HERITAGE
A HISTORICAL HOLY LAND TOUR
In 2020, my mother and I had planned to go on a tour in Egypt, Israel, and Jordan to go on a pilgrimage and to visit historical landmarks. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic struck a few weeks before our intended departure. Two years later, with some restrictions lifted, countries slowly opened to tourists and we took the opportunity to pack our bags and hop on a flight to the Holy Land.
EGYPT
With its rich history, Egypt was one of the countries I was most excited to see. True enough, each site we visited revealed much of Egypt's heritage. Learning about their culture made our time there worthwhile, and seeing the Great Pyramids up close was the pinnacle of our trip.
ISRAEL
Israel was the highlight of our Holy Land tour. Exploring familiar religious cities such as Jerusalem and Nazareth, I couldn't help but compare what was in front of me to what I had imagined they looked like based on the Bible. I found myself so absorbed in understanding how they live in the present while keeping the beliefs that they've held onto for thousands of years.
JORDAN
We had the shortest stay in Jordan, but we relished every place we visited there. We went to Mount Nebo, and as windy as it was up there, we were able to celebrate holy mass in a small chapel. Petra was absolutely stunning; the intricate detail on the rock carvings and the stories of its bygone days make it worthy of being one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
TURKEY
We wouldn't allow our trip to end without pasalubong, would we? Our stay in Turkey was different from the first three countries we've visited; our time was mostly utilized for shopping. To be fair, we didn't originally plan to go there, but the friends who invited us to this Holy Land trip insisted that we should go. Thankfully we agreed because Istanbul is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen, with lush trees surrounding open green spaces and awe-inspiring architecture in every corner. It is truly a place that I aspire to return to.
