where most of Israelis live. Driving to the northernmost city - Acre (also called Acca or Acco) we began our tour at this Crusader site. After the earliest days of the crusades, most crusaders came by sea and entered the middle east at Acre; they conquered the city from the Muslims in 1104. As many places in Israel, they built their palaces, hospitals and homes on top of older Iron age sites. The ruins of the Muslim city beneath were extensive. Acre is right on the Mediterranean and was an easily defensible fortress. We toured tunnels, the dining hall at right, churches with our our now familiar guide, Marian.Acco served more as a commercial center than a religious site and provided easier passage of goods and people to and from Europe. Much of what remains was built by the Knights Templar, who became very wealthy through trade, before becoming a monastic community. We saw their jail, huge dining hall with original columns, the crypt and tunnels throughout the area. The tunnels enabled the knights to travel throughout the city without encountering rival crusader factions.
Acre is built on a peninsula where Arabs, Christians and Jews now live together amicably. It has some narrow and ancient streets and a beautiful view.
From this northernmost point of this tour we traveled 45 minutes south.Haifa,the industrial seaport, is our next stop. Our main point of interest is the Baha'i Gardens. They were intended to replicate or rival the gardens of Eden and Babylon. The Baha'i broke off from Islam around 1900, whose faith is based upon total equality and peace. The gardens are truly spectacular -- built with money secretly appropriated from a oil deal by an overzealous follower who was later beheaded. Thomas, our fellow digger from India, got us all saying "sa baba" meaning "very good" until we all got pretty silly.
Our last stop this day was Caesarea -- a Mediterranean resort dedicated to Caesar Augustus-- especially 
associated with Herod, King of Judea under the Romans. Herod 
accomplished a lot of building projects here: a palace, gymnasium with colonnades, baths, amphitheatre, fortified seaport, swimming pool and gladiator arena. Caesarea was later overtaken by Crusaders, and in the early 20th century Bosnians emigrated and built a small town on the beach to escape persecution in their own country. Much is still here and some reconstruction has taken place in recent years.
associated with Herod, King of Judea under the Romans. Herod 
accomplished a lot of building projects here: a palace, gymnasium with colonnades, baths, amphitheatre, fortified seaport, swimming pool and gladiator arena. Caesarea was later overtaken by Crusaders, and in the early 20th century Bosnians emigrated and built a small town on the beach to escape persecution in their own country. Much is still here and some reconstruction has taken place in recent years.We arrived back at Ramat Rahel tired, but with lots of photos, shared conversations and memories. We have to pack because the next day our group of seven from Temple Sinai moved into Jerusalem at the Grand Court Hotel, but BJ convinced Marian to take us on another tour the following day.
1 comment:
So fascinating! I appear to be a great bit covetous of yor experience. Please forgive me?
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