** 1999 ISRAEL STORY **

ISRAEL - The Story!!

Take the link for overall impressions - dealt with further below - or read the 'Story' here.

I docked at Haifa at 7 am on the morning of Sunday, 24 January 1999, went for a good breakfast in the restaurant of my craft - the Princessa Marissa. I have quite a bit of motoring today, and having collected my passport from the office where it was deposited last night, I entered Israel at about 8 am, got a coach at 8.05am and headed off for Jerusalem.

I was to have a whole day in Israel (enough for a Humanist) - forgetting all this nonsense about it being a 'Holy Land', it was good to see this DIFFERENT Country. I changed no cash into shekels as I had heard that Cyprus and English Pounds were acceptable and less hassle.

I set out southwards along the Mediterranean coastline with Mount Carmel on our left. Haifa was quite big (the third largest in Israel, only Jerusalem and Tel Aviv being larger) and I got a very good briefing on Israel, Mt Carmel, The Crusaders, Caesarea, the significance of Israeli names, the road (Highway 2), the Bedouin villages and houses (in towns as well as deserts), the hebrew language - all from my own bilingual guide. The approach to Tel Aviv was during the rush hour, sometimes with dual-four lane highway and sometimes dual-five-lane!! Traffic was very hectic, sometimes the coach was stationary, but I bypassed Tel Aviv, - thank goodness!!

Tel-Aviv has many satellite cities - and 1 Million out of Israel's 5 Million people live in the Tel-Aviv area. On Highway 1, which now carries on to Jerusalem, I passed the Tel-Aviv Central Station. Just 5 miles from Ben Gurion Airport (at 9.51am) I was passed, overhead, by a large 4-engined propeller-plane. There are many 747s there too!

20Km from Jerusalem at 10.11a.m I see some military vehicles (from their 1947 problems) left by the side of the road as a "memorial". I understand that 1% of their population was killed. Moving onto something more cheerful, the coach had a stop at the "Elvis Inn". This was constructed in the wonderful man's memory too. It really was hot here - and it's still January!! It really was a pleasant stop for cooling down with an ice-cream after a toilet break. I paid for my 'ice' with Sterling currency getting the change in Greek Cypriot currency. Nice! - but I had to wait a long time before this ice-cream shop server returned with the appropriate cash. It was only just accomplished before the coach moved off East, "Ascending to Jerusalem".

This is the HOLY City whether one is a Christian, Jew or Moslem ... they said. It covers the Three Monotheistic religions. Us polytheists and atheists don't seem to be catered for! Just as well really - because it's a horrible Country. (More of that, anon!). I was welcomed to Jerusalem at 10.50 a.m and I noticed the characteristic "white-faced-buildings". Didn't we all?! It has been that way ever since the British Mandate (something to do with General Allenby??)

I passed Bethlehem on the way to Jerusalem (or vice-versa) - and the white stone is known as "Jerusalem Stone". I entered Bethlehem at 11.00a.m. and the first stop must make Christians cringe. It certainly made me cringe. Having been told that there is "not enough time to stop at all the places that one would like", the coach then wasted 40 minutes at a GIFT SHOP. I don't even like ANY gift-shops .... so religious gift-shops are "beyond the pale"!! Such a rotten commercialised dump (well the surrounds were!) but the place was very hygenically clean inside. Back in the coach, the engine was started. That didn't mean that we were leaving!! Far from it.
The guide/courier had to pick up her CUT for bringing the 'victims' here!!
Eventually, the coach left this 'tacky' gift shop at 11.40 and started the REAL tour. The first place, in my recollection, was the Basilica of the Nativity. Correct me if I'm wrong, or misinformed, but wasn't Jesus born in a stable?? This place is a veritable MARBLE PALACE, showing up the 'manger' (more like a rabbit hutch) in very sharp contrast!!
When I exited from there into the persistent rain of the day, I then proceeded to the OLD CITY of Jerusalem for all sorts of sights - like:-
(a)Church of the Holy Sepulcre

(b)Golgotha
(c)Kidron Valley
(d)extensive bazaars
(e)the Wailing Wall


Once at the 'wall' (really heavy rain here!) it was obvious that there was segregation of the 'wailers', not by religion but by gender! Each had an equal length of wall, but there were far fewer men in their half. As the original purpose for the 'wailing' has vanished, some fellow travellers refered to it as the 'WINGEING WALL'! That figures!!

I then made my way back to the coach, through the pouring rain, dried out a bit, and then headed back to Haifa the way that I'd come. I was 81Km from Haifa at 16.43hrs and the coach stopped at a Diamond Factory and 'works'.

Some guides were saying that it's the world's best because "Blah, blah, Blaah...".

"Cobblers", said several of my group, "that's what everyone has to do to conform to,- the ISO Standards!" So for most of us, the place was no 'big deal' - but, at least, the ice-cream and toilets were welcomed!! I departed there at 18.20 for the Port of Haifa and the waiting boat. There, I joined my room-mate CARL in the cabin, wrote some notes - and went for the evening meal.

We were then on our way back to Limassol via an overnight crossing! Back to beautiful friendly Cyprus!!

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS OF ISRAEL

This is one of those Countries that I'll ONLY make a single visit to - for a number of reasons:-

(a) Far too hot
(b) Far too religious!
(c) Far too commercialised (must be even more upsetting to religous visitors)
(b) Far too UNTRUE and unrepresentative of the Christian traditions we've heard about!

Return to Year99 index for more details and visits or

return to Roy's home page for full list of books either finished or under preparation.