Thursday Oct, 29, 2009 Day 7 Haifa

Today was quite exhausting to say the least. We got up at 5:30AM to meet our group at 6:45 and start our day trip to Jerusalem. I think after this weeks tours we will be ready to run the NY Marathon. Today we walked over 4 miles and now would love to crawl on our hands and knees like an infant.

We boarded our mini bus at 7:00AM and started the ride to Jerusalem with our guide Zak (originally from the states) and Chaim (our driver). Zak pretty much talked all the way (about 2 hours) to prepare us for how we were going to spend the day.

When we got to Jerusalem we made a pit stop (bathroom break) and looked around the gift shop we were in but they were outrageously expensive. Then we had a picture stop where we overlooked the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall and basically the entire city.

Then we got off the bus (he said for about 3 hours) and went to the Tomb of King David. Then we went to the Zion Gate that is riddled with bullet holes from the war in 1948. From there we went into the Cardo and we had 15 minutes to shop. That was a little to hectic for me. Next we walked down a million slippery steps (it was drizzling and I might be exaggerating a little) to the Davidson exhibit where they are uncovering ancient walls.

After that we went to the tunnels under the Western Wall and when we came out of them we walked back to the Western Wall for everyone to see and put their prayers in the wall. Now mind you we have already been out of the bus for over 3 hours. Then we walked through the muslim quarter with all the stores (but no time to shop) and stopped at several Stations of the Cross. That also included walking up and down another million steps. HELP!!!!!
We finally got back to the bus.

We had lunch on the bus that we had brought from our breakfast buffet. We headed for the Israeli Museum but caught up in a tradffic jam due to the 14th anniversary of Itzak Rabin's assasination. David and I stayed in the bus at the Museum since we only had 15 minutes there before heading off to Yad Vashem.
Got to Yad Vashem at 4:20 and we were to meet again at 5:40. It has changed completely since I was there 21 years ago. I personally think the old one had much more impact than the way it is now. We all boarded the bus and left Jerusalem at 6PM and started our trek back to Haifa.

We got back to the ship at 8 PM and went straight to the buffet for our dinner. If we went to the cabin first we'd never have left it again. It is now 10 PM and we have to be up at 5:30 again. Who says this is a vacation? I know I'll need one when I get home.