Our Pilgrimage

Yours sincerely and the better half had been favoured with a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands - Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Caesarea, Tiberias, Cana, Nazareth, Capernaum, Mt of Beautides, Tabgha, Mt Tabor, Jordan valley, Jericho, The Dead Sea, Bethany, Gethsemane, Kidron Valley, Mt Zion, Ein Karim and Emmaus. It was a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, from his birth to crucifixion and resurrection. It was a spiritual journey with lots of prayers and masses. Did I grow wings and halo on the return journey? No. But I was imbued with a deep realisation of God's love for me and my inadequacies . My life wish of viewing the ancient, biblical and walled city of Jerusalem from Mt Olives was granted. It is messily awesome and precariously peaceful. A city that has seen many, many wars. A city destroyed and rebuilt many, many times. A city which so many religions are laying claims on. A city that now belongs to so many religions. May the peace of the Almighty God reign over it.

This is the Sea of Galilee which is teeming with St Peter's fish. We went in a fishing boat very much alike those used by St Peter and Christ Himself when he preached from the boat along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The weather was fine and the sea was kind, no waves that upset your stomach. Sea gulls swooped down to be fed from your hands. It is awesome to think that the disciples saw Christ walking on it!

Later in the evening we had fried St Peter's fish
for dinner. It turned out to be "Tilapia" fish and very much alike the ones I used to rear in my aquarium. I could not finish my dinner.

The Catholic Church at Cana is also called the Wedding Church. It is here Christ performed His first miracle of turning water into wine. Here pilgrim couples usually exchange their marriage vow again. Yours sincerely felt very uncomfortable exchanging his wedding vow again, afterall the one he exchanged 32 over years ago is still valid and not yet expired. Anyway, so as not to incur the wrath of the better half as "Hell knows no fury like a woman's scorn", yours sincerely thought well what damage could it probably do. But, for failing to do it, I may not get my laundry done. I may not get my 3 hot square meals. Not to mention having to sleep on the couch in the hall ! Anyway, I have to admit that it was very romantic. A Franciscan nun played the wedding march as we walked down the isle and Rev Jude Miranda made us look into the eyes of the beholder when we uttered our vows. "Geli" lor !

There are many churches of 50 or 70 years old built over biblical sites all over the Holy land. They did not struck me as hard as the Church of Nativity and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for their age.

The Church of the nativity was built in 326 AD by the emperor Constantine and his mother, Helena, enclosing the Navity Grotto.

You can witness the age of the sites from the bricks, cobble stone pavement and the frescos inside the church.

I was also awed by the Nativity Grotto. This is the very spot where Christ was born.











We had a dip in the Dead sea which is the lowest point in the world. It sits at 400 metres below sea level. Mind, it is really salty. No living organisms can survive here. Don't ever get the sea water into your eyes. You will be temporarily sorely blinded. The ladies were busy digging into the mud at the sea bed to religiously rub on their freckles, ageing spots, pimples , wrinkles and God knows what with the hope of rejuvenating their looks! So, itwas also a physical pilgrimage. From what I observed, many were rejuvenated with sun burnt.

I enjoyed floating on the sea.



This the Quarum Valley where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. A barren place as you can see. Excavation is still continuing.

( These are the few shots I can put on this blog.
Do visit me to talk about the place and view
more pictures.)