Tag: Holy Lands Tour 2024
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Holy Lands Tour Final Stop: Cairo
It’s already late afternoon. The route to our next stop, St. Simon the Tanner Cathedral, skirts through narrow and congested streets. Our bus is too large to pass here, so the group is divided into two taxi vans, kind of like the UV Express in the Philippines but slightly larger. We drive through piles of…
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The Pyramids of Giza: A Morning Among the Ancient Tombs
This morning–our first in Cairo after a relaxing sleep at the hotel following a long drive from St. Catherine–the sun casts a warm glow over the desert and glints off the pyramid’s limestone. We’re standing at the base of an imposing pyramid, the most famous symbol of Egypt and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Even…
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Holy Lands Tour: St. Catherine’s Monastery
The next morning, following breakfast, we set out once more, this time bound for St. Catherine’s Monastery at the base of Mt. Sinai. Here, we plan to reunite with our groupmates who have climbed to the summit for the sunrise. Leaving the comfort of the resort behind, we make the journey from Taba Heights to…
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Taba Heights: An Elegant Pilgrimage Break
If you’d asked me just a few weeks ago about Taba Heights, Egypt, I wouldn’t have known what to say. I might not even have been able to find it on a map. But after a lengthy yet mostly smooth crossing across the border from Israel to Egypt and about two hours more on the…
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Thoughts from the Ride to Eilat
Early the next morning, we leave our hotel in Bethlehem and start the long journey to Eilat, Israel’s southernmost city, where we’ll cross the border to Egypt. The drive is nearly two hours to Ein Gedi, the first town after exiting the West Bank to the south, with the sky a pale, early-morning blue and…
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Floating in the Silent (and Salty) Waters of the Dead Sea
The golden-brown sands of the Judean Desert engulf our bus in a dusty cloud as we wind our way along the highway to Kalia, south of Jericho. Glimmers of shimmering blue water emerge into view across the otherwise arid landscape that defines most of this wilderness. Located more than 400 meters below sea level, the…
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Holy Lands Tour: Jericho
Our group sets off at about 11 am, and as we leave Mount of Olives, the landscape opens to the arid expanse of the Judean Desert. It’s the Shabbat as well, and Jews aren’t allowed to drive on this day, so the highways are almost empty. About an hour later, we stop at a roadside…
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Holy Lands Tour: Jerusalem
Jerusalem—it’s complicated. Claimed as a capital by both Israelis and Palestinians, it holds deep religious importance for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, making it a focal point of longstanding conflicts. The city is divided into East and West Jerusalem, with East Jerusalem, including the Old City, being considered by Palestinians as the capital of a future…
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Holy Lands Tour: Bethlehem
Bethlehem is both the birthplace of Jesus and a city of profound spiritual significance. Yet, beyond the nativity story, Bethlehem is also a place shaped by resilience, conflict, and history. As we cross the Israeli separation barrier into the Palestinian-controlled city, we are met with stark contrasts: ancient stone churches standing alongside walls covered in…
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Holy Lands Tour: Qasr al-Yahud
As we draw closer to the checkpoint to cross the border to the West Bank, Iad provides a bit of background and explains the security process. “This checkpoint is one of several that manage entry into the West Bank,’ he begins, keeping his tone calm and reassuring. “Just show your passports and your entry permits–the…
The Tourist Gaze 