Izmirian Discovery: May 2009

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Caroline's Graduation

Caroline graduated from the Modern American School in Amman. The family arranged an extravagant party for everyone and 60 people were invited to a restaurant on the top floor of a hotel. Many of the family had arrived from Lebanon to join in the festivities. It was red carpet treatment from the moment you arrived. Of course I did not have the clothing appropriate for this event in my backpack. After a new shirt and a suit coat borrowed from Garo I was just passable.

I took the opportunity to have a photo with the lady of the moment.

The party was fantastic and as an observer the family and friends let their hair down and partied well into the night.

The proud parents were joining in the fun as much as anybody.

The arrival of the cake for cutting was a fireworks spectacular in itself

Caroline made a wonderful and emotional speech. Most people were covered in champagne after cutting of the cake. The dance floor was cleaned and the partying continued on again. It was a wonderful night that many people will remember for a long time.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Party in Jordan

Vahe took us out to an Armenian Independence Day function organised by the Homenetmen Club.

There was an Armenian band and the music was loud. Vahe, Haig and myself were deep in the process of demolishing a bottle of whiskey when Vahe leans over an whispers in my ear “You are the person I love the most,” I thought this was a bit strange so I decided to give him a kiss on the cheek. Vahe looks at me very strangely and says “Is this usual in Australia?” I said, “Is it usual in Jordan to tell another man you love him the most?” Vehe said “No I was translating the song for you.” I was heartbroken.

Goose Bumps

Jerusalem is a very large International city. It has hundreds if not thousands of Hotels and many more guest houses. You may recall I met two people as I passed the border into Israel who assisted me in getting accommodation.

Richard was a teacher here in Israel for many years and he took me to a guest house at the school where he taught. I stayed at this guest house for 1 night. It is not in the old city and I would never have stayed there or given it a second thought if not for Richard and Rhonde. Whilst Ophilia was telling me her Fathers story, she told me Anania was taken from Egypt to Jerusalem and brought up in the St.George Cathedral Orphanage. Exactly the same building I stayed in. I stayed in the building that Anania lived in for many years. I still can not believe it. From all the accommodation possibilities there is, I stayed in Ananias home.

Ophilia

I arrived in Nazareth and could not see Ophilia for a couple of hours as she was working. I took a tour of the city and the Surrounding area with an Israelii who spent 15 years in Canada. We went to most of the significant sites here in Nazareth. Church of the Annunciation, Sermon on the Mount, Sea of Galilee, Mary’s Well, Sites of Water into Wine, and the Bread and Fish.

Once this was finished it was time to meet Ophilia and Habib. Habib picked me up and I was taken back to their apartment. It is in a very nice part of the city and has a very big balcony with great views of the surrounding area.

Ophilia and Habib were wonderful hosts and told me many times my stay was too short. I agree. Ophelia’s daughter Areej her husband Ihab and their two children Emir and Aline came over for dinner. I had a great discussion with Ihab who is thinking of leaving Israel and finding somewhere else to live. They MAY come to Australia for a visit to see if it will suit them, otherwise it could be the USA or Canada.

After dinner the kids needed to go home to sleep and I sat down with Ophilia and heard her story. She thinks I am too much like a detective. We pulled apart the years from her father’s birth to him leaving for the USA. Ophilia told me, Anania told her, ‘Hapet was teaching Anania how to use a gun on the mountain.’ I asked her many times this question and she was very firm Anania told her this. William had told me this earlier but there was some doubt as Anania also said he was shot twice on the Mountain. Ophilia told me Anania was shot once in the leg whilst on the mountain.

I stayed the night a Ophilias and had breakfast on the large balcony before they drove me to the Border.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Washing

The lady who did my washing was not home when I was leaving. So I needed to get my washing in from the line. The line is outside the window 4 storeys up. So I am leaning out the window collecting my washing when I accidentally dropped a peg. It fell into the rear court yard of someone else’s house below. I was now under pressure and my concentration level increased dramatically as I had this vision of me knocking on her door trying to explain that I needed to go into her courtyard to get my jocks back.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Dinner in Haifa

I caught up with Areen and her two girls Mira and Leen. Areen is an Interior Designer and works close to Tel Aviv. Areen is Daugher of Ophillia who inturn is Daughter of Anania. For her next overseas trip she is contemplating China. I tried to convince her to come to Australia and sweetened the deal with some free Accommodation at our house, plus I hear her Uncle William may be in Australia also. We will have to wait and see.

The Temple looked spectacular at night all lit up. The main street of Haifa runs up to the beginning of the temple so it looks like it is Kilometres long.

Haifa

I have arrived in Haifa today to catch up with Areen and her two girls. I have arranged my accommodation at a private home. These people are new at letting visitors stay with them. It is like staying at your mums. The lady has got all my washing and always wants to know if I want something. I have to eat. She makes food for the local restaurants in her kitchen and delivers it to them. She is proud of her cooking and has her friend Janet comes over to help. I am the official sampler even if I don’t want to be. Fig and Dates in pastry. Jam filled biscuits, and other sweets.

Haifa has the main temple for the Bahia religion. It is an Iranian Christian religion. The main temple is here in Haifa because their founder died here. It causes the faithful all sorts of trouble. Iranians coming to Israel. This week is the main celebration of their religion and all the accommodation is taken. The temple is very spectacular and visible from all angles around the city.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Bethlehem

Tourist day again off to Bethlehem. Bethlehem is in the West Bank which is administered by the Palestinian Authority but controlled by Israel. To enter you have to do thru a checkpoint. It is just like the airport except there are long distances between buildings and the walkways are covered in steel and fencing. Abit like being a sheep.

The wall is very big and dominates the landscape. If you look carefully you can see the wall continuing on in the background to the left. this photo was taken between the security checkpoints. Sort of no mans land.

Once in the West Bank I got a taxi and after a discussion with the taxi driver went off to Herodion. Basically a Summer Holiday Fortress for King Herod. The land is hilly around Bethlehem and this hill stands above all else. I climbed the hill and took a few photos.

Then off to the Sites Bethlehem is know for.
Church of the Nativity was very interesting and the entrance door was very low.

The crib is allegedly on the right of this photo.

I put my head into a little doorway to find a factory making souvenirs from Olive wood.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Gaza Strip

I want to travel into the Gaza Strip to see what it is like and talk to some of the people there. You need to get a permit from the Israeli Mininstry of Defence. My application has come back "refused". They only let in people who are invited or very selected Press. Obviously I am neither. They dont want people in there like me. It does not come as a shock but I am not happy about it,

Old Jerusalem Tour

I became a tourist again and took a 3 1/2 hour walking tour of the old city. It was fantastic and every interesting. The city is divided into 4 quarters. Christian, Armenian, Jewish and Muslim. Each quarter sort of blends into the other quarters around the edges. We started in the Christian Quarter

Here is where it all happens for Christians. Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is run by 4 religious groups who can not agree and was the scene of the religious punch up that took place within the church a year or so ago. Inside the Church is allegedly the tomb of Jesus, the site of his crucifixion plus the area where his cross was found. It is a massive church and very interesting.

Site of Jesus crucifixion.

The slab of stone Jesus was laid on after his crucifixion but before is burial.

The tomb of Jesus where the stone was rolled back from and the Angel appeared. It is inside this structure and you have to line up to go in. We did not have the time.

The Armenian Alter within the Armenian Church within the Holy Sepulchre.

Crosses cut into the wall of the entrance of the Armenian Church by Pilgrims

The Temple Mount. Site of the Al Asqa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Both structure are Muslim and I am not going to write the entire story here. In short it is the site where two Jewish Temples once stood and have now been destroyed. All religions believe the end of the world is when the third temple is rebuilt. All religions believe Jesus will return and go thru one of the gates Known as the Golden Gate and the scales will be placed on the Temple Mount to weigh each soul.

No one is allowed into the Al Asqu Mosque unless you are Muslim. Opposite the Mosque but still on the Temple Mount is The Dome of the Rock. It is very impressive.

Just outside the walls of the old city is a huge cemetery called Mount of the Olives.

We moved to the Room of the Last Supper

Our tour was finished and I have shortened it dramatically to keep you from leaving. I specifically wanted to go to the Valley of Hennon. It is just outside the walls of the old city.

You will notice that there are no houses built in the valley. I took a walk along the floor of the Valley. All three religions, Jewish, Muslim and Christian believe this Valley is the spot where the gates of Hell will open from.
For my last night in Jerusalem I have moved into the old city and staying at a little hotel within the walls.

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