Making another exception here -- This blog entry is by Prasun Pandey, a naval merchant, who loves exploring around the world. This is Israel from his eyes.
No sooner did I
realize that my merchant ship carrying
loads of cars was getting to Israel, I started romanticizing about
a trip into Biblical history and a ‘dip’ in the Dead Sea.
Once there, I left
with my mates in the wee hours of morning for Jerusalem, a 4-hour journey from
Eilat where we were docked. It was a beautiful morning with temperatures
hovering around 27 degrees C. Clearly, luck was by my side as it had hit a high
of 36 degrees just the previous day! Our tour guide, Benny, a tall man with
lush silver beard, greeted us with a wide smile but warned of a long day head.
We began the trip while
it was still dark but as the sun rose to its glory its rays gleamed on
the golden sand, making it a sight worth capturing. Stopping
intermittently for photography, coffee and breakfast, we finally reached ‘Qasrel Yahud’ at the Israel-Jordan border. This is the place where Jesus was
believed to have been baptized.
The surprises!
- Coming from India with a not-so-friendly neighbor in Pakistan, a border reminds me of guns, warfare, military posts and barbed wires. But here the border is a friendly river with churches and mosques on both sides. I also saw some locals and foreigners gather there at the river bank to perform the baptism ceremony.
- On our way to Jerusalem, we came across vast farmlands growing almonds, oranges, water melon and some vegetables near the Dead Sea. Dead Sea is so named because it has such high salt content that no form of life can ever exist. However, Benny told me that the water near the sea is all but salty which helps the lush cultivation, of course with support from the government.
Photo credit: JTA.ORG
The spiritual and religious experience…
After nearly four
hours on the road, we entered Jerusalem -- the city that promises a religious and
spiritual experience and rightly so! Our first stop was Mt. Scopes – which offers
a bird’s eye view of the entire city. It was quite a picturesque sight.
Next, we went to
Bethlehem. The
archaeological and religious sites there,
including the birthplace of Jesus Christ made my visit memorable. As we entered Bethlehem, we saw the medieval
age come alive with high-walled fortresses and watch towers. We visited the
church where, as they say, a miracle took place when Jesus was born. The
church, a huge tower with glass paintings and prayers inscribed on the walls,
saw a regular movement of visitors possibly from all across the world. The
place brought immense peace to our hearts and spending some rare time in
complete silence indeed felt like connecting with the supreme power.
Our next stop was “Via
Dolorosa’ , the place where Jesus was crucified and buried by king Hordes. The sacred
place is on a small mountain in Jerusalem. However, the setting inside the
church was in sharp contrast with the one in Bethlehem with visitors reliving
the sorrowful death of Jesus.
Shopping…
After gratifying our
souls, it was time for some materialistic pleasures. Bethlehem is known for its
beautiful hand-made artifacts carved out of olive wood; wax
paintings and potteries.
As I was picked
up one of the paintings I chatted with some local sellers and
passers-by who were all big ‘Bollywood’ fans. They remembered stars from the
60s and 70s including Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. Benny himself was a Bollywood fan and entertained us with
old classics from Mukesh, Rafi and Lata. I can still remember him crooning
melodiously “dost, dost na raha, pyaar pyaar na raha .
The food…
Shopping can get
tiring. So, we headed to try some local delicacies. Being a vegetarian, I
always have to be extra cautious before ordering any food overseas but
Bethlehem seemed to be an easy place for leaf eaters! Some people turn
vegetarian on the days they come to pray so finding green delights is never a
problem. Benny took us to a local restaurant
which had loads of options including humus, falafel, khus-khus, rice,
mixed vegetables, eggplant, and fried potatoes.
Dead Sea…
Photo credit David_Shankbone.jpg
We hit the roads again
to head back towards the much awaited destination -- the Dead Sea.
With no aquatic life
and near zero levels of pollution, the mineral-rich sea has pristine ferrous
green water and is a great place to buy cosmetics such as hand and foot creams,
anti-ageing creams and sun-blocks. Besides, the black mud from the sea has
known therapeutic effects on the body. When I found out about the body pack, the
first person that came to my mind was my first cousin Swati for whom I am
writing this blog. I remember a family holiday in Dive-agar , near Mumbai, where
she buried herself in the black sand because someone told her it was good for
the skin! LMAO!
So, I bought some
black mud, applied it all over my body and jumped into the Dead Sea. I was
fascinated by the fact that you actually do not drown in the waters, no matter
how hard you try! No wonder we didn’t spot any life guards either. You can
leisurely float on the waters while reading a book! Note to self - Never allow
the water to touch your eyes unless you want to ruin your entire day. They do
have fresh water showers available nearby but the burning sensation of even few
seconds can kill.
I bought some Dead Sea
cosmetics for family back home and some black mud for Swati as a souvenir.
The return journey to
the ship was long after a rather tiring day but I took back a lifetime of
memories and experiences. Floating on the sea was the best experience ever.
When I popped by head out of the window I could see the sun set as if trying to
say goodbye to us and I hummed the popular Hindi song to myself kahin door jab
din dhal jaaye…
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