Last fall a few friends and I crossed the Israeli-Palestinian border for a two days trip to visit the famed Herodion castle in central West Bank and the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. The experience was exotic like none other and Local Guide gave me the platform to share them with the rest of the world, who may not have a chance to visit the themselves.
The trip to Herodion was smooth sailing. The ancient castles on a mountain that Herod spared no human labour to artificially elevate were incredible sights to behold (check out my photos). Comparatively, Hebron was where we had much difficulty. It was then that I truly appreciated the Local Guide program.
Despite its religious importance, Hebron is not all that accessible to international travellers because it is deep in the south of the West Bank and the only form of public transport are the Palestinian shared van taxis. Also, it is where the clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli armed forces are more frequent.
Rich details such as pictures and reviews that Google Maps typically offers were not in ample supply here. Coupled with the fact that we spoke close to zero Arabic, finding our way to the Tomb of the Patriarchs (the main purpose of the trip) proved to be a giant challenge. Yes, we were thoroughly and hopelessly lost.
Being lost in an ancient, chaotic and fascinating city such as Hebron was, as it turned out, a step towards adventure. Resorting to asking for directions any chance we got, we ventured into a mosque where the mosque manager (yes, mosques have managers!) sat us down for cups of Arab coffee and a little lecture of the Arabic language.
It was the kindness of the people in Hebron that eventually led us to the Tomb of the Patriachs, long story short the mosque was really impressive check out my photos. With the knowledge gained on our trip and the tons of pictures I snapped every chance I got, I was able to supplement Google Maps’ data on Hebron. With future contribution from Local Guides like me, I hope that one day, fewer travellers will be lost here. Although the fun from unexpected adventures always makes a journey exciting.
