Random Thoughts After Day 1 in Israel

The Montifiore Hotel, Schatz 7, Jerusalem

Shalom. Here I am in Jerusalem! I'll be travelling, blogging and adding photos to a new Israel folder in the Photo Gallery as often as possible during my trip. I return to Canada on July 8th.

Here are my random thoughts at the end of my first day in Israel:

• Israel is much smaller in size than Canada. Almost all international travel to & from the country is through the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv
  

• Even the drive between the airport in Lod, just outside of Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem was a treat!
  

• The Montifiore Hotel is a boutique hotel with 47 rooms in a perfect location in central Jerusalem; it is on Schatz, just two blocks from the intersection of King George Street and Ben Yehuda
  

• Other highlights near the hotel are a pedestrian promenade, a terrific coffee shop on the corner, The Old Book Gallery across the street, and plenty of other great shopping and restaurants in the central area of Jerusalem

• "Downtown" Jerusalem is a triangular shaped area with Ben Yehuda Avenue, Jaffa Road and King George Street as its boundaries.
  

• As a bonus, the Angelica Fine Grill at the Montifiore Hotel is reknowned in its own right and has superb gourmet food
  

• In fact, Jerusalem is a foodie's paradise... every meal starts with a selection of antipasto-style vegetables and salads
  

• My photos do not do the food at the Angelica Fine Grill justice... my dinner there was so excellent, I plan to return... soon I hope.
  

Mixed green salad with summer fruit and mustard vinaigrette at the Angelica Fine Grill