Jerusalem: Truly multicultural and truly rich in history

Today, I took a moving and memorable ten-hour, private tour of both Jerusalem, and (Palestine Controlled) Bethlehem. What struck me most was how lush and green the countryside was; that we could see the 436-mile “security wall” from different locations; and as we entered Jerusalem, I was amazed by how densely populated the city is with neighborhoods tightly built up into the hillside. Of course, the imposing Temple Mount with its distinctive, glistening golden Dome of the Rock, one of the most sacred Muslim sites in the world, can be seen from every corner of the city. Because it is situated on a most holy Jewish site (Abraham almost sacrificed his son, Solomon built 1st Temple, and 2nd temple was built), its location is a source of never-ending conflict between Muslims and Jews.

Downtown Jerusalem is very congested and the streets are too narrow for the volume of traffic and not much better for pedestrians. Parking is a nightmare and many park right on the pavement. Fortunately, our small van was able to navigate the narrow streets that connect and surround parts of the old city. Our first stop was lookout point with spectacular panoramic views of the city, dominated by the breathtaking Dome of The Rock. Then, we drove along the Mount of Olives, of great importance to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, with shrines dedicated to all 3 religions. It houses the Jewish cemetery which is considered a most sacred burial ground for Jews worldwide, today. At the foot of the mountain, we visited the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus was arrested and the Church of All Nations.

We could see panoramic views of Mount Zion from different points throughout the day.

Next, we headed for the Old City, walled in by ancient stone, containing the greatest concentration of all weaves of society, in a maze of winding streets. Included are the Jewish, Muslim, Armenian, and Christian Quarters, all filled with colorful markets, aromatic cafes, pungent restaurants, and pedestrian streets with nearby sounds of Jewish prayer at the Western wall, Catholic church bells ringing, and the call to Muslim prayer from muezzin--all within minutes of each other.

Here, we had tours of inside of the famous (and very crowded) Church of the Holy Sepulchre; Via Dolorosa (the path along which Jesus was forced to walk with the cross on his back—we visited stations 5, 6, & 7); the Western (“Wailing”) Wall; and through Arab Markets. I found the Western Wall, one of the Holiest Jewish sites in the world, most moving of all. I wrote a prayer and pressed it into a crevice of the wall. I must confess: I peeked at the men on the other side of the gender partition and photographed some of them. Of course, there side looked more interesting.

On Jerusalem: I love the co-existence of east and west, ancient and modern, secular and religious, and there are still even those who ride on donkeys, camels, and horses. Jerusalem’s residents come from more than a hundred ethnic and religious backgrounds. The ride ranging mix of people can be seen while walking down a street: a cassocked priest from an Eastern Orthodox Church, a black-veiled, abaya-clad Muslim woman, and an Ethiopian immigrant in flowing white robes, a black-garbed Orthodox Jew with beard and corkscrew curls, and an Indian immigrant in a colorful sari. All in one mosaic inside a 42-square mile radius.

Next, our Israeli tour guide, Ron, left our bus because he refused to stay on the bus as it moved into Palestine-controlled Bethlehem and because he did not wish to share space with our Palestinian tour guide. Despite his warnings, we felt very safe in Bethlehem and our Tour Guide, Samir, a Christian Palestinian, was a gentle and respectful soul. Of note, our Israeli tour guide made it clear he was NOT going to be politically correct and at one point even referred to some Arab children as maggots.

We were required to go through an official check point to enter Bethlehem. We strolled through the streets of Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity, believed to be the birth place of King David and Jesus. For lunch, we dined in a small restaurant that gave us a choice between two delicious sandwiches: shawarma or falafel. Vendors followed us to the next stop (LOL) which was a large Christian gift shop. The official checkpoint leading back into Jerusalem (from the West Bank) was much more stringent with armed guards coming on board our van to check us out.

It was obvious we were spending time in a military states whose primary purpose is survival. Israel’s ports must be the most heavily guarded in the world. The port of Ashdod was flooded with military ships. Although I felt a bit uneasy before going there, I admit I felt quite safe.

I enjoyed the day and will visit New Jerusalem and several museums next time.

Rhodes, The Perfect Port City

Today, I visited Rhodes, a walled city that is the largest permanently inhabited medieval city in Europe. Rhodes is the name of the city as well as the Aegean island and consists of three different cities: ancient, medieval, and modern and the old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Of course, it is best known for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven Wonders of the Ancient World, that stood in the old harbor until it collapsed in an earthquake in 227 BC, after dominating the harbor for 56 years. It is also known for its splendid beaches and 300 days of sunshine a year.

As I left the ship, I noticed Hop On Hop Off Buses just outside the port entrance (stop #8). Although I had studied all the maps and planned to take a self-guided tour of the Old Town, I decided to begin my journey with an hour long scenic circuit of the entire city (including up to Monte Smith) atop the tour bus, listening to a guided lecture. As always, I learned a lot and succeeded in getting an overview of both old and new, I would not have been able to conquer on foot.

Once I was satisfied I had a nice overview, I descended the bus (at stop #6) close to the stop where I boarded and near the Old Town central market, adjacent to the knights quarter. This was the perfect starting point for my walking tour of the (mostly pedestrian-only) Old Town. The well-preserved old town is divided into 3 quarters: knights, Turkish, and Jewish. I explored all 3.

The Avenue of the Knights, Ipoton, is the main thoroughfare of the knights’ quarter. This street is lined with the imposing Inns, residences of Knights of the Order of St John, that are divided by linguistic affinity, from each of the 7 groups that occupied Rhodes. I saw the French, Spanish, and Italian Inns, all that house archeological and decorative arts museums. I will explore Rhodes’ many museums on my next visit.

From here, I walked straight uphill to the Palace of Grand Masters, an imposing fort; built to be the last line of defense should the outer walls of the city be breached. Built on the site where the ancient Greek temple of Apollo stood, it was the residence of the Grand Master of the Knights, and where the Order assembled. After Rhodes fell to the Turks in 1522, it was converted to a prison and the palace was completely destroyed by an accidental explosion of stored black powder in 1856.

What is visible today as the Palace of the Grand Masters was rebuilt in the 1930’s based upon old drawings and it’s the complete reconstruction was undertaken to create the summer residence of Mussolini and King Victor Emmanuel III. Of note, it was never used for this purpose.

Next, I climbed the hill of the Mosque of Suleiman that was built soon after the Turks occupied the city of Rhodes in 1522 on the site of the destroyed Christian Church of the Apostles.

Just in front of the Suleiman Mosque is the old Turkish Bazaar that lines Sokratous Street, which is packed with tourists and a melee of shops that spill their wares into the street. I enjoyed exploring and bargaining. The shop owners are not annoyingly aggressive as in certain other cities.

Sokratous Street is a pleasant cobblestone street that is bound to be walked by every tourist who visits Rhodes. I took a slow walk through this street from the Mosque of Suleiman to the very lively Ippokratous Square which surrounds the Castellania fountain (birds are actually drinking from each of the faucets!!), and is framed by the old Chadrevan mosque on the west and the Palace of the Castellan on the east. All around, coffee shops and terraced-restaurants burst at the seams as they spill onto the street having completely covered the old buildings.

I returned to the ship to recharge my camera battery, find my ATM card, and grab lunch. I went back into Old Town for another 2 hours to explore more of the maze of nooks and crannies of this remarkably charming town.

When I return, I will take a trip to Lindos.

Tweet: Rhodes is the perfect port city: rich in history, U walk there from ship, it’s beautiful, it’s unique: a medieval walled-city & people smile

Chania, one of the most photographed cities in Greece

Today, I visited the city of Chania one of the most photographed cities in Greece. It is located on the island of Crete. I visited the charming old town with narrow, cobblestone streets; monuments and buildings dating to the 1500s, and a breathtaking harbor. The rain tried to ruin our day but did not succeed. You can see this in my photos.

Cruise to Israel, Greece, Turkey, and Italy

I will take this wonderful 13-night cruise that visits Israel (my first time), Greece, Italy (including Sicily), and Turkey. I look forward to a relaxing and intellectually stimulating time and to chilling out in my balcony room on a great ship!

Here is the route:

Sept 20 depart from Rome, Italy
Sept 21 Sea day
Sept 22 Chania, Crete, Greece
Sept 23 Rhodes, Greece
Sept 24 Sea day
Sept 25 Jerusalem (Ashdod) Israel
Sept 26 Nazareth (Haifa) Israel
Sept 27 Sea day
Sept 28 Ephesus, Turkey
Sept 29 Athens, Greece
Sept 30 Sea day
Oct 1 Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Oct 2 Naples,/Capri, Italy
Oct 3 Back to Rome and Flight back to Miami

Israelis And Palestinians Smile For The Camera

Here is an AP article about a worldwide project, created by a prize-winning French street artist, which encourages conflicted peoples to view each other eye-to-eye---- as brothers and sisters.

Here is the Israel execution of the project collaborated between Israelis and Palestinians.

JERUSALEM -- Large black-and-white portraits have been appearing on bridges, billboards and broken-down buses all over Israel and the West Bank as part of an international project that allows people to turn pictures of themselves into works of art or political statements.

The portraits of ordinary Israelis and Palestinians are part of a project created by a prize-winning French street artist known only as JR. The project, Inside Out, gets people worldwide to make a statement by having their photo taken and then printed on posters that they can then hang in a place they find significant.

Inside Out started in Tunisia in March and has also been to North Dakota in the U.S., Scotland and South Africa.

For two weeks, the project had two photo booths in the West Bank Palestinian cities of Bethlehem and Ramallah and a roaming photo truck that drove around Israel, taking a total of more than 7,000 portraits. It wraps up in Israel and the West Bank this weekend.

Israelis and Palestinians made different uses of their photos.
In the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem last week, Palestinian youth activist Munther Amira came up with an idea for a political statement. He organized a group of children from the camp to have their photos taken and then painted flags on the posters of countries that support the Palestinian leadership's bid to win statehood recognition at the U.N. next week.

They took the portraits to Israel's nearby separation barrier and pasted them along the concrete wall.

In Tel Aviv early Thursday, a group of Israeli artists dressed in black pasted posters on the side of a bridge in what they called an apolitical art installation.
One of the participants, Maayan Iungman, said she felt the project was a way to reach people without talking about politics or opinions.

"Usually when we cross the street and see a big billboard with a photoshopped model and a lot of text, it doesn't move us. But to see a huge, simple bright face without words, you feel everything. I really believe this is a way of reaching people," she said.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Friday, JR, the artist behind the endeavor, said he envisioned the project as one in which his own ego was not a factor. Instead, the photo booths provide the materials and inspiration for people to take the idea and make it their own.

"It's about them. We transferred the power of the project to the people, and it's really their statements," he said.

Interfaith Peace

For 9/11, I attended an uplifting prayer and music service at Temple Judea. Prayers were read by rabbis, priests, imams, and ministers. Songs were performed by cantors and choirs. The Unity choir sang the Lord’s Prayer in Swahili. I could do this every day!

Introducing Faceglat: The 'Kosher' Facebook

Here is an article about the new Kosher version of Facebook. I bet you are wondering what that means. Well, read on……

By Véronique Falez of LE MONDE/Worldcrunch

Faceglat is a new social network that allows its users to chat online, share information and pictures, and add new friends – all the while strickly separating men from women, just like in synagogue. Launched in Israel last month by a young Hasidic geek, this website boasts a social structure designed especially for ultra-Orthodox Jews. The name "Faceglat" comes from the fusion of two words: Facebook, and glatt, meaning highly kosher, according to the Jewish dietary laws of kashrut.

When men go on Faceglat.com, they sign up by clicking on the arrow on the right of the screen. Women click on that on the left. From this moment on their respective paths will never cross. "One day, a couple of friends paid me a visit, and while we were chatting, the young woman said it was a pity that there was no website where she could share pictures with her female friends without other people being able to see them,” says the site’s creator, Yaakov Swisa. “We started thinking about a religious social network, where there would be no indecent pictures, and which would garantee that men could not see photos posted by women, and vice versa.”

And so, six busy months later, the first kosher Facebook was born. But the 25-year-old Faceglat founder does not wear the traditional wide-brimmed black hat, nor does he dress in the ultra-Orthodox dark suit. Wearing a checkered shirt, a black kippah on his head, carrying his laptop bag on his shoulder, he bridges the gap between his Lubavitch community from the village of Kfar Chabad, located 8 km south-east of Tel Aviv, and the thrilling world of new technology.

No one could have predicted that the young boy who went to school in a yeshiva to study the Torah and the Talmud would one day become part of the Internet big league. "I taught myself on the family computer, during holidays," he recalls. His goal is not to push traditional communities towards change. Instead, he wants to protect them. "Orthodox Jews need the Internet, at home and at work alike,” says Swisa. “My website allows them to browse freely, while offering them maximum security. It also reassures parents who worry about their children going on pages that everybody can consult.”

Keeping the content kosher
Trust demands extremely strict rules. For example, a program tracks and deletes inappropriate words. And users who mischievously put photos of men in the women-only space, or who posted pictures that were deemed indecent, are simply banned from the website. For the time being, administrating Faceglat still involves a lot of improvisation. But in order to "move quicker," this Mark Zuckerberg of hasidic neighborhoods wants to buy a software that can identify and automatically delete pictures showing "more skin than is necessary."

Though the website is only a newcomer on the Internet, Faceglat has already attracted more than 2,000 users, mainly by word of mouth, and about 100 new accounts are being created every week. "It’s only the beginning. There are lots of curious people, most of them men from Israel, but actually about 15% of our users live in Russia," says the active young man with a smile.

The website is only available in Hebrew and English at the moment, but it will be translated in French and Russian in the next few weeks. It will then lead to an online advertising campaign, on orthodox forums and on religous singers’ fanpages. A brand new feature of the Facebook revolution.

English Is Challenging

English Is Challenging

Here is a thought provoking, fun, interactive exercise that demonstrates how challenging English can be. It is written by Mary Beth Marino, The Writing Editor. It’s time for a good laugh! A belly shaking, rolling on the floor laugh…AND an English lesson to boot! My love affair with words was nourished by an email that was sent to me by a friend. It challenges the English language while giving a good laugh and marvels the astonishment about how things get to be what they are and why. Curious? Read on. Can you read these right the first time? 1) The bandage was wound around the wound. 2) The farm was used to produce produce. 3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse. 4) We must polish the Polish furniture. 5) He could lead if he would get the lead out. 6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert. 7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present. 8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum 9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes. 10) I did not object to the object. 11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid. 12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row. 13) They were too close to the door to close it 14) The buck does funny things when the does are present. 15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line. 16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow. 17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail. 18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear. 19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests. 20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

5 Tips On How to Feel Comfortable, Confident and Carefree Your First Time Overseas

5 Tips On How to Feel Comfortable, Confident and Carefree Your First Time Overseas By Karla Scott, MBA


 Are you intimidated by the notion of traveling overseas on business?
 Do you dream of taking a crash course on how to be effective in your new destination?
 Are you worried you may make mistakes in this unfamiliar culture?

Relax! You are not alone! Here are steps you can take that can help make you feel competent and confident in your first overseas venture.

1. Do your homework
If you choose to do business in another culture, you must accept its protocol, norms, and ways of doing business. Be insatiably curious. Go to your local bookstore and use the internet to research the other culture’s history, geography, key symbols, tourist attractions, national dishes, popular sports, non verbal communication rules, leaders and celebrity culture. Study the local map including the mass transit or metro map and the area surrounding your hotel. You will feel more comfortable exploring and communicating when you have gone the extra mile to learn something about your new culture. The best part is that by taking an interest in the other culture, your actions will convey genuine respect. Your efforts will be appreciated by most (if not all) whom you meet. It will set you apart from many Americans who don’t bother to learn something about the other culture. Remember, people all over the world know U.S. popular culture, government, history and many even speak English. Isn’t it reasonable for us to make the effort to meet them at least half way?

For a crash course in local customs and etiquette, I recommend the easy-to-read Culture Shock series. They are compact guides (250 pages) that provide a comprehensive and accurate portrayal of culture in more than 35 countries, with practical tips on how to be effective there. They are well-researched, authentic, and entertaining. You can order Culture Shock online from all leading book sellers.

2. Learn a few commonly used words and phrases
Rest assured you do not need to enroll in a 3-month immersion class. Most of the world accommodates English speaking guests. In fact, it is the second most spoken language, behind Mandarin, in the world. Your experience can be greatly enhanced by showing basic respect. You can accomplish this by learning some common courtesy expressions such as hello; goodbye; thank you; and please and one of my favorites: “Where are the toilets?” “How much is that ________?” also comes in very handy when bargaining.

You will be amazed by how instantly connected you feel when upon arrival, someone says hello in their language and you can respond in the same language or when they say thank you, you can reply appropriately.

I strongly urge you to refrain from bursting into a conversation leading with English words. Instead (or what is more respectful is to) always first ask “Do you speak English?”

You can listen to a basic language tape daily before you go that provides language basics including numbers, useful questions, shopping terms, hotel/taxi/ and airport expressions, and dining phrases.

3. Prepare for time zone change realities and make travel as easy as possible
Go a day early, if possible, to help your body and mind adjust to time zone differences. Going a day early can also help you to get your bearing on the new destination. Your first day there, don’t go to sleep until 10PM no matter what. That way, you can wake up with the locals and it will help you function effectively, more quickly. While you sleep, always turn the clock around so you won’t see the time that could distract your sleep pattern. It’s best not to know the time while you are attempting to sleep.

Here are a few helpful hints:
□ Sleep on the flight if at all possible.
□ Wear eye shades to notify flight attendants you prefer not to be bothered.
□ Wear a noise reduction headset to tune out noises and engine roars.
□ During the flight, eat light, drink lots of water to stay hydrated, and minimize alcohol consumption.
□ Bring a bean-filled travel pillow (they really do help!).
□ For longer flights (8 hours+), prepare to walk around periodically in order to allow your blood to circulate properly. It is not uncommon for people over 50 to suffer from fatal blood clots during long overseas trips, because the victims failed around during the flight.
□ Pack a couple of bagels or oatmeal bars in your carry on in order to fill in “food gaps”.
□ Pack a toiletry kit so you may freshen up on board prior to landing.
□ Pack one wash cloth for each hotel (wash cloths are not common everywhere).

If possible, strive to negotiate to sit in the business class section where it is quieter. The seats are roomier and they recline substantially. However, if you must fly coach, book early enough to select a comfortable window or aisle seat. You do not want to be trapped in a middle seat in coach for 8-15 hours! Be sure your carry-on bags are wheeled because you will walk long distances inside international airports. Also, they are often long flight delays in some parts of the world. Don't carry on anything you are now willing to cart around for unlimited periods of time.

Finally, wear a round-the-neck pouch that contains your passport, travel itinerary, ID, business credit card, small bills (US and other currency) and a pen. This way you won’t need to go digging thru bags at numerous security checkpoints. Once, I observed a woman miss her connecting flight because she could not produce her travel documents in a timely manner. You will be forever grateful if you wear one of these pouches on a lanyard available at most luggage stores for $20 or less.


4. Upon arrival, sink into the rhythm and flavor of the culture
After you check in, you can choose to either explore the area around your hotel, or to take a taxi to a busy section of town. Here are suggestions on what to do there:
 Sit at a café at a busy intersection and people watch to see the written and unwritten rules (you have already read about), in action.
 Go to a market or grocery store—you can learn a lot about people by watching how they connect with their food.
 Visit a park; sit and watch the show.
 Dine where locals dine; match their behavior.
 If you are daring, take public transportation. Be sure you’ve studied the maps in advance and have exact change or a ticket before you board. Find out from your hotel’s concierge the best mode of returning to your hotel. [Beware of trying this in countries where signage is in a script different from Roman such as Chinese/Japanese characters, Arabic, Persian, Ethiopian, Russian (Cyrillic), India (Brahmi), or Greek.] I have taken public transportation alone in many parts of the world because I learn to recognize the destination words. In Tokyo, I was thankful to be accompanied by a Japanese person during my subway ride: I don’t read Japanese characters! I would probably still be trapped in the Tokyo subway system had I ventured to do this on my own.
 Watch popular television shows in your hotel room while you are getting dressed. This gives you a feel for local values, humor, aesthetics, nonverbal communication rules, and popular marketing campaigns.
 Memorize exchange rate(s). Know basic currency conversions in denominations of 1, 5, 20, 50 etc. For example, prepare to recognize what 20 Euros or 2500 Yen means on the menu.
 Avoid renting a car when traveling abroad alone. The rules of the road are significantly different, and you probably will not be able to read road signs. By American standards, traffic overseas is at best, chaotic.

Always carry a few essential tools while traveling around:
□ something with the name of your hotel written in local script (take hotel pen, matches, or pad) to show taxi driver how to return you to your hotel.
□ a roll of toilet paper—just in case! Often, you will not find toilet paper (especially the soft version we know and love)
□ camera
□ guidebook containing useful words and phrases
□ notepad for journaling

5. Let your host play host--don’t rush into business.
If you are being hosted, let your hosts set the tone and pace. Allow them to welcome you and guide you around. If possible, accept all invitations. Show appreciation and respect for their culture by allowing them to take pride in showing you their world. Keep an open mind. Leave judgmental thinking at home and practice the platinum rule: Do unto others as they would have you do unto them.

Make the unfamiliar familiar by learning about the culture in advance of your trip.
The best part is that by taking an interest in the other culture, your actions will convey genuine respect. Your efforts will be appreciated by most (if not all) whom you meet. It will set you apart from many Americans who don’t bother to learn something about the other culture. Remember, people all over the world know U.S. popular culture, government, history and many even speak English. Isn’t it reasonable for us to make the effort to meet them at least half way?


Helpful Resources

For a crash course in local customs and etiquette, I recommend the easy-to-read Culture Shock series. They are compact guides (250 pages) that provide a comprehensive and accurate portrayal of culture in more than 35 countries, with practical tips on how to be effective there. They are well-researched, authentic, and entertaining. You can order Culture Shock online from all leading book sellers.

Other helpful sources are:
CIA World Factbook Sheets. The US government provides profiles of countries and territories around the world. Information on geography, people, government, transportation, economy, communications, and more. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/

Culture Grams Cultural reports for more than 200 countries each include 25 categories such as land and climate, history, personal appearance, greetings, gestures, family, diet, arts, holidays, economy, education, religion, health, a country map, and events and trends.

Each individual Culture Gram four-page report (there are 201) is available individually for download for $4 per report.
http://www.culturegrams.com/products/individual.htm

Consular Information Sheet The US State Department’s Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management (ACS) administers the Consular Information Program, which informs the public of conditions abroad that may affect their safety and security. Country Specific Information, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings are vital parts of this program. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html#F
Executive Planet™ provides valuable tips on business etiquette, customs and protocol for doing business in more than 50 countries. http://www.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=Main_Page
Lonely Planet Destination Guides. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/