BBC Follows Blind British Backpacker as He Visits Israel’s Western Wall
by Shiryn Ghermezian
Cameras from a BBC travel series followed a blind British backpacker who is on a mission to travel the world as he visited various sites in Israel, including the Old City.
Tony Giles is trying to tour every country in the world on his own. During his stay in Israel — the 124th country he has visited so far — the BBC‘s “The Travel Show” was with him as he boarded a bus heading to the Old City. Giles, who is completely blind and severely deaf in both ears, was helped onto the bus by a bus driver and, once in Jerusalem, another man helped him reach the Damascus Gate, which leads to the Western Wall.
BBC documented him walking in the Old City’s marketplace and, as he approached the Western Wall, another man lead him to the men’s section. Touching the wall he said, “From a historical and spiritual view it is worth visiting.” Giles left a personalized note in the cracks of the wall and also took a selfie.
Watch Giles in Israel in the video below: