wondering the world

I've been paging through "Don't let the World Pass you By: 52 Reasons to own a passport," and it gives me reasons to reflect. Geared to the average non-passport owning American who may not have ever left their home state, this book reads like a "Get off Your Ass! and see the world" tirade in a rather puerile tone, interspersed with comments by travelers and suggestions and lists of things to do and places to see. I had hoped for more from Lonely Planet Publications, but then it has at least spurred my thinking onto the topic of the wonders of my world, those I have seen, and those I'd like to see. Hmmm...the Pyramids of Giza were the greatest disappointment of my traveling life. If you ever go, take my advice and rent the horse or the camel. The grounds are not only overflowing with other tourists by the busload, but there are hawkers everywhere, devoted to hassling you into giving them money, to ride on a camel, or just have your photo taken with one, to buy postcards or other souvenirs and cheap trinkets- it was the worst experience ever- far from inspiring. The pyramids of Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras however, were spectacular, and much more peaceful. I keep swearing that I'll stop climbing things: I've been up the stairs of the Statue of Liberty, up and down all those pyramids, trekking in northern Thailand (oh my god, was I ever in bad shape for that!), and up Mount Sinai on New Year's Eve, 1995. There are 2 routes up the mountain, both culminating in the 700 Steps of Repentence that lead to the top (where you can buy Coca Cola and snacks, by the way). We accidentally went up the hard way. But it was a clear and beautiful night as we walked down the easier path. I've seen the Aswan Dam, Erie Canal, and Niagara Falls (yes, we even spent a night of our honeymoon there in a jungle-themed room complete with mirrored jacuzzi. It was awesome). But as amazing to me as Niagara was a cascade in Guatemala I don't know the name of. The falls weren't that high or that wide - but the waterfall was hot water, from a nearby hotspring. Parts of it were too hot to stand under, but we lingered there for ages, enjoying the best quality shower we'd had in months (if anyone out there is a die-hard Survivor fan, in the Survivor Guatemala series, one of the reward challenges consisted of a spa treatment at this place, next to these falls).

One of the favourite places I've been is Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee. I'm not a huge Elvis fan, but if you're in Tennessee, you just have to go to Graceland (like the song says, "we all will be received in Graceland"). I had a total blast, even if I didn't pay extra to see the automobile collection or the Lisa Marie airplane. I'm also glad I got to see Stonehenge, (don't even ask about the time Michael and I tried to get to Giant's Ring in Northern Ireland, it's a bit of a sore spot), and this place not far from Dublin where St. Kevin hung out in a cave. Fatima, Portugal was surreal, as I'm sure Lourdes would be. Pilgrims walking or crawling for miles to see the site, where in addition to the chapel there is also a wax museum depicting the 3 children who saw a vision of the Virgin.

I collect places as I do postcards. Yes, I have been priveleged. I have also seen unspeakably horrible places like Auschwitz, Birkenau, Majdanek, Treblinka. I learned much from these places too, but I would not want to go back. And the most intense place for me, unlike any other, was Israel. It kept pulling me back. It has a way of making complete sense, and none at all. The first time I visited Jerusalem, I saw pious Jews praying so close to the Wailing Wall, they nearly scratched their skin against the stone. Before long, the call of the muezzin came clear from the speakers of the Dome of the Rock just above, and beyond that, church bells from the many churches in the Grove of Olives. I backed away to try and absorb all of this, thinking of all who have focused their lives on what is represented in these few city blocks of space, the religious centre of the world to Jews, Christians and Muslims (and don't forget the Ba'Hai's just up the road with their spiritual centre in Haifa). And it seems insane. How can this be? And if there is a god, and if god has a home on earth, this must be it.

Jerusalem is not my favourite place in Israel. Well, my favourite spot once was a kibbutz called Be'it Ha'Emek, but that is a very long story. I loved many places. The road to Tiberius is beautiful, and I love the sign you pass telling you that you are at sea level, as the road continues downward. I loved Eilat, I always had good times with good friends when I went there. I never spent much time in Tel Aviv except changing trains and buses, which I did a lot. Oh, except for the first time I went there, when there was a foiled terrorist attack on the Tel Aviv beachfront. I was on the beach that very day, wondering what all the helicoptors were doing up there in the bright blue sky. I liked shopping in Haifa. But my place was in Nahariya, a small town near Lebanon. In the winter, the scent of eucalyptus on the night air was intoxicating.