HAIFA

Last night the fire alarm in the hotel went off at 2.45 am. I heard the noise, but was half a sleep yet, then when the announcement came on I came to my senses, got up and got my passport, in my nighty and house cost walked to the stairs. There were a handful more but there was no people rushing down the stairs. Anyhow got as far as we could go on the stairs but it was not on to the road, it was a roof top terrace. Then a lady in our group rung the hotel, and was told it is ok to get back to our rooms.

The darn alarm started going off again at around 4.00am. I could not be bothered this time there was no announcements I just rolled over and went back to sleep. The building was still standing when I woke up this morning.🙂. The first photo is the view from my room.

After another lovely breakfast, I got myself sorted to go to Haifa to see the Bahia gardens, and also Elijah's cave. I had to take the train, but was unsure weather to take the bus or a taxi to the train station. But when at the reception, the receptionist told me it's best to take a taxi as today there is the Gay Pride Parade.

Took a taxi and went to the main train station, got a return ticket all good so far. Was told what platform to go to as well by the kind person at the ticket counter. Train was due in 2 minutes he told me and he was correct. Thought I will go upstairs so I would have a better view. The train was quite full and there was a single seat by the window available but the table was littered. Beggars can't be chooses so plonked myself there. Across the isle were 2 older ladies, one of them gave me wet wipes so I could clean my table, which was so nice of her, and when I cleaned it to my sa tisfaction they gave me a thumbs up gesture.😊

Oppersite me was also a vacant seat, and a young man sat there. I asked the ladies about where I should get off to see the Bahia Gardens, and the young gentleman then piped in and said he would show me where to get off. How jammy was that. The terrain we passed was mainly agricultural and they seem to grow lots of vegies and fruits in tunnel houses.

So got off at the correct place thanks to my knight in shining armor. Came out to get a taxi and found a driver who said it would cost me 50 shekaks to go to the top of the gardens. Apparently you cannot enter the bottom area unless you are a Bahia. So then I asked him about him picking me up after I toured the gardens and taking me to see Elijah's cave too. He agreed to all of this for 200. Shekals. He said he would be my tour guide too and not just a taxi driver. And he was good. On the way to Barhia Gardens he kept stopping and showing me te different architecture, Haiffa was once a German town, I did not know that. They left Haiffa one the first world war was over.

Then we went to the tope of the Bahia Gardens. This is the central place for Bahia Faith Perople to come to. Its like us going to Rome or Jerisalem as Catholics, or the Muslims going to Mecca. Its a beautiful place, te gardens are perfectly manicured. I hope my photos will do justice. There are free tours of the gardens and it was in Hebrew, but met up with a gentleman with his daughter who was a hebrew who lived in Hungary, so he translated for me. In the complex is a school, a court house, and a library. In order not to spoilt the look of the place with more building structures the ground level all the floors are below the ground.

My guide had told me to live my day pack in the car, I had insisted I carry my passport, but I did'ne take my money out, so the thouht did cross my mind if he would be meeting me where the free tour ended. But my worries were for nothing he was there, so off we went to see Elijah's cave . You reach this by going down a cable car . It was so so nice to be there, I have read of how God appeared to Elijah in the wind, so to be there, imagine what it would have been like for Elijah to hear God in the wind, was very deep and meaniful for me. Very touching and special.

There is a convent there with a lovely painting on the ceiling, but this place was closed till 3.00p, and It was now 2.00pm. so my guide/ driver said he could take me to a place where the armaggdon was going to take place one day acording to the bible, but sadly that was going to cost another $300.00 sheklas, and I thought that wa not in my plan, so I politely thanked and refused and took the train back to Tel Aviv. Ofcourse then my phone decides to die on me. So that meant I was going to have to take a taxi to the hotel. No google, no walking home. So spoke to a taxi driver he asked me where I want to go to told him where and agreed on 50 shekals and then once in the taxi he says where are you going and when I repeated the address of the hotel, oh I did'nt hear you its atually 80.00 shekals. So once again I poitle declined and got out of the taxi. its not the 30.00 shekals but the principal. So now no phone, now maps, Sonali could try and get a different taxi or work it out.

The place was teaming with the young ones who were coming into Telaviv for the Gay parade. honestly what a eye opener, I normally dont feel the age, but today I did, it was a differnt world from the world I grew up. words fail me. the sheer number of people, are there no normal hetrosexual people any more in the world. Our train to Telaviv had been full of this crowd, but that was tame compared to what was on the street. Stopped to ask 2 conssripts the way to the beach, they were helpful, but I had more of a clue where I thought the beach should be compared to the two of them. So onwards I marched among the crowd, while I did not want to be in the midst of it, there was a small part of me wanting to perve into this world as well to see what do these people do in a Gay Pride Parade.

I asked some one else and he said yes the direction I was going was correct, but I had a very long walk ahead of me, and he was not wrong I clocked 12 kms in all. By the time I got to the hotel I was very tired. THe Gay Parade was on the beach close to the hotel, but by then I had talked my self out of being in the midst of it. There was so much security, armed forces etc, I thought the risk was really not worth it. So stayed and had a meal from a shop by the hotel foyer. The shop keeper gave me a taster meal free of charge, and honestly that would have done for me, but then I felt that was not the right thing to do, so purchased a meal and ate only half of it, as I was too full.

It was going to be a early start tommorrow as I had booked to go to Jordan for 3 nights and had to be at the pick up point by 5.15 am. So got the bags packed on what to take to Jordan and what to leave at the hotel luggage room and off to Bed.Lue lisää