Welcome to my Blog

This is my travel blog.

19.5.12

Nazareth & The Sea of Galilee


Hi Everyone!
This is my last travel blog from Israel before returning to Cyprus!

When you ask the average holidaymaker what is their favourite travel destination?  They rarely reply Israel.  After many years of conflict with neighbouring countries, security in Israel is very high; but how does this affect the average traveller and what makes visiting this place so special?
            There are many organised trips to Israel and with a valid passport and a stamped visitor’s visa, tourists rarely encounter any difficulties.  Israel seems keen to promote tourism.  The Israeli tour guides are pleasantly mannered and extremely well informed as they must first pass very stringent examinations to qualify for this type work, which in effect means representing their country and culture to the rest of the world; who may have only experienced it so far, via the news.
           Once inside the country, known as The Holy Land, the atmosphere is peaceful and the sights are stunning.  For those interested in religion, history and the Jewish, Christian and Arabic cultures, this destination is second to none.  I visited the Arabic City of Nazareth and the shores of the Sea of Galilee on Easter Monday, and this was my particular, travel experience.
         Visitors to the busy city of Nazareth may be surprised to find that the downtown area is almost completely Arabic.  A tiny green domed mosque stands next to Nazareth’s most important cultural centre, The Basilica of the Annunciation in the capital’s North district.
         The Basilica was built in 1969 at the site where, according to Roman Catholic tradition, the Annunciation took place.  Inside the church, the lower ground level contains the Grotto of the Annunciation, believed by many Christians to be the remains of the original childhood home of Mary.
          Across the courtyard is the St. Gabriel Church, which was built on a spring called Mary’s well, which is thought to be the spot where the Virgin Mary was visited by the Archangel Gabriel, according to The Greek Orthodox tradition.  If you take a tour inside of this lovely church, the guide will show you around the basement, where Jesus is said to have worked as a carpenter.
          The next stop on the tour was to Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.  Here we visited the house of St. Peter, at which Jesus reportedly stayed, and also the ruin of the Jewish synagogue at which Jesus taught and healed a man who had the spirit of an unclean devil, according to The Gospel of St. Mark.
         At this stage, Auval our tour guide, kindly added an extra visit which was not on the schedule to the Church of the Apostles; a lovely Greek Orthodox Church which was built in 1939 next to the Sea of Galilee.  It is here that Jesus is said to have chosen his twelve apostles.  As it was Easter Monday, many Greek visitors had already congregated in the picnic area outside the church and were busy barbequing and sharing food in a scene reminiscent of Green Monday in Cyprus.
         Our last visit of the day was to the famous Jordan River Baptismal complex at the lake side, which is a popular centre; attracting hundreds of pilgrims from all around the world.  After purchasing a simple white gown, the pilgrims baptised themselves in a specially designed place in the river.  The complex contained showers and changing rooms which were fully equipped to cater for this event, which proved to be a very special experience for many of their visitors.  It also contained a smart restaurant and a well-stocked gift shop.
         As a tourist destination, Israel proved to be an unusual and surprising place.  The scenery was stunning; the beaches beautiful and the shopping fantastic - but very expensive!


The City of Nazareth

St. Gabriel Church

The Basilica of the Annunciation 
The Stunning Stained Glass Window


Jordan River Baptismal 
The Sea of Galilee



4.5.12

The Port of Jaffa

      Hi Everyone!
As you may have noticed, I have added a lot of new buttons which will enable you share my blog with family and friends if you wish to do so.  I have also added the Frequent Flyers option for those who read the blog regularly and wish to be alerted to new posts.  I write this blog in between features for magazines and writing my novels and I cannot always stick to the same date, which may be a little inconvenient.  If you wish to receive a reminder, then you are most welcome to join me and my friends - it would be lovely to see some new faces on the panel!  If you have just popped in for the first time, I do hope you enjoy it and please feel free to post any comments or ask any questions, which I will be pleased to answer if I can!
Best wishes
Sonia x


The Port Of Jaffa

As I continue my travels in Israel, I have moved on to the lovely Port of Jaffa, which has become a popular spot for tourism in recent years.   Jaffa is one of the most ancient cities in the world and is known for its picturesque stone houses and narrow cobbled streets named after the signs of the Zodiac.  Since the nineteen sixties it has become home to many artists, who have relocated from the city area of Tel Aviv, establishing an artist's community with many shops and galleries.  In the hot summer months, the area is a popular venue for festivals and outdoor events.

According to Christianity, Jaffa was named after Japheth, the son of Noah, who built the port after the Flood.  Although, many people believe the name was derived from the Hebrew word ‘Yofi,’ which means beauty.   In the western world, it is often associated with the many oranges orchards of the region.

In the harbour there is the famous Andromeda’s  rock which according to Greek mythology, was the site at which the beautiful young princess was chained (naked), as an offering to the sea monster, Cetus.  Andromeda was rescued by the very dashing Perseus who had just slain the Gorgon, Medusa.  He instantly fell in love with the princess, but at their wedding a vicious quarrel took place between Perseus and Phineus, the uncle to whom Andromeda had been promised in marriage.  At the reception, the unfortunate Phineus was turned to stone at the sight of the slain Gorgons head!  Although the reason why Perseus brought a severed monsters head to his own wedding, remains a mystery.

One of the most notable pieces of sculpture in Jaffa is the Gate of Faith, which is situated in Abrasha Park; the highest point in Jaffa.  The sculpture was commissioned in 1974 by Mordechai Meir and completed in 1977 by artist Daniel  Kafri.  The idea of the sculpture is to symbolise the Jewish resettling of the land and Israeli's right to do so, based upon God’s promise to Abraham.  The gate is the symbol of  the move to the Promised Land.  Passing through the gate is dependent upon fulfilment of the conditions of the covenant; in which the Jewish people promised to obey the Torah and its commandments.  The left column represents Jacob's Dream, and the right, the Sacrifice of Isaac.  The top section forming the arch depicts the Fall of Jericho.

As well as the lovely port, Jaffa is well known for it’s flee markets and streets of antique shops, which make amusing browsing if you have the time.  There are many interesting sights such as The Sea Mosque (the El Bahar Mosque) and the stunning, St. Peters Church, all within easy walking distance from the port and Kedumim Square; which houses an attractive visitors centre with  an archaeological site underneath  it!

If you are considering a trip to Israel, then Jaffa offers plenty of interest for visitors, who are well catered for with a nice range of restaurants, shops and galleries.  Jaffa is part of Tel Aviv and it is only a short journey into the city, which boasts many museums and classic examples of Bauhaus architecture. 



El Bahar Mosque -The Sea Mosque

The Gate of Faith


Andromeda's Rock

Art Gallery in Old Jaffa

Kedumim Square

The Hanging Tree
Zodiac Streets

St. Peter's Church Jaffa