The Holy Land, Israel
Day 1 ~ Are We There Yet?
After a 13 hour flight, we finally made it to the brand new airport in Istanbul. Honestly I can’t complain because my hubby splurged on business class tickets because we are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. It was my first time ever flying in the fancy front part of the plane where I was served several delicious meals. And what a difference a 180 degrees reclining seat makes! I actually disembarked feeling well rested.
Our connecting flight to Tel Aviv departed from a different terminal that was located clear on the other side of the airport. It took us at least 30 minutes to reach the gate! A train would have been very handy. But then we would never have been able to walk through the gigantic duty free shopping area. (We sprinted through it though.) I can see passengers taking a later flight simply to be able to explore the many shops!
Pfffff our flight was delayed by one hour, which meant that we only arrived in Tel Aviv at 11 pm. After picking up our bags and rental car, it was nearly midnight. Luckily our hotel wasn’t too far away so we could at least have a few hours of sleep.
Day 2 ~ Roman Ruins
The alarm went off too early this morning! Reluctantly we got up to start our day. After enjoying a delicious breakfast of cheeses, fresh bread, and a salad, we were on our way.
At first driving was a little challenging because street signs were written in Hebrew. Luckily freeway signs were posted in three languages: Hebrew, Arabic, and English. Driving on the freeway here is kind of like driving on a California highway where people tailgate as much as possible and weave in and out of traffic without using a blinker. Only here it happens at German autobahn speeds!
After about an hour, we reached Caesarea where we visited remnants of the Roman port city build by King Herod. First we stopped at the Roman bathhouse where men not only took baths but also used the gymnasium. A beautiful well preserved mosaic depicting grapes and animals caught my attention. I am always amazed by the detailed and intricate designs of mosaics.
From here we made our way to the hippodrome, built to celebrate the city’s inauguration. It was incredibly hot walking on the white sand next to the ruins and being jet-lagged wasn’t very helpful either. Our pace slowed down significantly!
A little higher up were the remnants of a palace and I was stunned by the creation of the rather large natural swimming pool. How ingenious to make use of the temperate waters of the Mediterranean Sea! And imagine the contrasting effect of this ornate palace with its white marble columns against the deep blue sea. It must have been spectacular!
Lastly, we visited the amphitheater which made the least impression on me because of the contemporary stage, numbered seats, and plastic chairs in the foreground. Nevertheless, I could see how this was a highlight of life in Caesarea.
Outside the park, on a nearby beach, well preserved ruins of the Roman aqueduct that provided Caesarea with the necessary water, stood gleaming in the sun. I read that the aqueduct dips 20 cm every 1 km so the water could continue to flow. I was stunned by the fact that people (tourists and locals alike) were climbing on the aqueduct. Some were sitting under the arches to have a picnic and others were even building a small campfire underneath. I would have thought that such a treasure would have been protected more vigilantly.
After our visit to the national park, Bert wanted to stop at the fish ponds of a nearby Kibbutz, Ma’gan Michael because he read it was a bird watchers’ paradise. Sure enough, there were tons of birds in those ponds. We spotted a gorgeous White-throated Kingfisher, the elegant Black Stork and the, to me rather boring looking, Armenian Gull. There must have been tons of fish in the ponds judging from the many herons and egrets that were hanging around.
By now it was late afternoon and we still had to drive all the way to Akko. Our hotel was located in the old city and luckily there was parking available because I would not have wanted to drive around in that spiderweb of old and narrow streets.
That evening, we ate at Doniana, a delightful restaurant on the old city wall overlooking the Mediterranean. It was the perfect way to conclude a tiring day.
Day 3 ~ Crusader History
The city of Akko (Acre) represents a very tumultuous history. It has been shaped by the Romans, the Ottomans, the Crusaders, the Mamelukes, and the Byzantines. This mix of different cultures was still highly visible today.
We stayed at the Akkotel Boutique Hotel, which lies smack in the middle of the Old City of Akko. After enjoying our delicious breakfast of breads, salads, and cheeses, we left for the Crusader Town. At the Crusader Citadel, we rented an audio guide so we could fully appreciate the splendor of this magnificently preserved city. The Knight’s Halls with its vaulted ceilings was very impressive. It was here that knights dined and prayed.
The tour continued through very narrow merchant streets. By spreading out our arms, we could literally touch both walls.
At the Hospitaller’s Hall pilgrims were fed and cared for because many were in dire shape after the long and difficult trek to Israel. Several exhibits were housed in this hall and I was particularly impressed by the large stone catapult balls. Seeing these was a first for me!
Across the street from the Crusader Citadel, we went on to visit the City Walls. We climbed several stairs and walked on top of the wall which treated us with a beautiful view of the Old City.
The Treasures in the Wall Museum felt completely out of place as the exhibits are not related at all to the history of Akko. Needless to say that we didn’t spend much time here.
To reach the Hamman Al Pasha, the Turkish Bath House, we had to walk through the vibrant souq where merchants sold spices, meats and fish, local delicatessen, and of course, souvenirs. All the hustle and bustle made for a colorful and lively display!
We ate lunch at a small shawarma place where they served scrumptious falafel and shawarma plates, accompanied by the usual hummus and salads.
Now we were ready to tackle the rest of the walking tour. We headed for the the in 1994 discovered Templar’ Tunnel, a 350 meters long underground tunnel that connected the Knights Templar’s main fortress with the harbor. Although short, it was very neat to see the building style used to construct this tunnel.
We were thirsty from all the walking in the 30 degrees Celsius heat and decided to try one of the freshly squeezed juices that are being sold all around the Old City. We both tried a pomegranate juice and it was to die for! Who needs Jamba Juice when you can have this!
Our last stop was the Al-Jazzar Mosque, the green domed building that dominates the view of the city. Ahmed Pasha, better known as Al Jazzar (translates as the butcher-He was ruthless!) was the Ottoman leader who rebuild the city after the Mamelukes completely destroyed it. Under his rule, Akko became a flourishing harbor city once again. It was prayer time and the mosque was currently closed so we had to kill some time. You guessed it! We bought another juice blend! While sitting there, I realized I forgot my scarf needed to cover my hair upon entering the mosque. Because I had never seen a mosque before, I reluctantly purchased a new scarf at one of the stalls. The Arabic sales woman was hilarious though. She literally carried everything. Whatever we asked for, she had. It was totally funny.
The large prayer hall’s floor was completely covered in red carpet while the walls were tiled. Large chandeliers lighted the hall. Outside, in the courtyard sat Al Jazzar’s dilapidated sarcophagus. Luckily the guide pointed it out because I would have walked straight past it!
We walked back atop the wall before crisscrossing the many narrow streets. At some point, local kids were jumping off the several meters tall wall into the water. It was crazy! Such daredevils!
We ate dinner at a square close by our hotel. As usual, it was very tasteful and we had plenty of food. I have a feeling I’ll be gaining a few pounds on this trip!
Many locals, men and women alike, came here to smoke hookah, a colorful water pipe with a rubber hose attached to it. They sucked away at the gurgling pipe that emitted a sweet odor. It kind of smelled like bubblelicious gum. It was hard to believe that immediately after they were done sucking on the rubber pipe, they started smoking a cigarette! Talking about nicotine overload!
Nevertheless, the entire spectacle made for a perfect ending of our day.
Day 4~ Lost!
Last night daylight savings ended and I’m pretty sure the mu’azzin at the mosque forgot to turn back the clock because instead of the usual call at 5:30 am, he was already up and praying at 4:30. Hence my short night too!
Today, we drove to Haifa to visit the as the UNESCO World Heritage Site classified Baha’i Gardens. We encountered the usual crazy driving on the freeway before reaching the city of Haifa, where we took one wrong turn and became hopelessly lost in the spiderweb of streets. It would have been helpful if there weer street signs, but nope, we were on our own. Even Google maps was confused!
After circling around and making many u-turns, we eventually arrived only to find out the gardens were closed for the day. The guard acted a bit mysteriously and was not at liberty to give a reason. What a wasted morning!
Off to Nazareth it was! Finding our guesthouse, Al Bishara, was quite interesting. To reach it, we had to drive through extremely narrow streets. With small cars parked on the side of the road, our car barely fit! Al Bishara was the name of the owner of the guesthouse and he was a super friendly guy who went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable.
Because it was Sunday, the market was closed and the city was fairly quiet. We walked to the Basilica of the Annunciation, a beautiful church that was consecrated in 1969. The basilica was built over the grotto where the angel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive a son to be called Jesus. Entering the cave was not allowed but we could peek inside. It was a very unique experience.
The walls of the church and the courtyard are decorated with a series of art works donated by Christian communities around the world, depicting Mary and baby Jesus. Each reflects the cultures of their country of origin. They range from an elegant mosaic from Japan, to a wildly colorful piece from Mexico and an extremely contemporary work from the United States.
I was totally in love with all the stained glass windows. They were so colorful and added to the mysticism of the church.
Once outside, we walked to the Church of St.Joseph, build on top of the place where Joseph’s carpentry shop used to be. This wasn’t very impressive at all.
After our delicious shawarma sandwich (ai, ai, ai, those pounds!), we strolled through the city a bit and I was totally disappointed. I found Nazareth to be rather filthy. There was trash strewn everywhere and stray felines roamed everywhere in search of food. But lo and behold! Was that really what I think it was? Yes! That was a trash container filled with coffins! How macabre!
We reached Mary’s Well, the only year-round flowing well in Nazareth and also the place of the Annunciation in the Greek Orthodox Church. Well, no water flowed today! How disappointing! With it being newly remodeled they could have easily created a contraption that made the water flow all year round!
By now it was dinner time and we ate at Avra, a restaurant on the square close by the well. Again, we were served too much food and I even ordered from the intermediate dishes this time! I gave up asking for a main dish. From now on, Bert and I will share a dish and we will probably still have leftovers! By the way, my intermediate dish consisted of 12 extra large shrimp in a spicy garlic butter sauce and pita bread.
We ended the day with another stroll past the Basilica that was on the way to the guesthouse.
Day 5 ~ An Inspirational Day
Al Bishara prepared us a breakfast consisting of pita bread baked kind of like a pizza, covered with thyme, sesame seeds, and of course, olive oil. Additionally, we enjoyed dried fruits, yoghurt, seeds, and cheeses. Yum! I better give up thinking about adding those pounds!
Leaving Nazareth was a challenge because our car was blocked in. Yes, this is how people park here. Do I see a spot? Ok, I’ll take it! It doesn’t really matter if the car sticks out or if they are half on the sidewalk. As long as the car is parked, they’re good.
Our next stop was Galilee. We drove to the Mount of Beatitudes. It was here that Jesus delivered his Sermon on the Mount. (Mathew 5-7) As with all the biblical sites, a Catholic church was build on top of the actual place. The Beatitudes were depicted in simple stained glass windows just below the church’s dome above the altar.
I couldn’t believe how many people were being trucked in by busses. It was insane! There were probably around 200 pilgrims in and around the church when we were there. So far for feeling the presence of the Lord!
Luckily I read there was a path leading away from the the church so we decided to hike down towards the Sea of Galilee. Aaaaaah peace and quiet at last. Now here, on the side of the hill with views of the lake, I could imagine Jesus preaching to the many people. Unfortunately the path was littered with trash but despite that, it was worth walking down.
After stalking up on water, we headed to Wadi Ammud where Bert had to try his luck to find endemic birds. It was beautiful here in the narrow steep canyon. Unfortunately it started raining and all we saw were a few Rock Thrushes and several rock hyrax. Our walk was short lived!
The Yigal Allon Centre was next. We were looking for the in 1986 discovered ancient Galilee boat. The boat, used by local fisherman such as Peter, was very well preserved. It was worth making the small detour.
It was a short drive to the Yardenit Baptismal Site on the very narrow Jordan River. I never imagined the Jordan to be so small!
Because of the biblical significance, many Christians were getting baptized in the river. Seeing the faces of these pilgrims being baptized was incredible. They all had a majestic glow of happiness about them.
Bert and I simply waded through the Jordan, until something bit me in the ankle. Was it one of the carps or was it a horse fly? Who knows? All I know is that the bite is swollen and red and it’s draining puss. Great!
“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove, and a voice came from heaven; “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.””
Day 6 ~ Birds, Settlements, and Ruins
The Jordan Valley Birding Lodge is located inside the Kedar Ruppin Kibbutz, a commune where all members work and contribute to the operating of the place. In return their basic living necessities such as food and accommodations are provided for free. What a great way to celebrate our anniversary! Yup, today was our 25th! We’ll make up for it later when in Jerusalem. :)
David had prepared us a mouth watering meal consisting of scrambled eggs, a tomato-cucumber-olive oil salad, dried salted olives, toast, assorted cheeses, and an extremely spicy dip made of jalapeños, coriander, olive oil, and lemon. The latter sure woke me up!
At first light, Bert had already been birding in the fish ponds and he already needed a shower before we left for Gamla Nature Reserve. The park is famous for the endangered Griffon Vulture, of which we saw two immediately upon entering the park. We were lucky!
Ok, seriously, we saw real ones soaring high up in the sky but couldn’t take a picture. Just like with the California Condor, a large number of these birds of prey died in 2007 because of ingesting poisoned carrion. As a conservation effort, eggs are taken from the nest and hatched in the Biblical Zoo. Chicks are later back introduced to the canyon at Gamla.
“For it was situated upon a rough ridge of a high mountain...it is like a camel in figure, from whence it is so named. On its acclivity, which is straight, houses are built, and those very thick and close to one another. The city hangs so strangely that it looks as if it would fall down upon itself. ”
Gamla also has historical value because the war between the Roman and the Jewish rebels in the Galilee reached its peak here. The Romans under commander Vespasian, suffered defeat in the first battle but conquered Gamla in the second.
After walking around for a bit, I was hungry and ate a snack I purchased at a gas station. My Hebrew isn’t that great so I couldn’t figure out what I ate. All I know is that it tasted good.
In the afternoon we visited Bet She’an National Park where we admired extraordinary Roman Ruins. After Pompei, these are the most beautiful I have ever seen. It was simply magnificent! The pictures don’t even do it justice!
A colonnaded street, 2 bathhouses, an ampitheatre that looks much like it looked more than a thousand years ago, and colossal columns that fell over during an earthquake in 749, show a bit of the grandeur of Roman life out in the provinces. This archeological site is very impressive!
Multiple well preserved mosaics can be found here too. Have I told you yet that I love mosaics? Well, I do! As before, I was stunned that these intricate pieces of art were exposed to the elements. Luckily the Romans built for the ages and I was able to take in the beauty of their creativity.
I was intrigued by the public latrine. How much Roman toilets looked like ours! They sat on two pieces of marble (brrrr, that must have felt cold!) and their waste fell in a gutter below. More affluent families had a private one.
The icing on the cake thoug was the amphitheater. It is amazingly preserved and it looked like it was just used yesterday. Simply incredible! ,
As usual we ended our day with an amazing dinner. This time it was bbq’d chicken served with many tiny salads and delicious fresh flat bread. I gave up thinking about my diet!
Day 7 ~ A Quiet Day
Bert hired a birding guide today and left early in the morning. He is to return by 3 pm. I really didn’t feel like looking for small brown birds so I decided to stay at the Kibbutz and catch up on blogging.
In a little bit, we are still driving down south to the Negev where we will continue our trip over the next few days,
Day 8 ~ Into the Negev Desert
Our guesthouse, InnSense, was located in Mitzpe Ramon. In Hebrew, Mitzpe means lookout and what a view they had! The town was located on the northern edge of the Mahktesh Ramon Nature Reserve, which is home to the Ramon Crater. The word crater (or makhtesh) was a bit misleading because this giant depression was created millions of years ago when an ocean covered the area.
We wanted to hike here but the lady at the visitor center was not being helpful. In fact all she did was chat on the phone. Annoyed, we left and simply walked to the lookout to take a few pictures. I have to admit that we had quite a view from the rim. Unfortunately, the light wasn’t great to take pictures. Oh well.
From here, we made our way to Avdat National Park, a beautifully preserved Nabatean city along the Incense Route, built on top of a hill overlooking the Negev Desert. The 2400 km long Incense Route begins in Oman and Yemen and passes through Saoudi Arabia and Jordan on the way to the Negev, ending in the port of Gaza. Camels carried a load of about 20 kg and walked at an average speed of 35 km per hour. I never realized these animals walked that fast!
Speaking of camels, along the roads in the desert are signs to alert you about possible camels being next to the road. You don’t see that every day! I had to look up if there are actual wild camels in the Negev but found out all are domesticated animals. And guess what? We saw several! Domesticated or not, it was neat to see these creatures roaming the desert.
En Avdat National Park was our next stop. From the Southern entrance, a short walk leads you to a lookout of the Wadi Tsin waterfalls. We arrived here around noon and it was hot, so very hot. The sun was beating down on us and on on top of that the heat reflected off the pale rocky landscape. I could barely handle it. Nevertheless, it was absolutely gorgeous up there.
The drive to the northern entrance was magnificent. The landscape reminded me a little bit of Arizona with a bit of Death Valley mixed in, only here in the Negev, the landscape was more rugged.
We hiked through the dramatic canyon towards the spring, an oasis in the barren and rocky Negev Desert. We walked under the towering white cliffs and I felt very tiny as a human in this majestic place.
Naturally, the pools of water in this arid landscape attract animals. I was very excited when I spotted a male ibex, recognizable by its large horns, on the steep slopes of the canyon. A little further down the trail, close by the water, was an entire herd! And there even was a baby!
On the rocks, a fairly fat lizard was puffing its throat to ward off the human intruders. When it realized it was unsuccessful, it quickly retreated beneath the rocks.
While Bert was looking for Tristam’s Starlings, a glossy black bird with red wings, I noticed a gigantic bird soaring in the sky. As it came closer, I saw it was a Griffon Vulture! It landed on the canyon wall and started preening. We had had an amazing view and soon this huge bird of prey had attracted a large audience. It was super cool to see this bird so close by!
After our hike, we stopped at Ben-Gurion’s final resting place. David Ben Gurion was the primary national founder of the State of Israel and Israel’s first prime minister. He and his wife, Paula lie in a spectacular setting overlooking the Tsin Valley. I couldn’t resist taking a few more pictures to end the day.
And the Wifi connection is acting up again, meaning I am unable to upload pictures. The view will be uploaded some time later. Your patience will be tested!
Day 9 ~ Window onto the Red Sea
Today the dramatic, rocky, dry desert will be traded for the crystal blue waters of Eilat. On our way to the Red Sea, we drove through another large makhtesh. Though smaller than the crater in Mitzpe Ramon, it was equally as stunning.
The road winded through this enormous depression and we had the chance to experience it from ground level this time. We were treated to gorgeous colors ranging from chocolate brown, to tan, to pink. Needless to say we took tons of pictures.
In a documentary I had learned about the Scorpion or Aqrabbim (means curves in Arabic) Ascent, a scenic road consisting of narrow passes and sharp hairpin turns that offer some of the most beautiful desert panoramas. In Biblical times, this area was the southern border of the Promised Land and during the Nabatean era this road was part of the Incense Route. The Romans, however paved the road and made it what it is today.
When we reached the foot of the Scorpion Ascent on road 227, a sign showed us the road was closed. How disappointing! Did it have to do with the army base and active shooting areas nearby? Who knows. Al I know is that we were bummed.
We continued our journey towards Eilat through the Arava Desert. At a vista point along the way, at 126 meters below sea level, we had a great view of the Dead Sea and the Arava Valley. From here, we drove lower and lower below sea level.
I forgot to mention that we stopped at a local park because Bert wanted to check out the birds. It was very quiet by the lake and no new species were found. However, we did rescue a little kitten from a tree. The poor thing had climbed up a tree too high and couldn’t get out anymore. It must have understood Flemish because we coaxed it down speaking our mother tongue.
Late afternoon we made it to the resort city of Eilat. Immediately we were confronted with giant resort hotels, a scenery that’s not exactly my cup of tea. We weren’t here to enjoy the beaches but to visit the International Birding Center, a place by the Jordan border where millions of birds pass through twice a year. And Eilat is also the perfect place to stay when starting a tour to Petra. But that’s for another day.
Day 10 ~ Birding Away!
Bert left for the International Birding center at dawn. He was eager to add a bunch of new birds to his list. Unfortunately, he was greatly disappointed because the ponds were empty and there were no birds to be found in the trees either. Where is that mass migration when you need it?
After breakfast, we headed to North Beach in search of gulls but not one could be found. A fellow birder from Germany agreed with us that birding was not great in this area at all.
We strolled on the beach until we reached the Jordan border. That was an uneventful hour!
Suddenly, we spotted six raptors in the sky. They were soaring and making their way towards the mountains. We decided to drive up the Eilat Mountains to have a closer look. And a look we had! From the top of Mount Yoash, we had a great vantage point and it was much easier to identify the birds. In one flock we spotted migrating Steppe Eagles, Greater Spotted Eagles and Long-legged Buzzards. We were thrilled!
Because we were so high up, we had an incredible view of the mountains, the Sinai and the Red Sea. Come to think of it, we actually saw three different countries: Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. The area was simply breathtaking.
I didn’t realize we were so close to the Egyptian border but sure enough, a long fence along Hwy 12 indicated we were driving next to it.
By now it was past noon and we were getting hungry so we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Fish Market restaurant in Eilat. With its blue checkered table cloths and Greek music, the place truly had a Mediterranean vibe.
Bert read about Amram’s Pillars in a bird guide and we decided to check out these towering pillars carved out of sandstone by water. The drive up there was a bit dusty but amazingly beautiful. Because we were there later in the day, we were treated to a spectacle of mystical colors. It was simply stunning!
After a short drive and little chat with a Belgian family we ran into, we hiked the short distance to the pillars. Along the way we were treated with red and white marbled sandstone that looked like birthday cake. The short path continued to meander through the rocky landscape and suddenly, right in front of us were five towering pillars. It was hard to believe that these columns were created by water trickling through the cracks in the rocks. How magnificent!
To round of our day, we ate dinner at a Greek place next to our hotel. We turned in early because the next day we had to get up early for our trip to Jordan.
Day 11 ~ Sick!
Today was an exciting day because we were crossing into Jordan to visit Petra, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. We booked a private tour with Desert Eco Tours and our dry friendly guide, Hussein, picked us up on the Jordanian side. We had a two hour car drive ahead of us but Hussein shared so many stories and information with us, that the trip only felt like 30 minutes.
That morning, Bert got up not feeling too great. He had an upset stomach and diarrhea but it didn’t seem like anything Imodium couldn’t cure. However, the closer we came to Petra, the worse he started to feel. But come hell or high water, he was going to see Petra! When we started walking, he really felt uncomfortable. Sure enough, when we reached the entrance of the city, he had to vomit. Yes, he threw up on a 2000 year-old monument! That Holy Grail found by Indiana Jones would have come in very handy now! Hahaha.
To reach the heart of the Nabatean city, we first had to walk through the Siq, a narrow fissure between the city’s rosy colored mountains. This would have been a magical experience were it not for the many people and the speedy horse-drawn carriages that nearly ran over anybody in their path.
I was very impressed by the ingenuity of the Nabateans. They had created channels on both sides of the Siq that drew water from Wadi Musa (Valley of Moses) inside the city. Water flowed through pottery pipes on one side and carved rock channels on the other. Here and there were large holes incorporated to filter the water.
After a 30 minute walk, the Siq opened up onto Petra’s most famous facade: The Treasury. It was unlike something I have ever seen before! How magnificent it was! And to think that the Nabateans hand-carved this structure out of the soft sandstone, wass mind-boggling. These people did not have a typical building style of their own and because they once were Bedouins, they incorporated building techniques they encountered during their many travels. One could clearly distinguish the Greek influence in the Treasury.
From here we worked our way through the much wider outer Siq. It lead us to the Street of Facades, an open space, littered with more than 40 tombs carved into the cliffs.
A set of stairs lead us to the Urn Tomb, thought to be the tomb of the Nabatean King Malchus II. From the large Terras in front of the tomb, we had a beautiful view over the rest of the city. I couldn’t believe how large it was!
By now, Bert was exhausted and feeling very miserable. Going any further was out of the question! We just had to be satisfied with the view. Maybe some day, we will return. Who knows?
Bert only made it back to the Treasury and from here, we had to ride one of those dorky horse-drawn carriages. We were hopping and bopping so fast that at times I thought we were going to kill someone. It was a wild ride to say the least!
We were dropped off at a local restaurant to eat a late lunch. The food wasn’t very impressive and the fact that we sat in a large dining hall with tons of tour groups made it even worse. I ate little and obviously Bert wasn’t hungry at all. It didn’t take long for us to be on our way. Our next stop was Wadi Rum a large stretch of desert used as background in many a movie.
Upon arrival, we were thrown into the back of a very banged-up pick-up truck, owned by a local Bedouin. Like a maniac he raced through the soft desert sand while we hung on to the side bars of the truck to prevent from tumbling over the sides. We made it on time to see the sunset and were treated to the most amazing colors reflecting on the rocks of the mighty desert landscape.
We had booked a tent bubble at the Bubble Camp, a site inspired by the movie The Martian. It was pretty cool to have an upscale tent with a see-through ceiling and front. I couldn’t wait to be treated to the the magical night sky at Wadi Rum! And Bert, he was just happy to be in bed.
Day 12 ~ Mars on Earth
This morning I woke up to a view of the towering sandstone mountains in the desert, all from the comfort of my bed in my bubble tent. I couldn’t wait to get out and explore! Bert felt much better so it promised to be a great day!
Nidal, our Bedouin driver, picked us up and together we were about to conquer the red sands of this arid and rugged landscape. And wow, how magnificent this place was! At times I felt like I was on another planet. No wonder Wadi Rum has been the backdrop of movies such as Lawrence of Arabia, Aladdin, and Prometheus.
But probably one of the more famous movies filmed here is the Martian. The red sand and the towering brown and pinkish cliffs truly created a Mars-like landscape and I had no problem imagining Matt Damon cruising by in his Mars rover.
We drove by sweeping sand dunes, towering cliffs, narrow canyons, and spectacular natural arches. This vast desert was simply majestic.
We stopped at the narrow fissure of Jabal Khazali, a site that is regarded as holy because it is an area were water collects in the middle of the desert. Since antiquity, people have revered this area and inscriptions in the canyon walls and petroglyphs depicting humans and animals could still be seen. It was spectacular!
We drove all the way to the “large arch’ where very few tourists go. There, we enjoyed a cup of tea with the local Bedouins. The home-brewed tea was made with cardamon, sage, and cinnamon and it was delicious.
From here, we made our way do a desolate canyon where Nidal gathered dry plant roots to start a cooking fire over which he grilled some chicken. Add a fresh made salad, humus, and pita bread, and you have a delicious meal, which we ate Bedouin style on a mat on the ground. Fun!
The flies, however, weren’t as much fun. In fact, they were pretty annoying. But we can’t blame the little critters for trying to find moisture on our faces. Despite these little pests, Bert did see the Sinai Rosefinch, a finch with a rosy, almost crimson head and breast. Bam! One more species added to that life list!
Late afternoon, we drove back to the border where we, luckily, beat a few tour busses so we didn’t have to wait in line. Tired but satisfied, we drove back to our Eilat hotel.
Day 13 ~ To Masada via the Dead Sea
Last night, it was my turn to puke my guts out but at least I could do it in the comfort of my hotel. After a not so great night, we left Eilat and planned to drive all the way to Jerusalem today. Our first stop was Ein Boket Beach where we wanted to test the waters of the Dead Sea. Floating in the Dead Sea was rather fun but the high salt content made our skin feel very slimy. Even after a quick shower (there are cold showers on the beach) my hair still felt like I had sprayed it with an entire can of hair spray! We had to use our Lonely Planet for the classic photo op because we dint have a newspaper.
We changed at the beach and realized we didn’t have towels for after our little swim. A dirty t-shirt would have to do!
From here it was a short drive to Masada, a fortress located on a high plateau above the Dead Sea. It was build by Herod the Great between 37 and 31 BCE as a refuge for himself. To visit, we either had to climb a steep winding trail or brave (for me at least) the cable car. It was extremely hot when we were waiting in line and because my stomach wasn’t feeling all that great yet, I had to visit the bathroom before our ascent. My meager breakfast left me right then and there.
Once at the top, I felt even more miserable. I tried to walk around but with the sun beating down on me, I simply couldn’t. Bert visited on his own while I waited in the shade of some alcove. One of the most impressive structures definitely was King Herod’s northern palace with its colorful murals.
From the op of this large hill in the middle of the desert, we had an incredible view of of the Moab Mountains and the Dead Sea. But besides the views, Masada also has historical significance. During the Great revolt against Rome in 68 CE, Masada was the last stronghold of the Jewish rebels. In the year 72, however, the Romans succeeded to reach the top of the fortress (Didn’t they always?) after building a huge dirt ramp. The heroic rebels chose to commit suicide rather than become Roman slaves. To this day, the ramp and the remnants of the Roman camps are still visible.
““Since we long ago resolved never to be servants to the Romans, nor to any other than to God Himself, Who alone is the true and just Lord of mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to make that resolution true in practice...We were the very first that revolted, and we are the last to fight against them; and I cannot but esteem it as a favor that God has granted us, that it is still in our power to die bravely, and in a state of freedom.””
I was so happy to be back in the airconditioned car and I was longing for my bed. But first, we still had to make it to Jerusalem and we weren’t sure if that was going to happen because we desperately needed gas and for a while, we hadn’t seen a single gas station. The one indicated by Google Maps close by Masada was not in use anymore. With adrenaline rushing through our veins, we drove to the closest gas station 35 km away. This was going to be a tight one! We arrived with only 7 km to spare! Phew!
In Jerusalem we dropped off our car and walked to our hotel where I was so thankful for a hot shower and a cozy bed. Sleep was desperately needed!
Day 14 ~ Museums
We planned to take it easy today because we both could use the rest after being sick. So we visited the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, the largest art and archeological museum in Israel. The biggest attraction here was the Shrine of the Book, a dome shaped monument that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls. Found in Qumran in 1947 these scrolls are some of the best preserved examples of Judeo-Christian literature. The Dead Sea Scrolls are approximately 2000 years old and most are written in Hebrew. Three different categories were on display: biblical, apocryphal (texts included in the Latin Vulgate but not in the Hebrew Bible), and sectarian. The most impressive manuscript was definitely the complete scroll of Isaiah. It is no less than 734 cm long! Taking pictures inside was unfortunately not allowed.
Next we visited the Second Temple model, which depicts Jerusalem before the Great revolt against the Romans in 66CE. The magnificence of the city with the Temple Mount as its focal point, was very well represented.
From here, we walked to the Archeology Wing, where we enjoyed learning about the many different cultures and beliefs of the people who inhabited Israel for 1.5 million years. They showcased a very impressive collection.
Across the street was the Knesset, Israel’s legislative branch of the government. According to my Lonely Planet, a giant menorah depicting Israel’s tumultuous history was standing in from to this building. Well, we found a menorah but it wasn’t giant and it definitely did not have any sort of illustrations on it.
We took a taxi to Yad Vashem, Israel’s largest Holocaust memorial. As expected, this was not a fun place to visit but one well worth our attention. Beyond the museum lies the Avenue of the Righteous, with over 2000 trees planted for non-jews from all over the world who risked their lives to save Jews from the Nazis. I couldn’t believe how many people from the Netherlands I saw.
The Hall of Remembrance was a very somber place where an eternal flame continuously illuminates the hall. On the floor are the 22 names of the most infamous Nazi murder sites. I saw names such as Auschwitz, Birkenau, and Breendonk.
The toughest for me to visit was the Children’s Memorial, a tribute to the 1.5 million Jewish children who were murdered during the Shoah. Candles are infinitely reflected in a dark space to create the impression of thousands of stars. Meanwhile, the names, ages, and places of origin of the kids are read adding to the somber mood of the memorial.
After this visit, we really needed a walk to reflect on what happened during these horrific times. Let us never forget!
That evening, we had reservations at a restaurant overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem. My stomach wasn’t 100% yet so while Bert enjoyed a glass of champagne, I merely drank some sparkling water. How disappointing!
Day 15 ~ The Od City of Jerusalem
At 9 am we met our guide Lavi Kreisman for an entire day of exploring the Old City of Jerusalem. We hopped in a taxi and drove to the Mount of Olives, one of three hills to the East of Jerusalem. We first stopped at the Dome of the Ascension, a small shrine that marked the place where Jesus went to heaven. Just when a Christian group exited, a Muslim group entered. For Christians Jesus is the Messiah, while in Islam, Jesus is considered an important prophet.
“After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.””
With a height of about 800 meters, the Mount of Olives offered an amazing view on the Old City with the dominant Dome of the Rocks on top of the Temple Mount and the famous large Jewish cemetery in the foreground.
We also had a great view of the Golden Gate, the only eastern gate of the Temple Mount. On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered the city through this gate. Since the Middle Ages, it has been walled up.
We walked to the Sanctuary of Gethsemane (from Gat and Shemanim, meaning oil and press), where we entered the ancient olive tree grove identified as the place where Jesus went to pray before he was crucified and where he was betrayed by Judas.
Next to the Olive Garden stands the Church of All Nations or the Basilica of the Agony. It is a dark church with purple windows and many stars painted on the ceiling. In this way, the somber mood is re-created of the night that Jesus prayed in agony on the night before his crucifixion.
With all the Latin inscriptions, Bert had his work cut our for him. He had fun practicing his skills and I learned a great deal!
We descended the steep hill and entered the Old City through the Lion’s Gate, which actually depicts leopards, not lions. This immediately brought us into the narrow streets of the Muslim Quarter. We walked up the stairs, down the stairs, and through the bazaar until we reached the Church of the Flagellation.
This church enshrines the spot where Jesus was flogged by the Roman soldiers after he was convicted and sentenced to death. Unfortunately, the little church, originally built by the Crusaders and which entryway was marked by a crown of thorns, was closed when we arrived. Since this was already the second stop on the Via Dolorosa, we continued our walk.
The Via Dolorosa or the path that shows the Stations of the Cross, meanders through the Old City. At times it was almost impossible to navigate the streets because of the many tour groups. Add to that the Arab vendors who called out, “Madame, I have pretty necklace here. I have good price for you,” and you can imagine what a frustrating walk this was.
There are a total of 14 stations and the last 6 are located in the compound of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The church was build over the Calvary or Golgotha, the place where Christ was nailed to the cross, died, and rose from the grave. For us Christians, this is the holiest place on earth. Needless to say that this place was packed with pilgrims from all over the world!
The church is shared by 5 different denominations and by law one may not move or alter any property without the other’s consent. Hence the ladder by the window that has been sitting there since the 18th century. (see picture below)
The religious art styles of the denominations is clearly present inside the church. It was also funny to see that at different times, the denominations had a sort of procession from the Calvary to the tomb.
Upon entering the church, we ascended a steep and narrow staircase to the top of Golgotha. A long line to enter the lavishly decorated chapel awaited us. While we were standing there, an Italian guy tried to cut in line but the waiting pilgrims wouldn’t have it. A small brawl broke out and a guide had to intervene. So far for peace in a holy place like this!
An altar was placed over the part of the rock where the cross used to stand. One by one, we were allowed to crawl under it so we could touch a tiny part of the exposed rock. Every 30 minutes or so, the line was put on hold and a member of the clergy disinfected the area because many visitors kissed the rock.
Another steep stair led us to the Stone of Unction, the spot where Jesus’ body was prepped for burial. People prayed and touched the slab of stone and I could really feel the power of worship here. I decided to wipe my handkerchief on the rock so it could absorb the sanctity. I thought it would make a great present for my best friend.
We entered the rotunda, which contains the Tomb of the Holy Sepulchre (Christ’s Tomb). Or we tried to anyways. The amount of people here was horrendous! There was a line to enter the tomb from there to Tel Aviv! It was crazy! We didn’t wait to enter because we really could not spare 4 hours of standing there.
By now it was well past lunchtime and we were getting hungry. Because our guide was Jewish, he recommended eating in the Jewish Quarter were we enjoyed a shawarma kosher meal. As usual, it was delicious. While eating, we chatted a bit with Lavi and I asked him why some adults accompanying a group had a revolver strapped around their ankle. He explained that for example young Jewish kids who live in the Muslim Quarter are escorted home by an armed guard. The same was true for tour groups.
Especially in the south of the country, we noticed a lot of tour busses with young boys and girls in military uniform. Lavi told us that all men and women, upon graduating high school, have to join the military. Men serve 3 years and women 2. Because the army wants their soldiers to know what they are fighting for, they go on educational field trips throughout the country. I thought that was pretty cool.
After lunch, we walked to the Tomb of King David, one of the sacred places of the Jews.
The tombstone is located in an interior room which is separated for men and women. I felt a bit like an intruder because women were praying by the with fabric covered tomb.
In the same compound, we visited the Room of the Last Supper. Again, it was very packed and I couldn’t leave this place fast enough.
We continued through the narrow streets until we reached the stairs that led to the Western Wall Plaza. From here, we had a great view on the Dome of the Rocks, the most sacred site for Muslims in Old Jerusalem, and the Western Wall. The latter is the most religious site for the Jewish people because it is the western support wall of the Temple Mount and with it the closest they can get to that sacred Temple Mount.
Before we entered the Western Wall Plaza, we had to go through a metal detector and have our bags checked, just like at the airport. Men and women pray separately at the Kotel so I had to go to the right while Bert entered on the left. But for him not before he grabbed a kippah to put on his head. It is traditionally worn by Jewish men to remind them that there is always a higher entity.
Prayers are spoken or written down and placed in the crack of the wall. The devotees were very intense and their bodies rhythmically moved in unison with their spoken prayers. It was unlike something I had ever seen before.
We ended our tour at the City of David where many archeological digs were still visible. We didn’t actually enter the site because it was almost closing time.
We said goodbye to Lavi who did a great job informing us about the history and religions of the Old City. Tired but satisfied, we made our way back to our hotel. We were too tired to eat dinner and after a hot shower, we went straight to bed.
Day 16 ~ Into Palestinian Territory
Because Bethlehem is located in Palestinian territory, we were not allowed to drive a rental car across that border. So we booked a classic 1/2 day tour with Bein Harim Tours. We were picked up at our hotel and bussed to a parking lot in the new city of Jerusalem. Here we boarded another bus that transported us into the West Bank. Crossing the border was seamless. We didn’t have to stop nor did we have to show any passports. However, once we reached the large, bright red signs indicating we were really entering the Palestinian territory, we had to switch vehicles again. This time, our group of 12 was moved into 2 mini vans, each with an Arab driver. Our guide Maria, a Palestinian Christian, was picked up along the way.
Fist we stopped at the Chapel of the Shepherd’s Field, a small Roman Catholic Church designed by Antonio Barluzzi to resemble a shepherd’s tent. The chapel marks the place where angels first announced the birth of Jesus.
Beyond the church were several well preserved and restored caves. It was here that shepherds kept watch over their sheep. Today, the caves are used as places of worship.
We were ushered back into the vans and moved to the Church of the Nativity. The original church built over the cave that indicates the birthplace of Jesus, was built by Constantine the Great. But in the 6th century, emperor Justinian constructed today’s basilica, which is considered the oldest complete church in the Christian world.
We entered through the Door of Humility, so called because one has to stoop or bow low to get through this door that is only about1.2 m high.
Once inside we were greeted by a long line of people waiting to enter the grotto. Our tour only lasted half a day so there was no way we could wait in line. Our guide, Maria, however, did not take no for an answer and walked over to the Catholic side of the sanctuary. Yes, like in many of the holy places in Israel, several different denominations are in charge of a sanctuary.
While we were waiting for our guide to come back, we admired the dark interior of the church. Gorgeous restored 12th century mosaics depicting saints and angels gleamed above our heads, while in the floor, we caught glimpses of Constantine’ original basilica.
After about 15 minutes, Maria appeared and told us the good news. Our small group was allowed to participate in the daily Franciscan Procession that would take us down into the shrine. We were all given a candle and we followed the priest down into the grotto.
There it was! The place where baby Jesus was born! I couldn’t help but think about the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa because of all the incense, candles, and low, narrow passage ways.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ”
Before returning to Jerusalem, we made a stop at a local store that sold handmade olive wood carvings. As a woodcarver, I was very in awe by the beautiful pieces.
By 1 pm we made it back to Jerusalem and because we were hungry, we walked over to the the narrow streets in the Old City. Bert ate the biggest shawarma sandwich I had ever seen! While we were sitting there, a Muslim drum band walked by, while across the street. Christian pilgrims were praying at one of the stations of the cross. Old Jerusalem is such an intriguing city of many contrasts.
Next, we strolled through the bazaars in search of some last minute souvenirs. I bought a pair of large Bedouin earrings and if I would have caved in, I would have walked out of the store with an entire box full of jewelry. The sales guys were very persistent!
I was more interested in the shops that sold Arabic sweets than stores with glittery knick-knacks. One store owner was particularly friendly and let us flavor lots of candies. They were all very delicious and it was difficult to just pick a few to purchase. Suddenly, my eye caught the huge bag of saffron. Did I read that price right? Whoa, that was so cheap compared to what a tiny package costs at home! I had to buy some!
By now it was late afternoon and we encountered many Jews all decked out on their way to pray at the Western Wall. Shabbat had started and the square was filled with believers. The day of rest had begun.
Shabbat meant no hot meal for us as most restaurants were closed or only served food that did not require any cooking. A tomato and mozzarella sandwich would have to do.
Day 17 ~ Shabbat Shalom!
We rose early today because we wanted to try our luck again at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I read that when one arrives before 7 am, the lines are short. Well, I can say that it was not really the case. Sure, the line was a wee bit shorter but it would still have taken us a few hours to enter the sanctuary. Oh well, we tried.
We returned to the hotel because we still needed to pack. It was so very easy to navigate the empty and narrow streets today because it was still early and it was Shabbat. It made for a few great pictures.
Our initial plan was to visit Tel Aviv today but we actually preferred to spend our last day in Jerusalem. We started out by visiting the Ramparts Walk, which wasn’t that spectacular. According to Lonely Planet, the views from the wall are amazing but that was a bit of an overstatement. Nevertheless, it was a fun and rather intense walk. (lots of stairs!)
Our walk ended in the Jewish Quarter, close by the Kotel. We took the opportunity to take another picture of the shiny golden Dome of the Rock.
We exited the city through the L-shaped Zion Gate and slowly made our way to the Lion’s Gate. I learned that these particular L-shaped designs were intended to slow down incoming attackers. Imagine the difficulty for today’s cars to maneuver through this gate!
Walking along the length of the city wall provided great views of the Jewish cemetery, Mount of Olives, and the Church of All Nations. Like several days before, there was no lack of tour buses!
It was well into the afternoon when we walked back through the Arabic bazaar to our hotel. And look what I spotted in one of the shops! Hook’em Horns!
We took a taxi to Tel Aviv and the taxi driver became hopelessly lost. Luckily, Bert was able to pull up Google maps and guide the driver to the hotel, which was located next to the freeway and very easy to find. At the hotel we ate a sandwich before going to bed. We had a very early start tomorrow.
