Days 15 and 16 - Israel

Ashdod to Jerusalem

On our first day in Israel we cleared immigration early and were soon aboard a tour bus and on our way to Jerusalem. First impressions are everthing, and my most lasting one of this country is of the lushness of the countryside between the port city of Ashdod and Jerusalem, a straight shot eastward and along a busy highway. Israel counts with three sources for all of its water needs: one third comes from the Sea of Galilee, another third from ground-water, and the rest from desalination plants. The carefully managed, scarce resource, serves to keep the otherwise arid landscape as green and as fertile as any other we've ever seen. Gently rolling hills dressed in orderly vineyards give way to emerald forests, all amidst orange groves and other planted fields.

Up and up we go, Jerusalem lies spread out on top of hills at 800 metres above sea level. We spend most of the day in the Old City; the city which is holy to the three biggest religions of the Middle East: Christians, Jews and Muslims all worship and co-exist here.

 
Our first stop was at Mt. Scopus for a panoramic view of Jerusalem, the Old City within its walls at its centre, the golden Dome of the Rock shining in the early morning light. Next we drove to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus spent his last hours before being arrested by the Romans. We visited the Basilica of the Agony which was only built in the early 20th century but is a beautiful church replete with Byzantine mosaics.

We entered the Old City through the Dung Gate in the Jewish Quarter and our first stop was the Western Wall (also known as the Wailing Wall). Being a Monday, quite a few Bar Mitzvahs were taking place. It was interesting to see women relegated to an area behind a partition wall -well set back from the Wailing Wall itself to which they only have a very small area they can access- participating in their family celebrations from a distance until the men come out of the enclosed area near the wall and they all join together in the rest of the festivities, complete with funny sounding horns and lots of mazel tovs.

The Old City is divided into four quarters; the Muslim quarter, the largest one and in which the Dome of the Rock and the El Aksa Mosque are located, the Jewish quarter, the Christian quarter where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is, and the smallest of them all, the Armenian quarter. Unexpectedly, most of the city within the walls resembles rabbit warrens which are in fact souks (or markets), covered passageways and narrow twisting lanes which connect every quarter. Not so unexpectedly, religious souvenirs and paraphernalia of every kind and religion abound. Through the centre of the city lies the Cardo, the Roman road on which one can still see (below the current city level), ruins of the First Temple (or Solomon's Temple) destroyed by the Babylonians and the Second Temple (or Herod's Temple), destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

We walked along the Via Dolorosa and later on visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The last five Stations of the Cross are here; of the Holy Sepulchre itself, all that remains today is the stone shelf where Jesus' body lay, which is now covered in polished marble which is constantly anointed by fervent believers who then rub the oils over their hands and faces. The church is a crazy compilation of naves, hallways, chapels, stairways, nooks and crannies which do not flow in any recognizable way as we know most churches to be. Nevertheless, it is an awesome place.

 

 
Just outside the southern walls is Mount Zion, which traditionally has been said to be the site of King David's Tomb (apparently there is no way it could be according to more modern studies of historical records) and where Jesus and his disciples ate the Last Supper. The beautiful Dormition Abbey was built over a crypt where the Virgin Mary is believed to have begun her dying sleep.

We had a nice lunch at an Armenian restaurant and then some time to shop or simply  browse.
 

Later we drove around the southern part of Jerusalem, mere minutes from which lies Bethlehem, which is under control of the Palestinian Authority. We also saw the large new Jewish settlement abutting the West Bank and partially surrounded by the now infamous "wall".

 

 

Haifa and Akko (Acre)

On our second day in Israel we arrived at the port of Haifa. This mediterranean port city is known for its industry as well as its natural beauty. Israelis have a saying: In Haifa you work so you can make money to spend in Tel Aviv having fun; then you go to Jerusalem to pray for forgiveness for all you did in Tel Aviv.

There is a beautiful sight from the ship: the Baha'i Gardens; magnificent terrace gardens running from Panorama Road at the top of Mount Carmel, down to the city centre near the port. Halfway down, the domed Shrine of the Bab, which is the resting place of Mirza Ali Muhammad, noted 19th century visionary who challenged muslims positions on womens' equality, education for all, etc. The city centre's highlight is the German Colony, a collection of red-roofed houses built by the german community which now house the city's boutique hotels, restaurants and cafes. A colourful, pleasing avenue leading directly to the bottom of the Baha'i Gardens.

 

We took a tour to Acre (also known as Akko), which was the capital of the region from Phoenician times until early in the 20th century. The most impressive crusaders' citadel and secret tunnels running from it to the port give testament to the importance of this ancient maritime hub often fought over and which thwarted Napoleon's siege in 1799. The town is lovely; fishmongers sell their daily catch in modest stalls in the souk near the port, fresh fruit vendors sell freshly made pommegranate and orange juice and quirky old-shoe art adorns the walls.

As with every other place we've visited so far on this trip, I wish we had more time to explore Israel...