2011 - H & A WORLD CRUISE - BETHLEHEM

WE EXIT THE SUEZ CANAL & TURN RIGHT FOR ASHOD IN ISREAL INSTEAD OF ALEXANDRIA IN EGYPT.

SOME PASSENGERS FELT THAT SKIPPING EGYPT IN FAVOUR OF ISRAEL WAS A BIT LIKE JUMPING OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE & WERE APPREHENSIVE FOR THIS & OTHER REASONS ON GOING ASHORE HERE.

BUT WE ARE HERE, SO I AM OFF TO BETHLEHEM VIA ..

.....JERUSALEM.....

THERE WAS A TOUR OFFERED TO THE DEAD SEA, JERUSALEM WITH A GLIMPSE OF BETHLEHEM OR BETHLEHEM WITH A GLIMPSE OF JERUSALEM.

I CHOSE THE LATTER.

LEAVING ASHOD,WE HEAD EAST....

IF THIS EVER WAS DESERT IT IS VERY LUSH NOW. IRRIGATED BY WATER FROM THE JORDAN RIVER WHICH MUST BE JUST A TRICKLE BY NOW.

A RUSSIAN OR GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH...

WE SKIRT JERUSALEM & REACH THE WALL SURROUNDING BETHLEHEM.

BETHLEHEM!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

THERE IS A WALL AROUND BETHLEHEM.

BETHLEHEM!

BIRTH PLACE OF JESUS CHRIST, THAT BETHLEHEM.

I WAS ASTONISHED.

STILL AM ASTONISHED.

OUTSIDE THE WALL WE GO INTO A GIFT SHOP SELLING - NO NEED TO SAY..

I AM IN & OUT IN A FLASH.

OUTSIDE THIS IS A VIEW ACROSS WHAT I PRESUME TO BE BETHLEHEM, WITH WALLS ON EITHER SIDE..

THE WALL IS COVERED WITH GRAFITTI & SLOGANS...

BARBARA - TAKING IN THE VIEW...LOOKS LIKE SHE BOUGHT SOMETHING IN THE GIFT SHOP...

WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCH THE FLOCKS - BY DAY!
...
I KNEW THERE WAS A WALL IN ISRAEL SEPARATING THE ISRAELITES & PALESTINIANS BUT DID NOT REALISE IT IS NOT ONE WALL, BUT SEVERAL, ENCLOSING PALESTINIAN ENCLAVES.

WE SWITCH GUIDES - ISRAELI TO PALESTINIAN. AS WE PASS THROUGH THE WALL, GUARDS WITH MACHINE GUNS GET ON BOARD THE BUS. SOME IDIOT HAD TO BE TOLD NOT TO TAKE THEIR PHOTO.

INSIDE BETHLEHEM NOW.. CHURCHES.. MOSQUES..

THE BELL ON THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY.

SCHOOL PARTIES ALL AROUND.

WE ARE HERDED INTO THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY.

INCHING FORWARD IN THE GLOOM. THEN DOWN A WINDING STAIRCASE INTO THE GROTTO OF THE NATIVITY.
THE ELDERLY EDNA CLUTCHING ON TO ME LIKE A LIMPET.

AND - HERE WE ARE - THE ACTUAL SPOT WHERE, TRADITION HAS IT, CHRIST WAS BORN.

NOT A MANGER IN AN INN - BUT IN A CAVE UNDER A CHURCH.

WE SHUFFLE THROUGH AT ABOUT ONE A MINUTE & UP THE OTHER SIDE..

FOR A BRIEF TALK...

AND INTO THE MORE MODERN, ADJOINING , CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ST. CATHERINE - OF CATHERINE WHEEL FAME, I THINK.

AND OUT INTO THE AIR WHERE I GET A SNACK FROM A STREET VENDOR...SOMETHING SWEET.

THEN WE WEND OUR WAY BACK TO THE GATE IN THE WALL FOR MORE SECURITY CHECKING OUR BUS...& SWITCH GUIDES AGAIN

WE HEAD BACK TOWARDS JERUSALEM...

THESE ARE THE GUYS WITH MACHINE GUNS. ACTUALLY - THE GUY WAS A GIRL....

THE DOME OF THE ROCK....

OLD JERUSALEM...

NEW JERUSALEM

THE GOOD LUCK CAR RENTAL PLACE

AFTER LUNCH WE SIT FOR A SERMON FROM OUR ISRAELI GUIDE NOW, WITH THE MOUNT OF OLIVES BEHIND US.

BACK IN THE BUS FOR A RIDE TO THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE & TWO THOUSAND YEAR OLD OLIVE TREES..

AND INTO THE CHURCH OF ALL NATIONS NEXT DOOR..

& THROUGH THE GARDENS AGAIN TO YET ANOTHER CHURCH..

WE PASS THE PARLIAMENT OF ISREAL - THE KNESSET

ON OUR WAY BACK TO THE COAST OUR GUIDE WAS TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING OR OTHER WHEN SHE BECAME QUITE HYSTERICAL.

NO FILMING!!

NO FILMING!

LITERALLY SCREAMING AT THE PASSENGER IN FRONT OF ME TO PUT HIS CAMERA DOWN..

SHE HAD SEEN HIM FILMING SOME ATTACK HELICOPTERS HEADING IN FORMATION TOWARDS US.

THEY TAKE THEIR SECURITY VERY SERIOUSLY INDEED HERE & I WISHED THAT PASSENGER HAD BEEN ON ANOTHER BUS. TRYING TO GET US ALL ARRESTED OR SHOT

QUITE A DAY & I AM GLAD TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF VISITING HERE.