January 22nd - Suez Canal

As I write this, we have exited the Suez Canal and entering the Red Sea.  It was a beautiful sunny although cool day for the transit.  We got a notice from the ship to expect changes in this high security area.  I’ll have more on that tomorrow.

Unlike the Panama Canal, the Suez has no locks.  It is a straight shot from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.  Largely dug by hand and some machines available at the time, the Canal opened in 1869.  It’s been in operation since then although wars have shut it down at time.  The longest was in the 1970’s for 8 years.

It is 120 miles long and ships transit the Canal in convoys.  Today we were # 3 in a 19-ship long convoy and the only passenger vehicle.  We got a lot of stares along the way from people on shore.  I’m sure they’ve seen cruise ships before but not this time of year and maybe not one quite this big.

There is one bridge spanning the canal and we went under it in the early morning hours.  It’s called the Peace Bridge and was built with aid from Japan, unfortunately it’s not open to civilian traffic and never will be.  The Egyptian Government is too afraid of terrorism.  There are two tunnels under the canal and another two being built so the bridge is largely redundant.

Along the sides of the canal, every mile or so you see these pontoons.  These are here in case the military ever has to cross the canal.  They can be put together and vehicles can then cross.

Although the canal is mostly one way there is one section where there is two-way traffic.  It’s funny to see ships go on the other side of the ‘sand dune median’.

I’ll leave you with some pictures of our day in the Canal.  We are in Aqaba Jordan tomorrow the gateway to Petra.  Some folks we know were going to take a private tour to Petra but it’s been cancelled because of snow!  The ship’s tours are still going and they were able to get a seat with them.  Good thing, Petra is a bucket list item for a lot of people.  We’ve been to Petra before so we’re visiting the Wadi Rum area.  A desert made famous by the exploits of T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia.

January 20th - Jerusalem and Bethlehem

We had a 12-hour tour today, starting at 7AM.  A very long day and unfortunately for us the weather was worse than yesterday.  Colder and more rain although at the very end of the day it did brighten up a little, too little too late.  We were soaked.

It’s a 2-hour drive from Haifa, where we were docked, to Jerusalem and for most of the trip, we took a very nice highway.  Before getting to Jerusalem we diverted off the highway in order to drive through the Occupied Territory.  Short history lesson here…the Six Day War took place in 1967.  In the aftermath Israel controlled the West Bank and the area now called the Occupied Territories.  They were and still are under pressure to give it back but they refuse and they have built settlements on the land to further claim it.  The United Nations has given authority over the land to the Palestinian Authority.  The Palestinians are also building on the land.  It’s not a good situation and no one is budging anytime soon.  There is a lot more to this if you want to google it.

As tourists it was interesting to see the checkpoints and the communities surrounded by electronic surveillance as they try to keep each other out.  It’s a crazy situation.  As for driving through, it was no problem.  It was a normal nice highway that happened to have a checkpoint, and we were waved right through.  Much later in the day, when we were driving out of the area, there was a significant backup at the checkpoint going in the opposite direction.

Before we got to Jerusalem our guide went into politics big time and of course it was one-sided but interesting to hear from an Israeli point of view.  Her message was pro-Israel of course and there was no gray area.  I wasn’t too crazy about how long it went on but I guess there wasn’t anything for her to point out along the road.

So finally, we get to Jerusalem…it’s kind of a mess…  The traffic and the crowds were horrific and this is the off season!  We had to drive around the ugly concrete wall built to keep the Muslims in their neighborhood.  Watchtowers are located along the wall and there is barbed wire on top.  The people behind the wall can travel into the rest of the city and Israel if they have permission from the Israeli Secret Police.  They have to show their papers going back and forth.  We didn’t see any of those checkpoints.  I couldn’t get any pictures from the bus as we rode by because the rain was really coming down at this point.

Okay, so enough of the politics…Jerusalem has long history and we got to see some of the highlights on our trip.  The first thing we learned is that the entire city was destroyed to the ground by invaders in 135 AD.  So none of the structures standing today were here at the time of Jesus.

Our first stop was atop the Mount of Olives. From here we got a great view (through the rain) of the old city of Jerusalem and beyond.  This picture also shows the Jewish Cemetery that is at the base of the city.

From there we went to the Garden of Gethsemane, the location where Jesus was arrested.  This was a beautiful garden and there is a modern church here commemorating the location Jesus is said to have prayed with his apostles before being arrested.  We also got a good view of the wall surrounding the Old City of Jerusalem (this is an ancient wall, not the security wall).

Now we headed toward Bethlehem…sounds peaceful doesn’t it?  Well you would be wrong.  Bethlehem is under the Palestinian Authority and there are big red signs saying Israeli citizens are not allowed to enter.  I couldn’t read or get a picture of the whole sign but I gather tourist industry personnel with prior approval are okay since our guide and driver drove right in.  Our driver by the way was an Arab Muslim but a citizen of Israel.

Once in Bethlehem a local guide took over, he did a great job and we enjoyed his talk.  Before he came on the bus, our Israeli guide told everyone to leave their money and passports on the bus and not take them into Bethlehem.  There was no way we were going to do that and after being in Bethlehem for a few hours, I didn’t see why it was even necessary to say that.  We felt perfectly safe and were surrounded by hundreds of other tourists the entire time.

In Bethlehem the major attraction is the Church of the Nativity.  This church is said to have been built upon the location of the manger, the birthplace of Jesus.  The Church itself is undergoing extensive renovation and in a few years’ time will really be impressive.  The Church is controlled by the Greek Orthodox but the manger is under the control of the Roman Catholics.  This is something we heard over and over again, different religions controlling separate areas of the same structures.  The line to see the birth location was very long, about 40-60 minutes.  I had heard that it could be a little claustrophobic in there and asked the guide about it, he said he would help me out when we got up there though it wasn’t clear how.

We couldn’t understand why the line was taking so long but once you see the site you understand.  By the time we got up to the entrance I could see I wasn’t going to be comfortable going through.  You had to go down into a cave like structure and people were standing too long on a cramped stairway with no way to go back or forwards…this was not for me so I handed the camera to Fred and went to wait at the exit.

This is where our Bethlehem guide really helped out.  He found me there and brought me in through the exit, I was right at the site within a few steps with no one around me.  It was still packed by the birth site but I was able to get one picture and saw why the line took so long.  People were on their hands and knees and then praying in a small area.  Only two could fit at a time and it was taking forever.  I felt bad for the devoted who wanted to spend time but with so many people behind them it was causing a problem.

The stone in the center of the star was said to have been touched by Jesus, I did touch it and it was very smooth probably from so many people rubbing it over the many years.

Part of the deal with going to Bethlehem is that you are required to go to souvenir shop run by Arab Christians.  You don’t have to buy anything but they don’t charge for the guide in Bethlehem and this is a way to ‘pay back’ the favor.  We bought some small olive-wood bowls.  Oh, and we found their own version of Starbucks…

Okay so now we go back to Jerusalem to spend time in the Old City.  This was great and I wish we had more time to explore here.  As it was, we could only hit the high spots and we were hurried through the rest. 

First stop was the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where Jesus was resurrected and ascended to heaven.  This church was packed with people but we did get to see all the important locations.  There is a byzantine structure in the middle of the church with a long line wrapped around it.  It is said to have been Jesus’ burial place but our guide pointed out that it was built many hundreds of years after Christ and for that and a lot of other reasons could not have been his burial location.  Still people stand in line…

Last stop was the famous Western Wall.  This is sometimes called the wailing wall but that’s not what it’s called here.  Calling it the wailing wall is considered derogatory.  One side is for the women and the other for the men.

After this we went at breakneck speed back to the parking lot to start our 2-hour trip back to the ship.  Maybe we went a little too fast because someone got left behind and the guide and the wife had to go back and find him.  This delayed us for about ½ hour but happily he was found!

It’s been an interesting two days.  We wanted to see the highlights of Israel and we did but it was a little overwhelming to do in just two days.  In a way I’m glad this port is behind us because there was a lot of anxiety about the visit although thankfully things seem to have calmed down.  Also, it’s hard to say how much the weather affected our feelings about the visit.  It’s been cold, rainy and windy for two days.  My sneakers are still out on the balcony trying to dry out!

As I write this we are surrounded by other ships preparing to line up for our transit through the Suez Canal tomorrow.  We’re done this before but in the opposite direction.  After that we’re in Aqaba Jordan.

January 19th - Haifa and Northern Israel

This is the first of two full days docked in Haifa Israel a major port city in the northern part of Israel.  For this port we chose to go with a semi-private tour from a local company.  Semi-private just means you share the tour with others from your ship but you don’t have to get the group together, the tour company works individually with each participant.  For today’s tour we had 14 people in a very comfortable Mercedes van.

Prior to our arriving here the tour operator sent us a very long email to lower expectations on just about every aspect of the trip.  Everything from the food to the traffic, the people and conditions in general.  It was an interesting thing to read to say the least but after spending the first of two days here, I can see why they did it.

First, I will say we had miserable weather almost all day long, rainy and chilly and tomorrow is supposed to be the same.  That doesn’t help with touring of course but we had a very good guide and of course we’re just happy to be here.

It was obvious from the reactions of others that the locations we went to and sites we saw were very meaningful to them.  We were very respectful of that of course, but for us it was more about the history of the area and not the possible religious significance that mattered.  So, with that we began our tour…

We began the day at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.  This is a 20^th century Catholic church that was built over other ancient religious locations going back to the 4^th century.  As you can see it’s very new looking on the outside but it’s a lot more interesting looking on the inside.

The main draw here is that supposedly the first church was built over the home of the Virgin Mary and it’s the location where Gabriel came to her and told her she would give birth to the messiah (called the annunciation).  These two pictures show the grotto where her home is said to have been.  Some of the people you see standing in front of the gate were very emotional.

Later on, while still in Nazareth we went up to Mount Precipice and there was a great view of the valley below.  The Mount itself is the beginning of the ‘Jesus Trail’ which is, I think I heard, a two day walk that takes you to several sites visited by Jesus.

From there we went to the Jordan River to see a baptismal site.  We’ve actually seen this location on tv a few times as famous people often come here to get baptized in the river.  It’s supposed to be the location where John the Baptist performed the rite for Jesus.  Of course, no one knows for certain about this location but it’s convenient because Israel controls both sides of the river here.

Later we moved onto Tabgha where the miracle of the multiplication of fish and loaves is said to have taken place.  This was a very pretty spot on the Sea of Galilee but unfortunately the rain was really coming down and we couldn’t get a good picture.  The Sea of Galilee is actually a lake that the Jordan River flows into and then flows out of.  The Jordan eventually ends at the Dead Sea.

Capernaum was our next visit and this is the site of a couple of ancient synagogues.  The architecture was really interesting and well preserved.  This was one of our favorite sites because ancient people actually lived here.  It’s also supposed to be the site of the first church, built over the site of Peter’s home (or a home he was just visiting, no one knows of course).  They built a modern church right over some of the ruins. 

We had lunch at a sandwich shop where we had standard Mideast fare like pita bread and falafel.  We also stopped at a dairy/date farm and had a look around their shop.  I really liked the dates!  Israel is a major exporter of dates, who knew?

Tomorrow we will be going to Jerusalem and Bethlehem.  Another long day touring!

January 16th - Messina, Italy

We had a beautiful day in Italy, or more precisely Sicily which is part of Italy but an island with its own personality.  If you picture Italy as a boot, the island it’s kicking with its toe is Sicily.  This stop was supposed to be in Naples and we were really looking forward to it.  Unfortunately, some sort of problem with the wharf. or the cruise terminal. or something or other caused us to cancel it.   Well maybe next time…

Of course, Sicily is most famous for its connection to the Mafia.  We were told as a cultural nicety we should not ask about the mafia…however the ship ran a ‘Godfather’ tour that went to all the places used for filming on the island…so much for not talking about it.

We took a ship excursion to Taormina and it went very well.  For a change the process from the ship to the tour bus went very smoothly and was well planned.  Taormina is a beautiful little town about one hour from the port city of Messina.  Even though it’s January the weather was very nice even a little warm in the low 60’s but with full sunshine.  It felt great after being at sea.

From Taormina you get a great view of Mt Etna, the famous volcano and the picture that leads this blog entry.  Etna is still active and erupted last in 2002.  As you can see from the pictures, steam still comes out of the crater at the top and that helps keep it from erupting more often despite it being very active.  The lava flows from previous eruptions created very good soil for growing grapes and there is a thriving business in ‘Mt Etna Wine’.  We saw some of our fellow travelers buying it.  I bought a lava necklace!  Actually, it’s lava beads with pearls (not real ones) and so it’s black and cream.  Very pretty and a nice souvenir.

The city streets are very pretty with plenty of little side streets to go up and down, including the narrowest of alleys that everyone had to take a picture of, including me!

The island was invaded by many different groups including the Greeks and then the Romans.  The Greeks built a theater for plays and music but when the Romans took over it was converted into a coliseum and used for gladiator and wild animal fights.  Nowadays it’s used for pop concerts and art festivals.

Making our way back from the coliseum we saw this hearse parking in front of a church.  Four burly men got out and walked in separate directions.  Was the mafia sending a message?  We don’t know but it was the fanciest hearse we’ve ever seen.

When we got back to Messina, we walked around the town a little and all I can say is that I’m glad we decided to go to Taormina instead of staying in Messina.  There isn’t much to see but as you can tell from the picture below, it was easy to spot our ship above the buildings from just about anywhere.

We now have two days at sea and then we’re in Israel for two days.  Israeli customs agents boarded the ship in Messina and we will be doing a face to face with them in the next couple of days and that should make it easier to go ashore when we arrive, at least that’s the plan.  Fred and I don’t have a ship excursion in Israel, we decided to go with a semi-private tour with far less people and more reasonably priced.  It will be two very long touring days but we hope at the end we will have seen the highlights of Israel.

January 14th - At Sea

It was a beautiful day today with temps in the mid-60’s and mostly sunny skies.  Folks were out on the loungers…but only on the sunny side of the ship.

We have two days at sea before pulling into Messina Sicily on Thursday, the 16^th.  Today we passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and got a nice look at the rock as we went by. 

There are only a few miles between Gibraltar and Africa and we were on the Africa side today.  In this busy shipping area, we were assigned our ‘lane’ through to the Mediterranean Sea.  It was nice to see so many ships throughout the day both in the Strait and in the Med.  Other passengers spotted whales and dolphins but we weren’t so lucky.

While leaving Lisbon yesterday we sailed by the Henry the Navigator statue.  We saw this up close and personal when we were here the last time.  It’s an impressive looking thing and it commemorates Henry, King of Portugal, and the many expeditions he sent out to conquer both the new and old world.  Before the UK came along and supplanted them, Portugal ruled the waves.

We had a happy surprise while eating lunch in the dining room the other day.  Friends we had met on the 2018 South America Voyage are on this one too!  What a shock and it was so great to see them.  They got on in Southampton and are only on to Dubai but it will be great to catch up with them at dinner this week.

Last picture is an up-close look at a life raft carried on many tankers and other ocean-going vessels we have seen over the years.  These huge ships have small crews and these vehicles are propelled into the water in an emergency.  I can’t imagine how much they must bob around in the ocean!

January 13th - Lisbon Portugal

Our morning started out very foggy.  We couldn’t see anything from our balcony and you could only barely make out the dock on the TV’s bridge cam.

We’ve been to Lisbon before but it was really more of a drive through.  We were on our way north to visit the towns of Cascais and Sentra.  Both are beautiful and we had a great time then but we really wanted to see Lisbon this time around.  We hired a guide to take us on a three-hour walking tour of the city and it was great.  We sampled Portuguese custard tarts and local cheeses and ham while on the tour.  The weather eventually cleared and it warmed up from the low 50’s to the balmy mid 50’s…but it felt great in the sun. 

Our guide Joana was great, very friendly and a wealth of information about Lisbon and Portugal.  Although the metro area has a population of about 2 million with about 500K of that in the city proper, it stills feels like a small city and we covered a lot of ground.  Say hello Joana!

The downtown shopping area is cradled between two very high hills.  Although we had to walk up a lot of stairs on the tour today there are lots of little tricks to get around, some obvious like this elevator that goes up to one of the neighborhoods from downtown to other ‘secret’ elevators stuck in little corners in the city.  One of them was in a supermarket, but it’s considered to be public transportation and open to all. 

Lisbon is a mix of grand squares and small neighborhoods with twisting paths for roads and stairs instead of alleys.  The contrast in the pictures below is between the downtown area and the hilly Alfama neighborhood where we spent the last hour of our day.

Trolley’s still climb these steep streets and are a favorite for tourists. 

Unfortunately, Alfama is changing due to the gentrification of the area.  Lots of houses are being bought up and converted to Air B&Bs and hotels.  It was funny to see people trying to roll their luggage along these streets and up the stairs to find their rental.  Cars are not allowed on many of the streets.  The doorways are also pretty small given they were built at a time when folks were a lot shorter.

Sadly, we really had to scramble around today to see everything we wanted to see.  Lisbon is on a tidal river and for our very tall ship to get under a bridge we have to leave at low tide and so all aboard was at 4:30 PM.  It was probably just as well since the sun was starting to set.  That’s the bad thing about traveling this time of year, short days.  On the other hand, there were very few tourists and no lines anywhere.