Whilst Joyce was staying on board for a relaxing day in
Haifa, Caryll and I were booked on the Glorious Jerusalem tour. I was here for
two days last year on Oceana so wanted to see some different sights, as well as returning to
the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It was an early start at 8.30am for the 2
hour drive from Haifa. This time we headed south following the coast for a
while – beautiful white sand beaches and surf.
Everywhere alongside the road were archaeological and biblical sites –
the valley where David slew Goliath etc. We first went to the room of the Last
Supper – not the original room since it dated from Crusader times, but very
probably the actual site we were told.
Then to the Western Wall, where, as it
was a Monday there were dozens of family groups celebrating their sons’ Bar
Mitzvah’s. Far from being crowded, everyone it seemed had gone to Nazareth and
Bethlehem or maybe just staying away from Israel altogether, and it was perfect
for sightseeing.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was so empty, we were each
able to touch the marked spot where it was believed the Holy Cross had stood,
and have a photo taken by the ship’s photographer.
After lunch at the Olive
Tree Hotel (an excellent buffet with huge choice of kosher food) we continued,
covering the recent excavations of David’s City and the Jewish and Arab
quarters, including part of the Via Dolorosa. By the end of the day, very
footsore but also very happy, we paused at a viewpoint over the city and were
able to photograph it as the sunset, the gold on the Dome of the Rock lowing in
the gathering darkness.
We finished our
tour with a stop at a souvenir shop on the outskirts of Bethlehem, the outline
of the town just visible under a turquoise sunset sky – perfect. I felt
perfectly safe all day, except perhaps the moment two Israeli security men
boarded the coach armed with semi-automatic rifles, to walk through and check
us.
Back on the ship we were just in time to dump our stuff and
go into the dining room as it was an open sitting. Caryll and I were pretty
exhausted but managed to stay awake for the Midnight Service. Unusually P&O
do not have a chaplain on board but two vicars had offered their services and
conducted the service together. Back in the cabin we all opened our presents to
each other, and P&O’s present to us – thick fluffy bath/beach towels in
special bags.
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