Haifa

We left Tel Aviv early and went to Caesarea, the port city built by Herod the Great. There were some marvels of engineering involved in its creation. It is right on the Mediterranean shore. Pontius Pilate lived there when he was governor and a carved stone bears witness to this.

We then went to Haifa to the gardens surrounding the burial place of the Bab, the founder of Baha’i. The gardens are built on a steep slope with the burial shrine in the middle. Nine terraced gardens above it and nine below.

Next was Nazareth where the main attraction is the Church of the Annunciation, built in 1950 to replace a 1000 year old church which replaced a 4th century church. It is a lovely building and has in its lowest level the remains of what is teaditionally held to be the home of Joseph and Mary. Somehow I didn’t get the feeling of sanctity or awe I had expected in such a place.

Then we returned to Haifa to our hotel high above the harbour.