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Jordan, Israel and Greece

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  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler
    View down over the ramp the Romans built to breach the walls
    Ibrahim explaining about the columbariumLooking from Herod's palace up to the top of the fortModel of the whole complex

    Masada

    May 14, 2018 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    So very glad I decided not to skip the trip to Masada today, it was a fascinating place with a moving and remarkable story. Huge, seemingly impregnable fortress high on the cliffs, where in 73 A.D, 960 Jews, who had held out for 7 months against the Romans, chose to slaughter each other and be free in death rather than submit to Roman forces once they realised that their citadel was about to be breached. A lot of the original fortifications are still there and some have been reconstructed. We had a short cable car ride to the site, and then Ibrahim gave us a good tour of the extensive area for an hour or two before we headed back down for lunch at the Visitors Centre down below.Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler
    Church of the angels
    Singing carols in the church of the angelsPortuguese folk singing to usSinging after the mealCeiling of church of the angels

    Bethlehem

    May 13, 2018 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    A long and mixed afternoon. We started at the shepherds' field, where we visited one of the caves and then the church of the angels, a small chapel with very good acoustics. Naturally Mike took advantage of the latter and had us all singing Christmas carols. Fortunately the other tourists present seemed delighted rather than irritated by this and many of them were joining in and/or videoing it on their phones. Once again it felt like a bit of a flash mob moment. A group of Brazilians were particularly charmed and responded by singing Silent Night to us in Portuguese. (Yesterday, I think Ibrahim got a bit fed up when he had to wait for Mike because another group of Brazilians had asked him to play Amazing Grace.)

    Next stop was the church of the Nativity which in many ways was the most frustrating part of the day for me. We queued for over an hour to get into the actual grotto (the place of Jesus birth), and towards the end it felt like it was shaping up to be another Hillsborough football stadium disaster as we neared the narrow entrance down into the grotto itself. No matter that we were in the holiest Christian site in the world, there was a decidedly unholy altercation developing as a group that had bypassed the queue tried to make their way in ahead of ours. When we did eventually get into the grotto, I confess to finding it a bit of an anticlimax and I think that was partially due to the tensions just referred to. After over an hour in the dark, crowded and stuffy church, it was also a relief to get out into the open air.

    From there we walked a short way up the road to a shop owned by a Palestinian Christian named Angela, who is a friend of Mikes. (For st C's readers, this is the shop where our beautiful nativity set came from.) We all did a bit of shopping there, and had a bit of a talk from Angela about life as a Palestinian.

    Two doors down from Angela's shop was St George's restaurant, where we were served a sumptuous and wonderful meal. I wonder if they might have been a bit too generous with the wine because the bus ride home was pretty raucous, but I think it might just be that I am getting into tired and grumpy mode again after another long and full day. I have been feeling very tempted to pass up on the trip to Masada tomorrow and just have a bit of space, but Ibrahim and others have told me that Masada is not to be missed and I do not expect to come this way again, so I think I will go, and will just aim to claim some introverted moments to myself on the drive down there and back, a good hour or so each way.    Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler
    Olive trees at Gethsemane
    Inside the chapel housing the Virgin Mary's tombIn the garden of GethsemaneInside the chapel where Jesus wept over JerusalemView of the city from Mount of OlivesOldest olive tree in the garden.

    Mount of Olives to Gethsemane

    May 12, 2018 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    After breakfast, Ibrahim took us to the Mount of Olives, from where we had some good views back towards the old city. We then made our way down a part of the path which has Jesus would have taken over Palm Sunday, stopping at the place where he is thought to have wept over Jerusalem, and where there is a small beautiful tear-shaped chapel commemorating that. We carried on, Mike leading us with the guitar singing 'All glory, laud and honour', until we reached the garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the hill, where we had nearly an hour to wander round by ourselves.

    The place was packed with people which made it a challenge getting into some of the various chapels and sites there. The main one was the church of all nations , (blessedly silent because there was a rule against talking in it) but very crowded because near the sanctuary was a slab of rock (purportedly one on which Jesus prayed) which people were queueing to touch and kiss.

    Another chapel housed the tomb of the Virgin Mary, and was equally full of pilgrims wanting to venerate her resting place. I didn't spend a lot of time there as it was a bit too ornate and full of embellishments, and I struggled to cope with the crowds.

    The garden itself was a small enclosed area of olive trees, one of which (the oldest one there) was enclosed with railings, I think to protect it from damage at the hands of too many eager pilgrims.

    A brief respite now back at our Olive Tree hotel and then we head to Bethlehem this afternoon.    Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler

    Via Dolorosa

    May 12, 2018 in Palestine ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Stand by, long-suffering friends, for an excess of posts today. It is only lunchtime and my capacity for taking things in is already feeling rather stretched. It was a lovely beginning to the day. I headed out at 6am and was glad to be joined by another of our group, Sheryll, as I wasn't overly confident I would find my way unaided to the Lion's Gate, from where I wanted to begin retracing the Via Dolorosa. Sheryll was keen on the same idea and with the combined resources of the map, stretching signs and one or two people we asked along the way, we got there.

    The streets were generally very quiet, but we found ourselves behind a group of pilgrims (South Korean, I think) doing the same route but, unlike us, carrying actual crosses. It was good to make our way around the stations at a more measured ace than yesterday and with less crush around us.    Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler
    Garden tomb
    St George's CathedralInside St George's CathedralDamascus Gate

    Garden Tomb

    May 12, 2018 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    This afternoon we walked to the Garden Tomb, about 20 minutes walk outside tho old city. Although I gather that the consensus now is that the actual site of the tomb is at the church of the holy sepulchre rather than the garden tomb, I preferred the simplicity of the latter. Even if it's not the authentic site, it gives more of an idea of the actual tomb. After we had had a short guided tour and looked at the tomb, we had a communion service in one of several large alcoves that seemed to be set up for such a purpose. (There are 6 ordained people in our group, so no shortage of potential celebrants!)

    Then, a walk up the road to look at St. George's Cathedral and now I am pleased to report that it is almost dinner time!    Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler
    Dung Gate
    5th station, where Simon of Cyrene took up Jesus cross8th station, where Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem

    Subterranean adventures and Via Dolorosa

    May 11, 2018 in Palestine ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    I feel like I have spent a good chunk of this morning underground! Ibrahim showed up at 8.30 and after giving us a bit of an introduction to the day, led us to the city of David archaeological park, where we had the opportunity to walk under the city. There was a short, dry option or a longer (530 meters) wet one. I opted for the latter which involved wading or walking through winding underground channels, mostly only 20cm deep, but occasionally mid--thigh, very narrow and often low enough that even a shortie like me needed to stoop most of the way. We were tracing our way through the tunnel built by Hezekiah in the 8th century BC, and I think he would be gratified to know it is still working.

    After reuniting with those who had chosen the dry feet option, we were taken on another underground tour and I am still a little hazy on what it was but I think I recall Ibrahim mentioning something about a sewerage system.

    We finished the morning tracing the stations of the Via Dolorosa but it was a bit crazy keeping up with Ibrahim through the crowd a and I think I might do that again by myself early tomorrow morning when it is quieter. He sets quite a pace and it is a hot day so we were all wilting a bit by 1pm and I am enjoying a bit of space and cool before we reconvene for the afternoon.    Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler
    At the western wall
    Locking the door of the church of the holy sepulchre

    Western Wall

    May 11, 2018 in Palestine ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Quite an amazing time last evening. A group of us went down to the western (wailing) wall around sundown. It was Friday evening, so the beginning of the Sabbath, which is apparently the one time of the week when there is real celebration there, and the whole place was filled with people and completely abuzz. Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to take pictures any nearer than the one below, but we went right down into the crowd and into the separate areas for women and men. The men's area was a sea of singing and dancing and general letting down of hair. The women's area was a little less boisterous, but still full of women reading the Hebrew scriptures and singing, praying, dancing. We all managed to get near enough to the wall to touch it but it was quite a press. Atmosphere quite electric. I gather they may have been more celebratory than usual just now as have been marking the 70th anniversary of Israel's nationhood.

    On the way back, we stopped at the church of the Holy Sepulchre and tried to get into the tomb area but queues were too long and it was getting near closing time. We waited a bit till 9pm to watch the locking of the doors.    Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler
    Baptism in the Jordan river
    Farewelling Osama and HusseinThe mount of Temptation, from JerichoChurch of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

    Farewell Jordan, hello Jerusalem

    May 10, 2018 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Our last outing before leaving Jordan was a visit to the area where Jesus baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan river is believed to have taken place. Osama took us to an area where just a few metres across the river (but in a different country!) Many people were either dipping themselves in the water, or actual baptisms were taking place. After one such baptism, among a group of Indian folk, Mike grabbed his guitar and yelled across that we would sing to them. So we belted 'how great thou art' across the river to their obvious pleasure and they then sang back to us. It was one of the day's lovelier moments.

    The day's saddest moment was saying goodbye to Osama who had been such a terrific guide but who wouldn't be accompanying us across the border. We gave some gifts to him and our driver Hussein before heading for the border. Getting out of Jordan and into Israel was a two stage procedure that seemed quite a rigmarole but I gather it was a lot less protracted than it might have been and our new guide, Ibrahim, was surprised to see us emerge from the arrivals terminal as early as we did.

    Because of this, there was time for a short, unscheduled stop in Jericho en route to Jerusalem. We reached our hotel in Jerusalem (in the old city, just inside Jaffa Gate) aroma 5pm and Mike proposed an exploratory pre-dinner walk just to get the feel of the place. We kept getting lost and redirected so it was an hour and a half before we were back at the Gloria Hotel, but it was certainly a great way to pick up the amazing vibe of the place while it was buzzing with people and activity.

    I went out for an early morning walk an hour or so ago and enjoyed the cooler and quieter side of the city. Grateful to have slept well last night as I was feeling a bit overtired and out of sorts by the end of the evening but feel much restored today. Interested to see what today will hold. Our new guide, Ibrahim (a Palestinian Christian from Bethlehem ) is a rather different personality from easy-going Osama, which we are finding a bit of an adjustment, but I am hopeful that Mike will be able to lighten him up a bit.    Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler
    Frampton of Arabia? Maybe not...
    T. E. LawrenceTaking out the 'hangi'

    Wadi Rum

    May 9, 2018 in Jordan ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    A long day in the desert today! It was about two hours drive from Petra to Wadi Rum, where we were transferred into the back of some 4 wheel drive vehicles for the first stage of our trip across the desert. There was a brief stop to climb a sand dune and take in the views, then another break for a cup of spiced tea in a Bedouin tent. This was the heart of Lawrence of Arabia territory (makes me want to watch the film again) and Osama pointed out a carving of T. E. Lawrence's face that had been etched into the rocks decades ago.

    Shortly after the tea break we left the comfort of the 4 wheel drives for the more dubious comfort of camel backs. I was a bit apprehensive about this stage of the journey but it proved to be a lot of fun. The most challenging parts were hanging on when one's mount first rose to its feet, and again at the conclusion when it knelt to be discharged of its burden. Both movements involved a couple of significant lurches for the novice rider. The actual ride lasted about half an hour and ended at our lunch stop, where we were treated to a Bedouin version of a hangi, and were able to watch the food being taken out of the sand where it had been steam cooked (inside a metal drum, so free of sand grains!)

    It was a long drive on to Amman in the afternoon, mostly through more fairly barren country. We stopped at a restaurant in the evening where we were treated to an amazing meal which even I was unable to do justice to, given what we had been fed a few hours earlier. At the meal we were joined by a kiwi woman, whom some of us knew and who works with Syrian refugees in a town about an hour out of Amman. She came back to the hotel with us after the meal and we were able to hear a bit more about her work.    Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler

    Petra

    May 9, 2018 in Jordan ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Well, the good news is that I am now able to upload photos at last! I took plenty today because Petra was such an amazing place and much bigger than I had realised.
    We had been asked to show up for an early (6am) breakfast today but somehow I had set my watch wrong and mistakenly showed up at 5 am, thinking it was an hour later. (When word got out, I only narrowly escaped getting the 'Wally of the day' award). Osama's plan to get us into Petra as early as possible was a wise one as it helped us avoid the larger influx of other tourists later on.
    The walk through the gorge to the city entrance was a little longer than I had imagined, although in fact was only about a kilometre or so, but the first sight of the Treasury building through the narrow dark rocks of the gorge was every bit as dramatic as all the publicity photos suggest.
    A highlight of the morning's tour for me was getting to meet Marguerite van Geldermalsen, the kiwi woman in Petra whose book (Married to a Bedouin) I had recently read. I bought a copy of the book at her shop and am keen to read it again now that I have more context for it.
    The structures of the city , both natural and man made are magnificent and I was pretty much in awe of all that we saw. I am only allowed to attach six pix here so hope the ones I choose give some new kind of sense of the place.    Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler

    From the Dead Sea to Petra

    May 7, 2018 in Jordan ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    A long, full and great day today but I feel like I am almost in sensory overload at its close. Before we set out this morning, Mike gathered us all in the hotel foyer to sing the blessing song (the one to the Edelweiss tune) to the staff and whoever else was around. People were videoing us and it felt a bit like one of those flash mobs you see on Facebook sometimes.

    Our first stop was Mt Nebo, where Moses got to see the land that he wouldn't actually enter. We looked at the same view but it was unfortunately rather hazy due to sandstorms. Mike had a couple of people read the relevant verses from Deuteronomy and then the guitar came out again for another song.

    From there to a lovely little museum nearby, La Storia, which had some beautiful tableaux of traditional Jordanian life and of some biblical scenes. There was a workshop attached where we got to see demonstrations of mosaic making.

    A very enjoyable lunch at a restaurant in Madaba (and yes, we sang the blessing song again at the end!) As well as a visit to St George's church, which has an ancient mosaic map of the holy land inlaid in the floor.

    Afternoon mostly taken up by the drive to Petra, during which
    Osama gave us all sorts of advice and instructions in preparation for our day there tomorrow. He wants us to head off soon after 7am to beat the crowds. (Reminded me a bit of Tongariro crossing in that regard. I gather it is likely to be crowded with other tours if we don't get going early.)

    Still haven't figured out my picture attaching problem here yet, so for the moment will be putting pix on Facebook.    Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler

    The Dead Sea

    May 7, 2018 in Jordan ⋅ 🌬 29 °C

    Happy to report that both sections of our group successfully found each other at Dubai and we flew on together to Amman yesterday. We were met there by Sam (actually Osama!) Who will be our guide for the few days we are in Jordan. He gave us lots of helpful info on Jordan during the hour or so bus ride to the Dead Sea Spa hotel where we stayed last night. Once settled, most of us took the opportunity to sample those buoyant waters. (Had hoped to provide pic at this stage but still working on getting it from my roommate's iPhone. Neither of us are wildly tech-savvy! )
    Those of you who who know our tour leader Mike will not be surprised to hear that he gathered us all together before dinner last night for an introductory meeting that involved not only quite a bit of guitar playing and song but the inauguration of the 'Wally of the day' award which I gather is to be a daily feature of our itinerary. (Glad you're not here, eh, FMW?)
    I could barely keep my eyes open by the time we had concluded our excellent dinner last night and was comatose by 8.30, which is why I am writing this at 4:15 am, now wide awake, rather than last night.
    Really do hope to get pix up before long but just grateful to be able to report that this penguin is a happy pilgrim thus far.    Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler

    Getting nearer

    May 6, 2018 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Now at Dubai after a night of binge watching episodes of Call The Midwife. Patsy has successfully got the Christchurch contingent here and we are due to meet up with Mike and the Auckland lot before all flying on to Amman together in an hour or two.Read more

  • Jo's journeyJordan, Israel and GreeceTraveler

    On the way!

    May 5, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Thought I would try my first post while I have an hour to kill and free Internet here at Sydney airport. Have enjoyed meeting up with some of the group and we will join the rest at Dubai. Favourably impressed with my first experience of Emirates. More to follow.Read more

    Trip start
    April 28, 2018
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