(I have revisited many countries but not Romania. Not sure if I’d ever have a chance to do another trip here. Meanwhile, I’m reposting my 1996 journal here as I’ve learned Travel Blog site where I posted my blog now risks a shutdown.)
On the bus on way to Romania, we swapped horror stories. Sensing the mood, our Globus Tour Director promptly reminded us of the story of Count Dracula. Not the Hollywood version, but the Transylvanian version. Bran Castle in Transylvania, built in the mid 1300s, is the legendary home of the Count of Dracula.
By the time we reached Bucuresti, our hairs stood on edge and we were all ready to scream at moment’s notice. The Hotel Bucuresti fuelled the grim mood , what with its old world interiors, heavy gold and burgundy drapes, wide windows framed by yards and yards of mothball-smelling curtains. My bednight table held a lamp which must have seen better times. Or maybe, I am simply an imbecile with no appreciation of old world charm. But how do you deal with a front desk staff and concierge dressed in black plants and burgundy vests standing tall and unconcerned? We arrived middle of the night, and we were reminded to go to this hall where they would serve our dinner. The hall had bad lighthing, and the red carpet looked like it needed replacement. If some thief came to this place, I will bet my bottom dollar they cannot go very far if they snatched any of the furniture here. The lamp shade, the decor, even the hard wood table gave a feeling of heaviness just before our forgettable dinner. For the first time, I am happy for the long bus ride. Sitting many hours on the coach, I was eager to catch many winks and prep myself for the days ahead.
First off, we boarded our coach and had a city tour. Bucharest truly lives up to its monicker of “Little Paris” or Paris of the Balkans. The tree-lined boulevards, complete with its own version of the Arc de Triomphe, was reminiscent of the high life in Paris, France. We strolled along Bucharest’s oldest and very charming Calea Victoriei or Victory Avenue and passed flower-festooned parks and gardens, the Revolution Square, the National History Museum, the Royal Palace, etc. I did not know how to feel when we were brought to the exact spot where the Ceausescu couple were publicly executed. Next we went to visit the House of the Parliament or what they call as the Parliament Palace, touted as the second biggest ever building in the world next only to the Pentagon. Wow! This structure is a monstrosity. The dictator must have been carried away when he had this structure built. The Palace was built exclusively with Romanian materials and therefore is a showcase of Romanian talent for the arts and architecture. The same is true for all the furnishings inside the Palace. Don’t be surprised to be dazzled by all the talents expressed in this colossal structure. No wonder former President Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena were publicly executed for excesses committed during his 24 year rule. Or should I say 24 years of his dictatorship?
Next, we went to Cotroceni Palace and Museum. This royal palace was home to former King Carol I, whose monarchy ended in the 1940’s. In 1977, then President Ceausescu converted this royal residence into a guesthouse. The Museum housed many pieces of medieval art. If you ask me, the palace architecture by itself is a museum piece. Our last stopover was at the Village Museum, an outdoor museum showcasing Romania’s rural architecture. Carefully taken apart and reassembled at the Village Museum, one would find old rural barns, peasant homes, cottages, small churches, wind and watermills, and
artisans’ workshops from all over the country. Strolling around this “village” was actually quite refreshing. We also took advantage of the leisurely afternoon to enjoy the lovely Cismigiu Gardens. Then back to the hotel to freshen up before our dinner . Tonight, we tasted a typical Romanian fare and excellent local wine, while enjoying the songs and folk dances. It was a good way to end our Romanian Adventure.
Coming to Istanbul was a very pleasant surprise. Straddling both Europe and Asia, we motored through rural landscapes to the Turkish border till we reached Turkey’s small European foothold to Istanbul. Founded by the Greeks as Byzantium more than 2,500 years ago, renamed Constantinople in the year 330 when Constantine the Great made it the capital of the Roman Empire. After the Ottoman conquest, this Byzantine city along the Bosphorous was renamed Istanbul in the 15th century. Geographically, Istanbul remains the gateway between East and West, Orient and Occident, Christian and Islamic worlds, Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
It was very cold and windy when we got here. Despite the chill, we were game enough to board a small boat and cruise the Bosphorous Canal. I still remember our Turkish guide, Ahmed. I remember some of us elected to stay below rather than on deck where one can appreciate the vista of the many minarets and palaces of Istanbul. With no exception, all of us in the group were pleasantly surprised with the beauty of this city. Cosmopolitan, yet so rich with history. Think Rome…………but with minarets.
Our hotel welcomed us with good Turkish coffee and is located in a pedestrian alley near some boutique shops. This time, I only managed to buy a cashmere blouse. I was too lazy to wash my clothes. Or maybe I found a good excuse to rationalize my behavior. But the cashmere blouse came in handy when we ventured out for dinner and a bellydancing show. We enjoyed our Turkish dinner in this restaurant meant to feed and entertain guests. It was a big hall with ramps snakings around it. After dinner, we learned what the ramps are for. When the belly dancers got on stage, they surely moved around the hall with ease to the delight of many. I certainly enjoyed our adventure tonight. Satisfied many senses.
Next day, we found ourselves in Emperor Justinian’s Haggia Sophia and Sultan Ahmet’s Blue Mosque. Standing across each other, these 2 monuments of competing faiths are marvelous creations ! How I wish we had more time to spend here and appreciate the mosaics, architecture, minarets, etc. But we had to rush to spend an afternoon in Topkapi Palace where a local guide waited to give us a tour of the palace museum. We were all stunned by the Imperial Treasury’s Spoonmaker’s Diamond. So called because the diamond is as big as a spoon! Many in the group opted to sit out the rest of the afternoon. The Palace is huge! But no one missed the tour of the Harem.
As our final stop, we were brought to the Grand Bazaar with its 4,000 tiny shops. Oh, i loved it here. Easy to get lost though, as I went to check out the spices and had to retrace my steps to join the rest of the group. From leather jackets to oriental carpets, to spices and nuts, to gold and more gold. I ended up buying a dozen of scarves. Well, I thought they were cheap. Until another one in our group joined us with the same merchandise, claiming she got it for far less. So much for our shopping adventure. Let me have some Turkish coffee!
Just out of Israel, we changed buses and drove towards Cairo.Our new Globus Tour Director took over from David (sob…..) and her first encounter with Steven was not very pleasant. As she led us to our bus with a cracked windshield on the right corner, Steven joked if she caused that crack. She was a little bit on the chubby side and didn’t receive the joke, and the laughs it drew, very kindly. For that reason, I will not be mentioning her name here. After all, she was indeed a very competent guide. Maybe just a little too sensitive.
The Hotel Mena Oberoi in Cairo, Egypt stunned us back to our senses. In a five star luxury way! We are indeed in Egypt………as the luxury hotel was located right smack in an area where one is afforded a view of the pyramids! You’d feel that you only have to venture out and walk towards the pyramids! As it turns out, the hotel was a former palace in the outskirts of the city , a stone’s throw away from the Giza Plateau. I honestly thought we had to cover many miles to drive out of Cairo to see a pyramid, but here we were looking at a few in our very own neighborhood! The palatial hotel covers about 40 acres, boasts of a garden that smells of jasmine, an olympic size swimming pool right in the shadows of the Great Pyramids of Giza. We were so lucky that we arrived at the exact time that a wedding was taking place in Mena House. Just a small crowd, but one can tell it was a very elegant , albeit modern Egyptian wedding. When we checked out our sleeping quarters, we were again pleasantly surprised by the sheer size of our hotel rooms. The luxurious interiors made us feel like royalty. And the food! This time, I turned completely Middle Eastern on my choice of food. I enjoyed all the hummus, bread (nahn? chapati?) , lentils (dahl?), barbeque (kebabs?) , curry, etc. My friend Steven was not up to it, and suffered a bum stomach on his very first day in Egypt.
Pyramids, Camels, and a Bum Stomach?
After a good sleep last night, we were ready to explore Cairo. Our guide immediately took us to the 3 pyramids of King Chephren, Cheops, and Mykerinos. And of course, the Sphinx! We took some very good photos here. In fact, my all time favorite travel photo was the one taken where I posed “leaning” on the Sphinx. Our smaller group also tried scaling one pyramid —- this one’s not the perfect triangle pyramids you normally see. Check out the picture and you’d know what I mean. We also took our camel rides here. Arlu and I rode on the same camel and I must have shattered Arlu’s eardrums as I nearly screamed each time the camel took a step. More screams getting on and off the camel. I was so scared I would fall off. Steven with his bum stomach sat it out, but later regretted not joining us. He was pestered by touts offering camel rides the whole time. As soon as we dismounted our camels, he literally ran to join us and sought help to fend off the touts. LOL.
Awesome Museum. King Tut and His Treasures. Mummies.
The motorcoach took us back to the city center for lunch. Then, we were driven to the National Egyptian Museum where we were shown around the impressive Halls of this museum like no other. There was a special section housing the treasure of the boy King Tutankhamen. King Tut to many. The bejewelled sarcopaghus with vibrant colors of gold, royal blue, deep green, ruby red, etc. make you gasp at the sheer wealth enjoyed by these Pharaohs. A pity King Tut didn’t live long enough to enjoy his treasures and his very privileged life. There was also a separate gallery where they kept the mummies. Now this one gave me the creeps. Never again. I have seen one mummy too many.
When we were done with the Museum, we were advised by our guide about some unfortunate incident just outside the museum grounds. A bus packed with German tourists was bombed , and there were casualties. Egypt is very serious with their tourism industry, which accounts for about half of it entire economy. This is truly bad news. Poor tourists and their families. I can’t imagine the grief, especially since these guys were here on holiday, supposedly having fun and enjoying their adventure. Then and there, a couple in our group elected to cancel the rest of their trip to head home. I said a prayer and then decided I’d stick it out with the group. We would be flying out of Cairo tomorrow anyway, towards Aswan where our Oberoi boat waited to take us for the cruise along the River Nile. We headed back to our lovely hotel soon after, and enjoyed what’s left of the day checking out the grounds of Mena House.
Flight to Aswan, where our Cruise Boat Is Waiting
The following morning, we took our domestic flight from Cairo to Aswan. Security was very strict and our flight was delayed. It was almost lunch when we landed in Egypt’s sunniest Southern city. We took our bags and boarded our cruise boat—-not the big sized liner, but one with maybe just 5 levels and a roofdeck. The boat is not going anywhere today, but this would be our cramped sleeping quarters for the next 8 nights. My roommate and I spent the next hour unpacking, and then wondering where best to store our suitcases. While the boat had no plans to go anywhere today, we found the Nile at its most beautiful here. Our guide promised us a feluca ride (sail boats, good for maybe 10 pax) to check out some tiny islands along the Nile.It was nice just watching the sailboats etch the sky with their tall masts or just sitting on the boat’s roofdeck listening to Nubian music. We also found time to check out the old Aswan dam, a few miles down the river. From the top of the 2 mile world-famous High Dam you can gaze across Lake Nasser, the huge reservoir created when it was built, and the huge power station to the north. This was truly an engineering feat when it was built in the 1960s. Some trivia here: the dam construction threatened to submerge some historic temples like Abu Simbel . The Egyptian government sought UNESCO’s help which then launched a world wide appeal help to salvage the temple. The result was another engineering feat. It was a salvage operation like no other, where the temple was dismantled and raised again up the sandstone cliff where they had been built over 3,000 years ago! The 2 temples, when reassembled, were in exact relationship to each other, and still manage to bring out the full might of the pharaoh god in this edifice. Whew!
Off to Kom Ombo and Edfu.Then Luxor and Karnak. Valley of the Kings
From Aswan, Kom Ombo and Edfu are both easily accessible. I cannot remember all the names of all the egyptian gods and the names of the many temples, except one dedicated to a crocodile god, Sobek. These magnificent temples are all in a dramatic setting on high ground beside the Nile. Another I remember is Horus, the falcon-headed god and Isis too. The temple designs are very unique , and even follow some sort of a pattern. When I viewed my photos , I can hardly tell one temple from the other as they all seem to have been built using more or less the same proportions and entrance facades.
Cruising the Nile has a lot of advantages. For one, life in Egypt is more or less restricted along the banks of the Nile, and therefore all the temples and magnificent monuments can be found there. It was also an experience just watching the sunset on the boat’s roofdeck while seeing how some Egyptians live. The Nile River sometimes narrows in certain areas, such that you can practically watch kids bathing along the riverbanks waving as we passed by. For another, there is so much to be said on the food served on cruises such as this. After one buffet meal, i refused to check out the buffet spread anymore and contented myself getting a seat on this table with the best view, and ordering my pasta and soup dinners. I avoided the salads, as Steven said he may have gotten his bum stomach from the raw salads. Also, the boat cruises ever so slowly, hopping from point to point without rushing to it. Thus, we slept like babies enjoying their lullabies. What a life!
When we reached Luxor, the temp was a burning 48 degrees celsius! I limited my wardrobe to the crew necked shirts i bought in Israel and put back all the other blouses and cardigans back into my suitcase. (One thing about cruises, someone can do your laundry!) Some in our group chose to stay with the boat than brave the heat. Sure, the heat sapped our energy but i just couldn’t pass up this opportunity to visit Luxor and Karnak temples and explore the many monuments of ancient civilization in the Valley of the Kings. The Southern temple, Luxor, is dedicated to Amon. That’s what my 1996 journal says. I also inscribed “Harem of the South” but now cannot recall the story behind that. Both Luxor and Karnak Temples were built on a massive scale . Mind-boggling if you ask me. The columns are so huge it eclipsed the ones I saw in Greece. The temple complex spans many acres , maybe a hundred, and boast of many other monuments worthy of being displayed in major museums. The hieroglyphics and statues of temple gods speak of an ancient civilization far advanced for its time. And the undying colors! Our guide mentioned that Egyptologists have to this day not uncovered the plant sources for these undying hues. And then there was the most famous tomb in the Valley of the Kings, circa over 1,000 years before Christ. Howard Carter’s discovery in 1922of this tomb inspired the many Egyptologists who remain hooked on studying this ancient civilization. It has also inspired many books, novels and even movies. King Tut’s fabulous treasures caused a worldwide sensation especially after its discovery was clouded by the myth of the curse attached to its discovery. Some tourists refused to enter the site of the tomb discovery, thinking the curse might rub off on them. My party of 5 pax braved it and went down with our guide. Coming out into the sweltering heat after that, I stubbed my toe. I hoped then that it had nothing to do with the curse! Next we hiked off to the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the only woman to rule over Egypt as a pharaoh. Her temple was named “Djeser Djeseru” , meaning splendor of splendors. And believe me, it was aptly named.
Some adventure we had today. When we went out for a stroll during this warm night, we saw the temples all lighted up. So lovely. There was a hotel by the cliff, where guests may take this white open top carriage, which I found so romantic. The carriage rolled past us, and long after they passed, we can still hear the horse hooves hitting the road in regular intervals. Somehow, that had a mesmerizing effect on all of us. We went back to our boat just in time for late dinner. Again, I stuck to my pasta and soup dinner. Then we all trooped to the lounge and downed two bottles of wine. We could have had more, but there was a flight to catch tomorrow.
Back in Cairo
Back in Cairo today. It was pleasant to be back in Mena House. The palatial grounds welcomed us and it was good to exercise our limbs after being cooped up in those cramped quarters on the boat. Not much to do today except to shop. Oh oh. I won’t tell you about the rest but I shared with many my habit of buying charms wherever I go. For Egypt, Turkey, Greece and Israel, I bought enough charms to put in a bracelet. There was the menorrah from Israel (menorrah is like a charm to the jews, placed on the right side of the doors to their homes, much like a blessing to those who enter) , there’s a camel, an image of King Tut (yeah, brave huh), a bug that was supposed to be a god of fertility, a miniature temple column, and a miniature Aladdin’s lamp! This way, I “composed” my own charm bracelet which now serves as my best souvenir from my travels. Neat, don’t you think? My friends have now started this habit as well, and we sometimes compare our charms whenever we meet using our bracelets.
Our last day in Cairo was spent visiting the oldest part of the city, known as Coptic Cairo. Originally a Roman fortress town called Babylon, one can still see the Roman walls in all its splendor. Then there was the Citadel of Saladin with its beautiful mosque. We even visited this Hanging Church and I tell you, that flooring sure shakes. Regardless of our different faiths, we all said a prayer of thanksgiving that we were kept safe and enjoyed our trip all around Egypt. Too bad some of us in the group canceled the trip upon learning of the bombing incident near the National Egyptian Museum. Back in the hotel, we checked out the grounds once more. It was dusty all around. The winds carried the sands from the desert. So we trooped back to our hotel rooms and started packing for our homeward trip tomorrow.
It was sad to say farewell to newfound friends. We weren’t sure when we would meet again, but my traveling companions have been my friends for thelast 2 weeks, some for the last 38 days. We shared the same adventures, laughed at the same jokes, delighted in the many sights we visited. Hopefully, our paths will cross again.
(At the time, there were no digital cams. I scrimped on my shots and the few I took suck. Thank you, Anastasia Anastasia78, for sharing these shots with me of the lovely Mena Oberoi Hotel in Cairo, Egypt)
(Been advised this blog site — Travel Blog — may soon close. So I’m transferring some of my 180++ blogs to my Lifeisacelebration site starting with this 1996 travel blog)
At the time I visited Israel in 1996, I was not a very spiritual person. Perhaps I am still not. But I know that after this visit, I came home a changed person. Still a ‘work in progress’. But one’s got to try.
I have said rosaries every now and then before, and I say them almost daily now. And this time, I ‘feel’ every passion in each rosary bead. Covering Israel is very much like saying the rosary every hour every day. The passion of Christ in each and every rosary bead is most felt in this Holy Land. Heretofore I would recite the rosary in an almost mechanical fashion. But now, I can picture the very image of each and every mystery and feel the presence of our Saviour in a most spiritual way.
Our journey started with a flight out of Athens airport bound for Tel Aviv. Despite the hassles and the ultra thorough inspections and interrogations regarding our checked-in and carry-on bags, we felt so safe flying El Al. We landed uneventfully at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. Soon after retrieving our bags, we were whisked to our hotel by the shore. I never realized that Tel Aviv is by the coast, so I had to review my map and couldn’t help feeling happy about our accommodations. Our hotel room has a splendid view of the Mediterranean. Almost as soon as we checked in, we jumped out of our traveling clothes and donned our shorts. We hit the beach hoping it would be deserted in this cold spring. Were we wrong. There were a lot who had the same idea, but we were lucky to find empty benches. With a book in hand, we spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach. I noticed that the people here are very very conscious of security. There was this man working in the beach who did nothing but ‘scan’ the beach with this metallic thing which I can only presume to be a bomb scanner or whatever it’s called. Every inch of the beach area is inspected, scanned, checked. That’s good. But the system was not thief-proof. A couple in our group joined us at the beach, enjoyed the breeze, very irresponsibly left a bag on the bench, admired the scenery, sat back on the bench and took sometime to realize their bag was missing. Guess what. The bag contained all their valuables……..passports, cash, credit cards, plane tickets. Why they had to bring all that stuff out on the beach , I fail to understand. And there were safety deposit boxes in the hotel! Mazeltov…………..that’s good luck in their local language. (Pray tell me, is it Jewish or Hebrew?) The poor couple had to cancel their whole trip and work on their travel papers. Our very kind Tour Director, the very Jewish David, lent them money to tide them over. Oh, what misfortune! And it is only our first day in Israel.
The next morning, we were all pleasantly surprised with the buffet spread in the hotel. It was a lovely way to start our day. I had absolutely no idea what Jewish cuisine is, but whatever I ate, I liked. There were pickled fish much like the pickled herrings I tried in Amsterdam. And they also served rice! Perhaps because Tel Aviv is a city by the coast, there were a lot of seafood……their fruits from the Mediterranean Sea! Mostly smoked or pickled, which I love. And so, on full stomachs we joined our tour group on the many fascinating sights on this Mediterranean shore. We took a walk in the beautifully restored ancient port of Jaffa. This is where medieval pilgrims started their strenuous 2 day trek to Jerusalem. We were given just a few minutes for some picture-taking before we were advised to join the bus for our ride to our next stop, Caesaria. Going north, our Tour Director David took us to Caesaria’s Roman Amphitheater and the impressive Crusader Fortress. Enough to remind us of the Roman and Crusader presence in this area. I can’t recall if Caesaria was named after Julius Caesar or Augustus Caesar, but I do recall that Pontius Pilate held court here! Or was it Herod? Oh my. Frankly, I wasn’t prepared for the Roman ruins in Israel. A Roman aqueduct? I forgot this area was part of the Roman Empire. Which speaks a lot about how ignorant I was. Neither was I prepared for the vineyards here too!There were also apricot groves on the slopes of the scenic Carmel mountain range. At Muhraqa, David reminded us of the prophet Elias’ contest of faith with the priests of Baal. Gosh, I really need to read up! David puts us to shame! You should meet David. Here is one guy who is very very proud being a Jew. Loves his job as Tour Director, but never compromises on discipline. He’s a character. You should see him nearly scream at us whenever we take far longer in any one area………… threatening to leave us behind. And he always had this pole with him, that I was almost always imagining one of us will get struck with if we test his patience too far. When we reached our hotel in Haifa, we were famished. All that walking, plus the rising temp, made us hungry. And David won’t stop for snacks. He said , “they serve good dinner in Haifa. Don’t spoil appetite”. 😊
Yes, it was a good dinner. Also enjoyed the company. By this time, we have formed ‘cliques’ within our travel group. An American Jew, Steven, joined 5 of us Filipinos and called ourselves the ‘Lalo Group’. Steven learned a few words in our language, one of which is supposed to mean a jerk. The word is ‘gago’ (jerk) but Steven would always say LALO. Over dinner, we learned that Steven has long wanted to visit Israel and meet up with long lost relatives of his mom in Jerusalem. He was traveling alone, but starting today, has found his LALO family in us.
In Haifa, we spent the next morning visiting the Bahai Shrine, the world center for the bahai faith. The golden domed shrine was the backdrop for our group picture. This was suggested by David, who said it’s better done this early than later! No one dared argue with this man. Next we went to Acre, which was the capital of the Crusader Kingdom after its conquest by Richard the Lion-Heart. We marveled at the forbidding Ottoman fortress and toured the excavated part of the immense underground Crusader City with all the secret passageways! The vaulted crypts of the Knights of St. John was quite a sight.
After lunch, we proceeded to Nazareth where we visited the Church of Annunciation and St. Joseph’s workshop. Then we went to Cana, the site of the first miracle ……… where Jesus turned water into wine in a wedding party. Then we rode up towards the Mount of Beautitudes where Jesus delivered his sermon on the Mount. Here, I found an elderly nun who looked so angelic. She didn’t speak a word of english but had a ready smile for everyone. She is certainly bursting with unexplainable joy and her kind demeanor contrasts with her hunch and slowed pace. The scenery here is one for the books…….. we savored the panoramic view over Lake Tiberius before driving down to the lakeside Kibbutz Ginosar. We were led to very spartan rooms here where we would spend the night, to freshen up before dinner. Some of the guys went for a swim before dinner. This is one working community here. Hard to believe how the kibbutz system works wonderfully for the people here. We found all the kibbutz members busy. Not an idle hand. We were served dinner which consisted of their own produce from farms worked on by the men, cooked by their own women, served by their own children. After dinner, some of us stayed on to listen to a lecture on life in a kibbutz.
Yesterday was a long day, and each one in our group must have slept soundly last night. We were all looking fresh this morning, eager for a cup of coffee and another kibbutz meal. Over breakfast, Steven expressed his excitement now that we are driving towards Jerusalem. We shared the same sentiment, knowing that Jerusalem must be the highlight of this trip. On our way, we made a stopover at the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes in Tabgha. The second miracle! Then off to Capernaum where Jesus recruited his disciples among the fishermen. Here we also found St. Peter’s Memorial.
Just before noon, we took a boat to cruise the Sea of Galilee, and prayed our rosaries. That was one time David was truly quiet. When we finished, he said that we may not share the same beliefs but he has found a deep respect for our faith. What a wonderful thing to say. I think that ‘softened’ the man since, as he was more accommodating and less exacting after this episode. He even gave us a long time to enjoy a good lunch after the boat ride. Naturally, we took the chance to check out the restaurants by the Sea of Galilee (which is really a lake). Most eating places in this part of Israel boasts of the local delicacy – the St. Peter’s fish. I ordered one, and came face to face with a fish that looks exactly like our very own tilapia back in the Philippines. Only that, it cost me 5 times its worth here in Galilee.
After my very eventful lunch, we headed towards the River Jordan. We were reminded by the baptism of Jesus by St. John the Baptist . There were many pilgrims in the area, all lined up for their “baptism” at the River Jordan. Although it was not part of our itinerary, David allowed a couple of us to join the line. I was so moved by this, that I had to take a moment to recover. A newfound spirituality must have been born or reborn then. I cannot explain it. I just know that somehow, my take on all these has been changed. After recalling all the mysteries and miracles in the places we have visited, I felt I was having my own miracle here. By the time we reached Jerusalem, everyone in the group felt a different kind of excitement and started to consider this trip as our own pilgrimage too. The following day, our very reliable David reminded us all over breakfast to wear comfortable walking shoes. Our hotel is so ideally located, just some 10 to 15 minute walk to the Old City or Walled City. Soon, we were all following David on a stroll of the lovingly restored Jewish Quarter all the way to the Wailing Wall. I may not be Jewish, but I certainly imbibed all that spirituality along the Wall. So many have prayed here. So many have wailed, maybe asking for forgiveness or invoking their petitions. David reminded me to walk backwards after praying, the way the Jews do. I took it to mean that we must never turn our back out of respect. On Temple Mount, we found the Dome of the Rock, a splendid Islamic Mosque. From here we traced the 14 Stations of the Cross passing the Armenian Quarter, Christian Quarter , through the Via Dolorosa towards Golgotha. There, we entered the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Erected over the site of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, this Church, destroyed and rebuilt many times, is now shared by 6 Christian communities. David pointed to a spot where Jesus was brought down from the cross and laid. Dear God, I can’t explain all this heaviness in my heart. And I learned everybody else in our group felt the same way. Sinner and imperfect that I was, I longed for forgiveness then and there.
It was good we had to walk back to our hotel, if only to wear off the feelings of sorrow. Before dinner, we said our prayers more fervently, more seriously. Tonight before sleeping, I prayed the rosary and recalled each sorrowful mystery as if I was again walking through the Via Dolorosa, passing all the Stations of the Cross.
The following day, we boarded our bus for our excursion to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ and King David. Here we visited the Church of Nativity with its very low entrance door. David explained that it was designed as such so that those riding their donkeys had to dismount. Truly, the door is just a foot higher than a donkey. We all stooped to get in, and found a long line for the “Star” which marked the very spot where Jesus was born in the Manger.
The Star has a hole in the center where one can reach down and touch the very rock where the stable was. Those in front of me in the line were crying as they neared the Star. Now, I thought then that that was way too emotional. By the time I reached the Star, and had my hand touching the rock, I was shedding tears as well. I do not know where all that came from.
When we were done, our bus took us to the Garden of Gethsemane at the foot of Mount of Olives. The Church of All Nations stand here now, in the midst of all the olive trees that bear witness to Jesus’ Agony in the Garden. David pointed to an olive tree which was supposed to be the very spot of the first sorrowful mystery. From here, one has a good view of the Walled City and the gate by which Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
Most of us took the optional excursion to the Synagogue of Hadassah Hospital with its famous Marc Chagall windows. The excursion also included a visit to the Shrine of the Book and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Mount Zion with King David’s tomb, and the room of the Last Supper. David pointed out that two of the pillars in the Upper Room are still originals. Silent witnesses to the Last Supper. Jesus with his 12 apostles, including Judas Iscariot. The last leg of this excursion was a visit to the Yad Zashem Holocaust Memorial. We entered this structure in a line, with Steven right in front of me. We walked through a corridor that was very dark, where one hears taped voices of Jews, old and young, agonizing over their plight. There were memorabilia all around, pictures of the holocaust, grim reminders of man’s cruelty to his own kind. By the time we got out of the Memorial, Steven was in tears , a grown man crying unashamedly. When we got on the bus, David asked if there is anyone in our group who would like to watch an Israeli folklore show. No one was up to it.
The last 2 full days in Israel was highlighted by a trip to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the surface of the earth, and Masada. Along the way, we caught glimpses of the caves of Qumran, where the precious Dead Sea Scrolls were found. David reminded us to bring swimwear so we can check out the Dead Sea’s buoyancy owing to its extreme saltiness. This was fine, but I have to say that the next stop promised more excitement for me. Masada, the last stronghold for nearly a thousand Jewish Zealots who preferred death by their own hands to the indignity of surrender to the overwhelming Roman forces. We reached Masada by way of a cable car to the spectacular cliff fortress. At the very least, the people of Masada proved to one and all the extent of their conviction and pride as a people.
From Jerusalem, our bus drove back to Tel Aviv where we were to spend our last full day in the land of the Chosen People. We took the scenic winding road towards the Land of the Philistines. We stopped at the site where David defeated Goliath. This was followed by a visit to the Monastery of the Trappist Monks. Soon we were back in Tel Aviv, ready to explore more of the nation’s capital. We strolled through the city, did a bit of shopping (where i got a menorrah(pendant) and checked out the bands by the beach. Cool…….there was even a reggae band.
Over our farewell dinner, I felt kind of sad that I may not be seeing David, our Tour Director. We didn’t start off well on this tour, but everyone in our group agreed that David warmed up as days passed by. We made sure that we would all fill out the Globus Questionnaire and put in good words for this kind man. Yeah, a little bit dictatorial sometimes, but a very compassionate and spiritual man. Just before calling it a night, we went for another stroll by the beach , enjoyed the breeze, and silently wished for another chance to visit Israel in the future. Lastly, I prayed my rosary and held each bead like each one truly counts in this land.
lifeisacelebration 