Day 6 - Haifa - Bethlehem
When we got to Bethlehem we went for lunch at this random hotel. We got a new tour guide a Christian Palestinian but still had the other woman with us.
There was a buffet and spread of food that wasn't for me. So I just got some chicken and carrots with pita bread.
There was a gift shop next store that they took us to.
It was just full of religious things.
Then we drove to go to the Church of the nativity where Jesus was said to have been born.
Got to love their versions of "Starbucks"
Entrance into the cave to see where Jesus was born. Our tour guide was so made up that we got to go down here and was raving that not everyone gets to see it.. He just kept saying I'm so happy for your all. I was just like what? I've paid to come onto this excursion and there was a possibility I wasn't going to be able to see this? What was the point of the trip then if I didn't get to see it? He was saying it's only open at certain times. If I didn't get to see it I would have asked for a refund as it would have been a pointless trip even if I'm not convinced that was where Jesus was born but not the point.
This exact spot was where Jesus was born. I mean how do people know this is the Exact spot?? It doesn't help the fact I don't believe in Jesus of religion but still how do people know if it was that long ago?
The manger
St George slaying a dragon
On the way back through Checkpoint 300 which is a checkpoint leaving Bethlehem to get back into Jerusalem was a nightmare. We were held up for 30 minutes. It was fine leaving Jerusalem we just drove straight through but it's more hassle leaving. All cars get checked and it takes forever checking people have the right permits. The whole car gets checked inside and out, the boot. We were fine because we were in a coach but there was loads of cars in front of us.
We went past the Walled of Hotel which is financed by Banksy and contains rooms designed by him and his artwork. The week after we went he created the "modified nativity". I would have loved to have gone in it.
Sunset over Bethlehem on the drive back. We got back at 7pm and some of the crew were stood outside the ship to welcome us back. It was so cute and nice and basically just made a fuss because most the ship had left for the day. We went back to the room to put our bags down then went to the restaurant for dinner.
This pasta was a lot better than the rubber cheese one I had the other day. But like everything else it was tasteless, bland.
After dinner we decided to go up to the buffet as the desserts on the menu weren't great. They were having a dessert bar just for one night...
The macrons weren't even proper macrons they were just meringue. Was really disappointed!
The desserts all looked really good. They had Belgian waffles too but they weren't warm and fresh.
When we went to ask about the Jerusalem and Bethlehem excursion we were told it was going to involve a lot of walking, be a long day (which it was) you'll get to see loads. Get fed lunch there will be a buffet. We spent more time on the actual coach then we did walking round. It was all so rushed we had no time to look at anything. It was actually pretty crap and we paid £100 for it. The only long bit of walking was when we went round the old town of Jerusalem.
It was a strange trip as it was a pilgrimage going to see all these different holy spots but then I don't believe in any religion or any of it. Being there and seeing the different spots really didn't make a different like you'd think I might believe in it now but nothing has changed. Like I didn't feel anything at all and you see people crying. Religion is a very strange thing, people can believe what ever they want and I guess the fact that that many people do follow and believe there should be some truth in it. But Mary being a virgin and being to change water into wine you've lost me there at it being believable! I'm glad I can say I've been there, it's one of them once in a life time trips where I won't go again and can say I've done it.
Next post Haifa.
There was a gift shop next store that they took us to.
It was just full of religious things.
Then we drove to go to the Church of the nativity where Jesus was said to have been born.
Got to love their versions of "Starbucks"
Church of the nativity
Entrance into the cave to see where Jesus was born. Our tour guide was so made up that we got to go down here and was raving that not everyone gets to see it.. He just kept saying I'm so happy for your all. I was just like what? I've paid to come onto this excursion and there was a possibility I wasn't going to be able to see this? What was the point of the trip then if I didn't get to see it? He was saying it's only open at certain times. If I didn't get to see it I would have asked for a refund as it would have been a pointless trip even if I'm not convinced that was where Jesus was born but not the point.
This exact spot was where Jesus was born. I mean how do people know this is the Exact spot?? It doesn't help the fact I don't believe in Jesus of religion but still how do people know if it was that long ago?
The manger
St George slaying a dragon
On the way back through Checkpoint 300 which is a checkpoint leaving Bethlehem to get back into Jerusalem was a nightmare. We were held up for 30 minutes. It was fine leaving Jerusalem we just drove straight through but it's more hassle leaving. All cars get checked and it takes forever checking people have the right permits. The whole car gets checked inside and out, the boot. We were fine because we were in a coach but there was loads of cars in front of us.
We went past the Walled of Hotel which is financed by Banksy and contains rooms designed by him and his artwork. The week after we went he created the "modified nativity". I would have loved to have gone in it.
Sunset over Bethlehem on the drive back. We got back at 7pm and some of the crew were stood outside the ship to welcome us back. It was so cute and nice and basically just made a fuss because most the ship had left for the day. We went back to the room to put our bags down then went to the restaurant for dinner.
This pasta was a lot better than the rubber cheese one I had the other day. But like everything else it was tasteless, bland.
After dinner we decided to go up to the buffet as the desserts on the menu weren't great. They were having a dessert bar just for one night...
The macrons weren't even proper macrons they were just meringue. Was really disappointed!
The desserts all looked really good. They had Belgian waffles too but they weren't warm and fresh.
When we went to ask about the Jerusalem and Bethlehem excursion we were told it was going to involve a lot of walking, be a long day (which it was) you'll get to see loads. Get fed lunch there will be a buffet. We spent more time on the actual coach then we did walking round. It was all so rushed we had no time to look at anything. It was actually pretty crap and we paid £100 for it. The only long bit of walking was when we went round the old town of Jerusalem.
It was a strange trip as it was a pilgrimage going to see all these different holy spots but then I don't believe in any religion or any of it. Being there and seeing the different spots really didn't make a different like you'd think I might believe in it now but nothing has changed. Like I didn't feel anything at all and you see people crying. Religion is a very strange thing, people can believe what ever they want and I guess the fact that that many people do follow and believe there should be some truth in it. But Mary being a virgin and being to change water into wine you've lost me there at it being believable! I'm glad I can say I've been there, it's one of them once in a life time trips where I won't go again and can say I've done it.
Next post Haifa.
Some of the photos were taken with my Nikon 1 J2 camera while others were taken with my Samsung Galaxy S9 phone.
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