Nazareth

OK.  Another amazing day. I"ve just got off the bus back from Nazareth and I feel like I have been on a surreal movie set.  I found the bus stop this morning really easily but the first bus sailed straight by me.  So then I took a more attentive pose and I stood in front of the next one waving like a mad woman.   It  thankfully stopped and on I got.   45 minutes later I was in Nazareth, a big Arab and Christian run city with a relaxed and friendly vibe.  I went to the biggest place first.  The Daddy (or rather Mummy) of Nazareth.  The Basilica of the Annunciation.  (Annunciation is Christian language for when Gabriel tells Mary she will be pregnant with baby Jesus.)

View of the Cuppola of the Annunciation church later in the afternoon.

It was free to enter and full of pilgrims from all over the world.   Most of them were in big groups all wearing different coloured hats similar to what you wear when you are working in MacDonald's.  You can't go in wearing shorts or sleeveless tops because of religious sensibilities but I think it was only me who found the baseball caps offensive too.

It was amazing inside.  To be honest the place was breathtaking.  Different Catholic communities from different countries have all given  interpretations of Mother and Infant.  Many were exquisite.  I've taken photos of all the countries of friends. so they can see theirs.    Sorry I couldn't find an English or Dutch one (Weird, in this modern world)  I even hunted around three times with no luck and there was no-one to ask. Sorry Janet, there were so many Italian ones but I didn't take any photos though.   Whoops!!

I don;'t know anyone in the Phillipines but I just liked this one.

 Wales, but no England??!!   What's going on!

Scotland too!!

 This Mary was at the entrance

 These were the beautiful stained glass windows.   Yes, Mum they were designed in France.   Similar to Carcasonne, ehh?!! I LOVED THEM and took loads of photos.

 This is the remains of Mary's house where the Angel visited her.

 A very modern Mary and Gabriel /  I loved the bright colours of this one.                                                         The  most sacred part of the church is on the right.

 This is Mother and child from Japan on the walls inside the main Church.(This one was absolutely stunning..  It shone like gold.It probably is gold!!)

 The dome is a perfect inverted Lilly.  Beautiful.

A very enjoyable hour, I liked this Catholic Church far more than I expected too.    Even better once the hoards of hats had gone!

Then it was off to the Mosque. I went through the old town market/souq area and got totally lost but I kind of guessed that if I was going up hill I was OK.  I got chatting to an Arab guy who lives back in Nazareth in the winter and in Toronto in the summer.  He was an interesting chap.

 Inside the mosque.  It's called the White Mosque and the custodian was really friendly to me.

 Walking along the old city streets.

 I found this down a hidden alley and went in and found this...so this is where Jesus preached for the first time.  He grew up in Nazareth.

 The alley in the middle is for rain water.

 Inside the White Mosque.

 I then hunted out the Anglican church..  It was locked and so I went into the playground of the attached Christ Church School and got chatting to the cleaner who went and got the key holder and she let me in.

 View from the top of the mosque.

 Inside the Anglican Church.  It's only open on Sunday mornings due to the small number of protestant tourists who come to Nazareth.  I was lucky to see inside!  The woman was lovely but couldn't really speak English and neither could her Husband.  They were married here 15 years ago. (I think)   He was born Anglican and she converted.( I think) They were both really friendly and would have let me stay for ages if I wanted to!  There was a really nice feeling in this place.

 Yes, Dad they are the numbers of the hymns in Arabic!!

Similar to your church I think Dad?!   They must have made a job lot and shipped them out!

Then it was off for the Orthodox view of the annunciation.  I was a bit tired by this point and gagging for a beer but I decided to refrain from alcohol and stuck to my beloved coca-cola/  I also tried to hunt out some good restaurants but everything seemed to be closed.  In fact apart from inside the Catholic (and later Orthodox churches) there was a distinct lack of people and even on the bus there were only two of us.  It seemed sad really.  It was definitely not a crowded city!  November is not the time for visitors they are probably holding on for Christmas or maybe the politics out here stops  people from coming out and having a look .

This is the well where the Orthodox believe Mary saw Angel Gabriel.   It was in a sad state of affairs and the right side was all graffitied.  The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation was behind so after a bit of a rest I went in.  It was absolutely packed with big burly guys and headscarffed women all chanting and men wailing and moaning and it was all  bit too much for me because 'religious rigormortis' was setting in! I got chatting to a Dutch woman and I was trying to fix her camera and we both got told off for not being attentive enough.   Ohh, a serious place of devotional worship this was!   Probably to make up for the crappy well outside.

 Me inside the Orthodox Church.(To prove I'm really here.)

 Next to a Nun.   This is the side of her from the back.

There were thousands of coins at the bottom of this dry well at the back of the church.  This is where the well water used to flow but obviously doesn't any more.

I was now getting religious fatique and knew I had to call it a day.  What a day...I've never had one like it!   I feel like I've travelled the globe.
But now I am prepared for the rush of going to Jerusalem and feel like I've had a suitable warm up!   It was a  really interesting day.  But I ended my visit in a weird place called The Mary of Nazareth International Centre.  It was run by a group of French Catholics called the Chemin Neuf .   It had the feel of a five star hotel about it.   NO expense had been spared and it was the only place where the woman asked me for a donation! Cheeky.  The church was lovely though.  In fact it was an exquisite design, but to me it felt kind of soulless.  Like an art gallery.

 Inside the church.  It was beautiful.

 Why toilet roll you ask me??!!!! Well, it made me angry that my donation would be going to fund the extravagant toilet habits of the pilgrims here.   The toilet roll was embossed with hearts and about 6 ply deep!      Plus the soap was of a quality I would only expect in high-class dining establishments not a place which 'humbly helps the poor and needy!'

The Chemin Neuf Church from the outside.   A wonderfully designed  building but rather creepy if I'm honest.  maybe I shouldn't have gone to toilet here and I would have felt better about it!!

One last photo which made me both laugh and cry...

That women and the dead share the same entrance into the mosque is rather unsettling I feel.

  I didn't get any gormet eating done in Nazareth so I'm off now to find a top class restaurant which will hopefully also have wonderful toilet amenities.  Bye.