Holy Land & Egypt Cruise #140

Ashdod, Israel is today a major Israeli city, and contains the largest port in Israel accounting for 60% of the country's imported goods.

The largest port in Israel, Ashdod is a gateway to Jerusalem, the 5,000-year-old walled city that is considered sacred to more than a third of the people on Earth.

The cruise port of Ashdod (Jerusalem) Israel, also known as the “gate to Jerusalem” is the largest port in the country where thousands of cruise passengers set out on our Holy Land Egypt Cruise to explore some of the holiest sites in the world.

Ashdod, Israel is the sixth-largest city in Israel. Located in the country's Southern District, it lies on the Mediterranean coast 32 kilometres south of Tel Aviv and 20 km north of Ashkelon.

The Church of All Nations officially named the Basilica of the Agony, is located at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem next to the Garden of Gethsemane. In front of the high altar is a flat outcrop of rock which a long christian tradition identifies as the rock of agony where Jesus prayed. 

 It is where Christ died, was buried and rose again, and the birthplace of the Church. 

The Jewish and Christian Bibles mention Jerusalem several hundred times.

Today, the Garden of Gethsemane is a holy place, a pilgrimage site where people flock today to wander among still-growing olive trees and try to pinpoint the exact place where Jesus sank to His knees or offered Himself willingly over for arrest and sacrifice.

The Dome of the Rock is a building of extraordinary beauty, solidity, elegance, and singularity of shape… Both outside and inside, the decoration is so magnificent and the workmanship so surpassing as to defy description. The greater part is covered with gold so that the eyes of one who gazes on its beauties are dazzled by its brilliance, now glowing like a mass of light, now flashing like lightning.   

Access to the Golden Gate from within the Temple Mount was sealed off by Israeli authorities in 2003 because the group managing the area had ties to Hamas. The gate was kept closed in order to stop illegal construction work.

 Is the only eastern gate of the Temple Mount, and one of only two Gates of the Old City of Jerusalem that used to offer access into the city from the East side.

The Jerusalem Olive Tree Hotel is located in the new hotel center, between the old and the new city of Jerusalem, in the American Colony neighborhood, a short walking distance from the old city and the city's holy sites.

The distinctive
architecture combines the atmosphere of old
Jerusalem together with modern day decor as you enjoy your delicious lunch with wine.

We also found a great place to shop after lunch!

The Jerusalem Olive Tree Hotel offers a unique opportunity to experience the splendor of ancient times in Jerusalem together with the most luxurious standards one would expect from top class hotels.

There you can find chefs’ cooking stations side by side to gourmet stores, stands displaying fresh produces, breads, cheese and local fares.

There’s no better place to immerse yourself in a foreign country’s culture than its markets. Israeli markets, whether dedicated to foodstuff, crafts, antiques or a mix of all of the above, are vibrant destinations.

 Confirmed artists and designers has the opportunity to showcase their creations and for visitors the occasion to purchase something unique.

It's a joy to see this man working at his shop!

Traveling to your dream destination with ease and comfort, thanks to our expert travel guide, who tells the history of this great area. 

This area has inspired countless pilgrims who have made pilgrimages to the site over the centuries and carried the cross down the narrow passages.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is in the northwest quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. This is where Jesus spent much time teaching and ministering to those in need.

Looking for a truly unique experience? Our adventure tour took us to the witness most breathtaking statues, pictures and the beautiful history of this Holy Church.

You can find so many more photos on our 30-Minute Movie/Download!

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre encompasses the sites of Jesus’ Crucifixion and 

 Jesus’ burial chamber.

That body, now an empty vessel, was removed from the cross, wrapped in linens, and eventually placed in a tomb.

The stone slab was inside a chamber of Jesus's tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Church of the Holy Sep- ulcher, built by Emperor Constantine in the fourth century at the site that his mother considered to be the place of Jesus’ death and burial.

The Stone of Unction is a large slab of stone placed inside the church of the Holy Sepulchre, between the Golgotha (the hill of the crucifixion of Jesus), and the Tomb of Jesus. By local tradition, on this rock Jesus' body was laid and prepared for burial.

Bethlehem is a Palestinian town south of Jerusalem in the West Bank. The biblical birthplace of Jesus, it’s a major Christian pilgrimage destination.
In the Bible the city is often referred to as Bethlehem Ephrathah, or Bethlehem-Judah, an ancient settlement.

The birth is marked by an inlaid silver star in a grotto under the 6th-century Church of the Nativity, which shares Manger Square with the 15th-century Church of St. Catherine and the 1860 Mosque of Omar. 

So many buildings you can see for miles and miles!

Due to its proximity to Nazareth, one historian believes that it is the Bethlehem where Jesus of Nazareth was born.

The town of Bethlehem of Judea, about six miles south of Jerusalem, has always been considered the birthplace of Jesus. According to the New Testament, Joseph and Mary were living in Bethlehem of Judea at the time of Jesus' birth and later moved to Nazareth up north.

It started as a small shop in Bethlehem-Palestine,
selling traditional products of Bethlehem such as
olive wood, mother of pearl
and some religious brass items, also including olive wood, status, mother of pearl, crosses, candles, silver products, etc…

Lama Bros. Souvenir Store
started in 1979 as a family business
by Michael Lama and his brothers.

Lama Bros. expanded their work and changed their location into a bigger souvenir shop to include variety of products of religious items. 

Michael Lama’s store is considered as one of the leading souvenir stores in the tourism sector, as he receives tourists from all over the world and deals with various travel agencies.

From luxurious statues to jewelry and T-shirts, they offer a range of wonderful products that will make your trip unforgettable. 

We understand that travel involves a lot of Shopping.  Here you can find unusual religious items along with a nice T-shirt from where you've traveled.

They're considered as one of the leading souvenir stores in the tourism sector as they receive tourists from all over the world and deal with various travel agencies to bring in the tourists!

The Dead Sea, also known by other names, is a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Palestine's West Bank      and Israel to the west.        It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley, and its main tributary is the Jordan River.

Israel’s Negev Desert is pure, ethereal magic set in a starkly beautiful setting. Covering over half of Israel’s total land area, it is an area bristling with beauty. 

The desert is a fascinating and enchanting place, especially for those not familiar with desert landscapes.

Dead Sea altitude marker. Marker at 300 metres below sea level at the Dead Sea, Israel. The dead sea is the lowest place on earth reaching a maximum of 418 metres below sea level.

The surface is about 1,300 feet (430 meters) below sea level, the lowest point on Earth, and varies with each season.  Fresh water can only flow into the Dead Sea and not out.

It's shocking to see the ridges along the shore, a clear four-foot drop every single year. 

Touring in the Negev Desert is an amazing experience, and there really is a lot to see! 

This is an unforgettable experience. 

Please join us on this unforgetable journey

through this beautiful part of the World!

All is included on our 30-Minute Movie/Download.

You can order this most unusual Virtual Vacation for your own Library!

 If you dig a little deeper every rock formation, jagged hill, and mound of earth has its own unique story.

It’s also covered in fascinating archaeological sites, historical ruins, and rich cultural treasures.

The cableway was built in 1971 by the Karl Brändle company of Switzerland to carry people to the ruins at the top of the plateau.

The cars run every fifteen (15) minutes during operating hours.

The cable car – from the eastern entrance complex, a modern cable car goes up to the Snake Path Gate at the top of the mountain.

It was replaced in 1998 by an aerial tramway built by Von Roll without any support pillar, thus allowing the cabin's hanger to completely enclose the two track ropes and the haul rope. Its bottom station is 257 m below and its summit station is 33 metres above sea level, thereby making it the lowest aerial tramway in the world.

Join us as we ride up and look down below to see the steps for the people brave enough to walk.

On an isolated clifftop in the heart of the desert, a lofty plateau overlooking the Dead Sea and the untamed landscape of the Judean Desert, there once stood a magnificent palace.

The western observation point – with a lovely view of the Judean Desert, Nachal Masada, and the Roman ramp.

Because of the enthralling historic events that took place on the mountain, and the archaeological finds that have been revealed there, UNESCO has declared Masada National Park a World Heritage Site.

After the Byzantine period, Masada was abandoned and forgotten. The site was identified for the first time in 1838 by the American researchers Edward Robinson and Eli Smith, and over the years it was excavated by other American and European researchers.

The Snake Path – visitors can also ascend to the top of Masada via the Snake Path – which takes about an hour going up, and 30 minutes coming back down.

Or just ride the cable car - that's what we chose!

What photos you've seen on this website are only the start of our wonderful visit to this part of the World! 

 Join us on a fabulous "Virtual Vacation" to

Haifa, Israel on our wonderful 30-Minute Movie/Download - for only $12.00.