Playing Tourist Guide

Tour bus at the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes at the Sea of Galilee

Whew, are you feeling like a pilgrim yet?  I feel like one of those tour guides holding a flag or a pink umbrella, pulling you along the various highpoints of my April journey.  I hope that you are not groaning and saying, not another one of Rosemary’s slideshows!

When friends and colleagues asked me, upon my return, what was your favorite part of the trip, I couldn’t name one thing.  How do you compare walking a coastal path in Iceland with visiting Kafr Kama, or the souk in Akko to the one in Old City Jerusalem, or my sister’s backyard breakfast with a restaurant meal?  I’m not being coy when I can’t name a favorite experience.  I loved every minute and feel fortunate for the spectacular sights as well as the quieter ones.

For me, putting together these blog posts about my travels has been pure joy.  I get to re-live my trip again as I go through my photos and travel journal, trying to put together a narrative that shows you my impressions of the destinations I visited so recently.  I hope you will continue to bear with me.  I still want to blog about Amsterdam and France!

Israel Impressions 8: Modern Jerusalem

Light rail along the Jaffa Road, Jerusalem

The modern city of Jerusalem

It was fun to leave the old, walled city of Jerusalem and explore a bit in the modern era!  Audrey and I walked up the Jaffa Road to the Jewish market, Mahane Yehuda.  What a vibrant place!  It reminded me of Seattle’s Pike Place Market, but with more energy.  From there, we wandered, mapless, on the residential streets of the earliest Jewish immigrants to Jerusalem.  There was always something interesting to see, whether people, cats, or architectural elements.

Along the Jaffa Road (these buildings reminded me of New Orleans)

Olive vendor in the Jewish market

Tea stall, Mahane Yehuda

Kippas for sale

Mahane Yehuda market, Jerusalem

A peak into the entry way of an apartment in a Jewish residential area

Grillwork on window

Overflow from a crowded synagogue, Jerusalem

Using a balcony for storage, Jaffa Road, Jerusalem

Israel Impressions 7: Jerusalem, Inside the Old Walled City

Tower of David, the walled Old City of Jerusalem

Rooftop view of the Old City of Jerusalem from above the Armenian Cafe

The Old City of Jerusalem is a labyrinth of narrow streets contained in a walled fortress, with access by one of seven gates:  the Golden (or Lion) gate, Herod’s Gate, the Damascus Gate, the New Gate, the Jaffa Gate, the Zion Gate, and the Dung Gate.  Inside the walls is the Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall.  The city has four neighborhoods:  the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter, the Armenian Quarter, and the Jewish Quarter.  Vendors, elbow to elbow in the narrow corridors of the souk, vie for buyers.  Christian pilgrims walk the Via Dolorosa and visit churches commemorating the life of Jesus.  Children go to school.  People live here, as evidenced by the water tanks, satellite dishes, and hanging laundry in the rooftop view above.  It is a busy and vibrant place.

Wall decoration at the Lion Gate

Arab women sorting grape leaves in the market

Carrying an empty bread tray on his head

Behind the scenes view from the roof of the Austrian hospice

Old shutters, hanging laundry

In the souk, a vendor sweeping in front of her stall

Metal door sculpture along the Via Dolorosa

Armed Israeli soldiers patrol the streets

Japanese tourists take photos of Israeli soldiers

Plein air painter in the Old City

Jewish Quarter

In the Jewish Quarter, Old City, Jerusalem

Jewish Quarter, Old City, Jerusalem

Western Wall, focus of prayer for Jews from around the world

Men’s and women’s sections of the Western Wall

Visiting the Western Wall at sunset

The next day, bar mitzvah celebrations at the Western Wall

And the bar mitzvah celebrations carried over into the streets of the Jewish Quarter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Israel Impressions 6: Jerusalem, Outside the Walls

Dome of the Rock and the old walled city of Jerusalem viewed from the Mount of Olives, across the Kidron Valley

Jerusalem has to be one of the most interesting cities in the world.  There is so much life both within the walls of the Old City and without in the modern streets.  It is teeming with a diversity of people.  It is the site of holy places revered by Christians, Jews and Muslims.  My sister and I were fortunate to spend two days there.

Today’s post will share some impressions of the historic places of Jerusalem outside the walls of the Old City.  We saw Gethsemane and its Church of the Agony, the Garden of Olives, the Mount of Olives, the cave of Mary’s tomb, Dominus Flet (where Jesus wept), the Kidron Valley and the large stone cemetery there,  the tomb of David, the room of the Last Supper, Dormition Abbey where Mary lived her last days, and the site of Jesus’s tomb near Golgotha.  I promise I won’t show any more pictures of the interiors of churches, though I took so many they started blurring and looking alike.  I felt humbled to be in the place of so much history and in the presence of so many faithful pilgrims and people.

Old Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Kidron Valley outside the Lion Gate

Stone tombs

I wanted to see a camel on this trip, and we saw this one (admittedly a tourist prop) on the Mount of Olives

View of the Dome of the Rock from the Mount of Olives

Old world and new on the Mount of Olives

Orthodox priest hurrying on his way

Window in Dominus Flet, where Jesus wept

Onion domes of the Church of Mary Magdalena

Two Orthodox priests leading a group of pilgrims to the Church of Mary Magdalena

Dove at the back of the church at Gethsemane

Old olive tree in the Garden of Olives

Taking a break outside the Jaffa Gate overlooking modern Jerusalem

Family walking outside the walls near the Jaffa Gate

 

Israel Impressions 5: An Oasis, the Baha’i Garden of Akko

The formal Baha’i Garden in Akko

The center walkway, Baha’i Gardens, Akko

The Baha’i Garden in Akko was a quiet, open and contemplative oasis after the beehive of activity in the Old City’s port and market.  This garden, along with the one in Haifa, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a place of pilgrimage for followers of the Baha’i faith.  The general public was allowed entrance only to the large formal garden; the mansion and inner gardens were off limits.

Old olive trees in an adjacent park

Wisteria graced the entrance

Sculpted hedges framed red geraniums

Pink hibiscus

Orange hibiscus

Blue doors

Well-groomed gardens

My sister called this “rooster comb”

Baha’i mansion and grounds

Layered plantings

Gate to the inner gardens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Israel Impressions 4: Day Trip to Akko

Mosque and minaret, Akko

Narrow street and stairway to the Old City of Akko

The historic fortified city of Akko (Acre) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  This port city on the Mediterranean Sea was an important Crusader town, and the ruins from that time are preserved underground beneath the street level of the current city.  So Akko is a mix of old and new, but to me, even the new seemed exotic.  Like the Pike Place Market in Seattle, the souk is not just a tourist attraction, but it is a vibrant market for the current residents of the city.  Still, it held echoes of an ancient bazaar in its narrow covered walkways and shoppers from many cultures.

Shoppers in the souk, Akko

Akko is a walled fortress on the Mediterranean Sea.

The Mediterranean Sea

Narrow street in the Old City of Akko

Arched hall, Akko

Knight’s Hall, Akko Old City

Pillars and courtyard, Old City, Akko

Woman in Akko

Children playing on the old cannons on the wall facing the sea, Akko

Pigeons, Akko

Religious man, Akko

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Israel Impressions 3: Off the Beaten Track in Kafr Kama

Crescent on top of mosque in Kafr Kama

Striped minaret, Kafr Kama

One of the small villages near my sister’s kibbutz is the Circassian community, Kafr Kama.  My nieces go there to get their hair cut, and Audrey and Alberto like to buy their soft, round cheese from a local cheesemaker there.

Strainers ready for the next batch of cheese

Fresh, hand-crafted cheese, Kafr Kama

My visit to Kafr Kama was one of the highlights of my Israel stay because it was so picturesque and full of culture.  This village has an interesting history.  It is home to the Circassians, an exiled group of Sunni Muslims from the Caucasus Mountains.  They were expelled from their homeland in 1864 after fighting the Russian czar.  According to the Circassian Heritage Center in Kafr Kama, “The Circassians were accepted by the Ottoman Empire and were settled all over the Middle East, including Israel, and today there are about 4000 Circassian in two villages in the north of Israel . . .”

The homes in Kafr Kama are built with the regions’s dark basalt rock rather than the more typical adobe-colored materials.  I was charmed by the rustic, rusted grillwork and weathered doors.  The homes, while old, were tidy with well-kept gardens.  The women wore pristine white headscarves.  It was a very picturesque place.

Resident of Kafr Kama

Blue double door with fancy grillwork

Minaret viewed through grill

Circassian symbol on metal door

Circassian symbol on window of parked truck

Another blue door

Detail, door

Succulents on a colorful porch

Trailing succulents on a balcony

Stone building with weathered shutters

Woman, Kafr Kama

Rustic door

Flower pot in a window

Rusted grillwork

Cloths drying in the sun

Woman on the streets of Kafr Kama

Coca Cola for sale, Kafr Kama

Blue doors.  Doesn’t this just shout out Mediterranean to you?

Israel Impressions 2: The Food

A late lunch at Greg’s Restaurant in the Mamilla Mall, Jerusalem

I can’t begin to express how much I loved the food in Israel.  (Sorry, France.  Your excellent meals came in a close second.)  Everything Mediterranean exploded with freshness — the lemons, tomatoes, cucumbers, za’atar seasoning, mint . . . I had forgotten how much I liked tabbouleh until I tasted it again in Israel.

My sister and her husband had a lemon tree laden with fruit in their backyard.  Their breakfasts, typical for Israel, included a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers.  They knew where to pick up fresh pita bread and handmade cheeses from family shops in the villages near their kibbutz.  The vendors in the souks of Akko and Jerusalem offered tempting choices — falafel, shawarma, bagels, breads, spices . . .  It was a visual feast as well.  Join me and feast your eyes:

One of my sister’s breakfasts served on the backyard patio

Audrey’s and Alberto’s kitchen counter

Alberto’s Memorial Day barbecue

Dinner at a restaurant — the table was filled with little plates

Restaurant entrée

At the end of the meal

After-dinner coffee

Pita bread maker in a nearby village

Stacks of bread, vendor near the Damascus Gate, Jerusalem

Shawarma vendor, Jerusalem

Bread shop in the Old City, Jerusalem

Falafel maker in the Old City, Jerusalem

One of the first things I did when I returned home from my trip was to attempt to recreate an Israeli meal — pita bread, hummus, and tabbouleh.  I found a good recipe for quinoa tabbouleh online, but it didn’t quite measure up to the lemony tabbouleh I tasted in Israel.  I’ve copied the recipe for you below:

Making tabbouleh at home

Quinoa tabbouleh

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus  more
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black  pepper
• 1 large English hothouse cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into  1/4-inch pieces
• 1  cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preparation

• Bring quinoa, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in  a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer  until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand,  covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl.  Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and  pepper.
• Spread out quinoa on a large rimmed baking sheet; let cool.  Transfer to a large bowl; mix in 1/4 cup dressing. DO  AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover remaining dressing and quinoa  separately; chill.
• Add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to bowl with  quinoa; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining  dressing over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Israel Impressions 1: The Kibbutz

Audrey’s and Alberto’s home on the kibbutz

As a wayfarer in foreign lands, I saw myself as a pilgrim.  But I was not on a religious pilgrimage, even in Israel, where holy sites for three major religions — Islam, Judaism, and Christianity — anchor the many diverse communities.  I went to Israel to stay with my sister and her husband.  They’ve lived on Kibbutz Gazit in northern Israel for nearly 30 years, raised three daughters there, and were the perfect hosts and guides for my stay.  It had been 25 years since I last visited them (they travel to the United States to see us every few years), and back then they lived in a tiny apartment and ate most of their meals in the communal dining hall.  On this trip, I got to see their “new” house (it was built for them 8 years ago) on the kibbutz.  It was spacious, airy, and had a full kitchen — we ate only one meal at the communal dining hall on this trip.

The kibbutz and Israel in general were pretty green in April — their dedicated tree-planting efforts have resulted in a much greener landscape than I remembered from my previous trip.  It was the end of harvest season.  Flowers and trees displayed showy blossoms.  Birds sang and trilled and cooed.  Storks passed by the kibbutz on their yearly northern migration.

The kibbutz is a hybrid of farm and village and natural area.  Its agricultural roots still hold strong.  They raise sheep and cows and chickens.  They grow organic produce and big crops like wheat.  They also have a plastics factory on site, which helps to diversify their income.  And some residents, like Alberto, work in jobs off the kibbutz.  But unlike the isolated farmsteads in the U.S. midwest, the residents of the kibbutz live in clusters of houses and apartments and dorm room-like dwellings, offering the benefits of community and support.  There are on-site day care and elder care, for example.  And while most people now cook at home and eat as a family, the communal dining hall is still in operation for those who need it.  At every meal and social event, the area outside the hall is a virtual parking lot of golf cart-like “vehicles” used by the elder residents to get around.

And you could see why mechanized transport is needed by the frail and elderly, because the kibbutz covers a big area.  There are the residential clusters, the barn and livestock areas, the orchards, the fields.  And surrounding all that is a huge natural area of rolling hills and wadis (creek valleys).  It was a beautiful setting.  Here are some photos:

Mount Tabor seen from the kibbutz

Feeding time in the sheep barns

Sheep (who is this stranger looking at me?)

Some of the earliest trees planted on the kibbutz were these pines.

Field across the road from my sister’s backyard (the air was full of sand from Libya)

Harvesting hay on the kibbutz

Almonds growing

Flowers, Abutilon Tiger Eye

Rolling hills with Jordan in the far, far distance

Migrating storks

Wildflowers

Grapefruit blossoms from one of the orchards

We saw this baby donkey just moments after its birth

Kibbutz fields

One of our daily walks on the kibbutz