Jerusalem - The Old City 2011

We spent a week in Jerusalem, after a brief visit in Tiberias. Let’s face it – Jerusalem is the main reason tourists come to Israel. The history of the city is rich and varied, going back at least 3000 years. There have been many different groups in power throughout the ages, giving rise to a Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Armenian quarter within the Old City Walls.

It is this diversity which ‘saved’ us for food and eating on Shabbat (Saturday) when everything Jewish shuts down, from Friday at dusk until Saturday at dusk. There are even Shabbat elevators that run slowly and automatically, stopping at each floor so individuals do not have to press the buttons or take stairs, which is considered work on the day of rest.

Not all Jewish people adhere to such strict customs but it is certainly more evident in Jerusalem where there is a larger population and concentration of ultraorthodox Jews (Hasidim). They are an interesting group of people to observe, always seemingly in a rush to somewhere. The men can’t be missed with their black hats (some with a fur trim), long black coats, white shirts, beards and side curls. The women also dress conservatively. It is a growing segment of the population as we have seen families with 5 to 7 children. To keep those hats clean? I did see one guy using the air hose at a gas station with the high power spray to clean the felt on his hat.

The Old City – within this walled fortress of narrow streets lined with souvenir shops we visited a few of the recommended sites as listed below:

The Via Dolorosa – this is the route that Jesus is thought to have taken as he carried his cross to Calvary. A unique experience is joining the Franciscan Fathers on Friday as they lead a procession along the route. Since Gilbert and I arrived in Jerusalem on a Friday, we decided we would join the ranks. However, we did arrive early so had some time to spare before the procession began.

While waiting Gilbert befriended 2 boys (ages 10 & 11) near the First Station of the Cross. They showed us where to see a great view of the Temple Mount. Then learning that we were interested in the Via Dolorosa, I guess they decided they would show us the way. We descended 3 steps with the one boy saying to us; ‘Watch this!” and, much to our amazement, he immediately did a flip in the air landing at the bottom of the steps. It was then we happened to notice the t-shirt he was wearing and realized he was a member of a Gymnastics’ Team. We declined their invitation for a tour of the Via Dolorosa, but obliged their request for a few shekels for their time. We saw them later with cokes – their reward for a few minutes with the foreigners.

Still waiting for the procession, we saw groups of military and police, completely armed, enter the Old City through one of the gates - we are guessing at least 100 individuals in total. A bit unnerving as I began to wonder if trouble was brewing. We can only surmise that they went to the Jewish Quarter as protection since Sunday would be Nackba – the Palestinian day of mourning coinciding with the declaration of a Jewish state.. Oddly enough, we never did see the police/military again in the Old City that day or evening.

Otherwise it was a mixed bag of people wandering by - two women sporting baskets on their heads and another group bearing a large cross. It seemed to be business as usual.

The procession eventually started and we joined the group, making our way along very narrow alleyways and stopping at the significant markers. We listened to the Stations of the Cross in 3 languages via a microphone and boom box. It was a somber and quiet procession with the group singing along the way.

Western (Wailing) Wall – As many may or may not know, the Western Wall is the most important religious shrine for the Jewish people. It has become a place of pilgrimage for many. We had read there is usually a large crowd on Friday at sunset to celebrate the arrival of Shabbat. So we finished with the Stations of the Cross and proceeded to the Wall. After a brief security check, you enter onto a plaza with the Wall in front of you. I think I was struck by the division of men and women and, of course, all the various religious persons in their particular dress. The actual prayer rituals were as I had read. If you look close enough at the Wall, you will see all the little pieces of paper stuffed into the cracks. Each one contains a prayer and it is believed that the individual will have a better than average chance of their prayer being answered if it is inserted into the Wall. We visited the Wall again the following day with our friends from Tel Aviv and actually touched the Wall, a solemn and moving experience unto itself.

Temple Mount – (aka Haram ash-Sharif to the Muslims) this is where the prophet Mohammed deemed, through his night journey, that Jerusalem is a holy place for Muslims. It is also sacred for the Jews as being the foundation stone of the world. At present, Jerusalem’s Muslim community has control over the Mount which does not fare well with many Jewish people. Given the importance to both religious groups, security can be tight and visitation times are limited.

For us, the tourist, this contentious piece of land was not quite what we expected. It is a large paved plaza with the Dome of the Rock as its showcase. It is located on the actual piece of rock that is sacred to both the Muslim and Jewish faiths.

The Dome of the Rock is quite beautiful with its golden Dome (and yes it is gold) and the mosaics on the outer walls. Unfortunately we were unable to enter as we are non-Muslim. To the south side of the plaza is the Al-Aqsa Mosque where in ancient times it served as a market place. Today it is a functioning house of worship. Again, we were restricted entry. Otherwise, the plaza area is quite plain and seemed to us, in need of repair. gardening and a bit of garbage clean-up.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre – to Christians, this church marks the spot where it is said Jesus was nailed to the cross, died and rose from the dead. Between the 13th and 14th Station of the Cross is the Stone of Unction. This is where the body of Jesus was cleaned and we witnessed Pilgrims putting a bit of oil on the stone and then rubbing it with a handkerchief as to take away some of the holiness of the place. The 14th Station is the Holy Sepulchre – which is the tomb of Jesus. It is surrounded by a large stone/wooden structure with a long line of people waiting to pass by the tomb. We wandered through the Church noting the various holy relicsand spots throughout.

Western Wall Tunnels – this was by far our favourite site to visit in the Old City, an archaeological dig underneath the Muslim Quarter with a path that travels the length of the Western Wall. It is a guided tour that whisks you back in time (about 2000 years ago) to when the walls around the Temple Mount were first constructed. The walk eventually takes you down to the original street level with stone archways looming high overhead. Some of the foundation stones of the wall are enormous – the guide pointing out one in particular that is the size of a bus. The history of the area and why the street level was raised over the course of time is extremely fascinating. As well, we were shown a brief film with explanations as to how these mammoth stones were put into place.. The tour lasts just over an hour and was well worth the price of admission, and then some.

Tiberias 2011

Tiberias is a city located on the Sea of Galilee. It took us just over an hour by bus from Haifa to reach the city, pretty much travelling due east. We were greeted by an unusual, or so we were told, heat wave – temperatures supposedly about 35C. That and an interesting McDonald’s sign at the station.

A bit of history about Tiberias – it is one of the four holy cities of Judaism, a pilgrimage site for Christians as Jesus is said to have performed miracles in the area, a holiday spot for the ultraorthodox and there are hot springs nearby which are excellent to cure what ails you. I’d also like to add that it is quite touristy and could use some updating to its buildings, but that seems to be status quo for Israel.

We only spent 2 nights here with a decision as to what tour we might like to try. There was the ‘Holy Land Sailing Tour’, the ‘Faith Boat Tour’ or the ‘self-directed bike tour from hell’ (which is what we chose). The bike ride is described in the guide book as relatively hill free and do-able in 4 to 5 hours on local rental bikes. That would be a miracle.

Now for the reality check – it took us 7.5 hours (including a 1 hour break for lunch) on bicycles that needed a bit of a tune-up (we could only use ½ of the gears and the bikes did not glide on any downhill) and there were quite a few hills – so much so that a .001 incline became a struggle. We saw 20 year olds experiencing the same trials and tribulations so in case you were wondering, none of this was age related.

It was recommended to tackle our ride around the lake in a clockwise direction. Wise advice since all the hills are in the first half with the second half being very flat. I should also mention that we were blessed with cooler weather (20C, instead of sweltering heat) and cloud cover so we didn’t have an additional degree of difficulty which is melting under a hot sun.

Much of the first half of the ride is along a two lane highway with a shoulder large enough for the bikes with the Sea of Galilee usually in sight on our right. We must have ridden for about 2 hours when we reached the Church of the Primacy of St Peter. This is a popular bus tour stop and a group had just disembarked. One lady came to me and said “I remember seeing you walking your bike up that big hill a little while back”. I must confess that I did bail on that one hill but only that one time.

We did stop and take a look at the Church with its lovely stained glass windows. It was built in 1933 by the Franciscans and inside is a large flat rock, believed to be a place where Jesus and his disciples breakfasted on fish here. I have an idea as to the fish as we ate the local specialty – St. Peter’s fish from the Sea of Galilee. I’m sure that theirs was minus the fries. Outside the church are a few steps cut out of rock, some people believing Jesus stood on these rocks when speaking to his disciples. We didn’t linger long as we realized at this point it was going to be a much longer bike ride than we initially anticipated.

Shortly thereafter, we came across what looked to be another church, but seeming to have been abandoned. It would have been a ride downhill and then back up again to get a closer look and we decided we weren’t going to increase the distance on this ride in any way, shape or form. Instead, we limited our stops to enjoying the flora along the route.

Crossing the Jordan River was interesting as we have heard so much about the river and expected something large and awe inspiring. Shortly thereafter we stopped for lunch at the ‘24/7’ restaurant, I guess aptly named. Perfect timing as the heavens opened up and it rained sporadically while we dined and rested.

Although we needed the break, I’m not so sure it was a good thing. Climbing back up on our bikes, we now realized what a gluteus maximus was – big time. And we still had not hit the half way point of the ride. The second half of the ride may have been flat, often riding on a bike path, but it didn’t matter, we were becoming increasingly saddle-sore. It was impossible to find a comfortable seat and instead, just tried to find a spot that was the least painful to sit on. Needless to say, we did make it back but our plans to stop at the other Jordan River crossing and witness baptisms’ in progress (this is where it is believed John the Baptist performed the first Baptism) were nixed.

We went to bed early that night, leg weary and bum sore. We took the first bus to Jerusalem in the morning and really savored the comfort of extremely padded bus seats.

Haifa 2011

We left Tel Aviv on a Sunday and took the train north to Haifa, a city also located on the Mediterranean Sea. It is a relatively quick one hour ride, every now and then giving us glimpses of the beaches along the route. We still cannot get over how close everything is so that travel time is practically nil.

Arriving early in the day, we had time to do a little exploring after getting settled. So with our trusty map in hand, we headed in the direction of Wadi Nisnas, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. The area has supposedly retained a Middle Eastern flair with narrow lanes and a bustling street market. We arrived in the area but continued to ask where the market was as the streets were deserted. As it turns out, this particular day was Memorial Day, a National Holiday in Israel to commemorate the Veterans of War. So the market was ‘cerrado’ - closed.

However, with no one around, it gave us an opportunity to view the ‘public art’, much of it obscurely placed on walls in the area. And no, I’m not talking about graffiti. This is a city project for individuals to display their talent. There are tiles and figurines and modern wrought iron displays, some of it I’d characterize as art but other pieces? – I guess you need to be an art aficionado to even begin to appreciate it (and that’s being polite).

From here we walked over to Hadar, a busy area with shops and restaurants. The main thoroughfare certainly had the people out and about but we had our sights set for Nordau Street, a pedestrianized street with a heavy Russian influence. Little did I know that I should have brushed up on my Russian before coming to Israel. Unfortunately, all businesses along that street were ‘cerrado’ as well, due to the Holiday. That being said, there was still Russian in the air everywhere; the signs, the language being spoken and all the ‘red heads’. It seems the hair fashion for these Israeli women of Russian origin is to dye their hair some fake shade of red, from flaming and fiery to burnt and everything in between, we saw the whole spectrum.

Then it was off to the so called German Colony, really a single street that has been refurbished with shops and restaurants. The Germans first visited this area in 1898 until the end of World War II when the British took over, but the name still stands today. The street is backed by the Baha’I Gardens which is one of the main draws of Haifa (but more on that later). It was now about 5:20pm and feeling hungry, we decided to find a place to eat. We asked at one restaurant and they told us that they were closing up soon as it was the National Holiday. In fact, everything would be closed by 6pm.. Next thing we know, we are scrambling to find a place that will serve us before closing. We were lucky and did find a restaurant in time. However, we noticed many people being turned away from the establishments.

Back at the hotel, we figured we were in for a quiet evening. At 8pm, a siren sounded in Haifa for a moment of silence in commemoration.

But the evening was hardly quiet for us. Gilbert met another couple from Slovakia. There are now 5 of us in the hotel courtyard (2 couples and the hotel owner’s son who works there) and the Slovakians bring out their homemade Slivovitz. This is a plum brandy that is downed in one gulp – goes down easy with a slight burn – and a tradition with Slavic cultures. After 3 rounds, we had learned how to home brew the concoction and had also received a ‘Reader’s Digest’ history lesson of what life was like under Communist rule. Very fascinating and interesting stories. I only wish we had time to learn more.

Day 2 in Haifa and our plan is to visit the Baha’I Gardens. Of course, our mornings always start with breakfast, which in Israel, is often a feast fit for a King (and Queen!). An omelet will come with a variety of small salads, a large salad of cucumbers and tomatoes and fresh hot breads. When you’re on vacation time (and not responsible for doing dishes) it’s the perfect way to start the day. This particular morning we had forgotten to order only one breakfast instead of two (as it is plenty of food) so ended up with two tomato/cucumber salads. I was about ready to send the 2nd one back when the waitress admonished me to eat my salad – it’s good for me!

Finally, we were off to the Baha’I Gardens. The gardens are one of two holy places for members of the Baha’I faith. With 19 terraces, 1400 steps and every tree and blade of grass seemingly cut to perfection, not to mention the beautiful flowers, it is truly a sight to behold. The golden domed Shrine of the Bab, contains the remains of a spiritual leader, Baha’ullah, who died in 1850. It is open to the public each day until 12 noon. We visited the Shrine and gardens nearby, then went to the top for the English tour which begins at 12 noon. The tour (also offered in Hebrew and Russian at different times) takes you from the top down to the Shrine and is really the only opportunity the general public has to descend the stairs. For the tourists, it is 650 stairs in total.

Some interesting facts. We learned that Baha’I members will climb up the entire 1400 stairs as part of their pilgrimage, which should be completed once in their life time. There are 100 gardeners working fulltime to maintain these gardens in their impeccable beauty, 50 being volunteers from the Baha’I congregation. And finally, the gardens were designed by a Canadian architect. As you can imagine, it was a digital cameras ‘nightmare’ as we took way too many pictures and have the unpleasant chore of sifting through them.

The task of getting to the top of the gardens can seem daunting but there is a subway, the only one in Israel, that takes you to the top of Mt. Carmel for excellent views of Haifa and the gardens. This underground funicular railway is a fun little ‘2-car jobby’ running on one cable. It originally opened in 1956 and in 1992 underwent extensive renovations. It still seems like 1956 for all intensive purposes.

Once our day of garden sightseeing was completed, we walked the entire length of Mt Carmel from the gardens westward, eventually taking a cable car back down to sea level. Then a long walk back to the vicinity of the hotel for dinner. Our legs being spent, we did enjoy a quiet evening – Gilbert chatting with the hotel owner about life in Israel. Unfortunately we forgot it was Independence Day and missed the fireworks later that evening.

Day 3 and we took a day trip to the town of Akko, just north of Haifa. There is an old city surrounded by walls which read like it might be interesting. However, it paled in comparison to other walled cities we have seen. That being said, I enjoyed seeing a few foods for sale in the Souq (market), such as nuts, sweets and the shark (quite fresh as it was still dripping a few drops of blood on the floor). We also watched kids jumping into the sea from one part of the wall. Apparently this is a favourite past time for many youth as we later learned.

We took the train back to Haifa and finished our time in the city enjoying the beach and Mediterranean Sea. The weather has continued to be ideal so we are just soaking up the sunshine. We’ll now be heading inland tomorrow for a quick stint in Tiberias.