Arrived Tel Aviv (תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ) after dark, starving and still pending to check into hotel.
Guide took us to this spot and told us to enjoy the evening skyline.
So here it is, unprepared with tripod still in suitcase and tummy rumbling.
Partially in view are the beaches by the Mediterranean Sea.

Tel Aviv, literally meaning Spring Hill, is the second most populous city in Israel after Jerusalem with a population of 404,400. Tel Aviv has been named the third-best hottest city for 2011 (behind New York City and Tangier) by Lonely Planet. Unfortunately we were just passing through.

Tel Aviv, Israel (Sunday 21 November 2010 @ 7:27pm).

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Caesarea Maritima i.e. Caesarea by the Sea, is located in Israel’s central Mediterranean coast, 51 km north of Tel Aviv.

Jewish settlement began in the 3rd century BC in what was known back then Straton’s Tower.
Upon Roman conquest in 63 BC, King Herod transformed the city beginning in 22 BC with the construction of its sophisticated deep artificial seaport, warehouses, markets, bathhouses, temples and public buildings, naming it Caesarea after Caesar Augustus, one of the great Roman emperors.

Caesarea National Park, Caesarea, Israel (Monday 22 November 2010 @ 9:38am).

ISO100 | f/8 | 1/160 sec | 17-40mm @ 21mm | AWB | raw | CPL

Click on image for a mediterranean look

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The old city Caesarea required a steady flow of running water. Initially its waters came from local wells. However, as the population grew to several hundred thousand people, a large scale aqueduct was required to bring water from a distance.

Initially the water was brought from the springs of Shummi about 10 km to the north east of the city. A channel 5 km long was cut through natural rock and for the remaining 5 km water was piped into an aqueduct.

About 150 years later, a second canal was added to this aqueduct to source water from Crocodiles River, doubling total capacity. This continued for 1,200 years until this aqueduct was beyond repairs. New aqueducts were then built as replacements.

Caesarea National Park, Caesarea, Israel (Monday 22 November 2010 @ 10:22am).

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These tombs in ancient Israel were cut into the rock as caves. The chamber normally contained a pit that was dug into the floor of the room. The height of the chamber averaged about 3 to 4 feet. Including the pit, the headroom was about 6 feet, enabling individuals to stand upright inside the tomb. The mouths of these tombs were usually closed by a large stone which could only be removed by the united efforts of several men.

Each tomb typically belonged to a single, wealthy family. Bodies were laid out on stone benches that were cut into the walls of the chamber. As each new body was placed in the tomb, previous burials were often displaced. Rock tombs were for the wealthy; ordinary Jews were buried in the ground.

Muhraqa, Israel (Monday 22 November 2010 @ 12:03pm).

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