Palm Sunday

The grandest revels require certain locations: Times square for New Year’s, Bourbon Street for Mardi Gras, and Jerusalem for the Palm Sunday procession. While I have never experienced firsthand the former two, I will do my best to describe my latest surprise.

We were invited by a group staying here to go along to Jerusalem for the Palm Sunday procession. I heard it was much like a long parade but the Patriarch would also be present and give a blessing, so I was not sure what to expect. Preparing for what I thought might be a hot afternoon; I asked if I could wear shorts. “Pants would be more appropriate”. So with that response I gauged that it would be an earnest commemoration.



Ohh Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike, haven’t you learned not to assume here yet?

We exited the bus after a two and half hour trip and walked 5 minutes to where the procession would begin. We arrived about 45 minutes early and of course it did not start on time so I had time to people watch. As I absorbed the gathering crowd in the intense midday sun I regretted choosing jeans as my long pants and a dark shirt.



People of all cultures were collecting: Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Polish, French, German, American (other than the usual suspects from the last two groups), and more. I was informed that there would be a great number of people there, but it is one thing to hear about it and another to see the great mass.




The procession began with a handful of local school drum-lines. That’s when I kind of got the idea this would not be what I expected. People fell in behind and with the volunteers from Tabgha I hopped in front of a Philippine group, secretly thinking if they were half as gregarious as our Sisters in Tabgha we would be okay.



They were extremely friendly and encouraging and knew our Sisters. We spent the next 2 and a half hours singing and dancing with them on our way to the church of St. Anne in the Old City of Jerusalem. It was a great time; I think I was smiling for the whole time.

Not one to urge others in bold religious expression I tend to shy away from trying to influence others’ faith. Sometimes it makes me uncomfortable when I feel like people are trying to tell me what is correct to believe or to make me feel obliged to proclaim my faith by what they have for standards of faith in God. I like to go at it in my own accord. None of those tense emotions arose from this celebration. You could sing and dance if you wanted, you could just walk along, or even watch from the side and not feel anxious.




I sang so much; I began to lose my voice by the end of the day. My feet hurt from dancing and walking and I wasn’t smelly or too sweaty by the end of the day but I was drained of energy like after a workout. At the end of the procession when you thought maybe people might be easily irritated because they were so tired all I saw were smiling faces. You could tell the feet were dragging of some of the pilgrims, but the songs kept them positive, even as spaces became cramped in the Old City. You saw people sharing water, creating space to sit or stand, and most important: smiles. I call that proclaiming faith.

I should become a tour guide here...

From the 15th-22nd my brother visited. He’s 5 years my senior and was always a person I tried to emulate growing up so naturally we share many traits. I introduced him to everyone here in Tabgha and immediately everyone made comparisons and saw the resemblances: personalities, jokes, laughs, smiles, etc.



It was good to have him here. He also served in the Benedictine Volunteer Corps, in Newark, NJ. Obviously not too comparable Israel and New Jersey, what we both share with our service is how extremely different our cultures were from what we were raised in. So in a large way we had many of the same challenges with just a different face. He was good to bounce questions off of.

Damascus Gate and the greater Old City of Jerusalem

Whenever the two of us get together we seem to regress back to adolescent feral boys (my parents are wondering how that’s a change for us). We had a lot of fun, some may say too much fun, but even in the moments when it may have been easy to get irritated with the other (mostly him with me on my navigation skills…lack of), we were laughing.

It was almost like a fantasy or some strange dream you have because as a child I would have never foreseen him and I in Israel. There were moments with indescribable views and moods where we were just left enthralled in silence taking it all in.



We are beginning the busy season for guests here in Tabgha, as our first big group just left and now I can’t imagine how fast time is going to fly from here on out. I kind of feel helpless like time is whizzing by me and I can’t grab onto to it to slow it down.

Gethsemane garden

Early Friday morning we had daylight savings. As miscommunication has been my motto this year, our cook Ibrahim said “we get one more”, and un-clarified a couple people thought he meant that you get to sleep an extra hour where he meant you have to add one more hour ahead. It caused for quite some confusion: the bells for mass rang two hours late and as I walked down to my workplace one of the sisters asked, “why are going to work so early?” (thinking it was 6:40am).

Church of All Nations (at Gethsemane)

We had Monday off because Fr. Basilius wanted to take us volunteers out on an excursion somewhere in the Golan Heights and Galilee. We agreed on visiting Katzrin, Gamla, and Hippos. I previously knew nothing about any of them. Katzrin turned out to be a small town to our north very important for industry and manufacturing (I forgot what, yeah really important huh Mike?). While there we watched a precursory movie about Gamla.


It was spouting of pro-Israeli sentiment. It makes me think about how my emotions seem to be on a rollercoaster here because of the all the disheartening events and successes from all variety of inhabitants.



Gamla is a “never say die” story about Jewish people not surrendering to the Romans but ultimately being defeated. The old city used to sit atop a hill, providing defensive advantage, now offering spectacular views around the Golan and Galilee.


We hiked out onto Gamla where it was extremely windy.


It was easy to see how the people fought to hold onto this settlement. A river valley runs along the base, now dried-up, most of the surrounding area still stays green despite the ongoing drought conditions. We sat atop the mountain and let the wind bluster for some time, everyone wearing smiles.

After Gamla we drove south to Hippos.

It is a site of an ancient city that has been used throughout the years, most recently as a barracks for soldiers. From the top of Hippos we were able to see out onto the Sea of Galilee. It was spectacular to see the sun hit the water just right, with almost a divine allure.


The walk up to the site was fenced off from both sides because of mine fields. We joked around about scenarios or funny stories with us walking out into the fields but you still feel a raise in heart rate when you read the warning signs.



As we were walking back from Hippos to the car we came across another tour group, it surprised me because of the out-of-the-way position of Hippos, but we continued to walk. We came over the hill and the Father asked, “Where is the car?” I looked to where I thought we had parked and did not see it. A little nervous and yet finding it funny I asked, “yeah, where is the car?” The Father knew all along it was behind the tour bus but I thought I would still be able to see a little of the car, so I figured it was stolen. Needless to say some laughs were at my expense, nothing unusual.



The great Abbot Primate came for a visit the other day. He is the supreme Benedictine in the world (hence the name) answering only to the pontiff himself. I did not get to talk to him past introductions because we had an Ora and Labora day with a group of seminarians, but I shook his hand. I just wanted to share that with all the monks back at St. John’s especially you Br. Paul, I told him to keep an eye on you. He said you’re on his radar.



Today the veterinarian will come to take away a stray dog that lingers around. Its funny because I have asked the vet to do this a couple times and he called me up a couple days ago and said he will do it today “because he has to give his tranquilizer gun back to the police.” Maybe you have to meet the vet to get a laugh out of it, but if you’ve read the past veterinarian experiences you might understand how comical that is coming from him. He’s also going to check on George. A week ago we took away George’s right to have any more kids. We fit him with a makeshift collar/barrier (a plastic flower pot) to keep him from licking himself and the other day as I was playing with George he whacked me across the nose with it. I have a cut across my nose that looks like I got punched; its karma for not telling George beforehand what he was getting into.

Family visit

Many things have happened since the trip to Jordan. The day before we left for Jordan we were joined by a new volunteer from Germany, Nicole. She is an ambitious young capable addition to our group. She fits in well, as I am sure it can be hard for a female in a community of mainly men.

After returning from Jordan, the paperwork and organization of my new accounting position was a little in shambles and I vowed to myself to never leave for a week again. My mom and aunt, Theresa, just visited for a week and I didn’t touch the office in that period. Guess what happened.

It was great to have family come and visit, first because I miss them, but also to put their fears to rest. I caught the bus from Tabgha to Haifa from where I experienced my first Israeli train ride south down the coast to Tel Aviv. Mistakenly, due to Hebrew speaking attendants and a shorter travel schedule due to sabbath beginning I had to exit the train early hurriedly and left my Nalgene water bottle. I was also a little nervous about having visitors, such as what to show them, our accommodations, and planning of their trip.


I arrived at the airport and took a seat to read and people watch for the remaining time. All my anxieties melted away as I saw my mom come through the arrival gateway. I gave both the women great big hugs and then we proceeded to pick up their rental car.

I drove them back to Tabgha that night doing my best to drive, navigate, and answer their continuous questions. It was great to try to explain facts and opinions to them because it showed me also what I do not fully know.

Lights of Nazareth and the Basilica

On Saturday, with the help of Luna and later Sami (our two gift shop workers), we toured Nazareth. It was my first time here also. I was so glad to have Luna because she did an excellent job of explaining in depth about things that I would have just used a guidebook to explain. As she says, “its her city” and she hast vast knowledge.



A highlight of Nazareth was the Basilica of the Annunciation. The church has a courtyard with dozens of mosaics, paintings, and sculptures of Mary and Jesus crafted by different nations. All of them are unique to the culture from which them came and it is interesting to see different interpretations of the bible. The inside is a grand design also: three stories, a high dome ceiling, and more intricate artwork depicting Mary and/or Jesus.



On Sunday the two ladies and I headed south to Jerusalem where I did my best not to rush them through the grand tour but we were only there for two days. It’s hard to lead a tour through the Old City of Jerusalem because when you walk through market places you get swarmed by merchants or “personal” tour guides. It can be hard to take in everything encompassed with a certain site with someone in your ear trying to persuade you to buy something.

A spice shop in Nazareth

They spoke about how much they enjoyed the sights, people I’ve met, and cultural distinctions (dress, attitude, food, lifestyle, etc.). I think every time we walked somewhere I led the way and was 10 yards in front of them and every so often I would hear giggling from behind me. I could only smile because I think I know how my parents felt on our family vacations when I was younger.



We stopped at Masada and a quick dip in the Dead Sea on the way back on Wednesday. Masada is an ancient city on the top of a mountain/plateau that is largely venerated by the Jewish because it signifies a “you will never take us alive” attitude of Jewish people toward the Romans who came to conquer. The view out onto the Dead Sea is remarkable especially after a rigorous hike up.



We had the choice to take a cable car but these ladies transformed into sherpas and conquered the mountain.



When we were out in the cities I took every chance to point out the military people with firearms more so to show that there is constant vigilance by the government.

One thing I did not think about before they came was how they were going to bring outside opinions. It was really good to hear their point of view on how things are here. I am bias from my time spent here and don’t notice features that others looking in see. I saw them realize how complex the history is of this country and these people and its not so easy to "just get along”. I’d like to know what it was like watching me as I went/still am going through this understanding because I could empathize with their emotions.

Luna with a family she babysat for

We toured the Galilee on Thursday and I showed them a couple of my favorite churches high upon hills and then I took them into the Golan Heights. We went as far north as possible, I was hoping to get a good picture of Mt. Hermon (snow covered peak of southern Syria with slopes in Israel). The country in the Golan is sporadic with land mines from the previous battles and along fences are signs warning you not to enter. It is a miracle that we don’t hear about deaths everyday there because much of the land is also used for vineyards (Golan is known for great wine).

On the horizon were the silhouettes of Syria and Lebanon. It was later in the day so they were dark and it was kind of cold, to me it made the mood somber, especially when we encountered an unmanned artillery gun pointed in the direction of Syria near the border. While the country-side was beautiful: green fields reminding me of what pictures of Scotland I’ve seen, I can’t imagine what goes through the mind of the people inhabiting this area. Not knowing who and when will commandeer you next and having live weaponry to share your everyday life is not something most ordinary citizens would be willing to live with.

We toured the oldest bathhouse in Israel

The next day after helping the ladies pack I nervously saw them off for the airport. It being Friday afternoon I would have no way to return to Tabgha till late the next day because of sabbath and all available workers were needed Saturday morning. I drove the whole time they were here and it can be tricky driving because there are few road signs along the way. They were a bit emotional on their way out which worried me because you need to have your A-game driving here but managed fine.

Cold desert

On our last night in Petra we phoned around to a couple guides in the Wadi Rum area (southern Jordan). Finally getting a hold of one we were given a quote on a price for desert: camping accommodations, camel tours, and transportation to and from the sight. After putting down the phone in the hotel room it immediately rang and it was one of the guides who I could not reach earlier who had my number on his “missed calls”. I told him we had already booked a tour and said sorry we wouldn’t need his help; whereupon he asked me what price I was given and gave us a lower one. My first mistake was talking any further than “hello” with him and my second mistake was then telling my travel partners the new situation and lower prices.



Obviously intrigued they agreed to take this guide instead, so I had to call back to the first one and tell him not to find camels because we would NO LONGER need his help. He asked me what price we got from the other man and told me that people like this other man run scams on tourists, promote child labor, hike up prices, and are not listed in Lonely Planet travel books (like himself), not having a Lonely Planet for Jordan I had to take his word on it, third mistake.

Obviously concerned about many aspects of safety we chose to go with our original quote and with yet another phone call to cancel another trip we were set. Don’t barter on the telephone, it’s a recipe for disaster; all the things the first guide warned us that other guides would do to us, he did (kept money we paid him for national park tickets, used child labor, had higher prices for less).

I by no means measured the value of my trip in money; it was beyond price in what I took away from it. But looking back you always find little things you would have liked to change.



We mounted our camels as they were sitting down and then without spurs or reigns wrestled to stay on them as they stood up. A camel rises methodically from rear to front and this puts you at quite a challenge because of the shift of weight and great incline/decline.



Riding a camel is much like a horse. It is a bit slower of a ride and gait because of the longer strides taken; front and rear legs of the same side move at the same time. It is not as bumpy as a horse, from what I remember, and you let your shoulders roll with the movement giving you the air of a dignitary.



After four hours, 12 kilometers, and three sightseeing stops we arrived at camp. The breaks were needed during the ride as I am not used to saddles. We stopped at a spring named after TE Lawrence, a huge sand dune (which we climbed), and a mountain fissure.


During the ride we were all smiles; laughing at the chance to ride a camel and enjoying even more unbelievable views. My camera really cannot capture the scope a person has out in the desert, the freedom, space, and ability to get lost in thought and reality. I can see how you can get disorientated, as many precipices look alike and the distances between them seem short but are actually quite far.




I felt like I was being guided through a painting. The sky was a beautiful blue with wisps of clouds and something about the air made it seem like the bluffs were on the other side of glass, yet the colors were bold and flowed steadily.



We got to camp and were introduced to the volunteers, accommodations, and facilities. They decline in that order. Let me elucidate.



The people were great, from all over the world with different stories and reasons for doing what they were doing. They were funny, outgoing, and knowledgeable. They are the kind of people that after you talk to them, you want to go out and challenge yourself.





The tents were thick cloth with woven mat floors. Our beds were old mattresses with thick blankets, neither seemed to have been washed in a while. We slept in our clothes not because we needed the extra layer for warmth but for an aesthetic boundary to ease our minds. Early in the morning, still dark out, I was in a deep dream and in my mind I heard a “shake…shake…shake” like a bag of sand or flower seeds being shaken. Immediately I was out of my dream and wide awake, I’m thinking snake. It was pitch black in the tent and I had no light within reach. All I can picture is this humongous cobra rising next to my head ready to strike, I mean I am fearing for my life.



Out of the corner of my mouth I whisper to Johannes and Martin to wake up. Johannes does, and after I beg him to turn on a light we see nothing out of the ordinary. I grab my camera, lights go off, and we lay back down and not even 30 seconds later it happens again. I turn my camera light on and see nothing. Johannes says, “oh its nothing, go to sleep”.


I search, banging my shoes on the woven mat, to no avail and then lie back down. A minute or so passes and all of a sudden Johannes bolts up and turns on his light saying the sound is by him now. I put my arms behind my head, lie on my back, smile, and say “oh its nothing, go to sleep” as he proceeds to bang his shoes on the mat. We didn’t find anything and at breakfast were told that more than likely it was a mouse or an insect.





The camp had a small generator connected to lights in only the most important of places. I failed to familiarize myself with the bathroom before the cover of darkness and after dinner had to use my camera flash in order to navigate. I felt like I was in a horror movie not only because after I took each picture and then looked at the screen to see what lay ahead of me, half expecting a killer or ghost to appear on it, the toilets were rancid and offensive.

Don't let me leave you with a bad image, I loved this trip. It was the anti-Israel and it only helps me gain more of an insight on the differences between cultures and the mind states that continue to separate races, religions, and cultures. Unbelievable.

South to Petra

We caught a mini-bus south to Wadi Musa on Wednesday. It took most of the day and upon being dropped off in the middle of the small town we looked to check ourselves into an inexpensive hotel. We found a gem: with a fountain out front, in-door pool, sauna, massages (didn’t feel the need), TV, and warm showers.

We woke up fairly early Thursday in order to hike around Petra, ancient city (1 mile away). If you are not familiar with Petra off the top of your head, one of its boasts is the Treasury (gets name from an Egyptian Pharaoh storing his treasure here) a large stone carved tomb beautifully captured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

The Treasury

We entered the old city limits just after 8am and headed down a dusty trail lined with rank stables of mules, horses, and camels. Walking by this is the test, because if you can make it by without succumbing to the putrid smell or shelling out your meager stipend (hhhmmm, Br. Paul) for the luxury of hired transport the Siq that awaits you is amazing.



The Siq leaves me rapt with wonder. It is a soaring natural rock hallway, that which turns and winds creating slants and angles that leave you curious and excited to explore what lies next. At times the path is wide enough to accommodate a highway yet the high sides create a cover wide enough that only a person could slip through.

Siq

Along both walls there is a sophisticated canal system (for the time it was built), which flows (down) and hugs the curves. The walls are beautiful in their own right, showing the layers of sedimentation through rich colors and design.

Siq walls

Not knowing the extent of the Siq or the length we had traveled, the end caught me by surprise. We rounded the last turn and through the narrow fracture I could just make out elements of a construction. The corridor ended and opened into a large locale busy with people bartering for rides, taking photographs, sitting and eating/drinking, and walking onward.

Looking back at the end of the Siq

The Treasury was immense in front of me and I was still a good 100 yards away. We walked up to it and with each step the pillars on the front face seemed to grow higher and higher, until they connected with thick stone caps and ledges that led to higher sills which turned into the sharp angles of the roof.

We're hiking

From the Treasury it is about another hour and a half straight hike to the top of another mountain where there is yet another gorgeous stone structure, called the Monastery. It was early in the day and we had planned to spend the whole day in Petra so we sidetracked on one of the many alternate hiking loops.




We began to climb these steep stairs that I’m surprised did not wash off the mountain because of the incline. We hiked to one of the highest points in Petra, used as a sacrificial altar originally. From here we took a breather and looked out onto Jordan; dark brown ribbed cliffs sticking up from a tan floor.



Our hike consisted of many views like this and 4 hours later we reached our goal, the Monastery.

Monastery

We unpacked and ate lunch looking out over Jordan. I wondered if all the people who were selling items along the trail or lived in the area ever got sick of the views, if they were exposed to them so much that the grandeur of it all was lost.



It’s hard to describe the paradoxical feeling atop these mountains. You are like a king sitting on top if this enormous throne looking out at your vast dominion. But you can see other peaks off in the distance at the boundary of your sight and if you were to go to these peaks and look further you would see more peaks again at the boundary of your sight and you realize how small you are and how you cannot possibly match the natural physical magnificence of these landforms.

Ate lunch looking out over this view (it's better without me)

Our feet were dragging by the end of the day and the pool was an oasis in the desert.

Hiking up to the Monastery