A Postcard from Gilbratar!

It is a outlandish sight, seeing a minature England connected to mainland Spain.  This peculiarity arose as a result of the War of Spanish Succession in 1704.  Archduke Charles III from Austria, believed he should be the rightful heir to the throne of Spain and like a good episode of Games of Thrones, with its skullduggery and strategic alliances, his Anglo-Dutch mates joined together and took Gilbratar. The grand alliance failed in its objective of placing Charles on the throne, but in peace negotiations, Gibraltar was ceded to the United Kingdom in 1713 and here it has stayed as the last Bastille of  colonialism ever since. In fact, in the Brexit referendum in 2016, 96% of the citizens of Gibraltar voted to exit the European Union and if eveything goes to plan they will get their wish in 100 days.

It is the Rock that people come to see, a sentinel that has dominated the skyline for centuries.  Rising 412 metres above the sea, it provides stunninng panoramic views of the port and city skyline. It is also home to Europe's only colony of wild monkeys  - the Barbary Macaques. The award goes to Gibraltar for the most feeble attempt to cash in on the Star War franchise anywhere, 'the Skywalk', is four panels of glass that jut out from the rock, of which you can walk along. One panel, obviously is not a Star Wars fan as it has already cracked from embarrassment.

 The 13th century, intrepid Moors were first to see the strategic value of the Rock and the Moorish castle ruin still dominates the skyline today. The Rock is synonymous with sieges and a series of tunnels were gouged through the limestone in response to the Spanish and French siege that occurred between 1779 and 1783 . The mighty Rock also became a major strategic post for the allied forces during WWII and an addition 52 kilometres of tunnels were gouged. Finally, the Rock is also home to the magnificent St Michael's Cave complex that winds through the internal workings of the Rock.

Gibraltar is certainly steeped in history based upon conquest and strategic intentions.  The question beckons, is it time that it gained its own identity?

In the world kitchen! Irsael!

Jesus fed the masses with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes. Or so the story goes. The carb element of this miracle has certainly lasted the centuries.

Most traditional Israeli dishes incorporate bread of some description.  Pita,  kubaneh, challah and laffa are some are the varieties on offer. A lunch time favourite is either: falafel, made from fava beans and chickpeas and fried into delicious ball shapes. These are served with trimmings of hummis, pickled turnips and salad in a pita bread pocket. Or shawarma a middle Eastern orignal version of the doner kabab.

Tahini is the core to many traditional meals in Israel. It can be used as a dressing, sauce or a basis for sweets. Very popular just as a dip with freshly made, hot pita bread. Yummo!

In Nazareth, we went to an Arabric restaurant called Teshreen. Here we ordered from their wood stove menu: haloumi with tomatoes, mushrooms stuffed with garlic, cheese and lemon sauce and whole roasted aubergine with cheese and  pesto. Devine!

Halva and baklava, not traditionally Israeli but definitely  a Middle Eastern favourite.

Buna saghir!     

Holy land 2

The areas known as Israel and the Palestian terrorities have been occupied, conquered and disputed since before the time of Christ. People world wide have an understanding of the significance of the area for religious groups but they have little empathy for the conflicts that occurred and continue to impact on the daily life of individuals. There is silence over the Armenian Genocide that occurred from 1915-17, little is discussed about the civil war that erupted after the United Kingdom abandoned the terrority in 1948 or the 6 day war between Israel and the Arab nations in 1967.  There were closed eyes and covered ears as the West Bank Barrier, aka, the wall of apartheid, racial segregation wall erupted on stolen land in the 2000's to reduce the risk of terrorism, to today, where even our own country, who wishes to be the lap dog of Trump and his 'make America Great' flagellation seeks to recognise Jerusalem as the capital.

We witnessed the disgust of this decision first hand when we were in the lobby of our hotel; we were asked by an elderly woman where we came from? Our reply was Australia.  She responded by spitting at our feet and telling us that she does not like Australians due to their contemplation of Jerusalem as the new capital of Israel. She then turned and casually walked away.  The butterfly effect was in full swing.

With so much conflict and sadness, there also exists a richness in culture and history.  From the religious icons of the Western Wall, the Dome of  the Rock, Mt of Olives, the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of the Nativity, to the fingers of God caressing the Sea of Galilee, to the Rock where Jesus told Peter to build his Church, all merge into a tapestry of man's interpretation of a personal spiritual journey.

Away from the tensions and religious paraphernalia, lsrael and the Palestine terrorities are awash in natural wonder.  From the Dead Sea, whose level of salinity is so high that buoyancy becomes natural and life guards do not resuscitate but rather provide eye wash to the many tourists and where instagram moments are made as mud smeared bodies pose on the shore-line.  To luna landscapes that carpet vast sections of the nation which unleashes ancient artifacts and ruins at will.  Such as: the Masada Fortress,  Hisham's Palace in Jericho, to the Hospitaller's fortress with its knight's hall and Templar tunnel in the Old City of Akko.

Israel and the Palestine terrorities are a kaleidoscope of religion, history, culture and tension.  It is truely a melting pot of diversity.

The wall

The Israeli West bank barrier aka Wall of Aparthied or Racial Segration wall was erected by the Israeli government as a security barrier against terrorism. The amount of suicide bombings in the holy land has indeed decreased but in reality this concrete snake has achieved so much more. Reduced freedom, loss of land, restricted access to water, medical services and education for the Palestine population.

A section of the wall is a dedicated protest to this oppression. Banksy, an anomymous street artist painted 9 images in recognition. Another heartbreaking section tells stories from Palestinian women.

A visit to this border is a truly a raw emotional experience. Will mankind ever learn?

Masada's ultimate sacrifice!

There are various versions of the survival game, with all of them exploring one's psyche on what they would be willing to do or not to do to survive.  We call it the $50 million game - would you cut your little finger off or drink your own urine for $50,000,000? Such games, often pop up after a few bevies, hypothetical in nature, but what if the choice was a survival reality?

The rebels of Masada faced a life and death choice as the Roman Tenth Legion lay seige to the fortress of Masada.  This majestic fortress etched upon the top plateau of Mt Eleazor, sways in the clouds as it looks down at a moonscape arcing towards the Dead Sea.  Ruins display an array of churches, synagogues and palaces and it is here that the occupants chose death over slavery. Having been under seige for three months, with the gates breached, little or no food left and the knowledge that the new dawn will bring raping and pillaging, the Masada rebels threw the rules of the survival game out the window.  Like a great 'Death before dishonour' tattoo, 960 rebels took the lives of their families before surrending their own. A big call on their behalf, makes one wonder what would be going through the mind of the last man standing!

The Greenies guide to the Holy Land!

Spirituality is a personal faith journey; organised religion is a man-made industry - welcome to the Holy Land, an oxymoron on steroids. Old Jerusalem city with its wall rampants and its multi-cultural melting pot of quarters: Muslim, Armenian, Christian and Jewish; all combine to give differing narratives on Jesus.

The Via Dolorosa - The Stations of the Cross is a diorama of history swept up in a story of betrayal, brutality, sacrifice and resurrection.  Each station is surrounded by touts offering religious icons to pilgrims and travellers alike as they progress to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where according to the teaching of Catholics, Armenians and Greek Orthodox, Jesus was crucified and  then rose from the dead.

Within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, each religious order has its own place of worship with the only common area being the tomb of Jesus.  So complicated is the status of worship within in the Church that the keys are held by a Muslim family who pass the keys down from  generation to generation.

A feeling of omnipotence can engulf you when you stand in the place where the birth of Christianity occurred and you are reminded of the importance of Jerusalem to each religion here, when you are surrounded by military packing fully automatic assault weapons and barking commands to stay away for this gate or that entrance because it has some sense of religious significance which you are not part of.

Whilst this is occurring, the call to prayer reverberates through the narrow alleyways as it has done since 691AD from the Dome on the Rock.  This cacophony mixes with the rampant wailing and rocking that occurs at the Western Wall.  The holiest of all Jewish sites sees devotion divided by gender and by symbolism of prayer and dress; prayers are stuffed into cracks so that Yahweh will hear one's prayer over anothers.

No sojourn would be complete without crossing the apartheid wall/security border that forcefully separates Israel from Palestine, to visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.  The grotto is the oldest site continuously worshipped in Christianity. The Church is the oldest, major church in the Holy Land.  At our time of visiting, the baby Jesus was competiting with a large Christmas tree set up next to Santa's village and Santa's guzzled down Coke on covered billboards, whilst pilgrims and travellers alike, popped down a few steps  to see an ornate manger and the best decorated stable one would ever hope to see.

Once again, organised religion has dictated how one is to view their own spiritual journey.