Learning and understanding

May 25, 2011 The journey’s over now, and I’m on the BA flight back to Port of Spain.  I’ve got a certificate that names me a Jerusalem Pilgrim, “one who has, in accordance with the Biblical prophecy, gone up to Jerusalem to receive the blessing.” Perhaps it’s that, but for the first time ever I went through airport security (in Tel Aviv, world’s notoriously most secure airport) and did NOT beep or have to undergo secondary search.  Normally I get the pat down and “Could you please step over here, ma’am?  Would you mind removing your shirt?” etc, but not here.  X-ray of the bags, couple of questions on my Jordanian ceramics, and off I went. I had time for several deep thoughts on the flight back, and before that.  Plus, I had some long conversations with both Frs. Donovan and Brennan.  Fr. Leo has been a dear friend for a really long time; over 25 years.  More than ever, in the past 2 weeks, it has struck home that he is a very good man.  He is one of the few people I know who sees

May 23 2011 It’s THE day.  The climb of Mt Calvary, along the Via Dolorosa (the Path of Tears) to Golgotha, carrying the cross.  We started out early to beat the crowds to the Lion Gate (which is adorned with leopards, placed there by the Ottomans) and began at the Franciscan monastery, after having been accosted by only 5 vendors.  It was the most unique Stations of the Cross that I’ve ever done, and that includes the years when I dramatized them.  The Stations are laid out in the streets, which are narrow and walled, paved with cobblestones, worn slick by the passage of millions of feet and cars.  As we walked (and occasionally knelt on these stones) the shops opened for business, cars would sometimes try to pass each other (on streets barely wide enough for one) and the prayers would be interrupted with a shout of “Car!” or “Van!” and a mad rush to line the sides in single file.  The eighth and ninth stations are in a cavern below street level, then the tenth is behind the church (

May 22 2011 The world did not end, after all.  Not surprising LOL  Today we went to Masada, Qumeran, Jericho and the Dead Sea – the lowest point on the planet; 400m below sea level.  Oh, and we have a new guide. Masada is the desert fortress of King Herod, perhaps the “mountain retreat” of King David, and it fell in 73CE to the Romans, where (according to Josephus) the Jews committed suicide rather than be taken captive.  The motto of the Israeli army was “Masada shall not fall again” – until it finally occurred to someone that murder/suicide is not something to glorify.  There’s a couple of questions about that story for me – for one thing, Josephus put together his account second-hand, and it’s based on a Roman sense of honour.  For another, suicide is complete anathema to Jews.  And the account of the battle has a few flaws, but all that aside… Masada is breathtaking.  Standing at the top of Herod’s palace, there is a sweeping view of the desert for hundreds of miles in all direc

May 21, 2011 Today is apparently the day the world ends.  I’ll wait to see.  Meanwhile, we went into the Old City, along the Palm Sunday path, through the garden of Gethsemane (had Mass in the church of All Nations, where apparently the Agony in the garden took place) A large, beautifully frescoed exterior, and a dark, cavernous interior.  We walked along the Mount of Olives, and at the top, Fr. Brennan sang again “The Holy City” in the open air, against the backdrop of the Dome of the Rock, and the ancient walls of Old Jerusalem with the Golden Gate sealed shut awaiting the Coming of the Messiah.  He’s 75, his voice no longer has its full power, but it did stop the other groups for a while.  What a memory.   Fr. Brennan at the Mt. of Olives We then went to the place where Mary was assumed into heaven – a beautiful church.  I thought it was Orthodox, but the guide assures me that it’s Catholic.  We then visited Caiaphas’ house, where Jesus was held by the Sanhedrin (in a rather sp

May 20, 2011 I decided to allow myself a day of being sick on Thursday, and skipped the tour.  I stayed in the hotel and spent most of the day sleeping.  One of my better decisions, as I no longer feel like an overused dish rag.  Even Tiberias doesn’t look quite so seedy, and I enjoyed going for a short walk after dinner and walking through the little stalls to see the “Made in China / India” authentic Israeli souvenirs.  Just like everywhere else LOL So this morning we’re headed up to Jerusalem.  It’s “up” because (according to our now-Jewish evangelical) Jerusalem sits at the highest point in all of Israel, and it’s a blessing to go there for the Jews.  Our first stop is the Jordan river, where there are some adult baptisms being performed in yet another kibbutz-run shopping mall (everything is for the community! Low prices – which is why olive oil costs twice as much here as in the supermarket!)  Some notable names adorn this wall, presidents, heads of state – several American pas

May 18, 2011 Now finally, Israel.  The first location is Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee (or as the guide keeps reminding us, it’s not a sea, it’s a lake.  The lowest freshwater lake in the world.)  After Jabra, I’m not happy with this one.  Heck, I’m not happy with her after Adel, our Egyptian guide!  She’s “a New Yawk Jew who moved to Is-reel-ell” some yeahs ago, and the Lawd Jeez-us revealed himself to her in a great and personal way”  She needs to “believe” that the “dear Lawd” was personally present” at each location we visit, and she takes painstaking effort to describe the scenes, including the eucalyptus trees (which are not native to Israel) in the picture.  I get it, I do.  But when, today, she tried to convince us that a boat that was hauled out of the lake was “the very one that Jesus travelled in” my patience left the room and hasn’t returned.  I next expect that there will be “authentic pieces of the True Cross” and “genuine pieces of Jesus’ robe” either on display or up

May 16 & 17 2011 I take back every even passingly negative thought about Jordan.  I see now that the minor inconvenience at the beginning was just so I could fall totally and completely madly in love with the country.  I admit that I’m in a minority with this, as the rest of the group is much less enamoured of the Hashemite Kingdom than I am.  (It may have something  to do with the guide, but I digress)  I may be a closet Arab. From breakfast on the first day, when they served an almost all-Jordanian buffet, I was dancing with joy (tired from 3 hours sleep, but delighted at the local food.)  Then we went to Petra.  Words fail me when I try to describe the red city.  It took 4 hours. almost 5, and we only made it past the Necropolis. My camera died on the way in, too, so I have only about 90 photos.  To see it in full would take, according to Jabra (our guide, aka James) about a week.  Lunch was at a wonderful Jordanian buffet restaurant, and again, I was in heaven.  I spent the a

May 15 2011 Today was the intended hike to the top of Mt. Sinai, beginning at 1:30am.  So the group was to assemble in the reception of Morgenland Village to begin the hike up “The Mountain of Moses” which would take 2 hours up and 3 hours down.  At 1:30, I was curled up fast asleep and did not stir until 5:15, when I looked at my watch in panic and thought that it was almost 9am and I had 10 minutes to catch the tour bus! I went for a short walk around the village (resort) which is located in the Sinai valley.  The mountains are red, the land is rocky and red, there are few plants, and in the early morning the air is crisp.  I spent a while talking to a Bedouin trader (we’re now at 750 camels, 100 goats and a horse) and bought a beautiful shawl, and have a down payment of 3 charm bracelets.  My mother is considering life as a livestock owner. Our first stop this morning was at the Monastery of St. Katherine, which is built at the site of the Transfiguration.  Also there is Moses’ w

May 14, 2011 Today we leave Cairo and head into the Sinai desert, following in the footsteps of the Holy Family, Moses and countless other prophets.  It’s also the day of the promised hike up Mt. Sinai, which i can tell you i will not be doing.  The first stop was was at the cave (now a church) where the Holy Family stayed when they fled into Egypt.  Also there is the Ben Ezra synagogue, St. Barpara’s church, and a Coptic church – St. Sargius and St. Wackus.  Beautiful ikons in the church, which is the oldest in Egypt.  The synagogue is decorated in an Islamic style, and there is, as with every other church we’ve seen, a mosque nearby.  This country seems to be a model for side-by-side religious co-existence, as there are mosques inside of churches, and vice-versa! After a quick drive through old Cairo, we headed to the Eastern desert. Cairo’s slums, even seen from the comfort of a bus, are not something one wants to see up close.  There are some scary looking buildings, and filth is

May 13 2011 I’ve joined the throngs of people who’ve fallen in love with Egypt.  Hard to say why, exactly.  It’s dusty, filthy, the traffic is enough to make you cling to your hotel and never ever want to venture out into the streets (Oh the drivers are insane!) and honestly, the vendors and touts don’t give you a minute to BREATHE at the tourist sites.  For all that, the people are charming, the smiles are so free and easy, there is laughter everywhere, the scenery is stunning, and the food is wonderful.  I even enjoyed riding a camel!  (Yes, they do stink.  But they’re a surprisingly fun ride.) Then of course, Egyptology is fascinating.  So today’s trip included a visit to the Cairo museum, which does not allow photographs (sadly)  It’s a magnificent building, and the displays are beautiful. King Tut’s treasures are astonishing.  I would have liked more time there, and perhaps some time in Luxor or Alexandria.  And I could definitely use some time cruising the Nile! I didn’t kno

May 11, 2011 It’s departure day, and I’m now sitting at the airport waiting for the flight.  You’d think that excitement would be high, but somehow… not exactly.  I flew in from Canada on Monday morning (and I have to say that business is the ONLY way to travel! May I, in my next job, be able to fly business at all times, even for personal travel, and that on at least a semi-annual basis!)  I digress.  I’ve spent 2 days at home, including being able to have a delightful birthday breakfast with my dear friend.  (Not my birthday, that’s next month) And now at the airport.  Check in was the usual hassle, and the flight will, apparently, be full.  Fr.  Leo has lost more weight, and seems to have aged lots since February.  Our group comprises Mummy (Lydia); Auntie Ming; Doris; Doreen and me, plus about 40 other people.  ---- Thurs am.  Have landed in London Gatwick, and are en route to Heathrow bound for the Cairo flight.  My initial impression of the organizer has not improved much.. I

My long awaited, half-dreaded, but much talked-about trip to Egypt, Israel and Jordan is about to begin, and I’m preparing to go.  And as it’s a once-in-my-lifetime experience, I thought I’d begin by documenting the experience before I get on the plane, and share the fun. So this all began about a year ago when my mother said that there was a pilgrimage being organized out of St. Anthony’s parish in Petit Valley, Trinidad, led by my dear friend Fr. Leo Donovan, O.P. and she very much wanted to go.  It would cost, she said, not that much, only TT$29,000 (at the time, about CA$6,000) per person, and how wonderful it would be if her children would provide this as a birthday present to her.  Collectively, her children said “Oh, a pilgrimage to Israel, how lovely.  Yes, that would be a nice thing for you to do!  Weren’t you there before, with Fr. Leo, on another pilgrimage?  Do you really need to go again?”  Some more discussion followed, and long story short, I wound up with the group hea