Trip Day 12 - optional tour Akko and caves

Official (adjusted) itinerary:

At Leisure in Haifa • Optional tour to Akko & Rosh Hanikra caves

We'll head to Mount Carmel for a panoramic view of the terraced Baha'i Gardens, as they flow down its slopes toward the busy harbor, then continue on to Haifa. 

You may join a full-day optional tour that begins with a visit to the ancient walled city of Akko, once known by the Crusaders as the city of Acre. Our walking tour includes a visit to the Knights’ Halls, a series of vaulted halls below street level; the Al-Jazzar Mosque; and the spice market, the Old City’s main marketplace. Then, after an included lunch at a local restaurant, we continue to Rosh HaNikra, where we witness a wondrous series of cavernous tunnels formed by the pounding of the sea on the white chalk cliffs.

Dinner is on your own this evening.

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Tuesday September 12

All except one person had signed up for the optional tour (even though a leisure day would have been nice). But first we catch up with our official itinerary and visit the Bahá'i Gardens. Yael does her best to explain this sect but I had never heard of them and really don't understand. One of the young guards at the entrance has recently arrived from Germany and is doing her several months of service to this group. 

The garden is beautiful but we only can more or less look in. A very secret society. But obviously very rich. 
VIDEO!    (0:40)

The garden is on Mount Carmel which is also mentioned in the Bible.
1 Kings 18:20  (Elijah's Triumph over the Priests of Baal)
So Ahab sent to all the Israelites, and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel.

Got to look at this sign. 

Then off we drive to Akko (Acre). Once we leave the bus it is a walking tour. First thing: Yael introduces us to this metal craftsman. 

We all watched while he made this bracelet and Kristin was the lucky receipient. 
VIDEO!   (0:33)

We visit the El-Jazzar Mosque 

We visit the tourist office. 

After seeing the model we go "underground". A lot is excavated but here too a lot still needs to be done. It is all very captivating. 

Only a few photos here but we marched and marched. And to think that the street is above. 

We have heard by know about many sects / groups  ... the German Templars, Masons, the crusadors, here the Hospitaliers take good care of all people whatever ethnicity. Travelers sometimes arrive sick. This communal toilet was as hygienic as they knew how to with running water etc. 

The second photo so it shows how thick this columns were. 

Had to take a photo of the underground pigeon on the spotlight. 

Ha-ha, you never know where you come up. In a bazaar?

Yael bought us all a pomegranate juice. If she thinks it's ok for us to drink, I drink. 

Now we are visiting the old hamam, Turkish bath. It is very well done with life size figures and audio explanation. 

These were the lockers. 

After this underground again. Yael sayd that nobody really knows what this tunnel was for. 

Even two side by side. 

And now off to lunch (included)at a local restaurant Doiana.

I have BBQ chicken kebab. It's quite a fancy place at the ocean with a gorgeous view. But I couldn't really take a photo inside because I was squashed in. 

Clean-up. Impressive. 

Lunch place from the outside. 

There was entertainment right outside. Boys were jumping into the ocean. 

Very left side. 

Walking back to the bus. 

This is the door to a church. 

Littering. 

Back on the bus. 

An impressive aqueduct. 

In the bus Yael had a gift for each was us. A Hamsa key chain. A nice addition to our Christmas tree. The key rings were all different but all the good luck hand. Some had a traveler's prayer on the backside. I will look whether I can find one somewhere. 

We arrive at the chalk cliffs with the sea made caves (and manmade tunnels to see them).

This is as close as you could get to the Lebanon border. 

But first we have to take the cable car down. 

On the lower level you can see this tunnel which was made for a train by the British in WWII. 

The train is not running anymore. The tunnel in the direction of Lebanon is now used to show us a movie about the history. There is probably only a wall between us and Lebanon. 

Then we walk to see the ocean caves. 

This was the bridge blown up to stop the train. 

Up the hill again and to the bus. 

That is a banana field covered up. Why? Bananas don't like the big temperature changes between day and night. The (see through) cover also keeps the moisture in. 

Back at the hotel I take a quick walk to the park next door to take a picture of that very modern building. 

And then there is happy hour. No need for supper since we had so much for lunch. The nibbles are just right. 

Got to pack. Tomorrow we change city/hotel again.