The Road To Pilgrimage: February 1, 2009, Part 1

2-1-9 Sunday 2045 Haifa, Nof Hotel

Room 207, view of the Shrine of the Bab through a palm tree in the parking lot.

0710: Call from Bein Harim tour company from Mercure Hotel, despite arrangements to pick us up at Sun City. I called company, they showed up and picked us up with luggage. On Enayat's insistence, we changed the tour to include Bethlehem.

0900: We're in transit south to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. I'm in the minivan filled with nervous exhaustion, remorse for transgressing the World Center travel guidelines r.e. Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Then we cross a checkpoint and we've entered the West Bank. Sin # 3.

We stop at overlook at Mount Scopus, then pass the Dung Gate and park at the Zion Gate and traipse to the Western Wall. I am singing the round I learned from a Baha'i many years ago:

By the waters, the waters of Babylon
We lay down and wept, and wept, for Thee, Zion.
We remember Thee, remember Thee, remember Thee, Zion.

Our tour guide seems to recognize this tune, to my surprise.

We visited Via Dolorosa, a crowded and narrow grotto of market places where we were warned against purchases, which would make us more vulnerable to pickpockets. This was a nightmare of my husband lagging blocks behind, and my terror he would be left behind as we disappear up another alley. I have forgotten the name of the gate where we should rendezvous, should we get lost, and I am certain that Enayat never listened to it. 3 hours of Hurry up, Enayat!

R.e. the Western Wall. I refused to approach it, to participate in the segregation of the sexes. There is no separate but equal. I did say a little prayer for peace, though.

I avoided touring the Church of the Sepulchre as too dark and crowded and unnecessary stress. I lingered in the courtyard listening to the muezzin, releasing a few tears of stress and singing Allahumma. We eat lunch, then separate: two people are going to the Vad Yashem, the Holocaust Museum. Enayat and I and another gentleman are going to Bethlehem.