ROYAL PRINCESS CRUISE
20 October - 7 November 2009
20 October - 7 November 2009
We booked a cruise aboard the "Royal Princess" that began in Athens, Greece on 23 October and ended in Venice, Italy on 4 November. We went into Athens a couple of days early because we like the city. We booked our transfers in Athens via the internet because there is often controversy over the cost between Athens taxi drivers and riders at the end of the transfer. After the cruise, we took the train from Venice to Milan to see "The Last Supper." Then we flew back to Frankfurt and then home.
ATHENS, GREECE
This was our third trip to this city. We walked a few blocks to the archeological site which has the remnants of the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch. We walked around the large area dominated by several massive Corinthian columns; the angle of the sun was perfect to view the intricate carvings on the huge capitals. Resting on a foundation, these are what remain of what must have been an impressively grand structure. Fragments are piled around the edge of the large site and some excavations fill a portion. Hadrian’s Arch several columns capped by a triangular pediment. It is aligned with the distant Acropolis. We left that place and walked back a few blocks to the Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity where we entered and admired the lavish and numerous icons. There were also some vestments on display. After leaving there we got lost a couple of times before finding the Museum of Greek Folk Art where we paid another 4 Euros for admission. We climbed several stairways to the 4th floor housing a magnificent display of costumes. Embroidery and other intricate needle work techniques make them elaborate in every detail. Displaying them in glass cases on life-sized mannequins allows them to be appreciated. Another floor contained a complete wooden room with all walls and the ceiling decorated by a folk artist. One huge display showed the intricacies of engraving on tools and weapons which another showed the massive metal adornments for headdresses and hair; other cases contained engraved belts with medallions the size of saucers and necklaces and bracelets composed of engraved disks linked by chains. All of this adornment appears very heavy and must have been difficult to wear. We saw some wood carving. One case displayed spindles used for textile work while another showed the carved wooden blocks and the fabric printed with them. A massive wooden bed with linens and hangings of woven fabric in an elaborate and intricate design dominated one room while nearby cases displayed woven fabric. The bright colors of all the textiles contrast with a white or black ground to create a festive effect.
Hadrian's Arch
Temple of the Olympian Zeus
Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity
Museum of Greek Folk Art
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Candalmas of Jesus Christ
Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
PATMOS, GREECE
From our balcony we can see the dark gray island with only a few patches of green; clusters of white buildings provide bright splotches. The highest peak is crowned by a gray fortress like structure which we know to be the monastery. Our tour left the ship at 9:20. We boarded a ship’s tender for the 15+ minute sail into the little village of Skala. It was a little rocky but wasn’t bad at all. Once ashore, we met our guide and driver and 39 of us boarded the bus for the tour to visit The Grotto of the Apocalypse and the Monastery of St. John the Theologian. Our guide, originally from Sweden but a twenty-year-island-resident, told us something of the history of the island and the sites we would visit. The asphalt roadway winds up the mountainside with white-washed eucalyptus trees providing a barrier between roadway and drop-off. When we reached the grotto, there were already several buses there, so we went on to the monastery. This was a good choice as it was much less crowded. Upon reaching the parking area, we still had an uphill walk and a number of irregular steps to climb before reaching the outer gate of the monastery. Erected in the 11th century and able to defend itself from attack, the portal is complete with conduit for pouring hot oil on hostiles. Once inside, we learned more of the history of this monastery erected to honor St. John the Divine by Abbot John Christodoulos of Bithynia. He received permission from the Byzantine Emperor Alexis I and that charter, which also gave him ownership of the entire island of Patmos, is in the museum. A small chapel opens into the courtyard and contains the reliquary of Abbot Christodoulos. Once inside the Katholikon, the main church, we saw many icons and a gilded iconostasis about 5 ½ meters high. The domed structure is small but completely decorated with frescoes. Dark, perhaps from centuries of candle smoke, it’s difficult to make out details. Leaving the main church via the Chapel of the Panayia, we saw frescoes from the 12th century uncovered after the 1996 earthquake. Our next stop was the museum where we marveled at the many well-displayed icons; there were also some vestments and religious vessels. Only about a half dozen of the monastery’s 3000 volumes were displayed but a couple of them were exceptional. After leaving the museum, we walked back down. After reboarding the bus, we drove about halfway back down the mountain to the grotto. Here we went inside the cave itself seeing the spot where St. John lay with the rock that served as his pillow. Both it and the place in the wall where he put his hand to pull himself erect are lined in silver. There is a crack in the ceiling of the cave which is supposed to have been made by the voice of God; its three parts symbolize the Trinity. Adjacent to the cave is a small chapel dedicated to St. Anne. Her icon shows her holding her full-grown daughter, the Virgin Mary; in Mary’s hand is a rose signifying the unborn Christ. After leaving the grotto, we drove back down to Skala where the tour ended. We walked into the village square. It’s pristine with shining white buildings and clean streets. There are shops, bars, and restaurants lining its narrow streets.Monastery of St. John the Theologian
Grotto of the Apocalypse
KUSADASI, TURKEY
Because this was our second time here, today’s tour was “Easy Turkish Village & Ephesus Museum.” Overcast skies look as if rain could fall at any moment and it’s about 72 degrees. We boarded a bus with Elif as our guide. She teaches art part-time in primary schools and is a native of Ankara but has lived in Kusadasi for twenty years. Her Christian father was a diplomat and her mother is Muslim; her Christian name is Ellie. She gave us much information about Kusadasi which she pronounces “Coo saad’ uh say” and about Turkey in general as we drove toward the entrance to the archaeological site of Ephesus and the entrance to the road to “Mary’s House.” Legend says the Virgin Mary and St. John came to Ephesus from Jerusalem after the crucifixion; it was here that Mary lived, died, and ascended. We stopped at a huge golden statue of the Virgin Mary and made some photos of the panorama below which included the entrance to Ephesus. The landscape and climate is much like that of the Arizona/California border without cactus; the temperature extremes are 20 to 120. We saw some fields of cotton, one of their main crops, and some peach orchards. From there, we drove through agrarian countryside with gray-green olive groves and orange orchards with fruit in various colors from green to yellow green to orange. Harvest time for both fruits is very soon. We reached the village of Sirince where we got out and shopped in the market. This traditional Turkish village produces olive oil and wine; many women in the town also do needlework. All these items are for sale in the bazaar. We enjoyed seeing the local people and the simple way they cling to their traditional life. All the houses were white, small, and plain but each had a satellite dish so all much have electricity; many have solar panels on the roof. We left the village via the same narrow roadway upon which we entered and learned that on weekends they force all vehicles to park outside the village itself and have the tourists walk in. Near the entrance is Artemis Restaurant and Wine House housed in what was an ancient school building. After we left the village, we drove to the Ephesus Museum, a small building housing some artifacts from the excavations. Then we went to Turkmen where we were shown the carpet-making process from silk worm to finished product. Then we were conducted to a large room with carpet lined walls and with a bench seat around three sides which was also covered with carpets; the open thirty by thirty floor was either wood or a wood laminate. A “carpet show” followed during which time two workers at the direction of our host unrolled carpets of all sizes, and designs until the entire floor was covered with about three layers of carpets; they begin with wool on wool and then progress to cotton and wool. Last came the silk rugs. Refreshments of fruit, cheese rolls stuffed with feta, Turkish tea, wine were served. All carpets are for sale and can either be taken or shipped.
Artemis Statue in Museum
Ephesus View
Sirince, Turkey
ISRAEL
Day 1 - We made some photos of Haifa, including the Tomb of the Bab, before disembarking before 7:30. We walked into and through the terminal and met Anat Merir, our guide. We had booked a tour online through Avitours.com. We loaded our bags into her KIA and were off. She gave us a brief history of Haifa and pointed out some points of interest as we left the city and drove to Nazareth. A former teacher of Bible in public school and a tour guide for 15+ years, she is quite knowledgeable and able to communicate what she knows in a pleasant and comprehendible way. Her knowledge of both the Old and the New Testaments impressed us. Anat showed us Mt. Carmel and also talked of the Jezreel Valley which we would see often today. At Nazareth, we visited the Basilica of the Anunciation erected in the 1960s atop a grotto which tradition says was Mary’s house. In Biblical times people dug caves into the limestone and constructed houses above them using the rock they had excavated; the upper portion of this structure is non-existent but the grotto remains. Here there was a steady stream of people---some more devout than others---who progressed in a line in front of the grotto enclosed in a small chapel. An employee kept the line moving and a worship service was in progress with the altar between the worshipers and the grotto. Here is the Latin inscription Verbum caro hic factum est translated as Here the Word was made flesh. Once we left this area, we climbed a stairway to the second floor where there was a Roman Catholic church, this one decorated with huge Madonnas on the walls; they came from all over the world: US = bronze and steel representation of a woman; Poland = the Black Madonna; Ethiopia = red and white decorated figures with people with baskets on their heads; Japan = mosaic with real pearls. We left this structure and walked through a small garden to visit the Carpentry Shop of Joseph located “next door.” We saw the ritual bath; subterranean structures; Virgin’s Kitchen; Church of St. Joseph. Close by is the green roof of a synagogue reputed to be the one in which Jesus taught only to be disbelieved and to say, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country.” We stopped and had a glass of fresh pomegranate juice ($4); it’s bitter. Then we left Nazareth and headed toward the Sea of Galilee. As we drove through Cana, Anat pointed out the Wedding Church but we did not stop. We saw the Kishon River, where Barak, under Deborah’s orders, claimed an Israelite victory over the Canaanites. We could see Mt. Arbel, a half mountain, from afar. Our next stop was the Church of the Beatitudes, a modern octagonal structure located at the top of a natural amphitheater shaped like a triangle with its base at the shore. Scholars believe this is the most likely location for the Sermon on the Mount. We sat in the garden and read the Beatitudes from the Bible (KJV) first. Inside the church itself we saw windows allowing the beautiful scenery to become part of the church and walls. High on the walls around the altar the gist of each Beatitude is seen in stained glass. Here we felt like we were in a holy place just as the architect Antonio Barluzzi planned. After some ice cream and frozen coffee, we drove down the hill to the Church of the Multiplication, the third structure erected on the site of the Feeding of the 5000, at Tabgha. Here the rock on which Jesus broke the bread and the fish is used as the altar. A wall of the Crusader Church remains complete with a Muslim addition: a ring on which to tie a horse. Intricate mosaic floors laid by an artisan imported from Egypt contain flora and fauna from that country instead of from this area. Many of them still retain their colors. There are also mosaics showing loaves, fishes, and baskets. The entrance court houses a Koi pond. In the outer yard, we saw several old olive presses made of the black basalt stone. At Capernaum, ($2) our next stop, we went to Jesus’ room in Peter’s house. Here we learned about Jewish life in Jesus’ time by seeing the remains of the ancient houses and compounds which are constructed of black basalt rock. It’s not unlike Muslim life in that women didn’t leave the compound unless they were entirely covered. Individual rooms are small. There was little or no timber for roof beams so roofs were made of branches plastered with mud; they probably used three layers to make them waterproof. Of course, that made it easy for the men to make a hole through which to lower the paralyzed man through the roof so that Jesus in the room below could heal him. The church here is a modern structure with glass walls. It is erected on huge steel beams which span the site without damaging it and raise the church above it. Jesus’ room itself is visible through a glass floor in the center of the church. Ruins of a white stone and marble synagogue, although not of Jesus time, are adjacent to the ancient ruins. However, it was built atop an older synagogue of black basalt rock and a portion of that building which is of Jesus’ time is still there. Lunch was in a restaurant beside the Sea of Galilee: pita bread; hummus; Turkish salad (salsa); green salad; olives; St. Peter’s Fish fried whole, head and all, with a crispy tail; 7-Up; water; coffee; tea; dates ($70 + $10). We visited the nearby Greek Orthodox Church of Saints Peter and Paul, with interior paintings reminiscent of those in the Cathedral in Santorini, located at shore side. Mt. Tabor was visible in the distance and we could see the Church of the Transfiguration on its top. Near where the Jordan River leaves the South end of the Sea of Galilee, we stopped at a Baptismal Site. This is not the actual one where tradition says John the Baptist baptized Jesus as that was originally too close to the border, but this one is very developed with a high-end souvenir shop, stairways and ramps leading down to the water’s edge, and facilities to rent white robes as well as changing rooms. Those who wish change into the robes and go down into the river to be baptized and have a mystical experience. Some come with their own ministers; some sing hymns; televangelists from the US bring thousands. Even though we walked down and put our hands into the water, it felt fake to us. We began a drive along the Golan Heights as we headed toward Jerusalem. Anat talked of the War of Independence of 1948 and the various peace initiatives since then. We can’t imagine living under constant threat of attack. The Israelis have diligently worked to make their small country productive. Agriculture flourishes: mangoes; bananas; grapes; cabbage; prickly pear; olives; dairies; cattle. Each Kibbutz has a purpose and a way to make money for itself. Trees are everywhere as a result of the “Plant a Tree in Israel” campaign; the former Jordanian territory looks barren in comparison. There is a system that pipes water from the Sea of Galilee to the South of Jerusalem and to irrigate the desert. Israel has been fought over and through so many times that the topsoil is very thin; rocks protrude everywhere. It's also a very hilly terrain but the hills are steep rather than rolling; the mountains are also rather steep. Trying to imagine walking from place to place, although the distances are not great, is difficult. The people who traversed the area on foot and without benefit of modern roads were physically tough. We continued climbing; you really do “go up to Jerusalem” until we reached the city. It looked nothing like we imagined as our first impression was of a large modern city. Seeing the ultra-modern Calavarra String Bridge helped convey that feeling. On the way to the hotel Anat showed us various governmental buildings including the Supreme Court, the Knesset; the Administration Building; the President’s House; the Prime Minister’s House. All are built of the white sandstone known as Jerusalem Stone. We arrived at the Prima Royale Hotel about 5:30.
Haifa
The Church of the Anunciation - Nazareth
Grotto of the Anunciation
American Madonna
Ethiopian Madonna
Japanese Madonna
Church of the Beatitudes
Church of the Multiplication
Sea of Galilee
Greek Orthodox Church of Saints Peter & Paul
Capernaum
Jesus' Room in Peter's House
Jesus' Room in Peter's House
Synagogue
Jordan River
Day 2 – We drove directly to the parking for our first stop passing the Jaffa Gate and driving through the Zion Gate to park on the mountain. Then we walked down to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It was only a few minutes after 8:00 when we arrived but it was already beginning to get crowded. This building, which is really a religious complex, comprises several churches each controlled by a different denomination: Armenian; Roman Catholic; Orthodox; Ethiopian. They are very territorial; in fact, it was dispute over control of this site which caused the Crimean War. Immediately inside the main door we saw the Stone of the Unction on which Jesus’ body lay while they prepared it for burial in the traditional Jewish manner. This slab is oiled daily; people kneel beside it; touch it; wipe the oil from it onto fabric; kiss it. We next climbed stairs to enter the Orthodox portion which contains the rock on which the cross stood. The altar here is station xii of the Via Dolorosa and is called "Jesus Dies on the Cross." The faithful stand in line for an opportunity to touch and/or kiss it. This is Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, where Jesus was crucified. Anat told us there are two explanations for the name: one is that it was shaped like a skull; two is that Adam was buried underneath the hill and the earthquake at Jesus’ crucifixion exposed Adam’s skull. From this area, we descended to the level of the tomb itself. Here we first went inside a side chapel that belonged to the Syrians and contains ruined décor. From this chapel we looked into the tomb area of the Arimethea family and saw several niches with stone coverings; tombs were actually caves carved into the sides of the rocky mountain and then had niches for burials carved around the sides of the caves. We left this area and then saw the Roman Catholic Church and the traditional tomb topped by the Chapel of the Angel. The line of people here was at least an hour long for a chance to enter the small chapel built over and around the site; we made photos through the doorway. There is a marker inside the building which marks the halfway point between the tomb and the rock on which the cross stood; Roman Catholics call it “the navel of the world.” In the adjacent Armenian Church, a priest explained the huge wall painting which included a reference to the Genocide by the Turks. We exited and entered the Ethiopian Church decorated with carved and painted wood. Here we saw references to the meeting of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. We left this Church and went behind it to the Coptic Church of St. James where we descended into a huge subterranean cistern. It’s strange that this entire place is honeycombed with caves, tunnels, cisterns, rooms, etc.; the exterior appears to be solid impenetrable rock. There’s a monastery here for the Ethiopian priests and monks and we even saw areas with courtyards and gardens in another part of the complex. It’s almost impossible to describe the hordes of people here and as it’s part of the “Via Dolorosa,” we often met large groups carrying large wooden crosses; singing hymns; reciting scripture. Their languages were many and various. In almost every Roman Catholic site, we found some priest or priests and pilgrims holding some sort of service. After leaving this rather unholy assemblage in this Holy Place, we made our way through to an overlook where we could see Temple Mount/the Dome of the Rock. A huge golden menorah erected to welcome the Messiah, sits inside a glass case here; we had previously passed a man dressed as a Levite. There is a Jewish sect that believes that everything needs to be properly prepared before the Messiah will arrive and they’re working to accomplish that. Then we descended into another type of frenzy to visit the Western Wall of the Temple often called The Wailing Wall because Jews come here to bemoan the loss of their Temple. It being Thursday and an auspicious day for Bar Mitzvahs, there were many, some of which included processions with drums, canopies, and singing. Janet and Anat went to the Women’s Section while I went to the Men’s. I walked as near to the wall as I wanted and inside the adjacent synagogue. Many Jews here are Orthodox and wear prayer shawls, yarmulkes, and have small boxes containing scripture tied to their foreheads and left arms. Some seem to be Hassidic. It was no less hectic or any more religious than the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It thundered while we were here, but never rained. Leaving the area, we walked through the Arab market, much of which wasn’t open yet. Then we went through an area built above the ancient ruins with delineations in the paving to show the location of ancient walls; there were even some places where we could peer down through openings to see excavated areas. There were shops: I bought a painting on Jerusalem stone from the artist and a scarf for Janet. We stopped at a ceramic shop operated by an Armenian and learned that the Muslims refused to allow them to leave Jerusalem because they made the tiles for the Mosque adjacent to the Dome of the Rock. We then began to climb Mount Zion. This was very steep and quite a haul to get us up where we needed to be but it was paved and we walked between the narrow curving roadway and the wall along the drop off. Once there, we walked a little way to see the site of The Upper Room where a Roman Catholic group was holding a service; nothing remains of original structure. It is located above King David’s Tomb; this being a Jewish site, we had to split up and view it separately. The tomb itself is covered with a cloth of royal purple embroidered with Harps and the Star of David. We left there and returned to the car. Traffic in Jerusalem is some of the worst in the world; streets made for horses, donkeys, carts, and walking are crammed with automobiles and huge tour busses. It would be gridlock if there were a grid but instead it’s a tangle. The Kidron Valley separates the Temple Mount from The Mount of Olives which contains a vast Jewish cemetery. Our next destination was The Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane. Here we easily found a parking place and went first to the Tomb of the Virgin Mary inside a Crusader-era church. Part is Orthodox and contains the actual tomb; another part is Armenian. Joseph’s tomb is here, too, but is largely bypassed in its neglected niche beside the stairway. Hordes of Russians flock here. We also saw the cave reputed to be the place where Peter, James, and John fell asleep while waiting for Jesus as He prayed in the garden. Then we went entered the walled area and saw the Garden itself. The olive trees are gnarled and almost grotesque; even though they are over 2000 years old, they still bear fruit. Olive trees almost never die as new shoots appear from the seemingly dead trunks, some of which look like huge piles of carved black rock or sculpted black mud. A feeling of peace and calm pervades. The church here is called either The Church of the Agony or The Church of All Nations and was also designed by Antonio Barluzzi. Inside the Franciscan Church, we saw the rock upon which tradition says Jesus prayed. Mass was in progress. The windows here are alabaster and only admit a limited amount of light which adds to the feeling of agony and despair. Amazingly, the Golden Dome of the Rock is visible through the doorway to the church which is directly across the valley from The Golden Gate or the Gate of Mercy, the one through which the Messiah will enter Jerusalem. A modern tradition says that a destroying conqueror will enter Jerusalem through these gates so they are blocked up and guarded by a cemetery. Higher up on the mount are two more churches, one a black and white teardrop on the traditional site where Jesus wept and a Russian Orthodox Church dedicated to Mary Magdalene with gold domes shining in the sun. We drove by the ruins of King David’s City sitting in the valley between the mountains and site of an on-going archaeological dig. Jerusalem is pockets of ancient history surrounded by modern life, yet underlying all of it are layers of ancient civilizations. From there we went to Jerusalem Gates Souvenir, a store operated by Christian Arabs who would arrange for us to visit Bethlehem. Today was a special day when some Jews go to the Tomb of Rachael to pray so one of the entrances to the Palestinian Territory was either blocked or clogged; that meant that the car belonging to the shop was not available at the moment. It was decided that Anat would take us to the border to meet the driver who would take us into Bethlehem because she couldn’t enter/guide inside that area. We drove only a short distance to another entrance where we met Ishmael and got into his car. We never went through any checkpoint but drove down several streets and into the town of Bethlehem vial back streets. We found it much less prosperous looking than Israel and much less clean. Upon arrival at the Church of the Nativity, we met Matthias, our local guide, who took us into the Crusader style church and explained what we saw. The facade contains an icon of the Magi which kept the Persians from destroying it in the 7th century because they recognized them as fellow Persians. We saw the ancient doorway to the early church with its pointed arch which was filled in because Muslims rode horses into the building; the current doorway, known as The Door of Humility, is no more than four feet high preventing that practice and also causing you to stoop/bow in respect for the holy place as you enter. Once inside, the building is huge measuring some 170 feet long and 75 feet wide. There are four rows of pink limestone columns about 20 feet tall supporting the wall showing fragments of 12th century mosaics. Here we saw an Orthodox Church with its altar located above the site of Jesus’ birth. A long line of people snaked its way up the nave and down to the birth site below. To our left, we saw an Armenian Church with Mass being sung. Passing through that church, we descended and saw the area in which St. Jerome lived when translating the Bible into Latin; a statue in an exterior courtyard honors him. Once back inside the Armenian Church, Matthias and one of the policemen serving as guards exchanged some signal. This allowed the three of us to go in the exit to the grotto where we saw the site of Jesus’ birth encased in white marble and marked by a shining, fourteen-point, silver star; silver lamps hang above it. Across from it a star also marked the site of the manger and there was an altar to the Magi nearby. The guards there even stopped the line momentarily so we could make photographs. We exited the church exhilarated at our good fortune and thankful for Matthias and his connections. We met Ishmael and walked down the street to the parking lot; we gave Matthias a ride to his home which was on our way out. This time we went to a checkpoint on the wall dividing Israel and the Palestinian Territory; it’s about 48 miles long and of poured concrete. Even though the signs said we would have to get out of the vehicle, only Ishmael had to show identification. Then we drove to another place where he had to open the trunk to the car and show his identification again even though he lives in Jerusalem. Nobody asked us for anything. When we passed the area near The Tomb of Rachael, there were many buses, people, and much congestion so the entrance we used was better. A very short drive returned us to the shop where we enjoyed mint tea while waiting for Anat’s return. As soon as she arrived, we began to wind up our tour. We went to an overlook with an excellent view of the area and to another where we looked down to the Dead Sea and the Negev Desert. Then we left Jerusalem and went to Ein Karem, birthplace of John the Baptist. Here we visited the Church of St. John in the Mountain where we saw the site of John the Baptist’s birth marked by a star and a niche containing a fragment of the rock that opened to hide Elisabeth and baby John as she fled with him from Herod’s soldiers. The church told the story of his parents and his life. This Roman Catholic Church was built by the Spanish and the interior is almost completely covered in tiles; it reminded us of Portugal. From there we drove through a valley seeing a monastery erected on the site where John the Baptist hid from the Romans and beside a mountain topped by a monastery called Our Lady of the Ark erected to honor the Virgin Mary and the Ark of the Covenant; the Ark held the Ten Commandments and Mary held Jesus. Anat then drove us toward Ashdod through a lush land of fruit orchards. Upon reaching the port, she was able to talk her way inside and past two different guards and deliver us to the gangway of the ship. Anat is an amazing and knowledgeable guide; if we ever return, we’ll have to have her.
Jerusalem
Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Stone of Unction
Golgotha
Typical Tomb
Jesus' Tomb Inside the Church
Ethiopian Monastery
Cistern
Coptic Priest
Wailing Wall
King David's Tomb
Jerusalem
Mount of Olives - The Church of the Agony or the Church of All Nations
Mount of Olives - The Garden
Mount of Olives - The Virgin's Tomb
The Bricked Up Gate of Mercy in Jerusalem's Walls
Church of the Nativity - Bethlehem
Birthplace of Jesus marked by Star
Site of Manger
Altar to St. Jerome
Church of St. John in the Mountain
Birthplace of John the Baptist
Day 2–Alexandria, Egypt: This was our second trip to this city. Our tour left the ship a little after 2:00. Christine, our guide, was a Christian and had a very soft voice. She spoke too softly and too fast and was very difficult to understand. There were six buses and we drove in convoy through Alexandria seeing the sights: the Library; the university; the twenty-kilometer-long Corniche; businesses; the main square; crowds of people everywhere. We drove to the most eastern part of the city to visit Montazah Palace, an Italianate structure built in the early 20th century and the summer residence of the royal family until King Farouk’s abdication in 1952. We made photos of the exterior and of the Salamlek Hotel, a former palace. Both share beautiful gardens. After leaving there, we retraced a part of our route as we headed toward the western part of the harbor. This time we drove across the Stanley Bridge. Upon arrival at the western tip of the harbor we reached Fort Qait Bey, a citadel constructed on the site of the original Pharos of Alexandria. Some of the original stones of the lighthouse are visible as foundation stones for the fort. Here we walked through a small market area set up by vendors with sea shells and other wares from elsewhere. Reboarding the bus, we headed back toward the city center and made another photo stop at the Mosque of Abu al-Abbas Mursi, a complex of several mosques on one site. The intricate architecture impressed us. We drove back along a part of the Corniche and turned beside the Unknown Soldier Memorial to return to the port and the ship. Our tour had taken us along the entire curve of the old harbor and we had even seen one area literally filled with wooden fishing boats of all sizes and condition; most were painted either blue or red but some were a combination. Shops were open and people were everywhere visiting, shopping, and picnicking. Alexandria itself is an amalgamation of old and new. The buildings of the French and English are still around as well as some very new ones. Like most Egyptian cities, it’s dirty. Almost all the buildings look as if they need repair; the ground floor looks OK but the upper floors need work. It’s sort of the opposite of Venice. Most housing lacks air conditioning and lots of laundry hangs from windows and balconies.
Fort Qait Bey
Stones from pharos in fort's foundations
Montazah Palace
Mosque of Abu al-Abbas Mursi
ITALY
Day 1 - The disembarkation was right on time and we walked the gangway and a long high catwalk to an escalator that took us into the terminal. The bags were there and we found a porter who told us that we could get a taxi to “Piazza di Roma” and then walk over one bridge to the train station. He led us outside where we got a taxi which deposited us at the foot of the bridge. The bridge is arched and has steps so getting 5 pieces of luggage over it was not an easy task. Our train was posted on track 7 at 10:50. We left Santa Lucia Station in Venice on time and our next stop was Maestre, the other Venice Station. Then we made other stops during the journey: Padova, Vicenza, Verona, Desenzano, Brescia. We arrived at Centrale in Milan at 1:25. The ride was fast and smooth and we both fought going to sleep. It was not a typical sunny day in Northern Italy. Overcast skies were deep gray and we never saw a single glimmer of sunshine; evidence of recent rainfall showed in the fields and in puddles on the pavements and it was actually raining in some spots. Although we saw many factories and quite a bit of industry, we were surprised at the amount of agriculture. Hay fields and bales of hay indicated the presence of livestock but we only saw a handful of cows and a few sheep; perhaps they’re already in the barns as we saw some piles indicating that barns had been cleaned out. Some fields lay fallow while others were bright green with a cover crop or perhaps wheat or another grain. We saw quite a few patches devoted to truck farming. Upon arrival in Milan, we exited the train and began to wend our way through the station. We took a taxi and quickly arrived at “Hotel Principe Di Savoia.” We connected with concierge who informed us about our tour tomorrow. Then we got a map from the concierge and instructions from a valet on walking toward the Duomo. We made a wrong turn but only walked a parallel street and soon found ourselves in the center of town. We enjoyed seeing La Scala, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and the Duomo. Then we walked back to the hotel. We enjoyed window shopping and marveled at all the designer boutiques; everyone who is everyone has a store here. We were amazed that each store displayed different merchandise because we’re accustomed to all the stores selling the same things. We saw quite a few stylishly dressed people.
Day 2–The bus for the tour arrived about 9:20 and we were off. We picked up several more people and then stopped near the Duomo where our guide and some more people joined us. We had earphones and a receiver for the tour of the Duomo and of La Scala. and the area around them. We saw the statue of Victor Emmanuel in the plaza and the nearby Royal Palace before actually entering the Duomo itself. The ornate façade is of pink and white marble and has many spires, the tallest topped by a gilded copper statue of the Virgin Mary. The interior of the church is the same marble in need of cleaning and is very, very dark; some of the windows are the original stained glass and some are composed of newer painted glass. It took over five hundred years to complete and among the last things added were the bronze entrance doors. As a service was in progress, we couldn’t do very much inside. We left there and walked through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, past the statue of Leonardo DaVinci, and into La Scala, the opera house. Designed by the official architect of Austria, it’s very much like the opera houses we toured in Budapest and Vienna. We saw the gallery and went into a box to see the theater and the stage, recently enlarged to over 1000 square meters. Seatbacks contain monitors for translations of performances. From there we visited the attached museum to see busts, instruments, and costumes. Then we reboarded our bus and drove through the city seeing some sights including the entrance to the Monumental Cemetery, an ornate chapel which houses the remains of national heroes. We stopped briefly at Castello Sforzesco and walked into the courtyard, a huge square area entered through a gateway. Acres of garden are nearby. We then drove to Santa Maria delle Grazie Church and Monastery, site of Leonardo DaVinci’s famous painting, il Cenacolo or The Last Supper. We had been told at the hotel that booking this tour was the only way to see this and signs posted at the ticket windows said “Sold out until December.” We had a noon reservation. Twenty-five persons are allowed inside at one time for fifteen minutes. We walked through airlocks which closed behind us before the doors in front of us opened. They’re attempting to control the humidity inside the refectory because it damages the painting. This is not a fresco but is just tempera paint on plaster; Leonardo wanted to use this method to be able to add details and shading to the work. Because of this method, the painting began to deteriorate within twenty years of completion and the restoration we saw is comprised of fragments. It must have truly amazed when new and brightly filling the space. We stood agape at the barrier just feet from the painting as our guide explained it to us and identified each apostle. When she had us move back to the center of the room and look, the painting suddenly had dimension. It looked as if the table and the people were really in the room instead of painted on the wall. Amazing was inadequate to describe our reaction. Composed in a series of triangles formed by the figures, the eye quickly examines each group. Bartholomew, James Son of Alphaeaus, and Andrew form the right-hand group; Judas Iscariot, Peter, and John from the group on Jesus' right; Jesus centers the work with hands outstretched; Thomas, James the Greater and Philip are on his left; Matthew, Jude Thaddeus, and Simon the Zealot form the last triad. Each face expresses a reaction to Jesus' statement, "One of you shall betray me." We’ve seen reproductions of this masterpiece all our lives but seeing it in situ really brought it to life for us. On the opposite end, is a painting of the crucifixion by Giovanni Donato Montorfano, a local artist, completed in 1495 and in the popular style of the time. Unfortunately for him, it lacks the power and presence of Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece. Our tour then took us back to the Duomo and ended. We took the opportunity to go back inside the church and get a better look without a church service in progress.
Day 3 –It was drizzling rain. We got a taxi to San Ambrogio Basilica. This houses the reliquary of St. Ambrose, the patron saint of Milan. Mass was in progress when we got there about 9:15, so we just sat near the back until it ended at 9:30. The old church has marvelous acoustics; there were around sixty worshipers and we could hear their responses and the voice of the priest easily. The golden altar installed in the ninth century shone brightly during the service; it is carved wood covered with gold and silver leaf, precious stones, and enamel. After the mass, we walked around the church looking at and photographing some of the side chapels. We also saw the reliquary of the saint and the sarcophagus used as a base for the pulpit. One unusual feature is the installation of a column about halfway down each side of the nave; the one on the left is topped by a snake and the one on the right by a cross. We wandered around the narrow and winding streets of the old city in the rain as we made our way back toward Piazza La Scala.
Castello Sforzesco
Duomo
Galleria Victorio Emanuelle II
La Scala
Leonardo Da Vinci
San Ambrogio Basilica
Santa Maria delle Grazie Church and Monastery
