Rambutrri and Khao San Road. So if you really have a desire to enjoy the splendid Thailand street food, then you should definitely saunter towards the end of the Khao San Road, make a turn to the right, go past the police post conflicting the Wat and Soi Rambuttri and behold the many different street stands and pushcarts.

Soi 38 Sukumvhit

In Soi 38 Sukumvhit you will dine on the road at a shaky metal stand with cars escaping the pushcarts and stands that are lined up along the street and the rare friendly dog trotting by looking expectantly for some leftovers.

There is an abundance of culinary options all along this hectic road. This Thailand street food is delicious, economical and arrives quickly. In addition to that most menus are written in English which makes ordering your favorite dish trouble free.

Besides the street food stands, those located on Soi 38 are very clean and the components used to create the dishes are fresh.

Enjoy!

With more than 955 million people speaking the Mandarin language, it is the most commonly spoken language in the world. It is one of the major Chinese dialects and is also spoken commonly in China. There are several dialects of Chinese, each of which holds its own importance amongst the different cultural groups in the country.

Amongst the various varieties spread in China, seven different dialects are officially accepted. These include  the Mandarin language, Wu, Gan, Hakka, Xian, Yue and the Min languages. Of all these seven, Mandarin is the most commonly spoken Chinese dialect in the country as approximately 70.9 percent people in the country speak it in their daily routine.

Due to this reason, the Mandarin language is also regarded as the official language of the country.

It is also the official language of Taiwan and is amongst the four official and different dialects spoken in Singapore.

During my time in China, I noticed that the Mandarin language encompasses the different Chinese dialects that are widely spoken in the southwestern and northern China.

The Standard Chinese known as ‘Guoyu’ or ‘Putonghua’ in Chinese is normally translated in Mandarin and is one of the dialects included in this group.

The word ‘mandarin’ was used to refer to the Chinese officials of the empire and is derived from different languages: mandarim from Portugese, mantarin from Sanskrit and menteri from Malay. In all these languages, the word meant a ‘counselor’ or a ‘minister.’ As the dialects of all these languages were incompatible and unintelligible, the officials used to communicate with the help of a koine that was based on the different northern dialects.

I visited the areas in China where the Mandarin language is widely spoken. These areas are referred to as the ‘Mandarin areas’ or today really just “China. Mostly in Guangdong province they speak Cantonese. During my stay, I noticed that the Mandarin dialects spoken in the southwestern and northeastern China are quite dissimilar, which is why natives of these areas experience trouble communicating with each other. However, the variation existing amongst the several Mandarin areas is quite less compared to that existing amongst the non-Mandarin areas in China.

For a major part of China’s history, the capital of the country has been a part of the famous Mandarin area. Since the fourteenth century, a form of the language also served as the lingua franca of China. During the start of the twentieth century, elements of the Beijing and Mandarin dialects were combined together to form the country’s national language.

While you are visiting China for excursion or business purposes, it is essential that you learn to speak some of the commonly used phrases and sentences in the Mandarin language, so you do not face much difficulty communicating with the locals of the country.,

Here are a couple of phrases that I picked up during my time in China, and are also important to learn for basic encounters within China.

To ask somebody how they are in Mandarin, you should say ‘Ni Hao Ma?’

If you wish to say you are very good, you should say, ‘Hen Hao’,

To inform them of things are not so well, you should say ‘Bu Hao.’

To thank someone, you should say ‘Xie Xie.’

While staying in China, you will often need to visit the markets for purchasing different goods. To negotiate on the price, you should say ‘Hen Gui’ if you want to inform the salesperson that a certain item is quite expensive.

Street vendors will also interrupt you during your shopping. To stop them from perturbing you, you should say ‘Bu Yao.’ This means ‘no’  or “don’t want” and will mostly stop them from disturbing you.

For calling a taxi, you should say, ‘De Shi.’

To bid goodbye to somebody, you should say ‘Zai Jain.’

For excusing someone, you should say ‘Jie Guo.’

To ask for a receipt, say ‘Fa Piao.’

For saying you don’t want something, you should say ‘Wo Bu Yao.’

While not a lot of phrases, they’re super important and will impress most anyone you may be traveling with.

While the Mandarin Language is part of the culture and history itself, but sure to read my article on Chinese Tradition and Culture.

Enjoy!

It is the country that produces some of the finest wines in the world and choosing the best French wine is not an easy task, as the selection criteria is very subjective and it all depends on the tastes of each individual.

One reason for the importance of France lies in the extraordinary range of wines produced. The diversity of climates and soils allows you to draw from light white to powerful reds creating rich environments for the vineyards in France.

Each region has its typical vineyards in France and associated wines closely with the local cuisine. If you are in search of good wines, then I propose you next selection of French wines.

Or, even if you’re not in the mood to buy, or can’t like most of us due to their costs, these places are so worth the visit. The land is extraordinarily beautiful, many of the vineyard in France offer tours, and it really makes it worth going to these cool places.

Château Rayas

Year: 1990; 1995; 2005

Price: $800

Occasion: Great day in the market; Expense account

Where virtually all wines of the famed Châteauneuf-du-Pape are blends, Château Rayas goes against the grain and makes a 100 percent Grenache that can be opulent with pronounced flavors of licorice and lavender.

This creates a unique atmosphere for one of the top and most beautiful of vineyards in France.

Domaine Leroy Musigny

Year: 1999; 2003; 2005 (but really any would do)

Price: $4,500

Occasion: You accidentally discovered precious gems in your already highly profitable gold mine while simultaneously curing cancer

Coche-Dury is best known for its white wines, but Domaine Leroy is best known for red of the vineyards in France. The Grand Cru vineyard of Musigny is one of the best plots for Pinot Noir in all of Burgundy, and this wine is liquid power and finesse in a bottle. If you do ever come across one, well…you get the picture.

Domaine Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne

Year: 2004; 2005

Price: $2,700, give or take a few dollars

Occasion: You struck oil!

While I did single out the Corton-Charlemagne, any wine by Domaine Coche-Dury is a pure treat. Best known for its world class Chardonnays, all the wines display a level of purity and honesty that is becoming less and less common today.

Château-Grillet

Year: 1999; 2000; 2005

Price: $100

Occasion: Dinner at Le Bernardin or equivalent foodie destination

Château-Grillet is an appelation unto itself of all the vineyards in France. Producing just one wine from the Viognier grape with notes of honey and apricot, a bottle can be challenging to come by because of its small production.

Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Rouge Génération XIX

Year: 2003; 2009

Price: $85-plus

Occasion: Milestone birthday

Sancerre is probably the most famous Sauvignon Blanc appellation in the world, but the region also produces red wine. Red Sancerre is always 100 percent Pinot Noir, and Génération XIX has all of the depth and complexity you’d expect from world-class Burgundy.

Jacques Selosse Substance

Year: NV

Price: $300

Occasion: Accepted marriage proposal; made partner; just ballin’

Many great Champagnes are on the market, but Jacques Selosse “Substance” is in its own class. Made with a mixture of aged and young wine, the resulting Champagne is fresh yet complex.

Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie “Côte Blonde”

Year: 1988; 1990; 1991; 1999; 2000; 2001

Price: $135-plus

Occasion: Romantic dinner

I love Syrah from the Northern Rhone, and Rostaing’s line finds a way to stay true to tradition while incorporating some modern flair. Accessible yet ageable with dark fruit, herbs, and spices, I’ve never had a bottle that I didn’t enjoy.

Yes, these wines are expensive! Really expensive! But the history, the land, the homes, the area’s, the food, it’s all worth a visit up to see these vineyards in France.

The words of wisdom by Confucius, which give a lot of importance to compliance, as well as to respect of seniors and accountability to the society; are the leading elements of the legendary Chinese civilization.

The state is very large, so traditions and customs can differ by topography, in addition to more than fifty tribal factions that live in this kingdom of over one billion citizens. A concise synopsis of the amazing Chinese civilization is presented below:

Religion

Since Chinese Civilization today is a Marxist country, there is actually no certified religion.

Moreover, above half of the inhabitants claim no religious association or identify themselves as atheists. Approximately a quarter of Chinese citizens follow Confucianism and Taoism, and various other diverse customary beliefs.

There are, in addition, a small number of Muslims, Christians and Buddhists. Even though various Catholic and Protestant bureaus have been dynamic in the state from the beginning of the early 1500’s, the ministries have made very little development in converting the Chinese to any of these religions until recently.

Language

There are in total seven major vernaculars of Chinese in Chinese Civilization.

Hakka, Cantonese, Mandarin, Xiang, Gan, Wu and Min. Pŭtōnghuà, the sort of Mandarin spoken in the Chinese capital of Beijing, is the bureaucrat nationwide language of mainland China. A lot of Chinese are, in addition, fluent in English too. The written lingo is character based.

Food

Like the various other features of Chinese lifestyle, cuisine is, to a great deal, subjective to topography, in addition to the ethnic range. Amongst the various approaches of Chinese food preparation are Cantonese, which sports the infamous stir-fried dishes, along with Szechuan, which prepares food by the extreme use of ginger, sesame paste plus peanuts, and is recognized for its sharp taste.

The Chinese term for rice is known to be fan, which in addition means food. In addition to that, rice is a staple of the Chinese diet (more so in the south than north), as are bean sprouts, scallions and cabbage. For the reason that the Chinese do not eat lots of meat, just occasionally consuming chicken or pork, tofu is the main resource of protein used by the Chinese people.

Tea is the mostly consumed beverage (more so in the south than the north).

Arts

Chinese fine art is very much prejudiced by the state’s rich religious and spiritual history. A lot of statuettes and paintings give a picture of religious figurines of Buddhism. Apart from that, a lot of musical apparatuses are basic to Chinese ethnicity, counting the xun, which is similar to the flute, as well as the amazing guqin, which comes from the zither kin.

Eastern approach to martial arts was, in addition, expanded within China. Furthermore, it is also the place of birth of Kung Fu, which actually transforms to individual achievement. Prehistoric Chinese were enthusiastic authors and theorists; in particular, for the duration of the Qing and Ming dynasties, and this is mirrored in the nation’s rich liturgical record.

I loved living in China for all of the reasons above. But perhaps the greatest reason was its rich and diverse history. From ancient Xi’an, to Beijing (which is the 5th capital of China and its youngest), to the raging Yellow River, Chinese Civilization has an abundant of things to see and do.

Enjoy!

Hong Kong is known for its nightlife but in the midst of fun, amusement, excitement, and entertainment, one need to refuel their energy. This can happen when you take a break and try the most amazing Hong Kong food. You just cannot resist these tempting delicacies when you are there.

When I lived in Hong Kong my apartment building was in North Point, which is situated about middle of Hong Kong island. This gave an incredible mix of western and eastern foods. I could go downstairs and literally have 10 small restaurants, like diners, offering incredible local dish’s. Even today thinking about it makes me want to go back and try more foods!

Roasted Suckling Pig

Known as the best cuisine in the country and an amazing Hong Kong Food, the Cantonese dishes are packed with flavor. One of the must have Cantonese dishes includes the cuisines main attraction, the Suckling Pig (if you eat pork). This dish consists of a delicious roasted pig which is stuffed with glutinous rice and is roasted on an open flame to give you the best flavors.

This piggy dish is a must have, since it offers the true ‘taste’ of Hong Kong.

Beef Brisket

If you have super yummy cravings for some spiced up noodles and delicious meat, the beef brisket noodles is the dish for you. This deliciously amazing Hong Kong food consists of yummy chunks of daikon giving it the beautiful sweetness it needs perfecto make diners salivate. The juicy brisket with the traditional noodles will have you head over heels for them in no time at all.

Snake Soup

Snake soup has the delicacy that no other soup or dish has and locally is considered an amazing Hong Kong food.

This dish is not just appetizing; it is also very beneficial for your health as well. Many restaurants have a tradition for hundreds of years now to serve the most flavorsome snake soup ever. The meat of the snake is shredded into stripes of white meat, followed by the addition of seafood, mushrooms, and lemon leaves to delight your taste buds.

Egg Tart

How about some delicious treats for the road? Egg tarts (pictured in the featured image) are the perfect ones for such occasions and journeys and easily makes it to the top of the amazing Hong Kong food.

The gorgeous golden puff pastry will steal your heart away with the first bite. Taking a bite in to the yellow hue full of rich flavors will just transport you to a whole new realm. This aroma of the delicate pastry will capture your heart and will definitely leave you astonished for sure.

Hot Pot

The hot pot dish is a traditional winter dish which the residents and tourists of Hong Kong love to enjoy with their families. This traditional amazing Hong Kong food consists of three different soups, of your choice followed by crabs, fresh tomatoes, egg whites, meat, fish balls, hot chilies, English oxtail, and so much more.

You can even add other options to make the most of this dish such as cheese stuffed beef balls, truffle dumplings, Japanese meat, rainbow cutter fish balls, and more.

Milk Tea

Milk tea is no ordinary tea, it is like no tea you have ever tasted and a true staple food of Hong Kong. Plus you cannot taste this anywhere else but in Hong Kong itself. This tea is made with the techniques of the Hainanese Coffee, which makes the taste, the aroma, and the experience unique.

If you are in the locality, and if you do not try these amazing Hong Kong food, you have really missed what Hong Kong is all about.

Enjoy!

There are certain things that you know about Israel Cultural Insights. Not because you would be penalized if you don’t, but you would benefit if you do. As they say, why be uncomfortable when you can be nice, and cozy and enjoying your vacation?

So, here go the top 10 Israel Cultural Insights:

Israel Cultural Insight 1: Do not settle for the price asked if you are in Suk HaCarmel in Tel Aviv, or the Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem

This applies to all shuks (open air markets) and local markets in general. It is not that everybody here wants to fleece you, but the Israeli national characteristic is that we love a good bargain. In fact that is half right, we love to talk. My uncle and his buddy from school are continuing the same argument that they began twenty years ago.

Israel Cultural Insight 2: Do not limit yourself to hummus and falafel

I admit that it is quite easy to get hooked to these two delicacies, but both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv have restaurants offering the very best in Israeli cuisine with a lot of experimentation going on. I know Jerusalem can be a bit overwhelming for first timers, and there is a tendency not to think too much about food.

I recommend avoiding this trap–as the food is something of a novelty for the palate, and you should not miss it for anything.

Israel Cultural Insight 3: Do not enter the Dead Sea immediately after waxing

My sister’s friend from Sydney had a horrendous time at the Dead Sea for nobody had warned her about its salinity, and she had entered it right after waxing. The open pores on the skin burn like hell, and the sensation of floating in the sea where nobody can drown goes for a toss.

But not to worry, here are my top 10 things to remember when visiting the Dead Sea.

Israel Cultural Insight 4: Do not fall off the map in rural areas, the Golan Heights

The lure of the uncharted is the best kick for anybody bitten with wander lust. But areas around the Golan Heights, the Dead Sea, and rural areas can lead off into places that may make a visitor not feel comfortable.

Israel Cultural Insight 5: Do not dress as Madonna, or Lady Gaga while visiting the religious sites

While generally Israelis are not very particular about what you are wearing unless it is only your smile, the unwritten dress code at religious sites is an entirely different matter. It is expected that the head and the portion below the waist is covered up adequately. ‘Papa, don’t preach’ kind of attitude won’t be looked at with amusement, if you are in shorts and visiting a mosque for instance.

The beaches are there for wearing what you like, or not wearing what you don’t. But please make sure you are dressed very modestly (even conservatively) when visiting religious shrines.

Israel Cultural Insight 6: Do not go for late night skinny-dipping in the summer

Yes, I am aware of the temptation. But usually jelly fishes are around this time of the year as well, and it would be a disastrous idea stepping in without knowing the history of the beach in advance.

Israel Cultural Insight 7: Do not expect to get good food outside on a Yom Kippur evening

On the Jewish fasting days that end in the evening, it is almost impossible to get your choice food outside unless you have previously arranged for it. The city turns out for food after breaking the fast.

Israel Cultural Insight 8: Do not feel guilty if you can’t see all of Israel

Whatever they say about its size and everything, it is really difficult to see all of Israel in a short visit. Think of it like you have earned a next time.

Israel Cultural Insight 9: Do not feel guilty if you miss a museum or two

Israel is full of museums, and the urge to give a few of them a miss is phenomenal. It is one thing to love the past, and completely another to feel weighed down by it.

Israel Cultural Insight 10: Do not joke about the holocaust

Please do not joke about the holocaust while visiting Israel. If not for anything else, it shows that the person making the joke has a bad sense of humor.

While this list is short, it’s sweet and super helpful for when visiting Israel. Israeli’s love to have a good time, but having that little bit of insider knowledge can help leaps and bounds.

Enjoy!