The sad happy day

Haifa, Israel

Hazy, Hi 80, Lo 60

Sirens Wailing

Ahead of Memorial Day events, IDF soldiers put flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers in Mount Herzl Military Cemetery, Jerusalem, April 30, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

8 p.m. - We are sitting in our comfy hotel room in Haifa. Memorial sirens are going off, around the city, the country; I can hear them through the open window. Traffic has stopped and people are standing at attention outside their cars. The siren is followed by the lighting of a memorial flame to the fallen at Jerusalem's Western Wall. There is a gathering near us; I can hear singing - solemn songs, group songs, solos, beautiful and haunting. It is a sad day in Israel - the Memorial Day for 23,544 fallen soldiers. In the next 24 hours all their names will be read in memoriam.

Tomorrow is Israel's Independent Day. There will be fireworks and parties in the streets. A happy day!

Map

 Nazareth

Haifa is on the Mediterranean Sea, almost directly west of Nazareth.

Basilica of the Annunciation - Nazareth

The Basilica of the Annunciation is on the right and consists of a Lower Basilica/Grotto, Upper Basilica and Cupola

The massive two-story basilica became the largest Christian church in the Middle East when it was completed in 1969. Here, it is believed, the archangel Gabriel told the young Mary, aged about 14, that she would become the mother of the Son of God. 

Mary & the Angel Gabriel

Entry is from the west.

Basilica of the Annunciation

 Biblical stories of Jesus' life adorn the Basilica door

Detail of door -  Mary, Joseph and Jesus flee to Egypt

Excavations Reveal Probable Home of the Virgin Mary

The first church on the site venerated as Mary’s home was built around 427. The Crusaders built a huge basilica on its ruins, but this too was destroyed when the Crusader kingdom fell in 1187. In 1620 the Franciscans managed to purchase the site, but it was a further 120 years before they were allowed to build a new church.

When that church was demolished to prepare for the modern basilica, extensive excavations took place. These revealed the remains of the ancient village of Nazareth with its silos, cisterns and other cave-dwellings.

The lower level of the Church of the Annunciation enshrines a sunken grotto that contains the traditional home of the Virgin Mary.

Entering the Lower Basilica/Grotto

This wonderful entrance reminded me of a manger with it's unusual wood design and non-parallel walls

Panorama of grotto. Mary's probably home is in the center. On the left (illuminated) is a sunken tub for baptism/Jewish ritual purification

Altar, lower Basilica

The plan of two churches, one above the other and interconnected, was conceived by the Italian architect Giovanni Muzio.

The Upper Basilica of the Ammunciation

The Cupola

The Virgin Mary

Around the walls of the upper church are colourful representations of the Virgin Mary in a variety of materials, presented by many countries. Each was beautiful! Wish I had room to put all on this page.

Vietnam

"Mother of God, Affectionate Mother and Queen of Creation, Pray for the People of ireland"

Translation is approximate

Museum Mania

Ilana Goor Museum

Old Jaffe, Israel

Sunny, Hi 74, Lo 59

I usually hate museums, but...

The Ilana Goor Museum was fabulous.  Think Georgia O'Keeffe. Think strong statements, elements of nature. Think metal, stone.

Ilana Goor was born around 1935-36 in Tiberias Israel to an educated and talented family.  She developed for artistic techniques at an early age. Ilana is considered to be an international multifaceted, individualistic, self-taught intuitive artist. Her works encompass sculpture, furniture, lighting fixtures, practical implements, jewelry and fashion items (belts, etc).

Living with Art

One of the guideline behind the planning and design of the Museum, which also serves as the artist's home, is the concept on which it has been founded... the idea of art as part of life.

The Museum Building

It stands on a hill in Old Jaffa and is a work of art in its self. The building has seen fascinating historical events dating back over 280 years. Through its life it has served as the first Jewish inn for Jerusalem pilgrims. Later a soap and perfumes factory.

During renovation a unique amphorae (clay pitchers) ceiling constructed in the 18 century was discovered. The ceiling was constructed using the "beehive" technique.

Collections

The Museum's collections boast over 500 works of art, from Israel and throughout the world, plus those of Ilana Goor herself.

The following pieces are Ilana Goor's. I do not know about the other pieces, sorry.

 I think Ilana has captured my brain and put it on the wall - I'm fascinated. An art depiction of  CRS ("can't remember Sh..")

Detail of above

Piano and Chair

My brain on more messy days... Love this artist...

The Garden Terace

Ahh, to sit there for an hour with the gentle Mediterranean breezes...

 Neptune bested by the kids of today

The Rock of the Nabataeans

Petra!

(Greek word that means 'rock')

Hazy, Hi 74, Lo 58, Wind 7mph (Perfect)

Now the world calls it Petra, a Greek word that means 'rock'. UNESCO calls it a world heritage site - worthy of protection for future generations. Petra would become so famous that its name would be recorded in Chinese,  Greek, Roman and Byzantine records. When the Nabataeans civilization began building this amazing city, they called it  Rekum.  It is a sight never to be forgotten.

Tombs of the Kings

A city hand-carved from limestone

Carved by Hand

At its height — in the century or so prior to and after the birth of Christ — the Nabataean empire included parts of Jordan, Israel, Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia. And the seat of the kingdom was Petra, a city that the Nabataeans literally carved by hand from the rose-red cliffs of what is now southern Jordan

The Siq

Hidden away

Even today visitors to Petra note that the city is hidden in the cliffs, reachable through a thin split in the mountain — a split known as the Siq that is almost a mile in length but only 10 to 20 feet in width with walls on either side that rise hundreds of feet to the sky. After Petra was abandoned and fell into ruins, only local people knew of it's existence. For over 500 years the city was forgotten. In the 1800's Petra was rediscovered by western explorers.

In it's Day, Perhaps Wealthiest City in the World

Some time before the birth of Christ the Nabataeans shifted from a nomadic lifestyle to become prosperous urban dwellers with marvelous skills as architects, engineers, stonemasons and artists.Petra was probably one of the wealthiest cities in the world in its day in the middle of one of the harshest climates on earth.

 Water Channel in the Siq

Clay Ceramic Water Pipe

It's the Water

In an area that averages six inches of rainfall per year the Nabataeans were able to harness the rainfall and the desert springs to the extent that Petra had a daily supply of fresh water. They accomplished this engineering marvel through an intricate system of cisterns, pools and waterways that captured and then transported water to the city. Archaeologists estimate that the system carried about 12 million gallons of fresh spring water a day!

Caravans and Wealth

Petra was located at the intersection of two commercial trade routes, one extending west from Asia and the other north from southern Arabia. Large trade caravans (as many as 2,500 camels) flowed along these routes with a variety of goods: textiles, spices, precious metals, ivory and incense such as frankincense and myrrh. 

At Petra the Nabataeans offered water and a safe haven for merchants, but they also collected a fee for their services. The Nabataeans became rich by acquiring control of the Arabian incense trade by 100 BC and they used their significant wealth to build a remarkable city in Petra.

How to Carve a City

The facades of the buildings were all laid out by a master architect on detailed blueprints. Laborious, pain-staking work began with the carving of a ledge into the cliff face. From this ledge the work proceeded downward to the ground level. The facades were characterized by bold cornices and stately columns and intricate, detailed carvings.

Digging out a tomb — which was used for a multitude of purposes besides housing the deceased — was also a laborious process as literally tons of solid rock needed to be removed from the cliff to create a space inside the tomb. Interestingly the Nabataeans used this rubble to make flagstone pavement for the floor of the tomb.

Pottery for the Ages

The Nabataeans created pottery that rivaled that of Rome and Greece both for delicacy and decorative elegance.

 Male Deity Dushara

Female Goddess, perhaps Al-'Uzza

Changes

Things changed for the Nabataeans and Petra around AD 106 when Nabataea, including Petra, was peacefully taken over by Rome.The city was struck by a major earthquake in AD 363 and a new chapter in the city's history began. Christianity slowly came to Petra. This Christian influence that led to the salvaging and rebuilding of much of the work the Nabataeans had done that had been destroyed by the earthquake.

Traveling through Petra

"You want to ride a horse?"

After a pre-amble (or horse back ride) you reach a slot canyon - the Siq. The Siq is a natural 0.8 mile long sandstone gorge the gradually winds its way down toward the ancient city of Petra. Water channels ran along each side of the Siq and clay pipes carried fresh water from springs. In ancient times the Siq witnessed a constant procession of travelers, visitors and pilgrims. The same is true today.

Now you have a choice to view the canyon: carriage or walking.

"You want a carriage ride?"

The Siq

 Carriages zip through the Siq

The Treasury

At the end of the Siq, the canyon opens onto the stunning view of the Treasury. (See the blog: "The walk to the Treasury on the way to Petra") 

Next Stop is Lunch

At the cool, refreshing Crowne Plaza Basin Cafe - truly an oasis in the desert!

How to get there

 Walk or go by camel

Ship of the Desert

Oh, the sights you'll see!

 Two-car garage (reserved parking for the local tribe's people

 Beautiful rose-colored sandstone

Mounted Tourist Police (think Park Ranger, sort of)

After Lunch, the Monastery

Choices: walk or go by donkey.

"800+ steps up to Monastery, madame. You want a ride?"

 Huff & Puff

The Monastery is about an hour's climb hour's climb from the Basin Restaurant on an ancient rock-cut path of about 800 steps. 

Break time for this donkey

The Monastery is similar to design to the Treasury, but it is much larger and much less decorated. Like the "Treasury," the name "Monastery" is a rather inaccurate. Although it may have been later used as a church (or even a hermitage), it was probably a temple.