Just a short, comfortable one hour drive from Madrid to reach this impressive city of 3 cultures. I have to admit that I had my expectations of Toledo, having seen too many paintings of the Spanish city. Yet, I was still awed by its sheer beauty. This place shouldn’t be missed, and should be in everybody’s list to visit after Madrid. Through many narrow alleyways, we passed many houses with Moorish balconies. These ‘extensions’ served as ‘peek out’ places for Muslim women staying indoors and preferring not to be seen. I can just imagine them sneaking a look into the vibrant street scene in Toledo’s narrow alleyways while fiddling with their worry beads.
The mixture of artistic styles speaks volumes on how Arabs, Christians and Jews once lived together in this former imperial capital. Much like the mixed settlements found in the walled city of Old Jerusalem ( check out my earlier blog: When Every Prayer Bead Counts in Israel). The maze of streets make up this city bound by walls and accessed through various gates. We entered through the main gate, the Bisagra Gate, and passed a number of synagogues, mosques and churches. The highlight of my trip to Toledo is easily the Church of Santo Tome , made famous by El Greco’s painting “El Entierro del Conde Orgaz” which translates to “The Burial of Count Orgaz”. By itself, this painting makes the trip to Toledo truly worthwhile. To this day, I can still imagine the many shades of black in this painting. El Greco is truly a genius. The sheer white organza over the black garment showed his genius to the fore. One can almost feel how thin and gossamer the organza fabric was. So with the lacy cloth adorning the necks of those depicted in the scene. El Greco lived out his sunset years in Toledo and truly paid homage to his second home as he immortalized the now famous vista of the entire township, the skyline dominated by the Alcazar and the Toledo Cathedral, and the many winding alleys and cobble-stoned pathways of this place so rich in history and steeped in culture.
Mudejar Style In Art and Architecture
All around the historic city, there is the mozarab (Christians who lived under the Muslim rule) and mudejar styles expressed in the art and architecture.
The arches, ornately designed windows , and other architectural elements envelop you as you walk their streets. While viewing Toledo’s famous cathedral, we saw many tourists shunted to the sides as cars weaved through the very narrow streets of this former capital of La Mancha, now declared a heritage site. (That is the 3rd time I used the word narrow). While waiting for the cars to pass, it was easy to get tempted to get inside some of the quaint looking stores selling mazapan and turrones. And so we allowed ourselves to be tempted and then and there, decided to leave space in our bags before flying home to load up on these goodies. While munching our new finds back into the square, we paused to take in the cathedral with its very flamboyant Gothic architecture. The doorway, with its 3 doors, depicted features of hell, forgiveness and judgment. It was reported that there was a time when indulgences were granted to penitents passing through the door of forgiveness or pardon. These days, it is almost always closed except for very special occasions.
A Hero’s Sorrow
On a hill to the right of the Cathedral isthe Alcazar, the military citadel. A most interesting story has been attached to this monument of art and heroism. The Siege of Alcazar recounts the heroism and supreme sacrifice in the name of patriotic duty of General Jose Moscardo Ituarte back in 1936. For 70 days, Moscardo held out for General Franco’s Nationalist forces and defended the citadel. The Republicans then captured Moscardo’s 16 year old son, Luis, and threatened to shoot him unless Moscardo cedes the citadel. Asking to speak to his son, Moscardo said “Commend yourself to God and die like a patriot” to which his teenage son replied “That, I can do”. Truly, Luis is his father’s son. Moscardo lost his son and up to his final days, wore a black cloak of mourning over his army uniform. The drama and the tragedy are now integral to any story relating to the cathedral.
Long after we left Toledo, we can’t help wondering if the religious tolerance accounted for the very diverse character of this heritage site. Imagine the very Gothic Toledo Cathedral with Mudejar characteristics (claimed to be the 3rd largest in the world), or houses lining the alleys with their Moorish balcony extensions over your heads as you pass, as well as imagining the interfaith harmony as Arabs, Jews and Christians all established their settlements here in this place where their respective arts and culture were allowed to flourish and blossom. The peace and harmony fostered by this religious tolerance may have encouraged many Arab, Jewish and Christian scholars to settle in Toledo and hone their crafts. Just like the Pax Romana where art and culture flourished, here is another example that indeed, “Peace Pays” .
I have been practicing my Spanish for a while………and felt confident enough to go around Spain just a month after my surgery. My doctor said I drive her crazy. My surgeon said I should go ahead and celebrate life. Between those 2 medical opinions, I favored my surgeon’s advice.
Long Trip to Madrid From Manila
With my nephew Ryll and good friend Emy in tow, we braved the long trip from manila to madrid. Left 5 pm Monday; arrived noon next day in Madrid. It was a long trip via Hongkong and Paris. And that is not counting the 3 hour wait in each airports! The Air France flights all went smoothly, and we actually enjoyed all the in-flight meals and movies.
Talking about first experience in good old Madrid……….we hired a cab as soon as we stepped out of the airport to take us to Hotel Praga where we would meet up with our travel group same day 6pm. The taxi driver was some hustler who reminded us so much of Mel Gibson with his unshaven moustache and beard. Senor Gibson overcharged us – we paid 50 euros for a cab ride that should have just cost us only 30 euros. He said it was the Spanish fiesta, as we arrived right on Fathers’ Day (which we later learned was the Feast Day of St. Joseph), and therefore there are extra cab charges. We did not bother arguing with him on our first hour on Spanish soil. By the time we reached Hotel Praga in Madrid, we were just too eager to wave him goodbye.
We met Roberto, our tour director from Cosmos, along with 48 (yes, 48) fellow travellers. A real big group which included 11 Filipinos including the 3 of us. There was this Filipino-Chinese family of 6 pax and a couple from Dallas, Texas who have not visited the Philippines for nearly 2 decades. The tour group also counted some Canadians, British, Australians, Mexicans, Americans. Mostly senior citizens except for the Canadian group made up of young Cornell University graduates, maybe in their mid 20’s. Emy and I roomed up, while Ryll roomed up with Douglas. After our meeting with the Tour Group, Ryll , Emy and I didn’t waste time and went to explore Madrid straight away. We took the bus from the hotel to reach Plaza Mayor.
Right smack in the middle of Puerta del Sol near Plaza Mayor is Kilometro 0 where 10 streets converge and where distances are all measured. There were so many people around. And so many pickpockets too! Too many shops, tascas, tapa bars. Except that the shops were all closed because , as Senor Gibson said, today is a holiday!
Long Walk For A Cup of Chocolate and Some Churros
Armed with our Lonely Planet travel book, we walked up to Calle de Preciados and found Iglesia de San Gines. No, we weren’t planning to go to church today. The LP book had the iglesia as landmark to find what was allegedly the best place for churros con chocolate. Mind you, the Chocolateria de San Gines has every right to boast it has the best churros in town. It was an experience just dunking those churros in that thick hot chocolate. While enjoying all this, we can’t help but notice this old man we assumed to be the owner of the chocolateria with his loyal dog by his side, seated at a corner table. He saw everyone in, and barked orders from his seat. We likewise assumed that the busboy , cashier and other servers must be his son and daughters. I told Ryll that i can see myself in that old man. Tucked into a corner with a loyal dog, reading a good pocketbook, sipping good chocolate or coffee, and barking orders without let up!
Energized by the hot choco and churros, we tried walking back to the Plaza Mayor to catch our bus back to the hotel, but instead ended walking along Calle de Alcala. It was the other way. No problem. The LP book said we should find the Plaza de la Cibeles and the Palacio de Communicaciones here. What a magnificent sight! And it is only their Post Office. The lights did justice to the ancient building, so we took turns having our photos taken here with all that illuminated background. We were sure the Goddess Cybele wouldn’t mind. We also found a church nearby, which happened to be St. Joseph’s Church. The Church was all darkness with lights focused only on the altar where a small choir was singing church hymns. Got goose bumps right that moment, just watching and listening.
Of Siestas, Old Restaurants And A Bit of Shopping
On the way back to the hotel, we also found El Corte Ingles, a famous department store chain. Of course it was closed. We thus kept our money. And since it is nearly Holy Week, we expect to save a lot of money at the rate the Spaniards spend siestas and close shops on almost any excuse or holiday. Let us just hope the restaurants, tavernas, tascas remain open. After all, we do have a long list of Spanish food to check out: paella, callos, cocido madrileno, chochinillo, fabada, bacalao al pilpil, manchego cheese, jamon jabugo, jamon serrano, chorizos, pescado en salsa verde, sopa castellano, turrones, etc.
On our way out of Madrid, we did have a chance to dine at Casa Botin, the acclaimed oldest restaurant in the world. Or so it is claimed in the Guinness Book of Records. El Botin is famous for its cochinillo (suckling pig), cordero (roast lamb), pescado (fish) with accompanying mushrooms and green beans. Ernest Hemingway was said to have dined here often, even had a favorite spot by the brick wall. You can only imagine how many diners tried to sit in that same spot (I should know, I did) and rub their backs on the brick wall.
Other than Casa Botin, there was also that unforgettable lunch at Museo del Jamon. No callos at the time we were there. Instead, we had Fabada, Frituras, Sopa Castellana, Chorizo, Quezo and Gambas. You bet we didn’t miss the chance to try the Manchego cheese. We were still drooling over our lunch here only to be roused out of our dreamy adventure when someone tried to pickpocket Ryll. Nothing stolen, but those 2 gypsies sure came close to it as they managed to unzip Ryll’s front pockets!!!!
No shopping, all eating. Not a bad deal. As we waved temporary farewells to Plaza Colon, Plaza Callao, Plaza Espana, Royal Palace, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, on our way out of Madrid, we felt our bulging waistlines and thought………….Espana is threatening to fatten us for the next 2 weeks.
Oh yes, it has been all of 12 years since I made that memorable 38 day trip to Europe visiting Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Egypt and Israel. I found my 1996 journal, so that helps. But memories started flooding my mind of a time when I snagged my longest-ever leave of absence from work, risked losing my job in the bank, or at very least fall out of favor from the bank’s owners. None of that happened. Now living a semi-retired life, I plan to break up this long journey into several blogs to chronicle how much fun one can get in their early 40’s!
Athens
First off, GREECE. We left Manila for Athens with a single stopover in Singapore. It was a long wait for our connecting flight, but Changi Airport is one airport worth a stopover. It was also a good opportunity to chat up with my traveling group, all 20 of us Filipinos. There was a whole family of businessmen, a retired General with his young 2nd wife and the 2nd wife’s only daughter from a previous marriage, a young college graduate traveling alone to enjoy his graduation prize, a couple of retirees who now
run a successful business, another family with 2 teenage son and daughter, a pair of college professors in an exclusive convent school, and a middle-aged single mom with her high energy, hyper son with a German sounding name.
The airport in Athens was a disappointment. We may have landed in Europe, but at the time, we felt like we needed to get on another flight to reach Europe. Coming from the Third World, and having saved up real good for this trip, I guess we all had high expectations. But no, our trip does not start and end with the airport, so we managed to look forward to the coming days.
Our hotel in Athens has a good location. Having dropped our bags, we hit the road and strode off to take in the main artery of the city. We found the National Museum where we spent the whole afternoon, walked around a small park, tried out some curio shops, and tired ourselves enough before getting back to the hotel to meet with our Globus Tour director and other travel companions. Our big Filipino travel group was joined by an assortment of other
Plaka 1996
nationalities. Mostly from America, Australia , Canada, plus a Chinese matron traveling alone. We were advised by our Tour Director that we still have a full day in Athens tomorrow, before leaving the city to check out the rest of Greece. After dinner, we all decided to call it a night and conserve our energy for this long holiday.
The following day is a day for the capital’s classical sights. The Parthenon atop the Acropolis. Straight out of a history book, here I am staring at the crowning glory of all of Greece. Ancient civilization. The Erechtheum with its Port of Maidens. The beautifully preserved Theseum, Roman Temple of Zeus, Theater of Dionysus and the Agora where Socrates taught. Vistas of the Royal Palace and various buildings in the city contrast with the remains of a glorious past. I was so hyped the whole morning. Knowing these colossal structures stood long before the birth of Jesus! The books available at the Museum have photos of the remaining building with transparent overlay showing how the buildings must have looked before. Amazing. The Statue of Athena stood tall in the transparencies. You just have to give it to
Greeks for giving birth to this civilization. No wonder their tourism industry is flourishing. Some inheritance they got! In a way, I was afraid some of the structures may not last long enough for future generations. I silently wished a second visit is made possible where these structures still remain. I also made another prayer that I continue to enjoy good health to be able to sustain my penchant for these adventures. Looking around, I found quite a number of senior tourists experiencing difficulties scaling the steps. Some gave up and started their descent. A pity. The highlight of the Parthenon visit lies at the top, with the added bonus of a panoramic view of the sprawling metropolis. I remember yesterday, while sipping a cup of coffee in the Museum cafe, how majestic the Acropolis looked from afar. It is a no-brainer that the early Greeks set up the seat of their government on top of this mountain. There was no way any army can attack from any side without being watched!
Meteora
The next day, we woke up early for breakfast. Hmmm, olives this early in the day. Well, this is Greece! After
breakfast, we boarded our coach for the long trip to Meteora. We motored north, past the Plain of Marathon………where in 490 BC (or so my travel journal circa 1996 states….) about 10,000 Athenians defeated more than twice that number of Persian invaders. All throughout the bus ride, our Tour Director spewed out many historical trivia which we all tried to listen to, while fighting off sleep. He mentioned the Spartans, a revenge for Marathon, a place called Drama, but don’t ask me to put them together in a story. Talk about talking Greek! But then again, isn’t it amazing how these Greek words found their way into our everyday language?
With absolutely no idea what Meteora offers, I was completely bowled over when we reached the place. Rock-top monasteries. This unreal, fantastic landscape even has good stories to tell. We visited 2 monasteries: Varlaam Monastery and St. Stephen’s. Oh sure, one is guaranteed a panoramic view of this surreal landscape. One story went that in the olden times, the monks who had to climb up the monasteries may instead get into this basket strung with a rope which the monks up in the monastery had to pull up. While the monks ‘up there’ pull the rope to bring the monk in the basket up, the latter literally prays every step of the way as he puts his complete trust on his fellow monks to keep him whole and alive. Good thing we did not have to get into any basket , as there are now access roads leading to the monasteries atop the rocks. Up there, the ladies in our group were asked to don skirts before entering the monasteries. In both, we were so impressed with the collection of medieval icons found inside . Then one of the guys in our group mentioned that this monastery and this entire place was actually the setting for one of the James Bond movies. I think “For Your Eyes Only” is the movie title, where a helicopter goes around the top of the rock monastery, affording the viewer a glimpse of the panoramic vista of Meteora. Now, I remember!
We stayed the night in Kalambaka, the town next to Meteora. The hotel was a disappointment. Very damp. Very spartan. I thought then that the guests probably never bothered with the place as most are out for the day to spend visiting the rock monasteries. Well, I shouldn’t really complain. I got enough excitement for today.
Thessalonika
From Meteora, we drove north to Thessalonika. This is the second largest city in Greece, and probably one of the oldest. Along the way, we visited the Royal Burial Ground of Vergina. This is where King Philip II’s tomb was identified by archaelogists after many years of excavations and research. Our Tour director reminded us that the continued wars between Athens and Sparta weakened both, and allowed the emergence of the Kingdom of Macedonia. We went past Pella, the ancient Macedonian capital where Aristotle taught the young Alexander the Great.
Finally, we reached Thessalonika. We entered the Archaelogical Museum where one learns more about Ancient Macedonia, the nation which made Greek culture its own, and spread it as far as Egypt and India. The orientation drive also took us along the sea front and to the Roman Arch of Galerius. We spent a night in Thessalonika before making our journey to Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. But these 3 will be covered by separate blogs. So let me continue with our adventure upon
re-entering Greece (from Istanbul). Our re-entry was through the Sea of Marmara into the Greek part of what was once the Roman province of Thrace. Here, mosques and minarets testify to a long history of Ottoman domination. We retraced the journey of St. Paul along the Via Egnatia as we entered Philippi. Good thing I wrote a journal of my adventures here……….I would not have remembered all these names. Tonight, we stayed in a hotel in Kavala, a Macedonian crossroad town called Neapolis by the Romans and Christopolisby the Christian crusaders.
Delphi, Then Back to Athens
Before heading back to Athens, we stopped by Delphi. Following the shoreline of the Aegean Sea, we passed by a landscape dominated by Mount Olympus, the mythical home of Zeus. We broke the journey here, and rested our tired limbs. The following morning, we toured the ancient sanctuary of the god Apollo on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The Oracle of Delphi! We checked out the excavations, as well as the Archaelogical Museum. We particularly admired the Charioteer, an extra-ordinary 5th century BC bronze statue. I like Delphi. The winding roads and the quaint curio shops near our boutique
Echo? Was that just an echo?hotel make for a very romantic scene. I tried hard to think if the place was used for any movie setting, but nothing came to mind. Somehow, this scenario sets you up and puts you in a shopping mood. But I am happy with my purchase of a jewelry set in Delphi. The ‘eternity ring, earrings and necklace’ in gold looked like a good investment. I was looking at another set, but remembered this is just the first leg of my trip. So I pulled myself out of the store and headed back for our hotel.
I wore my new matching necklace and ring this morning on our way back to Athens where we plan to spend about 2 more nights before the second leg of our journey. With time in our hands, and with the hotel shuttle leaving every so often to take us to the Plaka, we found ourselves shopping again. An enterprising Greek found me and invited me to his store where he offered ouzo. Now, no one takes ouzo lightly. It’s a very Greek drink, like vodka is to the Russians. This Greek made us all sit down, enjoy our ouzo, then promptly displayed some of his jewelries for sale. He showed me a gold bracelet that was an exact match to the earrings, ring and necklace I was already wearing. And I thought I am long done with my shopping! So, as every lady shopper would say, ” I deserve this” and took out my card to pay for the bracelet. Oh…..I can hear the soundtrack of Zorba, the Greek in the background. The Greeks sure play beautiful music.
To cap our Greek adventure, we spent the day before our departure on a day-long cruise of 3 nearby islands. Aegena, Hydra and Poros were tiny islands, but big on sights. The Temple of Apollo was not limited to the big cities. There were excavations and temple ruins here too. I like my photo in one of the islands where a donkey is “parked” somewhere behind me. This spectacle adds flavor to our Greek adventure. There were also more jewelry shops in all 3 islands but I was too afraid to enter any. Instead, I drank more ouzo and listened to Zorba’s music.
In 2009, I revisited Greece and blogged about my adventures in Meteora, Santorini, Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos , Patmos and Athens. Check out my blog on one of my favorites: Revisiting Meteora
Has anyone been to Bulgaria? Well, our traveling group didn’t cover much ground in Bulgaria but what I remember about this trip is how well we started it. Coming from more than a week’s travel around Greece, we drove from Thessalonika towards Bulgaria. Our introduction to Bulgaria was a visit to the impressive, awesome Rila Monastery. The pictures do not do justice to the lovely sights of Rila Monastery. Do please remember that I was then still using a non-digital camera. Just point and shoot, no reviews permitted. If one gets a double exposure, tough luck.
The Monastery of St. John of Rila
I am not into antiquities. I am not even a collector of anything. I never formed any attachment to material things and a piece of art for me, is really something best preserved and safekept in a museum. At best, I will forever keep a good photo of the place I visited to serve my memory right. It was very cold when we got to Rila Monastery. As in snowy cold. Must be about 3 inches of snow. Which added to the mystery of the place. There were not too many tourists. I’d say there was just our group , which is kind of big at over 30 pax, and perhaps a couple of small groups. I hardly knew where to start.
RILA Monastery
The Monastery of St. John of Rila is the most famous, if not the largest, Eastern Orthodox monastery in the whole of Bulgaria. This UNESCO World heritage site is a monument to faith, culture and architecture. Some writings cite St. John of Rila as having founded the monastery in the 10th century. Others say he lived in a cave not far from the monastery, and that his remains were safekept in the monastery. (Story goes that St. John or St. Ivan to the Bulgarians, couldn’t put up with the moral decline prevalent during his time, that he chose to live like a hermit in a cave dwelling. Now, if all of us are of the same character as St. John of Rila, I bet this world will run out of caves……..) Whatever, this complex is certainly worth a visit even if one were to skip all other sights in Bulgaria . It is not much to look at from the outside. The front wall looked even bleak.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
But as one enters, you will be in awe and marvel at the sights with the high snow-capped mountains as backdrop. One goes through the church entrance and allow one’s self to be enthralled by all the frescoes, the icons, the mosaics which all add to the spirituality within the monastic grounds. This place is Bulgaria’s own renaissance. Now, I wish we could have spent more time here in Rila. But we were told this is just a stopover on our drive towards Sofia. A very pleasant stopover, indeed. Perhaps, next visit we should arrange staying at least a night in the monastery itself. Now, that would really require another visit!
From Rila to Sofia, the Capital of Bulgaria
But hold it………..from Rila, we drove towards the nation’s capital. It was very dark by the time we reached the capital. Hotel Intercontinental provided us with a very pleasant overnight stay. The hotel complex is huge, in stark contrast to the poverty around it. It was hard to enjoy a good meal in the rooftop restaurant and ignore the dilapidated one storey residential dwelling of Sofia’s urban poor. Nor to enjoy the many lanesof the bowling alleys in the basement of Hotel Intercontinental. Perhaps it was constructed as such, if only to discourage hotel guests from venturing out of the hotel compound and risk getting mugged. I wandered around the shops within the hotel complex and felt happy with the single purchase I made. A new cardigan! After dinner and a soak in the tub, I was ready to count sheep.
Sofia is very cosmopolitan. Truly a nation’s cultural, political and commercial capital. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with its golden dome is very lovely to look at. My untrained eye soaked in all that beauty while my fellow travelers got busy checking out the many stalls by the cathedral’s side. I can’t blame them. The hand-embroidered table linens and lacy materials were hard to resist. My roommate on this tour, Marylou, ended up with a bundle of table linens. I thought then that she must have a huge dining table. We also checked out Turkish Bashi Mosque, and admired the ancient Church of St. Georgi. There was also an impressive looking Opera and a few concert halls in the city. I thought then how difficult it must be to listen to the opera while one’s stomach is grumbling. My apologies, but it was hard to ignore the contrasts and the gap between the rich and the poor in Sofia. This is not new to me. I see it everyday back home in my own country. Very sad. On that sad note , I missed the opera tonight and had another good night’s sleep instead. Tomorrow, we move towards Bucharest, Romania!
(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.
Visited some touristy spots for 2 straight days, hitting ground as soon as we touched down. Then we decided to spend the next 2 days just lazing around in Marriott Vacation Club in Nusa Dua. Enough to do around the complex where shuttle vans and buggies are on standby to bring us to the beach or the shops and restaurants. Within the MVC Compound itself, there are 4 dining outlets worth checking out like Steaksmith where we had a fine steak dinner. We also love the beach bar where we drank our mojitos and Bintang beers to pair with spicy chicken satay, pork ribs and the more traditional cheese burgers for those who aren’t big fans of hot and spicy.
MVC By NightThe Main Lobby
The beach area is where we spent nearly 5 hours. We took turns with a pair of massage therapists on beach beds and chairs. There was also a shopping area near the beach so we certainly didn’t waste time. To add, bigger shops lie between the beach and the hotel so that option was likewise not wasted 😉 Spa. Shopping. Swim. Steak. Marriott does not disappoint. Our villa has a plunge pool too – perfect for dips after a sweaty afternoon.
Beach Pica PicaCheers! Nusa Dua Beach
And just a few meters from our door is the steak house where we had a wonderful tomahawk dinner. A welcome break from all the Balinese meals we’ve had. Enough nasi goreng, nasi camphor, bebek, ayam goreng, spicy pork ribs etc that we feasted on non-stop since we arrived. It remains to be seen if we’d have Babi Guling (roast pig) for our last dinner here. Or perhaps seafood in Jimbaran. There’s still time (🤭) but let’s see. The options are many.
Rested for only a couple of days before flying out to Bali to join my OZ family. From Gay Paris to the beautiful island of Bali in the Indian Ocean. A midnight arrival along with many tourists at the height of summer. For many Aussies, it’s a welcome break from the winter spell Down Under.
Photo OppsOut on a boat otw to Turtle Island
Soon after checking in, we took off on a boat to Turtle Island (Tumpak Sari Bali) to see them old and slow island residents. Still groggy, sleep-deprived from our midnight arrival but yes, we hit the ground running…. errrr, boating.
Uluwatu TempleUluwatu Temple in Bali
Next stop: Uluwatu Temple. Been here twice before but it’s a first visit for my OZ family. Surprised there weren’t many monkeys in the area. Like we probably just met 4-5 monkeys, and not at all aggressive as I remember my previous 2 visits.
Day 1 with fam. Off to a good start. We are enjoying our crib in Marriott Bali Nusa Dua Terraces, just 2 years since opening in 2023. Last time we stayed in Marriott Nusa Dua Gardens, which we loved as well. I’d say either or both are perfect cribs for families. We looked forward each day to coming home for home-cooked dinners here after a whole day visiting temples, lakeview spots and some rice terraces. Day 2 was more temples and some shopping and coffee-tasting adventure. And then, 2 more days just staying in to enjoy this resort club. Maybe hit the beach, go biking or simply taking the shuttle from the club to go shopping or checking out the spa and nearby shopping outlet. Let’s see what comes up next! Here’s the blog summary link to our previous Bali adventure.
lifeisacelebration 