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Wednesday, May 10, 2023

It’s been about five months since our last post. During all of that time we’ve been hunkered down in Las Vegas taking care of some personal business. This week we had an opportunity to do a quick trip and have some fun. One of Deborah’s friends (Peggy) has a sister who is an artist (Phyllis). Phyllis is having a showing of her newest collection of paintings at a gallery in Reno. The opening is tomorrow. We decided to see it for ourselves.

The trip from Las Vegas to Reno is about seven hours by car. You’d think there would be a major roadway between here and there but, sadly, that’s just not the case. For most of the trip we were on Nevada Route 95, which could kindly be called a major highway. It’s a single lane road most of the way that twists and turns through quite a few small towns. In some places it just ends and you have to take really poor quality local roads before it starts up again. Food and fuel are rather scarce but at least the scenery can be quite beautiful.

We had an amusing episode on the way up North. We stopped at an Arco station in the tiny hamlet of Beatty. We didn’t need any gas. We went inside just to use the restrooms. On the way out Deborah picked up a cup of coffee. The cashier smiled and said, “Don’t worry about it”. There was no charge! We were so flabbergasted we’re not sure that we said, “Thank You”.

A good number of the artist’s family and friends were in Reno for the event. We met them at a gourmet pizza place for dinner. The alcohol was flowing and the food was plentiful. I suspect we were rather loud but everyone seemed to have a great time.

We’d actually had two previous encounters with Phyllis. Around 20 years ago Deborah was introduced to Phyllis by her sister Peggy. Through Peggy Deborah got a hold of a photo of a painting that was for sale. Deborah offered to buy it but at the last minute Phyllis decided that it wasn’t good enough to be sold. We learned during dinner this evening that she later touched it up and sold it to someone else. We were a little disappointed.

When we were in Reno in May, 2022, we called Phyllis with the intention of visiting her studio in Lake Tahoe. Unfortunately, it snowed the night before we were to meet. Our little Corolla was no match the conditions. We’d have to wait another year before we’d be able to meet face to face. We’re so glad we finally met.

Thursday, May 11, 2023

The opening was set for 5:00 pm. We decided to fill the day by driving down to Nevada’s State Capitol, Carson City. It was a short drive lasting just over 30 minutes. We parked near a tourist information station and obtained a map of the Kit Carson Trail. The trail takes you through the historic part of Town and notes where some of the more interesting buildings and events took place.

We walked over to the State Capital. The security guard told us we could wander about freely. He called it a self guided tour. We walked from end to end and visited The Governor’s Office, the office of the Supreme Court, The Treasurer’s Office and more. We had fun walking around The Assembly Chamber. We noticed a large portrait of President Lincoln over the Governor’s chair. We learned later what the significance was.

Upstairs there were some more offices and a large room where the legislature originally met. That room now houses a museum containing some really interesting information about Nevada.

One of our favorite tidbits had to do with Nevada becoming the 36th State in 1864. Nevadans approved a State Constitution on September 14, 1864 and mailed it to Washington, DC for ratification. The document was lost in the mail. On October 26, 1864 the entire document was re-sent via telegraph. The message originated in Carson City and went from Salt Lake City to Chicago and on to Philadelphia before arriving in Washington. At the time it was the longest telegram ever sent. It was 175 pages long, contained 16,543 words and cost about $60,000 in today’s money. On October 31, 1864 President Lincoln declared Nevada a State.

Another interesting bit had to do with the now defunct Carson City Mint. It was the only mint that ever used two letters for identification. We later went to one of the many local coin shops to see if they had any “CC” marked coins for sale. The dealer did have a couple but they were not interesting enough to temp us.

Before leaving we walked to the far end of Town to see the Governor’s Mansion. Surprisingly, there didn’t seem to be any security about. We viewed it from across the street and didn’t attempt entry.

On the way back to Reno we stopped at the Chocolate Nugget Candy Factory in New Washoe City. We’d seen an advertisement for the shop along the highway on our way down. It’s a large retail store selling all sorts of chocolates, ice cream, and fudge. They were very generous with the samples. We tried the malted milk balls and several flavors of fudge. We weren’t too impressed with the quality of the chocolate but the fudge was fresh, flavorful, and delicious. In the end we purchased some vanilla cremes, some cherry cremes, some peanut butter fudge, and some chocolate fudge. It turns out that the actual factory is just down the road.

Back at the hotel we changed our clothes and headed over to the gallery. We arrived around 4:30 pm. Phyllis was busy signing copies of a book of her paintings. Guests were milling about and discussing the paintings. There were about 30 works covering the entire gallery. Some were oil on linen and others were gouache or water paintings. Somewhat oddly all of the paintings had been sold before the opening. As the gallery was not air conditioned the interior got warmer and warmer as more and more guests arrived. By 6:30pm we decided it was time to leave.

Friday, May 12, 2023

We left early for the trip back to Las Vegas. My brother and his family were flying into Las Vegas for Mother’s Day. We wanted to be back in time to meet them for dinner. Once again we stopped at the Arco station in Beatty. Once again we used the restroom but this time we purchased some sodas and this time they charged us. We felt like we were giving back.

It was a fairly quick trip but we didn’t feel rushed. We had a great time and finally got to meet Phyllis and enjoy her works in person. Maybe, if we keep in her good graces, we’ll get to buy one of her paintings some day 😉.

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Wednesday, December 14, 2022

We booked a tour of The City of David. Our group consisted of about 15 people. All spoke English except a family from Brazil. The father did a simultaneous translation as we went along. Tickets cost about $17.00 per person. It is less if you wander about by yourself. Credit cards are accepted.

The tour starts out with some background information regarding King David and then moves on to a high viewing platform with views of the surrounding area. From there we talked about how the city was found and why it was built there. Since we were early we heard another tour guide give an explanation of these things and his explanation differed slightly from what our tour guide said. It was interesting to try to piece together a coherent story.

Sometime in the 1860s Sir Charles Warren was commissioned by Queen Victoria to perform Biblical Archeology in Palestine. One story says that he wished to excavate the Temple Mount but the Ottomans would not permit it so he decided to dig nearby instead. Another story says that he realized that there were a bunch of tombs along the bottom of the Kidron Valley. Since cemeteries in ancient times were always outside of the city walls it gave him a clue as to where to explore. In any event he started digging on a hill to the South of the Old City and found The City of David.

King David, who according to the Bible was the third King of Israel, was from the tribe of Benjamin. He decided to build his city in a neutral location to help promote the unification of his people. The location he chose sat astride the Tribes of Benjamin and Judah. Why was this particular location chosen? Because it was situated near the Gihon Spring, which could provide a good supply of water to the city. A fortress was built around the spring to help insure that their water supply would be secure in the future.

Our guide asked us to take a good look around. Then she quoted from the Bible saying that the city was safely located between four mountains. To the North is Mount Moriah (The Temple Mount), to the South is the Mount of Olives, to the East are the Judaean Mountains and to the West is Mount Zion. She said that you couldn’t make this statement if The City of David had been located in the Old City as most people had believed.

The ancient City of David had been utterly destroyed so there wasn’t a lot to see. One of the interior areas was likely the royal quarters. This assumption was based on a capital that was found there. It matched the description of a gift to the King from the kingdom of Assyria.

Outside there were a number of rooms. In one a great deal of ash was found along with dozens of clay seals. This room was likely the administrative center of the complex. The large amount of ashes suggests that the many scrolls stored there were burned. From the seals, which only grew stronger in the flames, we know the names of many of the correspondents. These include names that can be found in the Bible. Another room is supposed to have belonged to a rich person because it contained an indoor toilet. Analysis of the resulting organic material has shed light on the diet and health of the inhabitants.

The rest of the tour revolves once again around the water system. The story goes that the 8th Century BC King Hezekiah was worried about the Assyrians rampaging through Israel. He had a plan to safeguard the city’s water supply and deny water to the attackers. The King had his people divert the water supply into the city by building a tunnel that was 1,748 feet long (almost six football fields in length!). It was a massive undertaking. The tunnel would have to be cut out of solid bedrock. To quicken the pace of the project he had his people start from opposite ends of the tunnel. Without modern machinery or even simple compasses how would the two ends meet? Initially the tunnels were cut as straight as possible. To insure that they would meet up the builders added s-curves near the midpoint. Very simple, very clever, and very effective. The water then collected inside the city’s walls in the Pool of Siloam.

According to the Bible the Assyrians finally did arrive to lay siege to the city. Sometime during the first night an Angel came and killed all 160,000 of them.

For the rest of the tour we descended through a vast system of tunnels below the city. Eventually we came to the tunnels of King Hezekiah. They are still being fed fresh water from the Gihon Spring. We had the option to walk through the wet tunnel or walk through some dry tunnels. Only two of us walked through the wet tunnel.

A sign near the visitor’s center indicated that the water was a constant 69°F and was almost waist high to an adult. The website says that they sell boots but in fact all they had was diver’s shoes. They wouldn’t be much help.

The tunnel is completely dark. The woman in front of me, Cara from Seattle, had a flashlight. I used my iPhone. Initially the water was about thigh high but it quickly came up to almost my waist. The tunnel was also quite narrow. We had to walk sideways at times to get by. I left quite a bit of skin in that tunnel. At times the ceiling was very high and at times I had to duck down for dozens of yards at a time to get through. Most of the time the water was a little more than ankle high. Sloshing through all that water for 1,748 feet was quite tiring. It was like doing water-aerobics with wet pants and wet shoes. The entire way through we were looking for indications where the two tunnels met. We saw several likely places but were never quite sure we located the exact spot. The trek took about 25 minutes. When we finally got to the end our guide, and the rest of our group, were waiting with worried looks. We got a round of applause for our efforts.

The last stop was the Pool of Siloam. Until a few years ago they thought that the pool was in a different location within the city but when a municipal pipe burst the engineers started digging in the area and found the remains of the actual location. Only part of the pool was uncovered because the other part is across the street on a private property owned by a Christian religious order. The entire pool may never be completely uncovered.

Thursday, December 15 2022

We got an early start. We booked a tour that would take us to Masada, Ein Gedi, and The Dead Sea. We met the bus at 7:45 near the Old City. The tour cost $69.00 per person but didn’t include entry to any of the three parks.

The trip was a bust from the start. The bus was 15 minutes late and the air conditioning wasn’t working. I asked the guide if he could turn it up and he replied that it was working. He said, “It’s very hot outside”. After several other people complained he announced that the air conditioner wasn’t working and that they’d try to fix it. In the mean time it was blowing hot air and it was suffocatingly hot inside.

After only 35 minutes the bus stopped at a rest stop for a bio break and snacks. After we got back on the bus it traveled 30 minutes in the wrong direction. It stopped at The Dead Sea and let a single passenger off. That certainly wasn’t on the schedule. We got to Masada substantially later than expected. We had lost over an hour.

Tickets to Masada cost $22.00 per person, which included the use of the cable car. Credit cards are accepted. If you want to save some money you can walk to the top by the ancient Snake Path. The 4,000 foot ascent is said to take only one hour. We saw a ten minute film before boarding the cable car.

Once on top we had an abbreviated tour of the site. Most of our time was spent talking about Herod’s three palaces. In less than 30 minutes we were on our way back down. Once at the bottom our guide announced that we would have a 35 minute break to check out the gift shop and get some snacks. Not happy at all.

The story of Masada is an interesting one and there is a lot (more) for visitors to see. Herod the Great was appointed King of Judea by the Romans in the first Century BC. He wasn’t a popular ruler but is well known for his extensive construction projects including the renovation of the Second Temple and the port of Caesarea.

Herod build several retreats in remote places just in case he needed to hideout in the event of civic uprisings. One of the most well known was located high on an isolated plateau in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea. It was called Masada, which translates as Fortress or Castle. In 66 AD the Jews revolted against their Roman oppressors. By 70 AD the Romans had won. As a punishment they completely destroyed the city of Jerusalem. A group of almost 1,000 Jews escaped to Masada. They were hoping that given their small number and their remote location that the Romans would simply ignore them. They were wrong.

Sometime around 73 or 74 AD the Romans came to Masada. They built camps all around the mountain and even built a wall to insure that the Jews wouldn’t attempt to escape. Assaulting the mountainous retreat was a difficult proposition. Over the course of four months the Romans built a large ramp onto which they placed their siege equipment. The Jews reinforced the targeted gate with large wooden timbers. Once the Romans had their equipment in place the Jews set it on fire. Their plan was working until the wind shifted and instead burned the gate to the city. By nightfall the Romans had broken through. Instead of ransacking the city immediately they decided to get some rest and come back the next day.

During that night the Jews discussed what would be happening in the coming day. They knew that they were vastly outnumbered by the Romans. In all likelihood the survivors would be abused and enslaved. Rather than submit to that they decided to kill themselves and set the fortress ablaze. Each man killed his own family. Ten men were selected to kill the remaining men and then they drew ballots. The “winner” would kill the last nine men and then commit suicide. When the Romans arrived the next day they were shocked to see that all the inhabitants were dead.

After Masada we drove over to Ein Gedi, the largest oasis in the area. The only oases we’ve ever seen were in cartoons. They usually consist of a small pond surrounded by palm trees. This one didn’t look anything like that. Like Masada, Ein Gedi is a National Park. It’s also a very popular weekend activity. Entry cost about $8.25 per person. Credit cards are accepted.

When we entered we saw a typical high desert landscape. There were clumps of trees here and there but most everything was just bleached rock. As we walked along we started to hear the sound of running water. There was a stream far down below. Soon we came to a small pool that was fed by a lovely little waterfall. We stopped and took a bunch of pictures before embarking on one of the fairly rugged trails.

The rather rocky trail ascended up the mountain side. Our trail followed a stream with several small waterfalls. Eventually we came to a series of rather low caves each of which extended about 20 feet. Footing was a little tricky on the wet rocks.

Finally we came to another pool that was fed by a much larger waterfall. This was The King David Waterfall. The water was clean and cool. We took off our shoes and walked over the rocky bottom. We took turns taking selfies near the falls. It was very refreshing. We continued on. The trail looped and we eventually came back to the place where we started.

Our last stop of the day was The Kalia Beach Resort at the Dead Sea. Entry cost about $10.00 per person. This included beach chairs, an umbrella, showers, and towels. Credit cards are accepted. The facility includes a spa specializing in Dead Sea products. At over 1,400 feet below sea level the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth.

The beach is quite a ways from the entry point. In fact there is a lifeguard station that was built in 2002. A signs says that at that time the beach was just 18 feet away. Now it’s several hundred feet away. The Dead Sea is dying. It has been losing massive amounts of water every year. Why is this happening? Increased demand from its main source (The Sea of Galilee) and Climate Change account for the bulk of the problem. If nothing is done the Dead Sea will completely disappear in our lifetimes.

Unlike some we didn’t bring our bathing suits so we just removed our shoes and socks and waded about. Given the receding waters you might expect the beach to be made up mostly of salt crystals – but it’s not. It’s muddy and rocky. In fact, Dead Sea mud is considered to be therapeutic. Most people at the beach roll around in the shallows to cover themselves with mud. It’s very amusing to watch.

After we rinsed ourselves with fresh water we walked back up to the entry area. There were several pubs and a large number of shops selling Dead Sea products. You can buy many different kinds of bath salts, packages of mud, all sorts of creams as well as the usual souvenirs. We had a good time checking things out.

Friday, December 16, 2022

Our last full day in Jerusalem was also a short one. By 2:00 pm the entire city pretty much shuts down. We booked (what we thought) was a tour of the Western Wall Tunnels. It turns out that we booked a VR experience. We attended the short VR film and then went on the tunnel expedition.

The VR experience was actually quite interesting. It relayed a history of the second temple and described the various sections. It was all accompanied by a Virtual Reality presentation. We could spin in our chairs to see different parts of the presentation. The best part was the vivid reproduction of the temple itself. It was quite something to see.

Until the 1967 Six Day War much of Jerusalem was controlled by Jordan. Subsequently The State of Israel has been conducting extensive and ongoing archeological excavations. Given that the Temple Mount is effectively controlled by the Muslims it is not possible to excavate there but excavations elsewhere are possible. The Western Wall that we can see if just a small part of the entire wall that enclosed that side of the temple. Starting in the 1980s a tunnel was built along the base of the wall that extends almost the entire length. The tour takes you down to that tunnel where you can see the foundation stones.

One of the more interesting things to see is Warren’s Gate. Found in 1867 is named after the same archeologist who found The City of David. It was the main entrance to the Old City during the second temple period. During the early Muslim period (638-1099) a synagogue stood there. It was the closest place to the Holy of Holies where Jews could pray during that time period.

Other things of interest included some stones that were partially quarried, an old street from the second temple period, and a large (at the time dry) moat that protected the city.

Our last stop for the day was The Tower of David. It’s a citadel whose roots go back to the Hasmonean Period (the time of the Macabees). It has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries. Walls have been found that date back to the first temple period.

The space is now a museum. When we went most of the interior rooms were closed for renovations. We started by walking down to see some Herodian pools and then ascended to the parapets of the walls. There were a few museum displays around the parapets but it wasn’t clear if we were allowed to do the entire walk. We did the walk. There are great views of all of Jerusalem from every angle. Periodically there were signs that described different phases of Jerusalem’s history. It was actually pretty interesting. The problem was that the path left us off at the opposite end of the city. We probably weren’t supposed to do the entire walk.

We re-entered the museum through the main entrance again. The interior space is all ruins that mostly date from the Byzantine period. One of the buildings was The Kishle. Excavations there found walls from the first temple period, The Herodian period, Ottoman period, and the British period. This building was used as a prison during the Ottoman and British periods. The entire complex was reportedly the site of King Herod’s magnificent palace. No trace of the palace can be seen.

For lunch we stopped at the Mahane Yehuda Market. There was one thing we’ve been dying to try. They make fresh Kunefe at several stands. We got one covered with chocolate, vanilla, and Nutella topped with vanilla ice cream. It was incredibly sweet and was the best one we’ve ever had.

Saturday, December 17, 2022

Necessity caused us to cut our trip to Israel short and cancel the rest of our plans. Today we made preparations for our return back to the United States. We have an 11:15 pm out of Tel-Aviv. About 13 hours later we will land in Miami. After a ten and half hour layover we’ll be on a six hour flight back to Las Vegas. We’re not really looking forward to it.

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Thursday, December 8, 2022

We spent the morning at the market. We need to stock up before the weekend because everything is closed from early Friday afternoon until Saturday evening. We got enough to tide us over for a few days.

We’ve found a wonderful vendor for cheesecake. Often cheesecake can be dry and flavorless. The topping is usually the best part. This cheesecake is soft and creamy and has a wonderful flavor. There’s vanilla and something else that we just can’t put our fingers on. This time we bought a large piece.

Friday, December 9, 2022

There are several museums near our apartment but since it’s Friday they all close at 2:00 pm. We decided to go to The Shrine of the Book. It’s only open for four hours but It’s fairly small and something we could easily manage. To save some time we took the bus.

The Shrine of the Book is actually part of a museum complex that includes The Israel Museum and a large campus with some other things of interest. Our ticket included everything. We qualified for senior tickets that were about $11.50 per person and that included an audio guide. Credit cards are accepted.

As we walked to the Shrine there were several exhibits that were on our audio guide so we stopped to listen. The most interesting was a scale model of the city of Jerusalem at the time of the second temple. That was when the city was at its largest.

The Shrine of the Book, a museum dedicated to The Dead Sea Scrolls, has a very distinctive design. It is all white and in a shape that is meant to resemble the tops of the jars in which the scrolls where found. When you enter you must traverse a long tunnel that is meant to suggest a cave. There are exhibits along the walls – a couple of scroll fragments, pottery, and artifacts from the Essene community that lived near Qumran.

The scrolls, which are about 2,000 years old, are the oldest version of the Bible text ever found. They have been dated from the 2nd Century BC to the first Century AD. Initially three scrolls where found in a cave near Khirbet Qumran in 1947. By 1956 fragments of over 950 scrolls had been discovered. Most were written in the version of Hebrew used during the period of the second temple and some were written in Ancient Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek.

The museum is circular and on three levels. The initial level has displays of texts from different scrolls. Some are biblical, some sectarian, and some apocryphal. There are extensive explanations in several languages including English. The top level displays the book of Isaiah. It is one of the largest and most complete scrolls from the entire collection. Initially the actual scroll was on display but for conservation reasons it has been replaced with a copy. Small portions of the actual scroll can be seen on the initial level. The pages on display rotate. No photography of any sort is permitted within the museum but I managed to get a few decent snaps when no one was looking.

The lower level is dedicated to the Aleppo Codex. Written in the 10th Century AD it contains traditional pronunciation, spelling, punctuation, and cantillation. For many generations it was the standard for the interpretation of law and for subsequent copies. It very closely resembles the version of the Bible that is in use today.

The codex was originally written in Tiberias, near the Western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Subsequently it was taken to Jerusalem, Egypt, and then to Aleppo, Syria. It was smuggled back into Israel in the 1950s. Originally the codex had almost 500 pages but by the time it returned to Jerusalem only 295 had survived.

We walked to the other side of the complex and visited the Israel Museum. It is dedicated almost exclusively to findings within the State of Israel. It starts off with some pre-history and then quickly moves on to the 13th Century BC where we saw a group of coffins with human faces made out of pottery. The museum did not go in strict chronological order.

After seeing a number of interesting artifacts from 6,500 BC found in the Judean Desert, we saw Roman era glass and then displays on ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Mesopotamia. There were some amazing steles with Cuneiform writing and some very colorful Egyptian pieces made from clay and wood.

Next we moved on to the Greek and Roman eras. One of the more interesting things on display was the Ossuary of Caiaphas the High Priest. His palace and family cemetery were both in Jerusalem and have been thoroughly excavated. Another interesting piece was a large limestone block with Greek lettering from Theodotos’s Synagogue. Dated from the 1st Century BC it confirms the existence and use of Synagogue even during the Temple Period.

There was a lovely display of Iranian works from the 12-17th Centuries. They had colorful watercolor based works depicting stories from Arab traditions, mosaic tiles, and a full Mihrab made up of colorful tiles (a Mihrab is usually the most decorated portion of a Mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca).

Hanging on the wall was a large mosaic from the floor of the Synagogue of Rehov. Written in Hewbrew and Aramaic it is the oldest know copy of a Talmudic Text. It dates from the 6th Century AD.,

Saturday, December 10, 2022

In consideration of the fact that the transportation systems are all closed we decided to stay in today.

Sunday, December 11, 2022

We took the day off

Monday, December 12, 2022

A very busy day. We started out by taking the bus to the Tomb of the Virgin. According to Eastern tradition Mary died a natural death and on the third day her body was resurrected. The church over the crypt has been built and destroyed many times over but the crypt below has essentially remained intact.

To enter you descend several flights into a large cave-like structure. Everything is decorated in the Eastern Orthodox style. There are several chapels built into niches around the crypt and near the center is a small stone building that holds a sarcophagus. You must duck down low to get inside. It’s a small shrine. The coffin is empty except for some sand. In 451 a delegation was sent by Emperor Marcian to obtain relics from the tomb. The tomb was empty. Only her shroud had remained. The next year the shroud was sent to Constantinople where it was kept in The Church of Our Lady of Blachernae.

Next door to the church you will find The Grotto of Gethsemane. This is the place where Jesus came with the Apostles after The Last Supper and it is thought to be the place where he had his encounter with Nicodemus. It is where he received a traitor’s kiss from Judas, and where he performed his last miracle, healing the ear of Malchus.

The Grotto is not very large. It measures less than 60×40 feet. A chapel has existed there since the earliest days of Christianity. Possession was given to the Franciscan’s in 1392. In 1757 the Ottomans granted control to the Eastern Orthodox.

Next door to the Grotto is a small garden: The Garden of Gethsemane. Entry is forbidden but you can easily see it through the fence. The garden is populated by a number of ancient olive trees. The name Gethsemane is actually derived from Aramaic and means Oil Press. This is the place that Jesus spent in agony over his fate and prayed before he was arrested.

Next to the garden is the Church of All Nations sometimes referred to as The Basilica of the Agony. It was built in 1924 with funds from 12 different countries on top of a 4th Century Basilica that was built by Emperor Theodosius I in 746 AD. It is in the Byzantine style. In the center, just in front of the main altar, is a large flat rock. It is there that Jesus is said to have prayed before he was arrested.

According to Google the Dominus Flevit Church was just an eight minute walk away. What it failed to mention is that it was a very steep climb and almost halfway up the Mount of Olives. The name Dominus Flevit means The Lord Wept. It is from here that Jesus stopped to admire Jerusalem and prophesied the destruction of the Second Temple.

Along the road you can see a vast Jewish cemetery. The hill has been used as a place of burial since ancient times. Ancient Kings and modern notables, such as former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, are interred there. It is estimated that there may be as many as 150,000 graves. It has always been a popular burial site as Bible prophesy says that the general resurrection will begin from this place.

When we finally got to the church, and caught our breath, we admired the fantastic view. The Old City was clearly in the foreground and the modern city is easily seen behind it. The Dome of the Rock dominates the view and the Temple Mount.

Before you get to the church you can see a small necropolis. It contains numerous small stone ossuaries. It was used from 136 BC to 300 AD.

The church itself is rather small. It’s just one room. There are places on the floor where you can see the original 7th Century Byzantine tiles. The present church dates from 1955. Behind the altar is a large window with a sweeping view of Jerusalem behind it.

After enjoying the view for a while we walked down the hill and then back up to the Lion’s Gate. It was time to do all of the Stations on the Cross in Order. We had several references that we found on the web that showed us the path. We thought it would be easy. It was far from it.

Each of the stations is marked with a small black dome with the station number. The street that runs from the Lion’s Gate is effectively the start of the Via Dolorosa. All of our references told us that the first station was near the gate. It wasn’t. We walked up and down the street several times looking for the black dome but it was nowhere to be found. It turned out to be quite a ways from the gate.

Before we got to the first station we found a small place of veneration near The Church of Saint Anne. Like the church It claims that this is where the Virgin was born. Similar to the church we descended into some caverns where small chapels have been set up. It’s surprising to us how many well known events from history seem to have occurred in multiple locations.

Near Station Two is a small church that you can see through plexiglass doors. It is called Basilica De l’Ecce Homo and sits near the Ecco Homo Arch. It is said that Roman soldiers wagered on Jesus’ clothing on this site.

Before getting to the next station we found another interesting site called The of Holy Monastery of the Praetorium. This is one of several sites that claims it is was where Jesus was held prisoner before he was questioned by Pontius Pilate. We descended into a labyrinth of caves and passages. We saw the cell where Jesus was imprisoned as well as two others where the thieves he was crucified with were said to have been kept.

By this time we had made friends with a family from England. They too were on a quest to find all of the stations. Together, with some difficultly, we found stations three and four. Four is in plain sight. Three is just next to it on a corner and is easy to miss.

At this point the family stopped for some food and we began to follow a tour group that was also hunting the stations. We followed them from stations five through seven. After that they veered off in another direction. Station eight was just a bit further up the road. Station nine was almost impossible to find.

We walked up and down many of the streets that connect to The Church of the Holy Sepulcher many times. We just couldn’t find it. We consulted our guides and they mentioned something about a narrow stairway but we never saw anything of the kind. We asked a number of shopkeepers. All seemed to know but gave wildly different directions.

Eventually we saw another tour group in the area and watched as they turned onto a very small street. We followed them and found the narrow staircase. Eventually we turned onto Saint Helena Street. This was all very promising. They stopped in a square on the back side of the church. The guide spoke for a while and before they moved out I asked him where the ninth station was. He indicated the way we had come. We went back and searched the street for a while before a kind gentleman in a nearby chapel located it for us. It had taken about 45 minutes but we finally found it.

Stations 10-14 are all in the Church of The Holy Sepulcher, which we’d been in many times. For good measure we’d also visited The Garden Tomb just to cover all of our bases. We feel confident that we’ve seen them all.

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Today we just wandered around the old city. We started with the Temple Mount, peeked into several churches, and checked out quite a few of the shops. On the way back we stopped at the Post Office and got our Israeli stamp, bought a bunch of things at the market, and were home in time for lunch.

One of the more interesting things we bought at the market was a spice called Za’atar. It was mixed in with some of the humus that we’d purchased in the supermarket and we immediately fell in love. It’s an Eastern spice mix whose primary ingredients include sesame seeds, dried sumac, and salt. There are usually a few other things thrown in as well. Ours has a good bit of oregano too. We’d originally discovered sumac in a Turkish restaurant in Bulgaria in 2018. We’ve been big fans ever since.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

There are 12 gates into the Temple Mount. 11 of them are exclusively for Muslims. All others need to go through a security checkpoint near The Western Wall. Past the checkpoint you walk up through a wooden bridge that ascends over The Western Wall which lands on to the Temple Mount. It’s a large plateau that is dominated by two large mosques and other Muslim edifices.

The Dome of the Rock, with its huge golden dome, dominates the highest point. It was built in 690 AD and sits on the site of the second Jewish Temple. It is the oldest surviving work of Islamic Architecture. In the center of the building you can find the “Foundation Stone”. It is reputed to be the place where God created the world, where he created the first man (Adam), and where Abraham attempted to sacrifice his son Isaac. The Stone is said to be the site from which Muhammad ascended to heaven. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Traditionally all visitors were welcome in the Mosque but since 2000 that is no longer the case. According to one shop owner I spoke to this was a purely political decision. It allows the Muslim population to assert their control over the area. It’s really a shame.

Just to the East of the Mosque is a small structure known as the The Dome of the Chain. Like the Dome of the Rock it is octagonal and covered in Mosaic tiles. Unlike the mosque, the sides are open and anyone can enter into it. Scholars are not sure exactly what its purpose was but it appears to be a small prayer chapel. It was built just one year after the Mosque.

Just down the hill you will find The Purification Fountain. It’s a circular structure pool with chairs situated on its perimeter. Muslims would have used this facility to wash their feet and purify themselves before entering the mosque.

Further along you will find another large building called The Al-Aqsa Mosque. Built in the 7-8th Centuries AD it is much larger and can accommodate up to 5,000 worshipers. We were not able to enter this mosque either.

The Temple Mount is the highest point in Jerusalem. The vantage point affords great views of the surrounding countryside including the Mount of Olives. We walked the entire perimeter. There are several groves of ancient olive trees on the East side. Almost the entire North side is used to house schools for Muslim children. At 10:30 am we were ushered out of the area because prayers would soon be starting. Non-Muslims are permitted access to the Temple Mount from 7:30-10:30 am and again from 1:30-2:30 pm only. We exited through the Lion’s Gate and made our way to our next destination: The Church of Saint Anne.

Near the entrance to the complex is a small ticket booth. It was unmanned. No one was charged admission. You pass a small garden before reaching the church. The small Gothic style church was erected in the early part of the 12th Century near the site of some ancient ruins. While we were there several different tour groups decided to sing hymns in multi-part harmony. The sound echoed throughout the nave. It was magnificent. The church itself was mostly bare stone walls with very little decoration. There is a crypt downstairs that leads to a grotto which is believed to be the birthplace of the Virgin Mary. There is an altar there that is dedicated to her.

On the other side of the church there are ruins. During the Roman period there was a shrine to the healing cults. A Byzantine basilica was built over the shrine in the 5th Century AD. Several pools were located there. According to John: 5 this is reportedly the site where Jesus miraculously cured a man who had been crippled for 38 years.

On our way back to the Damascus Gate we stopped by a place called Jarfar’s Confections. They have been selling knafeh, baklava, and such for over 60 years. We’ve always seen knafeh made in small, individual rounds. They made them in a huge pan. When you order one they cut a piece and cover it in syrup before serving it up. Unfortunately, it was rather plain. It lacked any cinnamon, nutmeg, or any other spices.

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

In the morning we visited The Garden Tomb. It’s near the Damascus Gate just outside of the Old City walls. There is a ticket booth when you get there. When they saw that it was just the two of us they handed us an informational pamphlet, allowed us to enter for free, and told us that if we could find an English language tour we should feel free to join in. We did exactly that.

Previously we visited The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is considered by many to be the place where Jesus was buried and from where he was resurrected. Others believe that those events actually occurred in The Garden Tomb. Our guide did his best to make the case that it was actually the latter. His rationale went something like this…

• The burial site was supposed to be outside the city walls. The Garden Tomb certainly is. At the time in question The Church of the Holy Sepulchre would have been outside the walls.
• The site was supposed to be in a garden. Excavations found an ancient wine press from the period in question indicating the presence of a vineyard at least.
• Romans normally crucified people along major roads. The road from Jerusalem to Damascus runs alongside the garden.
• The chamber Jesus was laid in was said to be on the right side of the tomb. The tomb has several chambers on the right side.

Afterwards we returned to The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Our friend Jennifer needed some pictures of the lower levels for her website. I took detailed pictures of everything I could find.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Monday, November 28, 2022

We walked over to the famed Machaneh Yehudah Market. It’s a well known outdoor market that is frequented by locals and tourists alike. It sits directly between our apartment and the old city. Given that it’s about 1.2 miles from the Old City it’s probably not visited by people on formal tours and we’ve never seen tourist buses there. It’s much larger than the markets we’d enjoyed in Italy and has a vast array of things to buy and see.

The first thing we did was take a lap around the entire thing. There’s the market proper. It’s a very long row of stalls in a covered building with many spurs. Then there’s the surrounding streets which are not technically part of the market but effectively extend the market for several blocks. It’s a lot to take in. People are selling breads, pastries, sandwiches, fruit, cheese, candy, halva, tahini, tea, spices, fish, meat, prepared foods, and so much more. What makes it even more fun is that you have both Israeli and Arab specialty shops. You know what we’ve never seen: bagels. They just don’t make them here.

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

We took the day off. We’re going to be in Jerusalem for two months. There’s no point in killing ourselves – yet. Besides, we needed time to eat all of the stuff we bought at the market yesterday.

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

We got an early start and headed directly for The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There are a lot of things to see there and we had yet to see The Tomb of Jesus. The church opens at 4:00 am. We got there around 7:45 am. Surely we’d get there before the rush. WRONG! There were two huge tour groups waiting in line. Apparently the tomb doesn’t open until 8:00 am. By 8:30 am we’d seen the tomb. Here’s a little about the church.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is one of the most sacred places in the world for Christians. It was built by Saint Helena and was consecrated in 335 AD. Helena, the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine The Great, traveled to the Middle East in search of information and relics regarding the life of Jesus. Because her expeditions were soon after his life her findings are considered to have high regard. The church, mostly in the Eastern Orthodox / Byzantine style, encompasses many of the last stations of the cross.

To the right is a steep set of stairs that goes up to Calvary or Golgotha. This is said to be the actual hilltop where Jesus was crucified. Off to the right side is the so-called “Undressing Room” sometimes referred to as “The Division of Robes”. A small chapel has been built in that room. Entry is not permitted. This corresponds to the Tenth Station of the Cross.

This area is also where Jesus was nailed to the cross (Station 11). In the back of the room there is a hole in the rock where his cross was placed. He died on the cross (Station 12). Back downstairs near the entry there is a large slab known as The Anointing Stone or Stone of Unction. This is the place where Jesus’ body was prepared for burial (Station 13).

Finally, there is the tomb. To the left of the Anointing Stone is a rotunda which contains an Aedicule (Shrine). There are often long lines of people waiting to enter. There is an anti-chamber which contains a fragment of “The Angel’s Stone”, believed to be a portion of the slab that covered the tomb. In the back is the actual tomb (Station 14). As is typical for us we did the stations backwards. It just gives us an excuse to come back on another day and start from number one.

Given the relevance to all Christian sects the administration of the church and its relics has not been without controversy. In 1757 the Ottomans helped create the “Status Quo” agreement which established The Roman Catholics, The Greek Orthodox, and the Armenian Apostolic churches as the primary custodians. In the 19th Century the Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syriac Orthodox churches were given lesser responsibilities. As far back as 1192 control of the main entrance was given to the Muslims to help avoid conflicts. It remains that way to this very day. There are still disagreements about which sect owns which rooms and who controls which shrines, etc., but the church seems to run fairly smoothly in spite of it all.

On the other side of the city we found The Tomb of King David. According to “Medieval Tradition”, it was on this site on Mount Zion where he was buried. Today no evidence of his tomb exists. There are several large, rooms with vaulted ceilings and a plaque. In the back is a small synagog where Jews can pray and hold services.

Next we returned to the room of The Last Supper. Last time we were there it was very crowded and we didn’t get any decent pictures. The place, also known as The Cenacle, is on the floor above King David’s Tomb. The original building was probably a synagog from the early 300s. It was later turned into a church and was expanded by the Crusaders. When the Ottomans took over they turned the building into a Mosque and added a Minaret. It still retains its Muslim character. It’s just a large, empty room with vaulted ceilings. There is nothing of import to see. It’s just an interesting place to visit.

Nearby is the Dormition Abbey. It is said to be the place where Mary, the mother of Jesus, died. Later traditions assert that she ascended to heaven. We tried to enter but the church was closed for construction. One of the workers told me that it would be at least two months before it opens again.

Our last stop for the day was Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu. According to tradition, during The Last Supper, Jesus told Peter that he would deny him three times before the cock crowed the next day. This church is reportedly the site where that prediction came true. Given that it may not surprise you to lean that Gallicantu translates from the Latin into “Cockcrow”.

The church is easy to see but it is outside of the old city’s walls. I put the address into Google and we were off. We went out the Zion Gate and followed a switchback road down the hill. The road was a dead end. I checked the map and there was no way to get to the church from where we were so we went all the way back up the hill. We were pretty annoyed. Back on top we were inspecting the map trying to figure out a way when we realized that there was a sign just outside the Zion Gate indicating a small road as the way to go. We were even MORE annoyed. To add insult to injury we were charged 10₪ (about $3.00) per person to enter. Cash only.

A shrine was erected on this spot in 457 AD but was later destroyed in 1010 AD. It was rebuilt by the crusaders in 1102 AD and was again destroyed in 1187. The current version dates from 1937. The interior nods to the Byzantine but is thoroughly modern. There is a lovely cross on the ceiling made of stained glass windows. Downstairs is another, smaller chapel in similar style. Further below you will find “The Sacred Pit”. This is believed to be the place, near Caiaphas’ palace, where Jesus was kept overnight while awaiting trial by the Sanhedren.

Outside the church are quite a few ancient ruins. There is a remnant of a Jewish Mill and the Tomb of Stephanos, who built the first church for Empress Eudokia. A set of stairs has been excavated referred to as, “The Holy Stairs”. It is thought that Jesus climbed them when being brought from Gethsemane to Caiaphas’ palace.

A HUGE shout out to our friend Jennifer Sands who has enthusiastically given us so much help. Jennifer runs her own tours to The Holy Land and has the inside dope on everything here. She mentioned to us that Israel has always been a little pricey but COVID hit the tourist industry very hard. As a consequence prices have gotten a little out of control.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Friday, November 25, 2022

We got up very early to make an 7:50 am flight out of Malta; it took about an hour to get to Rome, where we had a 1.5 hour layover, before boarding a 3.5 hour flight to Ben-Gurion Airport. That’s when the trouble started.

We had intended to take the train from the airport to Jerusalem’s Central Station. From there is was just a four minute walk to our place. The problem was the Sabbath. Apparently, everything closes in Israel starting Friday night and doesn’t open again until Saturday night. This includes the trains, buses, restaurants, grocery stores, etc, etc, etc. The only option was a very expensive cab ride. In for penny…

We settled in without issue. According to Google there were a few grocery stores open so we went out to in search of them. Then it started to rain…it didn’t really rain…it poured. It was cold and damp. So much for being in the desert.

We walked about for many miles. None of the places we sought out were open. Damn you Google. We did manage to find two Asian groceries but they had nothing that we’d consider edible. By now it was well past dinner time. Cold and wet we did the unthinkable. We went into a McDonald’s. We intended to eat dinner and then bring some things back to the apartment for Saturday. The menu was similar to what you’d find in the US. We ordered two sandwiches, one small soda, and one small fries. It cost over $25.00 and it was really bad. So much for getting food to take home. We decided to head back to our apartment and deal with it all tomorrow. It was a pretty miserable start to our Israeli adventure.

Saturday, November 26, 2022

Deborah found a blog that mentioned some restaurants that were open on Saturday. We headed out to one of them for breakfast. Food in Israel is ridiculously expensive. Two pastries, a coffee, and a tea cost us $20.00. The currency is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS) and there about 3.4 to the dollar (the New Shekel replaced the hyper-inflated Shekel in 1986 at a rate of 1,000 to 1).

After breakfast we headed into the Old City. We wanted to have a look around. We scheduled a walking tour for tomorrow but still thought it might be fun to get a start with things. Immediately upon entering the Jaffa Gate we were inundated by people trying to entice us with their wares. They were Arabs. It was completely expected. We walked through the labyrinth of the Arab Market. It was so much fun. In addition to the souvenir shops there were plenty of storefronts selling Eastern style candies, spices, and foods. Everyone wanted to be our friend.

Eventually we decided to go visit the Western Wall. When we got there Deborah and I had to split because there are separate sections for the men and the women. Off to the left side was a large cave. When I went in they were preparing for the afternoon prayers. I was invited to stay and participate but I declined. Taking pictures near The Wall is discouraged on the Sabbath. We’ll be back.

Back in the Arab Market we found a small shop that made knafeh. He proudly told us that he took the shop over from his grandfather and that he made the cheese filling himself. He showed us the uncovered version for our approval before taking it to the front of the shop where he cooked it over an open wood fire. Deborah had tea and I had Arab coffee. I was told that it was not the same as Turkish coffee and, although it seemed to be prepared and served in the same manner, it tasted different. He said that Turkish coffee is boiled but Arab coffee is cooked. In any event it was very enjoyable. It cost about $15.00.

We continued walking around the Arab Market and stumbled onto Via Doloroso. We both remarked that the name was somehow familiar and then lighting struck as soon as we saw it: The Fifth Station of the Cross. The street was famous for containing a number of the Stations of the Cross. We continued up the street and saw several more. We intend to do the entire circuit on another day.

When we went out of the market we were near The Church of Saint John the Baptist. We tried to get in but couldn’t find the entrance. One of the shop keepers told us it was closed until tomorrow. Then we headed to The Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This church dates from the 4th Century AD. It is thought to be the location of Jesus’ tomb and is thought to be the place where he was crucified.

The church was a madhouse. We wandered about and saw what was to be seen. There was a long line to enter the structure where the tomb was and we weren’t able to get upstairs where he was crucified. We’ll go back early on another day and try again – hopefully before there is a huge crowd. Note: The last several stations of the cross are within this very church.

Just outside the church a shopkeeper told Deborah that he had lovely scarves for just $2.00. Women are required to have their heads covered when they go into the Mosques and Deborah said she needed a new one. Of course, he showed her some lovely cashmere scarves that were handmade by his Bedouin family. (He asked Deborah, “Do you know who the Bedouins are? The people who live in the desert with the camels.” We found him amusing.) He wanted 400 NIS for them (about $117.00). Since Deborah already had one and had no intention of paying anywhere near that for a scarf she politely declined. He told her that he really liked her and wanted her to have it. He would sell it to her for what it cost his family to make it: 250 NIS (about $75). She asked about the other, machine made, silk scarves. He dissembled and continued to push the handmade one. He lowered his price to 200, then 150, and finally 100 NIS. At that price she just couldn’t refuse. In the end it cost less than $30. She probably overpaid 😎.

We had some dinner at a cafe nearby. We ordered a falafel plate, which came with a cabbage salad, an Israeli salad, fries, and two pita. We intended to share it. To wash it down we each had a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. It was absolutely delicious and plenty for the two of us. It cost about $35.00. I’m not sure we can afford to spend three months in this country.

Sunday, November 27, 2022

We took the free tour this morning. We met at the Jaffa Gate and wandered around almost the entire old city. We could have gone to the Temple Mount but after three hours we decided to opt for lunch instead. We can go there another time.

One of the first things we saw was The Church of the Holy Sepulcher. He took us inside and answered a lot of the questions we had. We’re going to revisit all of the sites we saw today and will report back in more detail.

For lunch we shared a Shawarma in a pita in the Arab Market. It was quite tasty. After that we finally got to stop into a grocery store. It was a little challenging because so many of the labels are exclusively in Hebrew, but we managed to get everything that was on our list.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

We took the public bus to the town of Tarxien. It’s on the other side of the Harbor and not too far from The Three Cities. Today’s objective was to see the ancient, Megalithic, Tarxien Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The site, which was included in our combination ticket from the other site, includes four structures built between 3,600 and 2,500 BC. They were discovered in 1917 when farmers found something unusual when trying to plow a field. The people who built these temples probably came over from Sicily about 5,000 years ago and over the next 1,000 years built more than 30 temples in Malta.

The entire open-air site has been covered to prevent further decay. Automated stations monitor the conditions and report to a central location. The first, and oldest temple, is little more than an outline on the ground. Three other temples can easily be seen. They are outlined with large, megalithic stones. Any relics found have subsequently been moved to the museum of archeology. In fact, we saw quite a few of them days ago during our visit there.

Originally the site was probably used for rituals and animal sacrifices. By the Bronze Age it was used as a cemetery for cremated remains. During Roman times the area was used for farming.

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

It was a day off. Nothing much else happened.

Thursday, November 24, 2022

Our last day in town. We toured the mansion that was built in 1580. It has been the home of Noble families who have been members of the Order of Saint John. The present family acquired the property about 150 years when they swapped the owners for another property. You can wander about the mansion by yourself but we went on a guided tour. The cost was €9.50 per person. Credit cards are accepted.

We started off in the garden in the back waiting for the tour to begin. While waiting we enjoyed the fountain whose basin contained several large turtles. To the side was a large parrot named Kiki. He was friendly enough but didn’t have much to say. In the middle of the garden was a set of stairs that led to a World War II bomb shelter. There were open spaces at three different levels. One of the smaller spaces was exclusively for the family and the larger spaces, which were accessed through tunnels to the side of the property, were for the general public.

We toured most of the ground floor level of the house. The family still lives in the upper two floors and has been known to occasionally use the downstairs even when tours are happening. As is typical in great houses there were paintings of the family throughout many generations, there was a chapel, a very fine art collection that spanned the Renaissance to the modern, and all sorts of memorabilia.

The family is distantly related to the royal family of England. There were pictures of Princess Elizabeth from the time she lived in Malta, and there were framed invitations from the Coronation of King George VI, and Elizabeth II. The family attended both. They had commemorative stools from both occasions which apparently can be purchased for £1 for attendees.

Another room contained several family trees and the coat of arms of all of the ancestors. The guide was very well informed and knew everything about the family and the house. We learned that the present owner and his son are both Knights of the Order of Saint John. It was money well spent.

We’ve found that a week is usually enough time to fully explore a city. In this case, we had just over a week to explore an entire country. We certainly covered the highlights but given time there is a lot more to see, do, and learn about. Given that the islands have been under English rule for almost 200 years, and English is one of the official languages, it’s surprising to us that the primary language for natives is Maltese. Yes, everyone speaks and understands English but they tend to speak it somewhat haltingly, with a thick accent, and with less than perfect grammar. Certainly, the foods have been heavily influenced by the English but also by the Arabs and the Italians. It’s a very interesting place with a very colorful history.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Sunday, November 20, 2022

We started the day by taking the water taxi across The Grand Harbor. Our plan was to visit “The Three Cities”. Taxi costs just €2.80 per person each way. Credit cards are accepted. The three cities all seem to have alternate names so things can get a little confusing. There is Cospicua which is also called Bormla, Birgu referred to as Vittoriosa, and Senglea aka Isla. The ferry landed in the city of Cospicua (maybe it was Bormla, we’ll never know for sure 😎).

We walked over to the Immaculate Conception Church and hoped that a service wouldn’t be in progress. One had just ended. It was a typical Baroque church with lovely decorations. What was somewhat unique is that there were heavy velvet drapery separating the chapels and huge crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. It made an impression. As we were walking around the lights started turning off. It was a sign that we wouldn’t have a lot of time. We took our pictures and left.

A few blocks away we stopped to see Saint Helen’s Gate. It was listed as one of those things you just have to see. Well, we saw it. It was a typical city gate with two arches for cars and one in the middle for pedestrians. It also had several large coats of arms.

Afterwards we walked over to another islet to Fort Saint Angelo in the city of Birgu. Like it’s cousin, Fort Saint Elmo, it was built by the Knights in the mid 16th Century and was instrumental in repelling the Turks during the Siege of Malta in 1565. It’s likely that there have been fortifications on this site even before recorded history. Churches have been known to exist on the site dating from the 7th Century AD.

In 1912 the British Navy assumed control and treated the fort as a stone frigate. They renamed it HMS Egmont and always had an actual ship tethered to the fort to complete the illusion. The new name angered the locals so in 1933, when it became the base for the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean, it was again renamed to HMS Saint Angelo. Today the base provides a place to get fantastic views of the harbor and of Valletta. There is also a museum telling the history of the fort with emphasis on the time of the Knights and World War II. We had purchased a combination ticket to the fort which included The Inquisitor’s Palace and the Tarxien Temple. The cost was €9.00 per person. Credit cards were accepted.

On our way to The Inquisitor’s Palace we found an interesting restaurant for lunch. It had such a nice menu that we had trouble deciding. Finally we ordered ziti with smoked salmon and fish & chips. The portions were enormous. The pasta came with a white/cheese sauce. I would have said that the salmon was baked instead of smoked. In any event there was a lot of it and it was really fresh and tasty. The fish & chips were made from fresh fish and came with a Mediterranean salad and French fries. I don’t know how but we managed to eat it all.

Although there were previous forms of official punishment (also called Inquisitions) the Roman Inquisition was setup in 1542 by Pope Paul III as a bulwark against the Protestant Reformation. Emissaries were sent to just about every country to preside over these proceedings. The Inquisition officially started in Malta in 1561 with the appointment of Mgr Pietro Dusina.

The Inquisitor’s Palace here in Malta is one of the few remaining examples in Europe. It was originally built as a courthouse but was abandonned when the Knights moved the capital to Valletta. Subsequently it was offered to the The Inquisitor as his residence. A long line of Inquisitors expanded and upgraded the mansion. Many of them brought their own collections of art when they came. The upper floors resemble a typical ecclesiastic palace with a private chapel, fancy furniture, and beautiful works of art. The museum also contains quite a bit of information on people who were subjected to the Inquisition. Great lengths are taken to convey that the Maltese Inquisition was not nearly as harsh as some of the others – notably the Spanish Inquisition. It is, however, acknowledged that some people were tortured and a few were executed. Quite a few were jailed for years without convictions only to be let go without explanation.

The basement floors were for prisoners. We saw a number of small stone cells that would have held numerous people. The walls had carvings etched in them as a way to help the prisoners pass the time. Many of them produced calendars to count the days of their incarceration. Also on display was a primitive communal toilet that prisoners could use only when escorted by the jailer. There was also an interrogation room where prisoners would be questioned and possibly tortured. Torture was never used as a punishment; it was always used as an inducement to confess sins or report on others.

Our final stop of the day was at Our Lady of Victories Church in Senglea. Our path took us to The Fortifications of Senglea, a high Medieval wall that would have protected the town from invaders. When we arrived the church was closed. We took a few pictures of the outside and headed back to the ferry. We’d managed to visit all three cities.

Monday, November 21, 2022

The city of Mdina, the ancient capital of Malta, owes its roots to the 8th Century BC when it was settled by the Phoenicians. At that time it was called Maleth. When the Romans conquered the area the name was changed to Melite. Later, under the rule of the Arabs, it was given its present name – a name derived from the Arab word ‘medina’, referring to a walled city. When the Knights came in 1530 Birgu was made the administrative center. Later, when Valletta was built, it was designated at the country’s capital.

During our last trip we had a lot of fun tracking down places where Game of Thrones had been filmed. Many of those places were in Croatia. It has just come to our attention that the first season was actually filmed in Malta. We saw some of those places yesterday when we visited The Three Cities. Today we’re going to find some more.

We took the public bus to Mdina. It dropped us off just a couple of blocks from the citadel. Tickets cost €2.00 per person each way. Single tickets are normally purchased directly from the driver. According to what we read exact change is necessary because the drivers will not make change. We had a happy surprise: the busses take credit cards.

There is a narrow path that leads to the main gate and the entrance to the Medieval city. That gate was used as background in Game of Thrones. We crossed the threshold and started walking the streets. It was absolutely charming. It’s a real, live Medieval town come to life with stone streets, narrow winding alleys, and all sorts of charm. We were surprised to see that a number of buildings were private homes where people live. Imagine living in a genuine Medieval town?! Of course, many of the homes have been turned into storefronts, shops, and restaurants that cater to tourists.

We walked around for a bit and found an overlook near the far wall. There was a great view of the countryside. We ran into a shop called, “The Maltese Falcon”. Naturally we had to go in. There weren’t any falcons but there was a lot of very pretty jewelry. Then we went looking for Pjazza Mesquita. This was another place featured on GOT. It was the home of Petyr Baelish’s brothel and the place where Jaime Lannister stabbed Ned Stark in the leg. We took lots of pictures. Now, back to our regularly scheduled program: churches.

We purchased a ticket to see Saint Paul’s Cathedral. €8.00 a piece allowed us to see the Cathedral and tour the associated museum. Credit cards are accepted. We were encouraged to start with the museum.

We’ve seen bunches of church museums / treasuries so we weren’t expecting much. This one fooled us. It was rather large and had some very interesting displays. The first thing we saw was a series of 15 rather tall sculptures of saints made almost entirely out of silver. They had been produced in Rome between 1741 and 1743 for the Order. During the French invasion of 1798 they, along with many other church artifacts, were stolen with the intention of melting them down to pay the French soldiers. The church paid a large ransom to get them back.

Another display had the oldest bell in Malta. Dating from 1370 it was removed from its tower after the earthquake of 1693 (the one that destroyed Catania in Sicily). It is said that Medieval bells such as this were produced using an obsolete casting method and have a sound that is quite distinct from what we are used to. We didn’t get an opportunity to hear it.

Another usual thing to see was two sets of Capodimonte figures depicting mythological scenes. In spite of being all white they were quite elegant. One of the largest rooms, which had gorgeous marble tiled floors, held a large number of Medieval paintings and polyptychs. They were in excellent condition. Lastly, there was a large collection of paintings from the 18th-20th Century including religious, mythological, and secular themes.

The last section held a collection of prints by Albrecht Durer (1471-1528). There was a series of wood block prints and a series of copperplate prints totalling about 50 works in all. They had been donated by a single individual in 1833 with the proviso that they be exhibited in a museum.

It was an impressive museum.

Of course, we saw the church next. It, too, was impressive. Designed as a Latin cross style it was decorated in the Baroque style. All of the works were documented. The floor tiles were large inlaid blocks of polychrome marble. Some had actual burials and some were just memorials. This church replaced a smaller one that was destroyed by the earthquake. The heavily carved wooden door leading to the Sacristy was one of the few pieces that survived the disaster.

We found a nice little cafe just outside of the citadel. They had something we’ve been looking for since we came to Malta: lampuki pie. We got some – and some pasta with ricotta cheese. The pasta was nothing special but the pie was unbelievably good. It’s a traditional Maltese dish made with Mahi Mahi. This one had potatoes, onions, and capers. We shared a piece of lemon mouse cake for dessert. Yum!

When we took the walking tour our guide had shown us a traditional Maltese clock. It was gorgeous. They are made of wood, have painted dials, and are embellished with 24 gold leaf. I asked her where we could buy one. She said that normally you can only buy them as antiques but that there was someone in Mdina that still made them. We found that shop.

The shop both makes new and restores old clocks. They had samples of both for us to see. We were impressed. If we’d had a house we certainly would have ordered one. Maybe we will anyway because there is an 18 month wait to get one.

We walked on for a bit and crossed in to the neighboring town of Rabat and headed for Saint Paul’s (another church with the same name). This church was built over the grotto where Saint Paul reportedly lived and preached for three months. When we got there the church was closed. We could have purchased tickets to see the grotto and catacombs but declined the opportunity.

Now we had another GOT site to find: Saint Dominic’s Priory. Several scenes were shot in a garden there. When we arrived the church was closed. Off to the right, behind a locked fence, we could see a small, overgrown garden. We snapped some pictures but wasn’t sure it was the right place. Walking back past the entrance of the church we noticed an open door by the priory. We went in. There was a desk where a greeter might have been but it was unattended. Beyond was a cloister. It looked familiar. As quickly and quietly as we could we walked the perimeter and snapped a bunch of pictures. This was the place we’d been looking for. When we were finally out the door we laughed like giddy kids. We felt like we’d gotten away with something.

Before taking the bus back we stopped off at a bakery we’d seen. We bought a couple of slices of pepperoni pizza and a bunch (I won’t tell you how many because it’s embarrassing) of pastries. We also found a stand that had homemade Maltese treats. We were offered samples of quite a few. Naturally we bought some. It was all for dinner later.

To sum up we visited two new cities, explored a genuine Medieval town, ate some great food, saw some very interesting things, had a great time at the clock shop, stalked Saint Peter some more, found three Game of Thrones sites, and brought home all sorts of interesting things for dinner. It was a great day!

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

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Friday, November 18, 2022

Malta is made up of three islands. The largest is called Malta. The smallest is named Comino. The third island is Gozo. We took a ferry from The Grand Harbor to Mgarr on Gozo. The trip took 45 minutes and cost €7.50 per person each way. Credit cards are accepted.

There’s a number of things to see and do on Gozo and the island is large enough that some sort of transportation is needed. We decided to use the Hop On/Hop Off Bus. We had considered renting a car so we could cover more ground but sitting on the right side of the car, driving on the left side of the road, shifting with your left hand, and driving on narrow, hilly, unfamiliar roads just wasn’t in the cards. We’d made what we thought was a realistic itinerary before we went but the real gating factor was the ferry. The first trip was at 10:00 am and the last one back was at 5:00 pm. Considering that we lost an hour and half for the trip itself that only left us with five and a half hours for sightseeing. That’s really not enough time even if you only want to cover the “must see” items.

We got to the harbor around 10:50 am. The bus left around 11:15 am. We got off at the first stop to see the Rotunda Church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist in the town of Xewkija. The original structure on the site was a small chapel from 1665. The parish needed something larger. In 1951 they broke ground on a huge new project sporting the world’s third highest unsupported dome. The church and its dome are so large that it can be seen from just about anywhere on the island. The church was completed in 1971. The original stone chapel was reassembled behind the main altar. It’s very pretty. There are some lovely period paintings and the floor tiles and main altar are made of Carrara marble. We paid €3.00 per person (cash only) to ride an elevator to the roof where we were able to walk all the way around the building and see every part of the island.

The bus stopped for ten minutes at The Magro Food Village in the town of Savina. The region is known for their tomatoes and the store for its fig chutney. We bought some of the chutney. (The chutney is very good.) It’s a typical tourist trap. No doubt they have an agreement with the bus operator to bring them a captive audience.

Our next stop was Victoria, the capital of Gozo. From Neolithic times the town was called Rabat but it was changed in 1887 to honor the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The main attractions there are the citadel which features the magnificent Cathedral of the Assumption. Entry into the citadel is free but we paid €4.00 per person (cash only) to see the church and the associated museum.

The church is a beauty. Based on the Latin cross design it was constructed in 1697 and it was dedicated just a few years later in 1716. All of the many works of art were throughly and clearly labeled. We only wish more churches adhered to this practice. One of the more celebrated features is the Trompe-l’œil painted dome. It is, in fact, rather flat but it has the appearance of being many stories high.

The museum was divided into several sections. One was on the church’s high ranking clergy, including a specially made chair for the Pope’s visit in 1990. Another section was the typical treasury which was laden with silver altar pieces and candlesticks. Their prized possession was a gilt-brass Medieval Pyx from 13th or 14th Century AD. The last section was a portrait gallery including paintings with religious themes, local church and elected officials.

There are a number of other things to see within the citadel. They are mostly minor and mainly intended to separate tourists from their money. After visiting the museum we walked around the perimeter walls of the citadel. It’s the highest point on the landscape for many miles. We could see most of the island from our vantage point.

Back on the bus we made a number of stops before coming back to the harbor. We stopped at a number of beaches that, even in November, seemed quite popular. Outside of one town, high on an isolated hill, we saw their version of Rio’s, “Christ the Redeemer”. It was visible from miles away. One of the beaches was Marsalforn – one of the many places where Saint Paul landed on his way from North Africa to Rome as a prisoner. We were told that there was nothing there to commemorate his stopover.

We had wanted to stop at a few other places but instead went back to the port. We wanted to make sure we wouldn’t miss the last ferry. We got there with 90 minutes to spare. One of the “must see” places there is The Church of the Madonna of Lourdes. It’s high up on a cliff overlooking the harbor and appears to be situated just like its namesake in Lourdes, France. There’s even a statue of Mary embedded into the mountain face. We climbed up there to see it. When we got there it was closed. A local woman told us that it was only open on weekends. We peered inside through a grating and snapped a few pictures. It’s a local, bright chapel built in the late 1800s.

Back at a cafe in the harbor we ordered a drink called Kinnie. It’s a local soda with a unique taste. It most resembles Aperol but contains no alcohol. It’s not sweet so it will quench your thirst. It’s exactly what we needed after our climb. By the time the ferry got back to Valletta the sun had been down for a while. We hung out at the waterfront gardens for a while and enjoyed the lights across the harbor before eating falafel for dinner at a Lebanese restaurant.

Saturday, November 19, 2022

We went back to the Upper Barrakka Gardens for our tour of the Lascaris War Rooms, named for a famous Knight of the 16th Century. This tour was in the same place as the H.Q. Tunnel Tour and used some of the same tunnels, but its rooms were even further below ground.

Part of the tour was about the coordination of the island’s defenses in World War II. We saw some new rooms but otherwise it wasn’t much different than what we’d seen previously. The other part of the tour centered on the planning and implementation of Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily in July, 1943. The overarching plans for the invasion were agreed upon in Algeria but the details were worked out in Malta. It seems that Eisenhower himself spent many weeks in these rooms working with the generals to come up with a comprehensive plan. Apparently, there is a 1953 movie called, “The Malta Story“, that is a realistic depiction of the siege of Malta in World War II. We’re going to rent it tonight.

After lunch at a sandwich shop we went to the art museum. We didn’t expect much – and we were pleasantly surprised. The museum was on three levels. It started with mostly Maltese artists from the last 100 years. From there it went back to the late Medieval and early Renaissance periods with paintings depicting religious themes, and Grandmasters from the Order. There was a nice work by Caravaggio, a Reni, and an atypical painting from Rubens among them. The last bunch of works were paintings, drawings, and sculpture from the British period. There was a set of busts depicting (then) Prince Charles as a boy, and young versions of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. Ironically, the only work of note that we knew about beforehand was a painting by Turner. We looked for it but never found it.

We had dinner at home. For dessert we ate some pastries we obtained in the supermarket. One was Imqaret, the date filled pastry which we’d had before. (Imqaret in Maltese is pronounced im-ar-et with the accent on the ar. The Q is silent.) The other was a traditional Maltese Honey Ring. They are only available during the Christmas Season. They are similar to a chewy chocolate brownie and are flavored with molasses, anise, cinnamon, and clove. They are quite good. Rather bizarrely, the ingredients don’t list honey at all!

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Wednesday, November 16, 2022

The day started with a trip to Saint Paul’s. A service was in progress so we decided to walk around the neighborhood a bit. We found Saint Paul’s Anglican Cathedral. It’s a small but very pretty church built by the dowager Queen Adelaide, wife of King William V, in 1839. Of note is the painting over the main altar which was done by Alfred Chalong, one of Queen Victoria’s official portrait painters.

Next we walked around the seaside until we came to Fort Saint Elmo. It’s one of the largest defensive structures that guards the Grand Harbor. It was originally constructed by the Knights in the 1550s and is best known for its role in the Great Siege of 1565 where the Knights with a force of 6,500 defeated 40,000 invading Ottoman Turks. We bought a combination ticket that allowed us access to the fort, the museum, the archeological museum, and the art museum for €25.00 per person. Credit cards are accepted.

Initially we strolled around the outside of the fort. There are magnificent views of the harbor and “The Three Towns” on the opposite shore. Informational signs were hung in the gun emplacements telling the story of the fort from the time of the Knights through to the present day. Since it was built, the fort has been an integral part of many battles throughout the history of the island. There was also a nice display of cannons from the centuries.

This outer part of the fort was built in later times. A gate led us to the original part of the fortress that had been constructed by the Knights. The first building we came to was the Chapel of Saint Anne. It already existed as far back as 1488 and was incorporated into the fort complex. Saint Anne was the patron saint of the order’s navy.

We followed a path that then took us through the fort into and out of seven different buildings that now house the museum. It starts in Malta’s pre-history but quickly moves to, and spends a lot of time on the many battles that ensued during the 1500 and 1600s. Throughout, three timelines were presented together that detailed the the history of the Knights, events in Malta, and happenings in other parts of the world.

The British occupation and World War II is also taken up in detail. Roosevelt and Churchill met in Malta to come up with a strategy before meeting Stalin in Yalta. Later Malta was admitted to Nato until they decided to pursue neutrality in 1971. George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev met in Malta in 1989 as the Cold War came to an end and in 2004 Malta became part of the European Union.

For lunch we walked back into the business district and decided to sample some traditional dishes. I had broiled lampuki aka Dorado aka Mahi Mahi aka Dolphinfish. Deborah ordered pan fried rabbit. Our dishes came with a large bowl of vegetables roasted with fennel. The fish was fresh and flavorful. It is also traditionally served in pie form. The rabbit was really stewed, which is also the traditional treatment. Shockingly, it strongly resembled chicken 😊.

At 4:00 pm we went to the Upper Barrakka Gardens to witness the ceremonial firing of the cannons. They do this just about every day at noon and again at 4:00 pm. No shell is actually fired but the cannon makes an awfully loud sound. The gardens are just along the waterfront. Built in the 1500s as part of the harbor defenses they now feature trees, beautiful arches, magnificent views, and memorial plaques. It’s a great place to sit and have a coffee.

Before going home for the night we stopped into see the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, which had not previously been open. It’s another small but elegantly decorated church from 1598. The paintings were all done by Mattia Preti, a well known Baroque artist who worked extensively in Malta.

Thursday, November 17, 2022

Another day, another museum. This time it was the archeological museum. The museum had a large display on the Megalithic Temples of Malta, prehistoric sites dating from around 3,600 BC – almost a thousand years older than the Great Pyramid of Giza. There are several and they are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The temples were primarily large, multi-level funeral sites. Pottery, sculptures, and architectural elements were on display. Another floor had exhibits on the Phoenicians, who traveled to and traded with the island during the Bronze Age.

Recently underwater archeology has become active in the area. Ancient shipwrecks seem to be just about everywhere. Pottery from a recent find were on display.

The last room contained a large collection of coins. The first on display were Carthaginian from the 5th Century BC, followed by Greek, Roman, and Byzantine coins. There was a huge collection of coins that the Knights had minted extending from the mid 1500s until 1798. The last set were coins of the British Empire including many medals. It was an impressive display.

Nearby we took some pictures with “Blue”, the Velociraptor from Jurassic World, which was partly filmed in Malta and then headed off to get some lunch. Today’s menu was traditional street food. We got a “Woody Roll” and a “Pastizzi”. Woody Rolls are sausages infused with cheese that have been wrapped in a flaky dough. The Pastizzi has flaky dough normally filled with either peas or cheese. We got the cheese version. Both were absolutely delicious and together, with two sodas, cost €5.25. A cheap, filling and scrumptious meal.

One of the typical crafts here are items made out of sterling silver filagree. They are gorgeous. They make jewelry, figurines, plates, napkin holders, and all sorts of lovely items. They are fairly inexpensive too. Many of the shops also make versions that are covered in 24k gold. With my encouragement Deborah bought a pair of earrings. They may look flimsy but they are actually pretty rugged.

Back at the Upper Barrakka Gardens we bought tickets to another set of museums. This time it was for guided tours of The H.Q. Tunnels and Lascaris War Rooms. We started with the tunnels.

The tunnels had originally been build in the 1560s by the Knights. They were a place to shield their horses, store their gunpowder, and provide themselves with a protected way of getting from one part of their fortifications to another. It was easy to see the markings on the walls where they had been dug by hand centuries ago.

In 1940 the British, anticipating war with Italy, expanded the tunnel system. They weren’t able to complete the project before the bombs started falling. Their tunnels branched off from the original ones and went much deeper into the ground. They built barracks and several large rooms where the island’s defenses could be coordinated. The rooms had large maps and many telephones which relayed information on enemy ships and aircraft and deployed artillery, aircraft, and anti-aircraft batteries. It looked just like what we’d seen many times before in movies. Later, more and larger rooms were added. These were used to coordinate NATO forces during the Cold War. It was a great tour and a lot of fun. We’ll go back on another day to see the War Rooms.

Our first day in town we’d spotted a bunch of food stands near the Triton Fountain. It’s a great place to find traditional Maltese street foods. We were so enamored with our lunch that we went over there and bought a bunch of similar things for dinner. Our enthusiasm got the best of us. We sat on the edge of the fountain and ate most of what we bought before we even got home. One of the more interesting things we got was Imqaret: it’s date paste mixed with citrus that’s wedged between pieces of crispy, fried dough. Yum!