Sababa Israel!

This Middle Eastern country is quickly becoming a popular destination among families and solo millennial tourists alike. Israels je ne sais quoi is its people, discovers AINDRILA MITRA, as she walks the streets with Bollywood actor Disha Patani in search of the perfect shot.

Our arrival at the Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv along with Bollywood’s new favourite, Disha Patani, for a cover shoot was inconspicuous. Like any other international terminal, it was spick and span—with an array of European-influenced cafes—and busy even at the late hour of the day when we touched down. The hour-long drive to Akko, where we were scheduled to shoot, was nothing out of the ordinary with the sole exception of our guide, Eli Talmi. A dentist-turned-tour conductor, Talmi was warm, witty, and wise, and emphasised on Israel (Is-Ra-El in Hebrew) being the ‘Land of God.’ I discovered the various facets of this title and the land it alluded to on a four-stop tour. The experience left me in awe of what is one of the smallest countries in the world—its treasure trove of history, its evolution as a relatively new country (the state of Israel was created in 1948), and its eclectic people.

AKKO

IF THERE’S ONE THING THAT WAS indelible when it came to the port town of Akko, which hosts a small population of 47,000, it was a chance meeting over one of the most delectable dinners I’ve had in a while. His name was Uri Buri, the owner of Efendi Hotel and the brain behind his eponymous farm-to-table restaurant that’s been in service for nearly 30 years. August was a hot month in Israel, and our shoot with Disha had taken up a whole day. Exploring the many quarters of the city, walking through the cobbled alleys, and finding the right spot—from the lighthouse, to the bazaar, and the hammam—had left us exhausted. All of it disappeared quite quickly over a glass of kava with Uri for company at the rooftop bar of his hotel that overlooks the historic city walls and the magnificent Mediterranean Sea.