May 17-18 Haifa - Jerusalem

We docked in Haifa for our two day visit to Israel.  We were last here 6 years ago and had already seen Nazareth, Galilee, Masada, Dead Sea, Bethlehem and Jerusalem.  And it's a two hour drive plus stop from Haifa to Jerusalem.  We opted for a one day trip to Jerusalem: The Old City.  We were hoping for the opportunity to wander off into parts of the city we hadn't visited before, but the recent riots and deaths in Gaza because of the new US Embassy changed our plans.  We needed to stay close to the tour group in case something came up.

Pulling into the port of Haifa

 Our tour guide Isaac.  He did not like me.  Walking through Jerusalem I walked IN FRONT of him, by 30-40 meters and he felt everyone should follow him.  I chose to be in front because it was much less crowded there.  We had individual VOX radios so I could hear his commentary, and I stopped at every intersection to see which way he was going.  But in his mind I should FOLLOW.  I disagreed. 

 Our first stop was an overview of the old city from the University of Jerusalem.  That's the Dome of the Rock, a mosque, with the golden dome.

 This is a big panorama of the view from our location.  Six years ago we had a much better observation point, much further to the left.  But Isaac said that's in a Muslim community that they don't want to enter.  There were tens of tour buses at this viewpoint, so it's what everyone does.

 The Church of Mary Magdalene is a Russian Orthodox church located on the Mount of Olives, near the Garden of Gethsemane in East Jerusalem

 Church of all Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane, Mount of Olives. 

 We had the privilege of visiting Jerusalem on a Thursday, otherwise known as Bar Mitzvah day.  There were at least 10 groups of 20-30 people, singing, dancing, videoing and generally not paying attention to anyone but their own 13-year old boy.

 The passageway through the gate near the Western Wall is pretty narrow after passing through the security checkpoint.  Here a young man is hoisted on someone's shoulders and pretty much blocking the narrow passageway as his group passes by another, similar group, stopped on the side of the passage. 

 The Western (Wailing) Wall, a holy site for Jews.  Chosen because it's the closest they can get to the really holy site, which is occupied by the Dome of the Rock mosque.  The wall is actually an ancient retaining wall built to support the built up area of the original Jerusalem Temple and now the mosque.  This is the male portion of the wall.  Since this site is run by the Orthodox, men and women are segregated.  To the right of the umbrellas is the smaller female section of the wall.  The area under the umbrellas was filled with women trying to watch their sons/brothers/friends visit the wall in the other section as part of the big day.

 We left the Western Wall area to walk along part of the Via Dolorosa.  It was congested, but some of the side streets were clear.

 Here's one of the Stations of the Cross -- Number V.  Simon helps Jesus carry the cross.  Legend has it that the cleft in the rock at the right was caused when Jesus stumbled and steadied himself there.

 There are lots of shops along the narrow pedestrian-only (except for motor scooters, but they don't answer to any law) street.  In lots of places you could buy T-shirts with your favorite team logo, college or professional, and text in Hebrew.  I don't think any licensing fees were involved.

 Lots of baked goods in the shops and in motion.

 Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where tradition holds that Jesus died and was buried on the sites within.

 Since we had visited here earlier we did not climb the steep steps to visit the traditional crucifixion site.  Instead we looked at the interior of the church, which is just a few steps away.

 And then, turn around in the church, walk 20 steps and you're in a large room that surrounds the burial area.  A line about an hour long would allow you to view the actual crypt.  Not enough time today.

 After our visit at the church, we walked to the Jaffe gate to return to our bus.  I took a picture of this same bakery six years ago.  I recognized the neighborhood as we walked along, and there it was.

 Not sure if this is busking or just entertaining, at the gate.

 Outside the Jaffe gate

 The bus kept us informed of outside conditions during the ride home.  That's 104 in old money.

 Isaac did not have a high opinion of Palestinians.  This is one of the Palestinian settlements near Jerusalem we passed on the drive back.  "Their living conditions aren't deplorable, why don't they make more of themselves?"
Interestingly, on our previous visit we had driven past some really slum-like Palestinian settlements on the way to Masada.  Our guide then had said "They can't even keep their homes good looking."  So you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. "Everything is their fault"

 On day two in Haifa we just walked around outside the port.  Both Jewish and Muslim culture forbids the images of any person in statues.  So all public art is pretty abstract.

 About a mile from the port is the B'hai Gardens and Golden Dome.  We took pictures only from the bottom.

 Consider this the cat video for the blog.  Three kittens were chasing each other around outside a restaurant.

 For Ernie Ovies: Havana cafe in Israel.

 Outside a small hardware store across from the port.  What is it?  It appears to have a paint sprayer, but no place to put the paint.  And what's that long silver snout? 

 Back home to the ship.  Maintenance is continuous.  They were varnishing the railings of the verandahs today. That ship parked in front of us is the Israeli ship Golden Iris, but it started life as the Cunard Princess.