Asia - Passports Overloaded

Luxor (Safaga), Egypt – Day 1 – Ancient Luxor

November 11, 2011

Arriving at the port was interesting, we saw piles of duffle bags from Egyptians who were traveling to the Mecca. It seemed unorganized I don’t know how they would find their luggage when they arrive at their destination. Today we were going to have the longest day of driving 3.5 hours to get to Luxor to see ancient Egyptian architecture and see fascinating mysteries of centuries old culture and hieroglyphics. Once again it was nerve-wracking to know that we had a security guard on our bus who had an Uzi.

We arrived in Luxor we had a nice lunch at the Sheraton Hotel. After lunch, we continued our drive and crossed the Nile River proceeding to the West Bank area for a visit to the Valley of the Kings. We had a chance to see the tombs of Egypt’s ancient kings, their families, and other Egyptian nobility. It was amazing to see the hieroglyphics and how old they are, the colors were so vibrant. The only thing that was upsetting was that they didn’t allow any photography but luckily I was able to take two pictures before they told me I couldn’t.

Maria & John by the Steigenberger Hotel in Luxor

Valley of the Kings Entrance (I was lucky enough to take two pictures)

Valley of the Kings (I was lucky enough to take two pictures)

Next stop was the Hatshepsut Temple. This mortuary temple was buried under sand for centuries and was built by Hatshepsut, the only woman to rule and become a Pharaoh. Built into the mountainside, it stands as an incredible monument to the powers held by pharaohs.

Following that tour, we had a second photo stop to see Colossi of Memnon, two massive statues that originally flanked the entrance to Amenhotep III’s mortuary temple. Unfortunately, the temple itself was destroyed in an earthquake; the magnificent statues still stand guard today.

The final stop was the most impressive Luxor Temple complex. The complex was a collection of breathtaking ruins, obelisks, and temples that date back to the 14th century BC.

Suez Canal Transit

November 10, 2011

Today we sailed through the Suez Canal which is also known as The Highway to India. The canal is an artificial sea level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. It took ten years to construct, and it opened in November 1869.

Locals fishing in the Suez Canal and waving at the passengers

Military bridges in case of conflict on the side of the Suez Canal

Outlet pipes pumping water into Suez canal from desert construction of new section of Suez canal

Military soldiers on the side of the Suez Canal

Largest wind farm in Africa at the exit of the Suez Canal

El Ferdan Railway swing Bridge is the longest in the world and it is on the Suez Canal

Sarapeum (Serapeion) – Mosque on bank of Suez Canal

Haifa, Israel – Day 3 – Historical Bethlehem

November 9, 2011

Today we were getting a tour of Bethlehem. We were excited to see the ancient streets and the Church of the Nativity which is the oldest church in the Holy Land which is still being used today. Driving through the Judean Hills and seeing the Valley of Elah, which gets its name from the Elah tree, a type of oak tree that produces turpentine. I’ve read that biblically the valley is known as the area where David fatally wounded the fearsome Philistine warrior Goliath with a stone plucked from the nearby Elah Brook.

We finally arrived in Bethlehem, the birthplace of David and Jesus. We took a tour of the Church of Nativity. We looked through the trap doors on the wooden floor and saw the original mosaic tiled floor below. We also saw the low Door of Humility that prevented anyone from entering the room without bowing, and the grotto, which is supposedly the birth place of Jesus.

The interior of the Church of the Nativity

The mosaic floor in the Church of Nativity

Haifa, Israel – Day 2 – A Day in Jerusalem

November 8, 2011

We drove from Haifa into the Judean Hills to get to our first stop which is Mt. Zion. We arrived at Mt. Zion and visited the Room of the Last Supper, where according to tradition Jesus’ last meal with his disciples and the descent of the Holy Spirit took place. On the ground floor is the Tomb of King David, which is one of the places most visited by the people of Jewish faith. Next up we saw the Dormition Abbey, a beautiful structure with a high domed bell tower.

After getting a bite to eat, we began our walking tour of the old city. Entering Jaffa Gate, we walked past some of the most sacred sites in religious history. We passed by a cool bazaar which was very colorful. We saw the Christian Quarter which is right next to a part of the famous Via Dolorosa, believed to be the route Jesus took as he carried his cross to Calvary. We also saw this golden topped Dome of the Rock. This breathtaking shrine is considered the third holiest site in Islam. One of the wildest things that we saw while walking were these big round metal bins that are used for suspicious packages found.

The next stop on the walking tour was the Western (Wailing) Wall, the holiest site in the Jewish world. We wrote a prayer on the piece of paper and John stuck it in the wall. The wall is believed to have been the closest to where the Holy Ark once stood. We also had the chance to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. High on top of the hill known as Golgotha, the church marks the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.

John putting our prayer into the Western (Wailing) Wall

The doors into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Immovable ladder on ledge over entrance to Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Stone of Anointing where they washed Jesus’ body in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Greek Orthodox Chapel of the Crucifixion

Disc marking traditional place, under the altar, where Jesus’ cross stood.

After boarding our tour bus, we drove to our next stop going through the Kidron Valley. We saw the Church of All Nations at the Gardens of Gethsemane, as well as the sacred churches on the Mount of Olives – the Church of Ascension, Dominos Flevit, and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene. Our tour guide took us to a local store where John and I purchased a gold Jerusalem cross, and a beautiful hand carved Nativity set made from olive wood.

One of the things that I love that Oceania Cruises does in certain ports that we are in they decide to entertain us while boarding the ship, they had a lot of the crew members lined up and were clapping along with music being played by the band that is onboard.

Haifa, Israel – Day 1 – Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee

November 7, 2011

Our second stop on the itinerary was an exciting one and a nerve wracking one. Israel is always on guard because of the threat of terrorism in the Middle East. We were told that we can’t get our passports stamped in Israel because when we get to the other ports on our itinerary they wouldn’t grant us entry. We were given landing cards and a photocopy of our passport. John and I are both religious I am Greek Orthodox and he is Catholic so visiting Jerusalem today is something we both have always wanted to do.

Bahá’í World Centre from top of Mount Carmel

Panoramic view of Haifa from the top of Mount Carmel

It is believed that Jesus lived, preached and performed his miracles in this beautiful place. It might not be exactly where we were but it sure is close. The first stop on tour was the top of Mount Carmel. We had a great panoramic view of Haifa. After taking great pictures of the city, we headed towards Nazareth the place where Jesus spent his early years. We saw the amazing Basilica of the Annunciation, one of Christendom’s most revered shrines and the largest church in the Middle East. The Basilica is built on the same sight where the Archangel Gabriel revealed to Mary that she would be the mother of the Messiah. We were mesmerized by the grotto where Mary had lived. A 170’ high cupola that rises high above the upper church adds to the Basilica’s grandeur that allows the interior to be lit up by natural light.

Next stop was the Church of Joseph, which is built over the chambers that once housed Joseph’s carpentry shop where Jesus worked with him. From here we went on a small walking tour through the colorful bazaar past Mary’s well, a white stone fountain that serves as a shrine commemorating the Virgin Mary.

After boarding our tour bus, we headed through a town called Cana, the place where Jesus performed his first miracle of turning water into wine. Then we moved on to Tabgha, where Jesus later multiplied the loaves and fishes.

Next stop on tour was a trip to Capernaum located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee; this is considered the center of Jesus’ ministry while he was living in the area. We had a chance to see the synagogue with a lovely mosaic floor which was recently discovered.

Our last stop was Yardenit baptismal site where the River Jordan separates from the Sea of Galilee. We were lucky enough to see a few baptisms happening while we were there.

Alphabetic Links of Where We’ve Been