(Part 3 of 3)
Knowing that our days were numbered and the overwhelming thrill would soon subside, we struggled to make the most out of every single moment and enjoyed it ultimately while it lasted.
Our overnight stay at Amman International Hotel brought about a sudden wisp of cold air into our faces the morning we met at the breakfast hall. After a solid week of togetherness, there seemed a strange fear of separation looming over us but still we managed to overcome such immensely effecting sentiment through laughter and shaggy dog stories.
The 7th day gave us a tour of downtown Amman and thereupon learned that Sunday is a working day in Jordan since Friday is their weekend holiday; that 88 percent of Jordanians are covered with medical insurance; that Jordan is number one when it comes to healthcare in the Middle East; that they manufacture their own medicine and supplies hospitals outside the country; that Jordan welcomed 1.5 million refugees from Syria; that education is compulsory for only $10 a year tuition with free books and uniforms; that college education is cheap with government subsidy; and that the minimum wage for fresh graduates is $400 a month.
We attended the Sunday mass at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church built in 2000 from donations courtesy of a rich jeweler, Karam Imseech. Its female faithful heard mass with traditional veils or scarves to cover their heads.
The Greco-Roman ruin at the marvelous ancient city of Jerash was our next destination, Jordan’s second favorite tourist spot after Petra, which was 80 miles north of Amman. We were greeted by the famous 2nd century Hadrian’s Arch as we went through the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis and the huge Forum’s oval colonnade.
Ice cold beverages and comfy chairs at Artemis Restaurant (our lunch source for the day) fully quenched our desiccated throats and cramping legs. It was actually a meal under time pressure since we had to drive at least two hours to the Jordan-Israel border where we’ll be met by our Israeli guide, Rame.
To exit the border we observed the same strict security procedures, underwent similar rigid inspection and stern verification of travel documents before being permitted to exit the north border entry to Israel which was only separated by wooden barricades and barbed wires. Finally we were met by Rame. Imagine everyone’s excitement being reunited after a little more than 2 days.
Immediately we were driven to the town of Galilee after passing by the Giliad Mountain Ridges. This part of Israel is in lower Jordan with vast vegetations all over its verdant plains in total contrast from the other side.
It was already late afternoon when we reached the Sea of Galilee, the largest water basin of Israel with a western shoreline of 12 miles of land and 8 miles of swamps, where we experienced to sail on a mini Noah’s Ark… on the very waters where Jesus sailed and walked on. We had so much fun aboard and what actually touched us was when the crew raised the Filipino and American flags side by side while playing the two countries’ national anthems.
The whole-day’s loaded schedule and cross-country escapade were justifiably capped with a rewarding respite at the posh Caesar’s Hotel at the Tiberias, a hearty international dinner buffet, and a social drinking spree at the hotel lobby…unmindful of what schedule awaited the following day.
Capernaum, the hometown of Jesus during His ministry years, was our target site on the 8th day.
We visited the Mt. of 7 Springs after the Church of the Tabgha at the Capernaum, a Byzantine religious synagogue reconstructed from a 5th century ruined church. There were three places here where Jesus spent days after His resurrection: the Mount of Beatitudes, the Mount of Tabgha, and Capernaum. We passed along Migdal, the hometown of Mary Magdalene, on our way to the Mount of Beatitudes where the “Calming of the Sea” took place. The sacred place, now being maintained by Franciscan sisters, was where Jesus started preaching, did sermons, and performed miracles of multiplication of the fish and bread.
Then we went to the Church of Menza Christi which was built to commemorate the breakfast meal He prepared for His disciples and where He appointed Peter to “Feed My Sheep.”
Lunch was at Tanureen Oriental Restaurant where we had the best midday meal of the week…grilled and fried St. Peter’s fish, the tilapia (believed to have been the multiplied fish), served with perfectly concocted cabbage salad.
After a hearty lunch we were back on the road again… this time we passed along acres and acres of banana plantations, mutant mango groves, rows of olive trees, and a multitude of tomato plots before finally reaching the summit of Mount Tabor via a ten-seater mini bus that taxied us defying steep zigzag road. The paved plateau led us to the Church of Transfiguration with a magnificent façade. We prayed the rosary in a ruined space by the churchyard which used to be a meeting room of Byzantine priests during the 5th century before proceeding to the observation deck where the vast grandeur of the Valley of Armageddon, the Food Basket of Israel, could be openly viewed.
Around 5:00 PM we returned to the hotel following an exhausting afternoon, had shower and enjoyed a hearty 7:30 dinner. But the overwrought part was when we had to pack our stuff before bed for our next destination.
The morning of the 9th day seemed too tediously mind-numbing especially when we checked out after breakfast. The penultimate day gave us a heavy heart knowing that we’ll be together for only just another day.
As usual, we commenced touring at 8:00 sharp… passed along cities with similar geographical vistas until we finally arrived at Cana of Galilee, an ancient biblical city known for Jesus’ maiden water-into-wine miracle.
Franciscan friars excavated six earthen jars used to store wines underneath Cana Wedding Church. A special mass was celebrated for us by a Nigerian priest, Fr. Jerome of the Franciscan Order, who also solemnized the renewal of our wedding vows that marked our 39th year …complete with a marriage certificate.
Later we drove to Nazareth, the capital of Lower Galilee region, which has the biggest density of Christians. Incidentally, Galilee is the only city in Israel that has 2 municipalities: Upper Galilee with a Jewish mayor and Lower Galilee governed by a Muslim mayor.
We visited the Church of St. Joseph and went downhill to the Basilica of the Annunciation, the biggest in the Middle East, designed by Italian architect Giovanni Mucho.
The Jezreel Valley generously offered a grand view of the mountains of Someria (also known as Mari Nostrum) and we subsequently stopped over at the Shrine of Mt. Carmel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Nearby was Haifa, Israel’s third biggest city and the center of trade and commerce and the only mixed city in Israel where people of diverse faiths could co-exist.
The Stella Maris Church came next in our itinerary before proceeding down Hi-way #2, Israel’s most trafficated (don’t laugh, there’s now such a word…) road, along Via Maris. We passed by Caesaria, a town in north central Israel between Tel-Aviv and Haifa, which was governed by Pontius Pilate during the time of Jesus and the place where Simon Peter converted the Roman Cornelius, the first non-Jew who believed in Jesus.
We thought we’ve seen all those wonderful sights but lo and behold! Along Nice Boulevard in Netanya we checked in at the aristocratic Seasons Hotel which was a spit-throw from the Mediterranean Sea. From our suite (Room 1406) we had a marvelous view of the setting sun with its resplendence reflected on the undulating waves. We invaded the beach immediately after dinner for a revitalizing whiff of the nocturnal breeze.
Despite retiring late we still managed to be up by 5:00 a.m. to frolic and strolled along the seashore. It was a gratifying final day experience and how we wished we were booked there longer.
Then, the moment of truth had to be faced with conviction and inflexibility. We had to vacate our suites and drove off to Ben Gurion International Airport at 9:00 a.m., just minutes after breakfast and an epigrammatic glimpse of the Mediterranean Sea.
It took us 40 minutes to reach Tel-Aviv. After checking in, the dilemma of undergoing rigid security inspection inevitably followed and left a lingering anguish regarding our connecting flight from Istanbul to New York City.
Finally, after a grueling 12-hour flight we’ve landed safely…but enveloped with the pain of separation from people we’ve considered family and getting back to reality was tantamount to waning a child from playmates and his toy. Our two weeks of togetherness was left on a standstill waiting to be re-lived and nurtured on our next travel.
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