daphne
where are you originally from?
israel
people
how would you describe the people in your country?
the people here are hot and spicy.
on a scale of 1–10, how well do people in your country speak english?
8
what’s a common word or expression people use in your country?
sababa – it works whenever you want to describe something positive. you can use it for everything.
how do i say hello, thank you, please, and sorry in your language?
shalom, toda, bevakasha, sliha.
what do people in your country usually do for fun?
we love partying, making music, and having a good time! we never miss a chance to get together and make some noise. you can find more calm places if you try, but don’t expect everywhere to be like that. no matter where you go, you might find people with music, usually playing the music with actual instruments. they usually won’t mind if you’d join them.
food
what’s the best local food to try? anything unusual?
the best food is easily hummus. the classic hummus is amazing, and there are a few ‘improved’ variants – hummus with fried mushrooms, eggplants and eggs… everyone must try masabaha – fresh hummus with chick peas cooked with garlic and lemon.
a local snack that you should not miss is bamba. it looks like cheese doodles and its peanut buttered flavour. that is the flavour all israeli kids grow up with.
what local drinks would you recommend trying?
our local drink is arak. that’s an anise-flavoured drink. drink ice cold, with pieces of any citrus and spearmint, preferably when on the beach.
what’s a typical breakfast like in your country?
we serve eggs, a few types of local cheeses and a lot of fresh veggies. we drink strong black coffee in small cups with or after breakfast.
culture
what’s the best festival to attend?
our best festivals are indienegev and yearot menashe. they are a few months apart, one in the beginning of summer and the other near its end. they both exemplify the best of israeli young artists – musicians, designers and painters. indienegev is in the south, in the negev desert. yearot menashe is in menashe forest in the north. prepare to be barefoot for days at a time.
which sports are people in your country most passionate about?
the most popular sport is soccer. most people follow the israeli league closely. israeli people love all kinds of sports, and take interest in many types of sport – american football, australian rugby and football, cycling and many more.
what’s the craziest thing someone can do in your country?
israel trail – hike all through israel on one trail that takes you through all the kinds of many sceneries israel has to offer.
what activities or experiences would you recommend to visitors?
go snorkeling in the red sea, at eilat’s beaches. there is so much life to see there, in our big coral reefs.
places
what are some of the most incredible places to visit in your country?
can you name a place that most people have not heard of? a secret spot perhaps!
gdor national park – it is a short stretch of beaches that are not very well known. you can find untouched and most secluded beaches that are easy to get to.
if i only had a few days, which city should i visit?
tel aviv. this city offers all the best restaurants, music shows, museums, old city and much more, and everything is walking distance from the beach.
country
how would you describe your country in one sentence?
the weather is hot, the people are hotter.
how many days would you recommend spending in your country?
israel has many kinds of sceneries to see, and a few interesting cities to visit. luckily, israel is so small that an hour long car ride is always more than enough to get you to a completely new place. to get a taste of everything and get to feel the israeli rhythm, plan to stay for at least 10 days.
when’s the best time to visit?
in march and april everything is amazingly green and every little place is worth visiting. in july and august you can find street parties and beach parties without even trying.
can you give interesting trivia about your country? (could be about anything!)
we win the eurovision song contest every 20 years! 1978, 1998, and now in 2018.
what is your country’s most popular stereotype/cliche? (we’ll see which has the most epic one!)
travel
do you travel often? what’s your favorite place so far?
it’s hard to choose, but i’m going to say isla mujeres, mexico. the most beautiful island, with the best food i ever got to taste. great parties at night, amazing ‘laying back’ during the days.
what’s your most memorable travel story?
when i was in isla mujeres, mexico, i was strolling down the street, looking at the little boats that were tied to the harbor, when i saw a floating house. i got closer to see what it was, and i found that it was a house that someone has built on a raft he made from empty bottles, and now he sails around in it. you can find pictures of it online.
what do you love most about traveling?
when you’ve been traveling for a few days and find your rhythm, your mind is so much more open for having new experiences and seeing new places in a way that it just is not when you’re at home. you can’t fake that feeling and there is nothing like that.
about daphne
website: dscyprus.com. i mostly write science related articles.
e-mail: Semus@dscyprusmcom