ISRAEL #7: High Atop Mount Masada

The initial planning for the trip to Israel in December, 2008, actually started 13 years ago when Bill and Marjorie Handel became the proud parents of twin daughters, Barbara Leah Handel and Pamela Joelle Handel. It was an auspicious occasion in the Handel household and both Bill and Marjorie were committed to give the girls an understanding and appreciation of their Jewish heritage, not only within their family, but also through education.The girls have attended a religious school since the age of three and before their 13h birthday became a B’not Mitzvah (plural for Bat Mitzvah). According to Jewish law, when children reach the age of majority (generally thirteen years for boys and twelve to thirteen for girls) they become responsible for their actions, and "become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.” In most Conservative and Reform synagogues, girls celebrate their Bat Mitzvahs at age 13, as do the boys. Prior to this, the child's parents are responsible for the child's adherence to Jewish law and tradition, and after this age, children bear their own responsibility for Jewish ritual law, traditions, and ethics and are privileged to participate in all areas of Jewish community life. The term Bat Mitzvah literally translates to “daughter of Commandment” and implies “responsible female.”

Even though Barbara and Pamela celebrated this important event with a religious service and party in May, celebrating with family and friends in December atop Mount Masada, in Israel, took on special significance.“After the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, hundreds of Jewish refugees escaped from Jerusalem and fled to King Herod`s abandoned fortress-palace atop Mount Masada, near the Dead Sea. For three years, the refugees, known as "the Zealots," lived, farmed and prospered atop the mountain, taunting the Roman besiegers from its summit. When the Romans finally breached the refugees` stronghold in the year 73 CE, they discovered that 970 men, women and children had taken their own lives rather than becoming slaves. Masada was excavated in 1964 and has become one of Israel`s most prominent and most visited sites. For Israelis and for post-Holocaust Jews everywhere, it is a symbol of Israel`s self-reliance and determination that such atrocities will "never again" be committed against the Jewish people. Bat Mitzvah ceremonies atop Masada are held in the remains of the Zealots` Synagogue, arguably the world`s oldest synagogue still in use.”Joining Barbara and Pamela for the ceremony were Stacie and Zoe Kellner, long time friends of the Handel family. Stacie, Zoe’s mother, decided to learn Hebrew and study to become a Bat Mitzvah with a group of other women at her synagogue just last year. Zoe also became a Bat Mitzvah last year with the traditional service and party.

We left Jerusalem early in the morning to be atop Mount Masada by 8:00am. The rabbi met us on top and after a brief discussion with the families began the service. The setting was wonderful and profound. The rabbi told the story of Masada and related it to present day circumstances. Barbara, Pamela, Zoe and Stacie each read from the Torah, and related their personal reasons for wanting to celebrate their Bat Mitzvah in Israel.

As I sat in the audience I felt immense pride in the responsible young women they have each become and their dedication to the Jewish community around the world. It also brought back memories of my daughters, Heather and Erin, as they celebrated their own Bat Mitzvahs many years ago. At the end of the service there were hugs and kisses all around and then off we went to tour Masada. What a wonderful way to start the morning.
The site of Masada was identified in 1842 and extensively excavated in 1964 by an expedition led by Israeli archeologist Yigael Yadin. Due to the remoteness from human habitation and its arid environment, the site has remained largely untouched by humans or nature during the past two millennia. The Roman ramp still stands on the western side and can be climbed by foot. Many of the ancient buildings have been restored from their remains, as have the wall-paintings of Herod's two main palaces, and the Roman-style bathhouses that he built.The synagogue, storehouses, and houses of the Jewish rebels have also been identified and restored. Inside the synagogue, an ostracon bearing the inscription Me'aser Kohen (title for the priest) was found, as were fragments of two scrolls. Archaeologist Yigael Yadin's excavations have so far uncovered the remains of 28 people at Masada. The remains of three people, a male 20-22 years of age, a female 17-18 and a child approximately 12 years old, were found in the palace and the remains of 25 people were found in a cave at the base of the cliff. Carbon dating of textiles found with the remains in the cave indicate that they are contemporaneous with the period of the Revolt. All the remains were reburied at Masada with full military honours on July 7, 1969.No Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration would be complete without some type of party, and this was no exception. Last year, when I toured Israel prior to Heather’s wedding, I stayed at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Ein Bokek, a small resort town on the Dead Sea, quite close to Masada. Bill and Marjorie hosted a luncheon at the hotel, not quite as elaborate as the dinner they had in Los Angeles last May, to thank everyone for joining the Handel family for this very special celebration.We then spent the afternoon “playing” and “floating” in the Dead Sea.It was a wonderful afternoon and a great way to end this very special and memorable day.Join me next week as we leave Israel and start our adventures in Egypt.

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ISRAEL #3: Sightseeing Adventures

This is the third article on my trip to Israel and Egypt with Bill and Marjorie Handel and their family and friends in December, 2008.

Israel is really an extraordinary country. There is so much to do and see, so many temples and archeological sites that represent many different religions, there never seems to be enough time to see it all. One of the best things about having your “own group” is the itinerary can be changed, and that’s exactly what happened when we left Haifa on our way to Nazareth. We had been “on the go” from morning ‘til night (Marjorie hates the thought of missing anything!) and Shmul, our guide, sensed we needed a break from archeological digs and antiquities.

We left Haifa in the early morning and made a quick stop at the site of the beautiful Persian Gardens at the Baha’i World Center, the headquarters of the Baha’i Faith. The gardens are magnificent and have become a landmark and tourist attraction in Haifa.We then headed north, up the Mediterranean coast, to see the famed grottoes of Rosh HaNikra, located on the boarder of Israel and Lebanon.

The Rosh HaNikra grottoes are cavernous tunnels formed by the action of the sea slamming against the soft chalk rock for thousands of years.At one time the only access to the grottoes was from the sea, but in1968, a tunnel was dug from the shore to the natural grottoes. The tunnel was constructed slightly above the sea surface. A cable car now descends to the shoreline where visitors can explore the grottoes.
The grottoes are wonderful. We took the cable car down, which offered a spectacular panoramic view of Haifa Bay, the hills of the Galilee and the Mediterranean. Apparently winter is the best time to explore the grottoes when the wave action from the sea is the most intense. We made our way through the tunnels, got wet more than once, and took lots of pictures.Since we were right on the Lebanese border, we walked over and talked to several Israeli soldiers on boarder patrol and even managed a picture or two.
We then headed northwest to Nazareth, considered one of the most important Christian sites in the Holy Land. In the New Testament, Nazareth is known as the boyhood home of Jesus and has been an important Christian pilgrimage site since the 4th century. Today, Nazareth is an Arab city with a population of 60,000, mostly Muslim.Our first stop was the Basilica of the Annunciation; a modern Catholic Church built over the remains of Byzantine and Crusader churches, and considered the traditional site of Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would give birth to the savior. According to biblical historians, the cave that is enshrined inside the basilica was identified no later than the 4th century as the place of the Annunciation. It is not known when the first church was built here, but one probably existed by the early 4th century.As we walked back to the bus, our guide pointed out Mary’s Well, now located in the center of downtown Nazareth, on the main road.The Well is positioned over an underground spring that served for centuries as a local water source for the local Arab villagers. Renovated twice, once in 1967 and again in 2000, the current structure is a symbolic representation of the structure that once was in use.

Our final destination that afternoon was Tiberius on the Sea of Galilee. Along the way, we visited the town of Safed, best known, in ancient times, as one of the four holy cities of the Talmud (Jerusalem, Hebron and Tiberius are the others). Today it remains an important center for Jewish religious studies, but is also well known for its Artist’s Quarter. In the narrow streets and alleys between the area’s picturesque houses, there are many shops and galleries where artists display their paintings, sculptures, woodcarvings and jewelry.By this time, Shmul knew our group well; so before he showed us the Artist’s Quarters (where we could shop), we walked through the old city to the Synagogue Quarter to visit Abuhav Synagogue, built in the 16th century and named after Rabbi Yitzchak Abuhav, a renowned 15th century Spanish Rabbi and Kabbalist.
The bima (the pulpit) stands at the center of the synagogue and the benches for the congregation are arranged around it, as was customary in ancient synagogues. The interior of the synagogue dome is decorated with depictions of musical instruments that were used in the Temple in Jerusalem and symbols of the tribes of Israel.Finally, a time to shop. Shmul actually gave us an hour of free time to wander through the narrow streets and wonderful shops and galleries. Marjorie Handel bought an unusual Chanukah Menorah and I bought a unique mezuzah made from a tree branch for my house.

We arrived in Tiberius in the late afternoon and made one last stop at a museum near Kibbutz Nof Ginnosar to see “the Jesus Boat”. I visited the museum when I was in Israel in 2007 and insisted it be included in the tour this year. The story of the “Jesus Boat” is wonderful.
A harsh summer in 1985 and a lack of rainfall in the fall of that year created a drought in Israel. Water was pumped from the Sea of Galilee to irrigate parched fields. As the water flowed south, the level of the lake took a nosedive creating vast expanses of mud flats. While of great concern to Israel's residents, for whom the lake serves as a primary source of fresh water, the disaster proved a boom for archaeologists.

Late in January 1986, between the ancient harbors of Gennosar and Magdala, two brothers, Moshe and Yuval Lufan, discovered a faint oval outline of a boat in the muddy lake bed. As one brother later explained: "It was little more than a curving arc of wood, flush with the surface of the ground, but we immediately realized that this was the uppermost plank of a boat that was entirely buried by the mud."

Before the water level returned to normal, it was cleared of mud, enclosed in polyurethane foam and floated across the Sea of Galilee, to be placed in a conservation pool at the kibbutz's recently completed Yigal Allon museum. Conservation treatment of the boat consisted of impregnation with a special wax material for 9 1/2 years. In 1995, the pool was drained and the boat was revealed.

According to Carbon 14 dating, the so-called "Jesus Boat" was constructed in about 40 BC and was in use into the 1st century AD. During this period, the lakeside communities witnessed the ministry of Jesus and the unrest of the Jews under Roman control. The Jewish historian of the period, Flavius Josephus, described a fierce sea battle between the Jewish rebels of Magdala and the Roman legions in 67 AD in which the Jews were crushed and the beaches "were thick with wrecks." The boat was probably sunk at this time.

The boat is 26 1/2 feet long, 7 1/2 feet wide and 4 1/2 feet high, and it was probably of the Sea of Galilee's largest class of ships. Apparently, a master craftsman built it to last. It was made with different kinds of wood taken from other boats. First, the outside planks were assembled with mortise and tenon joints, then the frames or ribs were nailed inside. Its fore and aft sections were most likely decked and it probably had a mast, meaning it could be both sailed and rowed. Studies of ancient ships suggest this vessel had a crew of five (four rowers and a helmsman). Flavius Josephus referred to such ships holding 15 people. Skeletal remains from Galilee during this period indicate males averaged 5 feet 5 inches tall and about 140 pounds. Therefore it was large enough to accommodate Jesus and his 12 disciples.

Join me next week as we visit Capernaum, the Mount of Beatitudes and the Golan Heights.

ISRAEL #1: Tel Aviv

This trip had very special meaning to me. Not only did I finally get to visit Egypt, a country that has been high on my wish list for several years, but also, I was back in Israel with my dear friends Bill and Marjorie Handel, celebrating their daughters’ B’not Mitzvah on Mount Masada. It was a fabulous trip. We visited places in Israel I did not visit last year, including the Palmach Museum in Tel Aviv, Hatzerim Air Force Base near Be’er Sheva, Atlit, a former detention camp used to intern Jewish immigrants deemed illegal by the British authorities, and the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament. Egypt was beyond my expectations: the Pyramids at Giza, the Valley of the Kings, the Nile River cruise and our visit to Abu Simbel was a dream come true. But I’m getting ahead of myself. For the next several weeks I invite you to travel with me on my incredible trip through Israel and Egypt.

By December 12th our group of 30, all friends and family, had arrived into Tel Aviv. Since it was a Friday night, we welcomed in Shabbat with a lighting of candles and a special dinner, a wonderful way to start the weekend.Since most stores and public places are closed on Saturday, we started the morning with a walking tour of Tel Aviv, a modern metropolis located on the Mediterranean coastline.Tel Aviv is Israel’s second largest city and its financial capital (Jerusalem is the political capital.) According to our guide, Tel Aviv attracts youth with its active nightlife, great clubs and restaurants and lively beach scene that draws tourists year round. The weather in Tel Aviv is similar to Southern California with mild weather in the winter months and hot in the summer.I was pleasantly surprised as we walked along tree-lined boulevards and parks filled with families enjoying the mild December weather. A highlight of our walking tour was the beautiful buildings and stylish architecture along Rothschild Boulevard. According to Shmul, our guide, Tel Aviv has over 5,000 Bauhaus style buildings, the largest concentration in any one city worldwide. In recent years the city has undergone a massive re-construction/preservation effort, which has earned it a "world heritage site" by UNESCO. Also known as the “white city" because of the bright colors of the building style: white, off-white, light yellow. The Bauhaus building style was actually imported from Germany where it came to an abrupt end with the Nazi rise to power.Sunday morning we were off bright and early for Hatzerim Air Force Base near Be’er Sheva. Visiting an Air Force base is not a normal tourist attraction, but a good friend of Marjorie’s and Bill’s is a flight instructor at Hatzerim and invited us to tour the base.

Hatzerim is home to the impressive Air Force Museum as well as being an operational base, home to various training squadrons. The museum occupies a corner of the sprawling base where over 140 perfectly restored and preserved aircraft are orderly laid out in rows. The range of aircraft on display covers the entire story of air warfare in Israel, from the light singles and Rapides used by the Sherut Avir in Palestine to the Spitfire, Mustang, Mystere, Mirage III, Kfir, Phantom II and A-4. I hate to be sexist, but I will admit that the men in the group were a lot more excited than the women over the vast display of aircraft on the field.
After our tour of the base and the museum, we were invited to the airfield to watch several F-16’s take off on a training mission. The photographers and the plane enthusiasts in the group went wild as the planes roared off the runway. It was an exciting morning.After a quick lunch stop--Falafel and shwarma tucked into a pita with chopped salad (Israel’s version of fast foods,)we headed back into Tel Aviv to visit the Palmach Museum. The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the “Hagana," the underground military organization of the Jewish community prior to the establishment of the State of Israel.

The Palmach was founded in May, 1941, in order to help the British to defend the country (then Palestine) against the approaching German armies. In the fall of 1942, as the threat of invasion receded, the British authorities ordered the dismantling of the Palmach, which caused it to go underground. It became a fully mobilized military force consisting of six platoons of young men and women. The Palmach units were stationed in Kibbutzim, where they underwent military training, and also worked on the farms 14 days out of the month to support themselves.

From the summer of 1945 until the end of 1947, when the British administration suppressed the Jewish settlement movement and blocked Jewish immigration into the country, the Palmach was engaged in bringing 65 ships with tens of thousands of Jewish refugees and Holocaust survivors from Europe.

Following the UN decision on November 29,1947, to partition Palestine, Arab armed gangs blocked the roads and besieged Jewish towns, including Jerusalem. At the time 2,200 Palmach fighters were the only force ready to engage in battle, though they were poorly armed. As the War of Independence unfolded, they operated all over the country, liberating Jerusalem and other besieged towns, conquering territories, opening roads, and, with the newly organized “Hagana” troops, defeated the invading armies of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq. They fought valiantly, but suffered many causalities--over 1,168 died and many were wounded.

The Palmach Museum brings the visitor into their story brilliantly. Visitors to the museum join the group of young Palmach recruits from its establishment, and advance through the story of the Palmach until the end of the War of Independence. It is called a museum, but there are no displays or documents. It’s more of an experience, being part of the group as they take you through a series of rooms set up to represent various stages of the development of the Palmach and the War of Independence, including a battle zone complete with virtual bombardment, a warship, a campfire at a field camp, etc. It is actually more of an enactment than an exhibit. It’s a unique interactive experience and I highly recommend you visit the Palmach Museum when you visit Tel Aviv.

Join me next week as we travel north and visit the ancient city of Caesarea and the newly opened Caesarea Harbor.

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ANTARCTICA #3: A Beautiful Day in Antarctica

This article is a continuation of my trip to Antarctica in 2004 with Bill and Marjorie Handel. Antarctica is incredibility beautiful and was one of my favorite travel destinations.

It was another beautiful day in Antarctica---blue skies, puffy cumulous clouds, and an outside temperature of 46 degrees…summer in Antarctica. We disembarked in Neko Harbor on the Antarctic Peninsula. Marjorie Handel and I marked the occasion with this photograph:

I must admit, I did feel a certain sense of elation. I still can’t believe my travels have taken me to all seven continents. When I look at a map, there are still so many places I want to go-- it’s a big world out there. We had our obligatory pictures taken with a sign welcoming us to the Antarctic continent and headed up the hill to the Adelie Penguin colony overlooking Paradise Bay.
The penguins were nesting and the baby chicks were still under the protective care of mom or dad--it’s hard to tell the difference. Prior to my trip to Antarctica, my knowledge of penguins came from visiting the Penguin Encounter at Sea World. I was fascinated to learn that penguins spend 80 percent of their life in the water, only coming ashore for courting, mating, nesting and the incubation period that consists of warming and hatching the eggs.To my surprise, most of the penguins had two chicks. Penguins live in a very democratic society. The mates share the duties of incubating the eggs and feeding their young. Baby chicks are so cute. They’re born with a thin layer of downy feathers and look absolutely nothing like their parents. The funniest behavior is when the parent comes ashore to feed their young. It calls its chicks and waits for an answering call from the offspring. Apparently, parents and chicks can recognize each other’s calls, enabling each parent to locate and feed the right chick. The chicks run after the parent until the parent finally stops and regurgitates the partially digested food into the chick’s mouth.Yum! It certainly doesn’t sound very appetizing, but it’s fascinating to watch. What’s even funnier is when chicks, not belonging to a particular penguin, join the chase. If chicks are hungry, and their parents have not returned with food, they look for any port in the storm, or any penguin that has food.

I never realized that penguins were so vocal or so loud. At one point, a Brown Skua (a large gull-like bird) flew over the colony, and all hell broke loose. Apparently, Skuas prey on penguin eggs and chicks, and the nesting penguins were not happy.

We spent the morning enjoying the penguins. Several members of the group hiked up to the top of the ridge that provided a panorama of Paradise Bay. I had to laugh. I was used to seeing little black dots of far-off penguin colonies and now I was seeing little red dots, as the hikers, in their red parkas, got closer to the top.
In the afternoon we were off again for a Zodiac cruise around Paradise Bay, a protected natural harbor surrounded by hanging ice cliffs and huge mountains of ice. We cruised around the harbor as the guides pointed out several ice caves in the glacier face. The shades of blue on the glacier ice are unbelievable, from a light turquoise to deep cobalt. As we sat for a few minutes to appreciate the shear beauty of our surroundings, we could hear the thunder and cracking of glacial calving. For a moment, I felt I was watching a National Geographic special and someone had turned up the soundtrack.We were on the lookout for wildlife, and weren’t disappointed. Our guides pointed out a colony of blue-eyed shags nesting on the cliff ledges. We saw several different types of seals including the Weddell seal, a Crabeater seal and a Leopard seal. Seals are solitary mammals and spend the majority of their life at sea. For most seals, their diets consist of krill and fish. The Leopard seal also eats penguins and other seals. According to our naturalist guide, the Leopard seal has gotten a bad rap. Even though they lay in wait for penguins as they swim to and from their colonies, only a small percentage makes this a habit. I’m sure the penguins appreciate that.

On my second trip to Paradise Bay, several days later, we encountered a pod of Minke whales that seemed to be playing a game of cat and mouse with the Zodiacs. Once the whales were sighted, several Zodiacs came into the area. The whales were delighted with the crowd and performed magnificently. Even the Zodiac drivers and guides were duly impressed.

Back on the ship, we changed from our “Michelin Man” look to less cumbersome outdoor attire. Karen Mahmoudi and I took advantage of the photo op:It was so beautiful outside, the dining room staff decided to have a barbecue dinner on the pool deck. As a native Californian, I don’t exactly consider 46 degrees Fahrenheit barbecue weather, but I thoroughly enjoyed the barbecued ribs, chicken and steaks, taking my plate inside to find a place to sit in the Veranda dining room.

We continued south and were up bright and early the following morning to enjoy the scenery as we sailed through the Neumayer Channel on our way to Port Lockroy (on Wienke Island), the home of the British Research station.
The British established Base A at Port Lockroy in 1944 to support geological and geographical fieldwork in the region. Abandoned for many years, the British returned in 1996, repaired the station, and established a museum to provide visitors an impression of life and conditions at an Antarctic station in the early 50’s and 60’s.
The station is staffed only during the summer months.

Port Lockroy was a favorite stop for the group. There is a large colony of Gentoo penguins that nest very close to the British station. The penguins are accustomed to the presence of humans and we were able to get right next to the penguins and their chicks.

Also, Port Lockroy has a post office; this is the place you mail postcards postmarked Antarctica. And, they sold souvenirs. It had been several days since the group got to shop and they were delighted. We all got into the swing of things and purchased pins, patches and maps of the area.Our excitement for the afternoon was watching the captain navigate through the narrow Lamaire Channel. On the previous cruise, there had been too much ice and their way was blocked by a huge tabular iceberg. The rock walls of the channel were steep, rising almost perpendicular to the narrow channel. Growlers and bergie bits (icebergs that have melted into smaller ice flows) were all over the place. Once through the channel, I felt I had entered a white fairyland. Icebergs of all sizes and shapes were everywhere. It looked surreal and reminded me of a Salvador Dali panting. It’s even more amazing in a Zodiac; you feel microscopic next to an iceberg the size of a football field or a three-story building, and that’s only what we see above the water line.

At our furthest southern point (our latitude was 65-07S) we were near Peterman Island at the southern end of the Lemaire Channel. For a point of reference ,the Antarctic Circle is at latitude 66-33S.

As we turned around and exited the channel, I felt a sense of sadness. The trip was already half over; we were now heading north toward Deception Island. Join me next week as we take a dip in the thermal waters of Pendulum Cove and continue our way north back through the Drake Passage.

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BLACK SEA ADVENTURE with Bill Handel: Bulgaria and Romania

I have wanted to do a Black Sea cruise for several years. When KFI radio talk show host, Bill Handel, asked me to host his upcoming cruise from Istanbul to Athens, through the Black Sea, I was thrilled.

We spent four days in Istanbul playing tourist. Between the palaces, mosques, museums, buying carpets and the Grand Bazaar, it seemed we were constantly on the move. When it came time to board Regent’s Seven Seas Navigator, I was definitely ready for some rest and relaxation.

For my readers who have never been on a Regent cruise (previously, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises)-- it is a wonderful cruise line. Their ships are small, from 350 to 690 passengers, and are all-inclusive (gratuities, food and beverages, including alcoholic beverages, but not shore excursions). The Seven Seas Navigator carries 490 passengers. Also, all the cabins are ocean view and mini-suites, which include a small sitting area, and 95 percent have verandas. As I said, after running around Istanbul for four days, I was delighted to finally board the ship.
We docked in Nessebur, Bulgaria, the following morning. Located on a small peninsula in the Black Sea, Nessebur is one of the oldest towns in Europe, dating back 9,000 years as a fortified Thracian settlement.

Through the centuries it changed alliance and rulers several times before being captured by the Bulgarians in the 7th century. Today it is a popular resort town best known for its old town, picturesque harbor and churches dating back to the 10th century. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Several tours were offered. I selected the tour that included a guided walk through town plus a bus excursion to a village about 40 minutes outside of Nessebur. The town is absolutely charming with its cobblestone streets, tiny squares and two-story period houses. It’s also very touristy with an abundance of gift shops, souvenir stalls, pubs and restaurants. We stopped at Christ Pantokrator Church (14th century), very ornate and beautifully preserved.

The countryside was beautiful, very green with flowers lining the road. It reminded me of my first trip to Bulgaria many years ago when both Marjorie and I were students. We had driven from Turkey into Bulgaria and were amazed at the differences in the terrain and the beautiful rose bushes lining the highway. The “village” turned out to be one house with a lovely older couple that showed us through their barn, happily demonstrated the old wool-carding machine and invited us in to see their home.

As we left their home several of the village women had lined up on the roadway and were selling handmade crafts. All very charming.



Before returning to Nessebur, we stopped for lunch at a local restaurant. The lunch was wonderful and featured many regional dishes. I loved the fresh yogurt with a mixture of spices from the local mountains, the warm home-baked bread and honey, and fresh berries picked in our honor.

The following morning we docked in Constanta, Romania. As a gift to Bill’s group, we planned a full day trip tour of Bucharest, about a three-hour drive from the port. So often we see only cities, I was happy we had a chance to see the Romanian countryside. Most spectacular were the sunflowers, miles and miles of bright yellow flowers.
As we drove into the city, our guide, Sofi, gave us a brief history of Bucharest and the political situation that plagued Romania for many years. I really knew very little about Romania. I did know that Romania had been part of the Eastern block countries and that the president, Nocolai Ceausescu had been a total dictator. My most vivid recollection was of the documentary shown on American television about the horrible conditions of the orphanages and the near starvation conditions that existed throughout Romania. Hearing about Ceausescu and his political regime through someone who actually lived through it was incredible. I can understand why Ceausescu and his wife were tried and convicted of mass murder and faced a firing squad on December 25, 1989.

We took a brief city tour before stopping at Palace of the Parliament, Nicolai Ceausescu’s legacy in Bucharest, the astounding palace he built while his people literally starved. Formerly called the People’s Palace, which at 3.76 million square feet stands as the world’s second largest building after the U.S. Pentagon, it provides an interesting introduction to the dictator’s megalomaniac vision.

When construction started in 1984, Ceausescu intended it to be the headquarters of his government. Today, it houses Romania’s Parliament and serves as an international conference center. Built and furnished exclusively with Romanian materials, the building reflects the work of the country’s best artisans. A guided tour takes visitors through a small section of dazzling rooms, huge halls and quarters used by the Senate (when not in session). The interior is a luxurious display of crystal chandeliers, mosaics, oak paneling, marble, gold leaf, stained-glass windows and floors covered in rich carpets.



Our visit to Bucharest was far too short. Several people in our group had visited Romania before and were astounded at all the high-rise buildings and the amount of traffic on the roads. They also said that Romania has so much more to offer and that a trip through the Carpathian Mountains and Transylvania was a must. Sounds good to me!

Join me next week as we continue our cruise in the Black Sea with a visit to Odessa in the Ukraine.

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