Month: September 2009

I mean a bus full not a full bus. I think they gathered all the “interesting” people and put them on the same coach. Not quite sure why “we” are on it but it is too late it is moving. They is a guy at the back who when he is not taking pictures he is brushing his hair, no too weird but every time he gets off or on the bus he gets the bush out and checks it in the wing mirror. We have Uncle buck in front of us with his asian wife and two girls between 12-15 you can tell this by the fact that they really don’t want to be there and their only question is how many stops before we are back at the boat (that was at 7:30 am). There are a couple from Ecuador who don’t speak English. A lady who covers half the aisle when she does eventually get into a seat. Various walking sticks including the veteran and his party still dressed in matching shirts, our guy from breakfast and lots of people with “personal” requirements for seating lighting and air conditioning. A couple of african ladies in what could be their local dress (that will be hot today). Two Portuguese chaps, now Judi and I used to have a code “those guys look Portuguese” well these guys are and look it . They would more likely be noted as “friends of Dorothy” these days. I make a note to check the outside of the coach to see if it has “League of Nations” painted on the side.

We start off ok docked in Haifa conquered by Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Ottomans, Egyptians and the English (we at least built 2 oil refineries which we left behind ) and on the road a little early although it does not take long for the guide to start a rant against anyone local but not Jewish (if you get my drift) he is not entirely biased though he has a pop at the new immigrants from Eastern Europe as well. Someone at the front finds the coach has blinds and like shot everyone is pulling blinds down as fast as they can. I stop uncle buck pulling ours down by explaining I have come a long way and spent a lot of money to see this. He is not impressed he wants to be one of the herd of people traveling through the holy land not actually seeing any of it. They could be on a London tube for all the difference it makes. The Guide gamely carries on, something about capturing the Golan heights. After only ten minutes the more elderly have fallen asleep given they now have little or no daylight. I can see a long day stretching out in front on us.

We stop to take a look at the Sea of Galilee which is of course not a sea but a lake and not particularly big one at that. It is hot as usual and the haze has not lifted so it is very bright. We get all the facts about size and volume and how the water keeps going down and when it was captured (sorry liberated) from the Syrians. The guide takes us to the waters edge where the more devout amongst us of start to try and paddle, he attempts to stop them but once moving the herd is hard to stop and we wait 20 minutes for people to put shoes and socks back and climb up the slope.

Off to the next stop. The place where Peter (the Simon called Peter and his mother in law) lived. A church build over it seems the norm. The bricks underneath show a small round one room place nothing but rubble really but at least it is preserved for now. Next stop Capernaum where Jesus lived for a while and the white synagogue the white was unusual as the local rock is black. A quick trot around for some and a slow stagger for many. We eventually head off to see the river Jordan, not before the guy at the back has fixed his hair and the girls had asked when will we get to go shopping.

The River Jordan experience starts with a detailed explanation of what the gift shop has to offer and what is made locally. (so the girls get an early wish come true, not). We wander through once the spiel is done, “and don’t forget if you spend more than $110 you get 15% back on the tax duty” is the final comment. The River is by no means big in fact at this point it resembles a big stream however it is there and it is special. This is a place where people flock to get baptized and is regarded as one of those special biblical places. So much so the Ecuadorians rush passed us and are next spotted in long white gowns clothes tucked under their arms marching down to the river bank. They must be on a do it yourself kick as there are no clergy down there but interestingly there are lots of catfish, (go figure). There are people coming up the bank dripping wet and smiling which is heartening. Young and old and some singing. Now that’s better something which makes people feel good and does no harm to others.

We are on a timer although cats can not tell the time so we leave when the rest are shoo’d out of the shop. Lots of bags are hoisted onto the bus but none for us. Judi is smiling though as she saw a Nativity set like the one she bought from an Arab stall at 4 times the price in this Kibbutz (now would you believe that) so she now feels comfortable with her negotiating skills. I say negotiating I swear the guy had a tear in his eye as he handed it over to her.

On to lunch which was ok not bad enough to worry us but I am never good with these communal long tables and buffets which are there to serve several hundred people. The shepherd manages to round up his lost sheep by checking the shop and we are off again this time to Nazareth. we have been talking to some American ladies one for whom has lost her hat and thinks uncle buck is wearing it. I have to say it does not flatter him so I doubt that his daughters would have let him buy it and it possibly why they have refuse to walk next to him all day.

Nazareth the place where Jesus lived and worked in my mind was a quiet village. Not so now it ia actually a medium sized town inhabited by a mainly Arab population however the Israelis are now settling most of the Eastern European immigrants there to boost the population or so our Guide says. He gives up after 5 minutes explanation as with the blinds down and full of food two thirds of the bus is dozing. I watch the countryside roll by. It is a little sparse with lots of olive trees and where cultivated there are mango and banana and dates being grown in nice neat rows. There are also huge sunflower fields ready for harvest so no bright yellow Van Gogh pictures here.

We literally jump off the bus and are taken through a bazaar to the “Church of the Annunciation” which is very different in one respect. It is devoted to Mary mother of Jesus and has little or no references to him. A sort of a female church and very nice it is. Lots of different mosaics from different contries depicting Mary each stylized so the Japanese and the Ukrainian are as they see her so dressed and looking like one of their own. The Ecuadorians take some finding as they have joined a congregation hearing a mass which is going on and do not want to leave before it finishes, now that is faith.

Next door is the Church of Saint Joseph much smaller and supposedly built over the carpenters shop where he worked. Probably conjecture but those who want to believe can. A short walk down to return to the bus reveals an interesting position. A relative of Sal-Adin is buried close by and they want to erect a mosque however muslim law decrees the mosque should be the tallest building which would put is at odds with the Church of the Annunciation so they fight over it and have done so for a while. So not much tolerance here either.

We wind our way back to the port via mount Carmel and some great views over the town. A very modern place and somewhere which is still quite bright and new. Onto the ship and this time only 2 people are late back to the ship. I wonder if they fine people for being late. Maybe if they introduced a $100 for every 15 minute delay people would pay more attention.

We leave 40 minutes late and that is the end of the Israel part of the trip. Whilst it did nothing to confirm or restore my faith I think it is worth another try and I think I will try a return trip specifically to Jerusalem. Whilst history holds a fascination for me I am not sure we got enough time to get a real feel for the city and it has much more to offer than a 3 hour yomp through it.

Having experienced the troubles in my own back yard with Ireland I am conscious that peace can not be made at the point of a gun and trust is not easily won but that dialog is the only way. I suppose it is a question of who puts their gun down first.

Ashdod where we dock is really a working port and we dock next to several hundred cars on their way from the far east to Europe. They do not go through the Suez Canal as the rates are too high so they get taken off before get moved overland and back onto the same ship at Ashdod thus avoiding the charges. You would think the Egyptians would be smart enough to reduce the rate and at least get some money. Anyway today we are heading off to Jerusalem possibly the highlight of the tour and a place I have wanted to visit for a long time. Our tour is really only centered around the old city and the more prominent sites.

We are picked up at 7:30 with lots of security and I mean lots these Israelis don’t take chances. They have been fighting someone since the day Israel was declared a state by the UN so they know how to handle themselves. Our guide gives an informative view of the country on our one and a half hour journey into the city. She seems more than a little biased against the Arab population maybe with good reason but at first hearing it does sound a little harsh and somewhat “I’m right so you must be wrong” sort of scenario. Out first stop is the Mount of Olive’s which is the place all people of the Jewish faith want to be buried. The Jews are still waiting for the Messiah who is supposed to throw open the Mercy gates and the graves packed all along the mount face this way. The gates are bricked up so when he come it is liable to be spectacular. We are interrupted several times by the Arab hawkers trying to sell postcards (does anyone buy postcards any more) or have camel rides. They were a little heavy handed and unnecessarily loud even when asked to hang on. Not the most subtle sales people if they think they can bully people into purchasing things.

We get a briefing of the City of David which is much smaller than I imagined. The old city walls whilst spectacular cover a small site which has not only been expanded multiple times but also torn down and built over by which ever group captured the city last. The Romans were responsible for tearing down the walls leaving only a part of the western wall now commonly known as the Wailing wall. This in itself is not particularly holy however it is the closest place Jews can get to their holy place on the other side which is in Arab hands. we stand and watch and push little notes into the crevasses of the wall with our hopes and wishes. This area is specifically Jewish and their link through history to their heritage and identity.

We move off not far to find the Via Dolorosa which marks the Catholic “stations of the cross” which we follow. This one is a little strange for me being Catholic as I have known the stations all my life and to physically be there and to follow the winding path is really weird. The route is not particularly long and ends inside the “Church of the holy Sepulcher” which is built over the site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. This place is strange indeed. One because you naturally think the crucifixion happened outside so building a church over it somehow spoils the vision. The other is that the church houses six or seven denominations of christian faiths. Catholics, Coptic, Armenian and several others each has their space and style and it shows clearly how even with the same spiritual link how people can differ in their interpretation. (I think even the priests have problems, YouTube the place as I think there was a fight between the clergy only a couple of months back). The place is heaving with people from the different denominations all rooting for their particular version or Religion and nothing like the peace and tranquility you would have expected given the reverence of the location. If this is truly where Jesus died you have to wonder if his preaching are really being followed and that we all share the common bond or as it would seem that everyone is trying to be the dominant force at the expense of the others. It sort of spoiled it a little for me.

The Garden of Gethsemane on the other hand was a quiet garden with some ancient Olive trees. It is easy to imagine the trees in front of me have been here for a couple of thousand years and the simple church on the side was more like my expectations. A place more for quiet reflection and one of peace and tranquility.

All the while our guide is informing us the border used to be at this point and that point and those holes in the wall are shell marks. There are a lot of soldiers on the streets all looking pretty relaxed more a deterrent than actually expecting trouble. Israel has conscription so all men and women spend some time in the military hence most of the ones we see with their machine guns casually slung over their shoulders are what I would describe as kids. There was one ally way in the bazaar where the Jewish sector ends and the Arab one begins where I saw a soldier with his pistol out and poised ready for anything “unexpected” one learns to protect oneself if you had been through what they have in their history.

Lunch is at a Kibbutz which is a collective farm. There were set up to encourage people to emigrate to the new state as well as to cultivate the land. They have done an extremely good job in the 30 – 40 years and the land is well tended and managed. Lunch is good and at the end we get taken to a vantage point to see Bethlehem. Again you really don’t expect it to be that close but it is. Back on the coach and off to King David’s tomb (thats the David and Goliath one) and the site of the last supper. Well not quite the site but they think it was there so they built a church just in case and incorporated a mosque as well.

We round off the day with a sort of tour back through the countryside which is on the one hand fascinating and on the other disappointing. The Jews are building a huge concrete wall to “manage” the more sensitive areas and keep Jews and Arabs apart. We are confidently told the wall does not go all the way and when it ends there is electrified barbed wire. We are also quickly informed the current is not meant to harm just inform the nearest army post of something happening. Sorry but barbed wire is barbed wire electrified or not. We pass a couple of check points and given our status as tourists we are waved through. Not so for others and there is a line of cars who are going through the daily ritual of being “processed” which I think is a euphemism for being delayed.

I am by no means a historian but it is very clear that what ever fate has dealt to the Jews throughout the centuries this time they mean to keep what they have.

I suppose whilst I am sort of fulfilling a bit of a dream on this leg of the trip it also serves to shatter some illusions. This was a battlefield throughout the ages and to some degree still is. The three faiths Muslim, Jewish and Christian all purport to have teaching of peace and harmony and tolerance. What I saw today did not lead me to believe that these wishes will come true any time soon. It seemed people were prepared to go to any length to defend their particular inch of ground even if they have no way of proving that this particular inch is the right one or not. I think that they are quarreling over the physical aspect and have long forgotten the spiritual aspect of the faith they say they are serving. There was no laughter today no serenity no peaceful coexistence.

Lets hope someone reads the note I left in the wall.