The Holy Land

This impressive trip was a visit to the birthplace of Jesus Christ, a place of performed miracles. “It was unbelievable to have witnessed the pathway where Jesus was led to carry the cross, the Via Dolorosa, the place of His crucifixion and death, the Holy Sepulcher, which stands over Golgotha as well as the place where His body was laid to rest, it felt very peaceful,” commented Cristina “Tina” Jalandoni.

“The Jews and Palestinians make all tourists feel so welcome since they depend so much on tourism. The war is only located in the Gaza strip, so just for the record, I have to say that I felt safe all throughout our trip,” shared Abe Jalandoni.

The places they visited were Tel Aviv, Tiberias, Sea of Galilee, Bet Shean, Nazareth, Megiddo, Caesarea, Jerusalem, Jericho, Qumran, Masada, Mt. of Olives, Bethlehem, The Old City, Southern Wall, Upper Room, Garden Tomb, Mt. of Temptation and Bengurion. “It is a dream to have visited the land where Jesus once lived and remains, where miracles were said to have happened. Israel to me is the land of faith and love as well as being a land of war, blood and misery, a very intriguing combination but nevertheless, it is one country in the world for believers that has such dramatic history,” Tina said.

One of the biggest surprises is that when it is cold, the Holy Land is less crowded and during summers, it is the complete opposite. “It isn’t what everyone would really expect at this tourist destination. Generally, I would recommend to bring some comfortable clothes, ones that are easy to wash, that require little or no ironing, a jacket just in case and comfortable walking shoes, then you’ll be fine during your visit at anytime of the year,” said Tina. “I’d also like to add that they aren’t too strict with the way people dress, but of course, we all have to be very sensible and listen to instructions carefully before taking pictures,” she added.

Food and souvenirs were a highlight of the trip! “Our meals consisted of pita bread and kebabs served with a lot of salad combined with chicken and beef. It was different but it tasted really nice. As for souvenirs, we made a purchase of key chains, coffee mugs, t-shirts, rosaries and even headdresses, postcards, bags and scarves to take home with us,” Tina shared.

Given the chance, Abe and Tina Jalandoni wish to visit again sometime soon together with their children. “Overall, it was an amazing experience together with the particular aura that surrounds it, we’d recommend it to anyone,” they concluded.