Day 9: Pilgrim Farewell

Last night, Tuesday May 30, we all gathered at the old Pilgrim House next to the Shrine of the Bab for a last trip to the Shrine and the official farewell to our pilgrimage. The atmosphere was like the last day of school, or the last day of summer camp: It was as though we all had just realized we were going to be parted, so we all ran around taking photos and exchanging email addresses and hugs. (You can see some of our photos here -- this set works well when viewed as a slide show.)

At 8:30 p.m., we were led to the Shrine by several members of the House and the Continental Counselors. The night was warm, the star jasmine perfumed the air, and the only sound was the now-familiar crunch of footsteps on the gravel paths. We entered the Shrine of the Bab and the Tablet of Visitation was read; first in Arabic, then in English. It was as moving as you can possibly imagine -- pilgrims of all ages and nationalities joining together in prayer.

After we had all had a chance to say our final prayers in the Shrine, we milled around outside, taking more photos and trying to prolong the experience as long as possible. Dear Dr. Javaheri of the Universal House of Justice was there, and we were able to express our thanks for the House of Justice's hospitality towards the pilgrims, and get warm hugs and "God bless yous!" from him in return. He is just the sweetest, dearest man you can possibly imagine. Here he is with some of the pilgrims. (He's the dapper man in the suit with the beaming smile.)



Eventually, it was time for us to reluctantly depart. Neither of us can believe our pilgrimage has ended so soon. We were told when we got here that we would wonder where the time went when it was over, and that turned out to be very true. And we have figured out why the beloved House of Justice asks the pilgrims to leave the Haifa area by sunset on the day following the Pilgrim Farewell event -- if they didn't kick us out of town, nobody would ever leave!

Day 9: The House of the Master and Monument Garden

No time for a big post. Today is our last day and we're getting ready to go back to the Shrine of the Bab for our final farewell.



This morning we went to the house of the Master, Abdu'l-Baha, here in Haifa. This is where he received early pilgrims, where he passed away, and where the election of the first Universal House of Justice took place in 1963. Just amazing stuff. It was made especially poignant by the knowledge that we will all be going home tomorrow. Everybody wept as one of our group read from May Maxwell's account of her first pilgrimage, ending with these words of the Beloved Master:

'Now the time has come when we must part, but the separation is only of our bodies, in spirit we are united. Ye are the lights which shall be diffused; ye are the waves of that sea which shall spread and overflow the world. Each wave is precious to Me and My nostrils shall be gladdened by our fragrance. Another commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another even as I love you. Great mercy and blessings are promised to the peoples of your land, but on one condition: that their hearts are filled with the fire of love, that they live in perfect kindness and harmony like one soul in different bodies. If they fail in this condition the great blessings will be deferred. Never forget this; look at one another with the eyes of perfection; look at Me, follow Me, be as I am; take no thought for yourselves or your lives, whether ye eat or whether we sleep, whether we are comfortable, whether we are well or ill, whether ye are with friends or foes, whether ye receive praise or blame; for all of these things we must care not at all. Look at Me and be as I am; ye must die to yourselves and to the world, so shall ye be born again and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Behold a candle and how it gives its light. It weeps its life away drop by drop in order to give forth its flame of light.'

These words are used in a Baha'i song called "Look At Me, Follow Me, Be As I Am," and it never fails to bring us to tears when it's sung at Feast. To hear the words in the actual house in which they were spoken just about did us in. We couldn't stop the tears, and we truly felt as though our hearts would break at the thought of having to leave!

Gotta run. Enjoy the photos. (Note: We updated the Flickr album to include descriptions of the photos. Remember, the comments are not viewable in "slide show" format.)

Day 8: Catching Our Breath

As you've seen from the past few entries, Day 7 of our pilgrimage included enough activity for about three days! After being deposited at our hotel just as dawn was breaking, the first thing we did was fall into bed for a few hours sleep. We woke up at 9:45, just in time to throw our clothes on and run downstairs before they stopped serving breakfast at 10:00, then back to the room for more napping and some blogging.

In the late afternoon, we decided to cab down to the German Colony and check out the shops and cafes there. This area was originally settled by a group known as the Templar Society (not to be confused with the Knights Templar, who figure in the book and movie The Da Vinci Code) who believed the return of Christ was imminent and settled in Haifa to wait for Him. Many of the buildings along the main street, Ben Gurion Blvd., have inscriptions above the door alluding to the arrival of the Messiah. This one says something like "The Spirit and the Bride say Come, Herr Jesus."



Our taxi let us out at the top of Ben Gurion Blvd., at the foot of the terraces. In fact, we stopped right outside a very nice shop featuring Baha'i-themed art and jewelry. Of course we ("we" meaning Mary Lou) couldn't resist buying up a bunch of stuff including gifts for the folks back home, and two very nice prints that Mary Lou plans to hang in her chambers. They're reproductions of original works handpainted on silk by an Israeli artist. Just gorgeous.

Next, we walked down towards the water. We took a right turn at the bottom and were very impressed with Haifa's working port:



Walking on a little further, we ended up in what seemed to be the low-rent retail district. We could still get a glimpse of the seat of the Universal House of Justice through the buildings, though. (That's our hotel on the top of the mountain, slightly to the right of center.)



After our walk on the seedier side of the street, we took a cab back to the German colony and had a fantastic dinner in a beautiful European/Arabic restaurant called Douzan. We had a fantastic shrimp curry and a huge and delicious salad. After our meal we ordered a beautiful three-flavored chocolate cake, that was just out of this world. Then our lovely and charming waitress treated us to the house special dessert, an out-of-this-world concoction called mhalalbiyi. It's like a light flan topped with a honey sauce and dried fruits and a few chopped nuts. Out. Of. This. World.



And that's the end of what we're willing to talk about for the day.

The Buildings on the Arc, continued

Where were we? Oh, yeah... the Centre for the Study of the Texts. This is where Baha'i scholars do research using the precious primary materials. Here's the outside of the building:



See the skylight in the middle? There's a beautiful garden underneath it, below ground level, with a fountain. Through the windows on the first floor we could see the researchers hard at work in their offices. Mary Lou thought it reminded her of the research attorneys at her former job at the California Court of Appeal. And here's a shot of the snazzy light fixtures in the hallway inside the building:



Next up: The Archives Building. We'd already had our tour of the inside a few days ago, so this time we just walked by and admired it from the outside. Here's a shot of the side facing the terraces. Isn't it pretty?



And here is the same building as seen from the upper terraces.



Gotta love it!

Day 7: The Buildings on the Arc

There is so much going on for pilgrims that it's really hard to keep up with it all! As we've already posted, on Sunday, Day 7 of our pilgrimage, we climbed the terraces on Mount Carmel and also returned to Bahji for the all-night event commemorating the Ascension of Baha'u'llah. And, oh yeah, we also managed to squeeze in a visit to the buildings on the Arc! (While you're waiting for us to get our photos uploaded, you can look at some great ones here.)

We started at the left side as you face the buildings. The first stop was the seat of the International Teaching Center, which also houses the Continental Counselors. Here it is:

Like all the Baha'i buildings here, it's filled with natural light. Here's a beautiful skylight in the reception area. The prism below is inscribed with a quote from the Baha'i Sacred Writings.

From the Teaching Center, it was back to the Seat of the Universal House of Justice. Here's a nice shot as we approached it.

Unlike our last visit, this time we were permitted to take photos. We even were permitted to go right to the doorway leading to the chamber where the beloved House of Justice meets, although we weren't allowed to actually go in. Here is a shot of a beautiful painting of 'Abdu'l-Baha outside the chamber. See the light at the top of the shot? It's only lit when the House is in session. It was turned off when we saw it, which means they weren't meeting right then.

Next up: The Center for the Study of the Texts. But that will have to wait because we have a date to visit the house of 'Abdu'l-Baha here in Haifa. Stay tuned.

The Ascension of Baha'u'llah

May 29 is a holy day on which Baha'is commemorate the Ascension of Baha'u'llah. Because Baha'u'llah passed away at the Mansion of Bahji, Baha'is in the Holy Land gather there at 3:00 a.m., the hour of His death, to commemorate Baha'u'llah's passing. It is quite an event!

We were taken by bus from the Pilgrim Reception Center, arriving at about 10:20 Sunday night. For some reason we had the good fortune to stumble on to the Persian-speaking bus, and had a great time with our fellow passengers. The lady in the seat in front of us was born in England and lives in Spain, and speaks the Queen's English. The couple across from us were born in France and live in South Carolina. It's fun to be in such international company.

Upon arriving at the Mansion, we entered the grounds, removed our shoes and placed them in the courtyard with our belongings. We joined a line of pilgrims waiting to climb the stairs and enter the room where the Blessed Beauty drew his last breath upon this earth at the age of 74. We stood in line for about an hour, but the time passed quickly. People were quiet, in a subdued but elated mood. Once we were in the mansion, many of us read prayers while we waited to enter the sacred chamber.

Finally it was our turn. The room was dark, lit by a single lamp next to Baha'u'llah's bed. Some pilgrims stood and prayed, others sat on the floor around His bed. Outside, a bird kept up a rythmic, piercing, yet somehow not unpleasant screeching. It was easy to imagine the Holy Family keeping vigil in this room that night in 1892, just as we were now.

Once we had paid our respects in Baha'u'llah's chamber, we were free to enjoy the gardens until the Holy Day program began at 3:00 a.m. Bahji at night is a wonder to behold! We weren't able to get many pictures because it was dark (duh!), but the Shrine of Baha'u'llah was beautifully illuminated and we were able to get a couple of shots. The entrance to the Shrine of Baha'u'llah is at the top of this entry, of course.

And here is the outside of the room in which His blessed remains are interred:



This spot is the Qiblih, the spot towards which Baha'is turn when saying their daily obligatory prayers. We saw a number of pilgrims and visitors standing or sitting outside this spot in prayer.

Let's pause now to explain who was there last night. The pilgrims, numbering some 270, were the honored guests. Also present were the beloved Universal House of Justice, the last of the beloved Hands of the Cause of God Muhammad Ali Varqa, virtually all of the staff members at the Baha'i World Center, and a whole bunch of Baha'is in Israel on what is known as a "three-day visit." (It takes years of waiting to be invited for a nine-day pilgrimage to all the Holy Places, but Baha'is may visit for three days at other times if they send a request to the Universal House of Justice.) All together, there were about 900 of us!

We had quite a long time to wait between our visit to the mansion and the beginning of the program. After a stroll through the gardens, we went to the Visitors' Center to hang out for a while. It looked beautiful all lit up at night. Inside, the friends were in a tired but festive mood.



Finally, we went back to the gardens and found our seats for the program. Chairs had been set up around what looked like about a quarter of the garden, facing the Qiblih. The best seats were reserved for pilgrims, in keeping with the red-carpet treatment we've received throughout our visit. Speakers had been set up so that everybody could hear perfectly. Some of the Baha'i youth handed out the programs for the event. Gary took a photo of it so we could share it with you:



We only wish we could also share the experience of sitting in that garden, among hundreds of our fellow Baha'is, listening to the readings live and in person. At the end of the program, we all rose as the Tablet of Visitation was chanted in Arabic. It was just indescribable. (We know, because we tried and we just can't describe it.)

After the readings, it was time to circumambulate the Shrine. We all rose and, led by the members of the House of Justice and their wives, we walked all around the Shrine and halfway back around the gardens. Amazing. Just amazing. There were many of us that we couldn't ever see the end of the line... just an endless flow of precious souls paying homage to their Lord. Wow. The only sounds were the squawking bird, and the sound of the pilgrims' feet on the gravel paths. It sounded like rain.

In keeping with the fantastic good fortune that has marked every single moment of our trip, we finished our trek just in time to get seats on the first bus back to Haifa. We were dropped off in front of our hotel just as dawn began to break.

What a night.

Day 7: We Climb Mount Carmel

Don't have much time, but must report that we climbed up ALL the terraces on Mount Carmel today.

Here's the view from the bottom:



Here we are at the top, sweaty and exhultant:



And here's the view from the top:



Gotta run -- we're heading out to Bahji for an all-night commemoration of the Ascension of Baha'u'llah.

Chill'n in the hotel the morning after, gives us time to upload the pictures of our climb. Here they are!

Please pay no attention to the numerical miscalculation, (the numbering of the terraces) as we are working on only about four hours of sleep.

Day 6: A Day in the Country

Today, Saturday, we had no scheduled group activities. We had thought about sharing a sherut (a small chartered bus) to return to Bahji, but by the time we got around to signing up all the slots were taken. So we thought maybe we'd hang out in Haifa and visit the gardens on Mount Carmel. We slept late, had a late breakfast, and finally were ready to leave the hotel around noon.

As we went through the lobby we ran into two of our fellow pilgrims, Joey and Janet from Atlanta. To make a long story short, we ended up sharing a cab with them out to Bahji and having just an amazingly wonderful day visiting the Shrine of Baha'u'llah and surrounding gardens.

Without further ado, the photos are here. (Hint: There are comments attached to the photos that you won't see if you view the photos as a slideshow. Click on them one at a time to check out the text.)

Things we learned today:

1. There are rubber stamps at the Visitors' Center at Bahji. You can stamp your prayer book or prayer list or whatever you like, as a souvenir of your visit. Very cool. Thanks to Joey and Janet for the heads-up on that.

2. There are two kinds of guys in uniform at Bahji: Those with guns and those without guns. Turns out the unarmed ones are the Baha'is (no surprise there), and the armed guards are Israelis. We met a very charming Israeli guard named Pierre, who shared with us a Middle Eastern tradition: "If you stay with someone for 40 days, you have to become one of them or go home. I've been with the Baha'is for six years, so I've become like you!" Here we are with him at the Collins Gate, leading to the Shrine of Baha'u'llah.



After we walked all the way around those wonderful gardens, we entered the Shrine and spend a wonderful hour communing with Baha'u'llah. What a way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

Day 5, Part Deux: The Archives

This is the International Baha'i Archives building. It houses many precious relics and treasures related to the Holy Family and the Central Figures of the Baha'i Faith. Today at 4:00 p.m., we met eight of our fellow pilgrims and an Archives guide for our visit into this most special place. We set out on foot from the Pilgrims' Reception Center and made our way through the Monument Garden to the Archives.

The interior of the Archives is a single large room, with second-floor balconies along each side. As soon as we had all removed our shoes, deposited our belongings in the anteroom, and come inside, we were ushered to the far end of the room where three cabinets stood in front of a large stained-glass window. We both held our breath in anticipation of what was about to happen.

Slowly and deliberately, our guide opened the cabinets. The rightmost cabinet contained a small painting of the Blessed Bab in His green turban, sitting on a mat on a rooftop. He looked tall, handsome and serious; as though he knew what was in store for Him.

The second cabinet contained a triptych of small paintings of Baha'u'llah. Mary Lou's first though was "He is SO beautiful!" The center of the triptych shows Baha'u'llah in an attitude of benediction with his hands slightly upraised, surrounded by angels. The right-hand image shows him dressed as a dervish (from His time in the mountains), and the left-hand image shows him as he appeared at the public baths of the day, bareheaded and wrapped in a white sheet or towel.

Finally, the cabinet on the left contained the only photograph of Baha'u'llah, which was taken for His passport shortly after the near-successful attempt on His life. Although one can clearly see this is the same person depicted in the paintings, one can also see the toll the years and the attempt on His life had taken on Him.

We were given more than half an hour to be in the presence of these blessed images. We were able to get really up close and personal, bending close to the protective glass to take in all the details. It was quite an experience. We looked, prayed, sat on the rug, looked some more, prayed some more, drew close, stepped away, and generally just reveled in this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Finally the doors to the cabinets were closed, and other cabinets were opened. Among the treasures we saw were tablets in the hand of Baha'u'llah and of the Bab, personal artifacts including locks of the Blessed Beauty's hair (lovingly collected one hair at a time by the Greatest Holy Leaf).

Okay, let's talk about that for a minute. The Greatest Holy Leaf, the daughter of Baha'u'llah whose given name was Bahiyyih Khanum, devoted her life to the service of her father and His Cause. She is considered the foremost heroine of the Baha'i Faith. We learned yesterday that she secretly kept the remains of the Blessed Bab in her bedroom until His Shrine could be completed. And today we learned that she collected the hairs from Baha'u'llah's precious head, one at a time, from His hairbrush, pillowcase, and clothing, and carefully saved them for presentation to some of the early believers.

Wow. Just... wow.

Here is the shrine where the Greatest Holy Leaf is interred, in the monument garden just below the buildings on the Arc.

Other amazing relics in the Archives included full suits of clothing worn by all of the Central Figures: Baha'u'llah, the Bab, 'Abdu'l-Baha and even the Beloved Guardian. (Turns out the Bab was quite a dapper dresser!) Gary was particularly taken with the individual letters written by the Bab to nine of the 18 early believers he named the Letters of the Living. Mary Lou was enchanted by a letter written by Tahireh, the Persian poetess and heroine of the Babis, who scandalized everyone by removing her veil in public. Although we certainly can't read the language, Mary Lou thought she was able to see a distinct difference between Tahireh's feminine calligraphy and the more masculine writing of Baha'u'llah and the Bab.

Some of the tablets and letters were preserved as they were written, but others had been beautifully illuminated with gold and brilliant colors. One set of prayers had been assembled into an accordian-folded portfolio that could be unfolded and placed on a mantel or shelf for use when the prayers were said.

Perhaps the most poignant relics were those relating to Mirza Mihdi, the Purest Branch. We viewed the blood-stained shirt that had to be cut off of him after he fell from the skylight in the prison at Akka. Displayed next to the shirt was a box containing five small, smooth pebbles. These pebbles were found in Mirza Mihdi's pocket after his death -- apparently he just liked the feel of them between his fingers. At 22 years of age, he was still enough of a boy to enjoy having such small possessions even in such horrible circumstances. Similarly, we saw a small smooth stick -- like a walking stick but smaller -- that was one of his few possessions. Such small details, and so heartbreaking! Oy! And it is just amazing to think that the family was able to keep these precious items safe during the tragedy of his death and the many subsequent moves.

On a lighter note, we solved a mystery. In the Mansion of Bahji, and indeed in all of the houses we've visited in the last two days, we've seen many lovely pieces of art featuring birds. Today we learned that those birds are roosters. What is the significance of a rooster, you ask?

He signals the dawn of a new day.

Day 5: The Cousins

The purpose of pilgrimage is, of course, to spend time praying and meditating in the Holy Shrines. We know. We really do. But when you have cousins living within walking distance of your hotel, sneaking off to spend some time with them is irresistable.

Yes, we met with Gary's cousin Lesli and her charming husband Avi and had a great time! Avi picked us up at our hotel and drove us to their fabulous high-rise flat with views of the ocean from every window. (Okay, not every window. The kitchen window faces a lovely spot that was a golf course back in British colonial days.)

We drove through Haifa and stopped outside of town in a Druze village. The Druze are Arabs with their own religion and culture. They have no territorial aspirations and support the Israeli government and even fly the Israeli flag and serve in the Israeli military. We did a little souvenir shopping ("for you, Blue Eyes, it's 60 shekels!") and had a fantastic lunch at a local cafe. As we were leaving, we caused a bit of a stir because the young hostess thought Gary looked familiar, and eventually convinced herself he was a movie star! Here we are, well-fed and happy.



Upon discovering Gary's love for baklava, Avi and Lesli took us to a shop where they sell nothing but a seemingly endless variety of the stuff! Here's Gary, picking out some good-looking specimens to take to the PRC to share with the friends.



We have to say, a great time was had by all. We couldn't stop telling Lesli and Avi about how much we love their city, and they couldn't stop telling us that we have to come back for a real visit. Just fantastic all around.

Next up: We visit the Baha'i Archives.

Day 4: Reader's Digest Version

Oh, my. We've been referring to this trip as a "vacation," but we are learning that pilgrimage is not something one does if one is in search of relaxation! Our first four days were quite intense and we are very happy to finally have some free time today, Day 5.

Here's a recap of Day 4. We took the bus back to Akka and visited the following places:

The House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha. This was 'Abdu'l-Baha's home in the Haifa area for many years. Highlights included the room in which the Greatest Holy Leaf concealed the remains of the Blessed Bab for many years; the room in which the Beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, was born; the room in which Juliet Thompson had the conversations with the Master that became the book Some Answered Questions; the room in which 6-year-old Shoghi Effendi (below) recited his prayers at the top of his voice so his beloved Grandfather, 'Abdu'l-Baha, could hear him from his room on the other side of the courtyard.



From there, we went to the Mansion of Mazra'il, where Baha'u'llah spent a good portion of His time after being released from the prison. We were able to see the room of the Beloved Beauty and spend time in the beautiful gardens and admire the surrounding orchards of citrus, pomegranates and even banana trees.

By the way, here is a link to some photos of the places we visited on Day 4.

Then, on to the Mansion of Bahji. It is huge and beautiful and we saw such thrilling things that we could hardly stand it. Perhaps most notable was the room in which Baha'u'llah received British scholar Edward Granville Browne, whose description of the encounter can be found here.

The grounds at Bahji are just amazing beyond description! We'll post photos soon. But now, we have a date to meet Gary's cousin and her family.

Non-Baha'i-Related Magical Moment

Sitting in the business lounge at a hotel in Israel, watching the finale of "American Idol" with a couple of young USC-educated electrical engineers from India. Gotta love it.

Day 4: The Friends

Looking for more pics from day 4, Click Here



Even more than the visit to the Shrine of Baha'u'llah and the amazing encounter with Mr. Firdawsi, the thing we took away from Day 4 was a huge sense of love and appreciation for our fellow pilgrims.

There are 270 of us here for this pilgrimage. (Pilgrimage happens twice a month from October through July, and about 4000 people make a 9-day pilgrimage each year.) We're divided into at least 8 groups, Group A through Group H or so. We're in Group B. We've met some amazing people in the past few days, including...



The lovely couple from India and their enchanting 18-year-old daughter. We are quite taken with them, and they seem to be taken with us, as well. They've invited us to visit the Lotus Temple in India, and we are darned tempted to take them up on it! Today the daughter looked at Mary Lou with her meltingly beautiful brown eyes and said, "Your eyes are so beautiful! We don't often see eyes like that in India!"

The mother and daughter from New Zealand. Outspoken, uninhibited, completely charming.

The "Dutch Kiwis" -- a couple a little bit older than we are who moved from Holland to New Zealand in the 70s because they "just wanted to do something different." They're glad they did, because they found the Baha'i Faith in New Zealand.

The "Aussie Persians" -- Mom, Dad, 7-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter. They look like they just stepped off the plane from Tehran, but they all have Australian accents you can cut with a knife!

The Bulgarian student living in Chicago. He explained that the cabs in Haifa are made in the Czech Republic and are inexpensive because Czech labor is cheap. Who knew?

The extended family from Great Britain, including Mom, Dad, 4 beautiful daughters, 1 handsome son, 1 beautiful daughter-in-law and 1 handsome son-in-law. And, oh yeah, the month-old grandson who spends every moment sleeping in the arms of an adoring family member.

The Canadian family -- Mom, Dad, college-age daughter and 19-year-old son who looks just like Doogie Howser, M.D. Last night at the program at the International Teaching Center, Mary Lou heard Mom urgently whisper to Doogie, "Swallow your gum!" Mary Lou couldn't resist butting in, and quipped "or you could stick it on the bottom of your seat." They all burst into laughter, and Doogie said wryly, "Yeah, my dad already suggested that!"

The African American family comprising Mom, grown daughter, and 5-year-old granddaughter. The little girl has participated in all the activities, and has been amazingly well-behaved and patient.

The nose-ringed young actress from Belfast.

The young woman from Ireland who gave us an amazing gift this afternoon: As we sat in the bedroom of the Greatest Holy Leaf, she sang a song about her that had been written for a European conference several years ago, in a clear, sweet a cappella voice. Lovely.

The young American man who is a dead ringer for Dilbert, right down to the wardrobe. We overheard him speaking passionately about how "the Baha'i Faith is the only hope for humanity!" and lamenting the fact that his teaching efforts had resulted in "only" three declarations in the past year. Gotta love it.

And finally, the Persian Canadian family that shared its baklava with everybody at lunch today.

Gary remarked at lunch today that it's really thrilling to see how the Baha'i Faith really does encompass the entire human family. We are very lucky to be part of it.

Seen on the road to Akka

Tyler, this one's for you.

Day 3, Part 2: Mr. Firdawsi and the Garden of Ridvan

Baha'u'llah always loved gardens. When He was released from prison and went to live at the Mansion at Bahji, His son 'Abdu'l-Baha rented a beautiful garden with a small house where Baha'u'llah could retreat to spend some time enjoying the natural beauty. He called it the Garden of Ridvan, or Paradise. (Not to be confused with the garden in Baghdad that is commemorated in the Festival of Ridvan.) Here it is.



The fountain was there in Baha'u'llah's day, but instead of being powered by electricity, it was powered by a little donkey walking in circles to supply power to the pump! Peacocks roamed the garden in those days, too. These days their descendents are still there -- kept in a cage to protect them against predators.



When we arrived at the garden, we were greeted by the caretakers, Mr. and Mrs. Firdawsi. They seemed a bit emotional, as did our guide. We soon found out why: They are retiring this week, and we were the last group of pilgrims they would welcome to the garden.

After our guide gave us the general history of the garden and said a prayer, we were permitted to remove our shoes and enter the room where Baha'u'llah stayed. All of the simple yet elegant furnishings were from the time of Baha'u'llah, including His bedding. In common with the other rooms we'd seen, this one was filled with light from many windows. We spent a few moments in prayer, then went back out to look at the gardens.

Unlike the huge gardens on Mount Carmel and at Bahji, this garden is small. It's surrounded on all sides by lush groves of pomegranate and citrus trees, and features the bubbling fountain and a small sitting area in the center. The benches are shaded by huge mulberry trees.

Mr. Firdawsi was very much in evidence, smiling and answering questions in accented but very good English. Here are he and Gary, getting acquainted.



Our guide gathered us together and announced that Mr. Firdawsi is retiring this week after spending his whole life caring for the garden, as had his father before him. Here is the story Mr. Firdawsi told us about his father, the garden, and 'Abdu'l-Baha (at least, here's the story as I was able to reconstruct it from my notes):

`Abdu'l-Bahá was a prisoner in Akka and at Bahji for most of his life. It wasn’t until he was an old man that he was released and permitted to travel the world, teaching about His father. In 1913, after returning from His trip to the United States, `Abdu'l-Bahá sent a message to the National Spiritual Assembly of India, asking them to send a gardener to take care of the Ridván Garden outside of Akka.

At that time there lived in India a young Bahá’í named Housang Firdawsi. Not long before, he had traveled to India in search of work, leaving behind a wife and three young children (Mr. Firdawsi’s older brothers and sister). The National Spiritual Assembly of India chose him to care for the garden. They sent him a message saying “Are you ready to go to the Holy Land? `Abdu'l-Bahá needs a gardener!” Housang agreed, but decided he would only work for one year before returning to his family in Iran.

Housang did wonderful work in the garden, and `Abdu'l-Bahá was very pleased. So, pleased, in fact, that at the end of the year when Housang asked to go home, `Abdu'l-Bahá said, “No, Housang. I need you to care for the garden.” Reluctantly, because he loved `Abdu'l-Bahá, Housang agreed to stay. He continued to serve loyally, caring for an extensive orchard that included pomegranate trees like this one.

At this point, Mr. Firdawsi paused in his story and said, “This illustrates the two most important things about this story: Obedience and patience.” He continued…

Every year for seven years, Housang asked `Abdu'l-Bahá if he could return to Iran, and every year he received the same answer. Finally, one of the believers who visited the garden said, “Housang, `Abdu'l-Bahá keeps giving you the same answer! You’re not going back to Iran! You’re asking the wrong questions!”

Housang thought about this advice, and next time he asked `Abdu'l-Bahá if he could bring his family to the Holy Land. `Abdu'l-Bahá smiled delightedly and said, “NOW you ask the right question!” He immediately sent word to the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran to send the family to the Holy Land. When asked when she could be ready to leave, Housang’s wife said she would leave the very next morning. Her youngest child, a girl, had been asking for years to see her daddy, and Mrs. Firdawsi was delighted that her wish would finally come true.

Back in those days, the only way to travel from Iran to the Holy Land was by donkey, camel, or horse. The trip was long and hard, but they finally arrived late one night… too late for Housang to meet them. When he finally arrived at the home of `Abdu'l-Bahá to see his family, he learned that his little daughter had been asking “Where’s my daddy?” over and over, all night long.

Housang fell at the feet of `Abdu'l-Bahá and tried to kiss his feet, but `Abdu'l-Bahá wouldn’t let him. He wondered how his family had survived so well, alone in Iran, and discovered `Abdu'l-Bahá had been taking care of the family all that time, sending money to them through the Iranian National Spiritual Assembly.

The family stayed at the garden and prospered. Ultimately the younger son, our friend Mr. Firdawsi, took over for his father as the caretaker. “Now,” he told us, “it is time to leave. I ask the Universal House of Justice if I may retire be cause I am not young. We have obtained papers to move to Canada, and we will leave this week. Please remember me in your prayers."

For the second time that day, there was not a dry eye in the house. Spontaneously, all the pilgrims lined up and gave Mr. Firdawsi a handshake or a warm hug, and we all promised to pray for him. We did the same to his sweet wife as we left the garden.

Our last glimpse of Mr. Firdawsi was through the entrance to his beloved garden as we drove away. (Double click on the photo to get a larger version.) We will keep him in our prayers, and we will never, ever forget him!

Day 3: Akka

Today was a very busy day! If you're just here for the photos, here they are: Day 3 Photos.

Wow. Where to begin? We met at the PRC and boarded a bus for Akka. We are re-tracing the steps of Baha'u'llah in Akka, albeit a little out of order. The short version is that Baha'u'llah was exiled from Baghdad to Constantinople, Adrianople, to the prison fortress city of Akka, and ultimately to Bahji, where He died in 1892. (Here's a rundown on important locations to the Baha'i Faith.)



First we went to the House of 'Abbud, which is actually two houses where Baha'u'llah and His family lived for a time after their release from the actual prison in Akka. It's right by the water, but the neighborhood is a noisy, crowded, run-down Arab enclave. The House of 'Abbud really stands out because of its nice fresh blue-and-white paint. We entered the property and found ourselves in this beautiful open-air courtyard, where we were served tea and cookies by two lovely Baha'i ladies.

Upstairs, we had the honor of visiting the actual rooms where Baha'u'llah lived. Many important tablets including the Fire Tablet and the Kitab-i-Aqdas (the Book of Laws) were revealed in the first room we visited. Mary Lou was excited to hear about the Fire Tablet, because she had recited it yesterday at the Shrine of Baha'u'llah. The rooms in the first house were furnished and decorated by Shoghi Effendi, whose love for the American Baha'is was apparent in the many photos of the U.S. Baha'i House of Worship and early American Baha'i conventions. There were also many framed maps and beautiful pieces of Persian and Arabic calligraphy. One of the rooms was that in which 'Abdul-Baha and his wife were married.

The second house, the actual House of 'Abbud, was significantly larger and grander. In this house we were also able to enter the Beloved Beauty's room. His actual bedding was on the floor, and one of his headdresses was placed on a sofa where He used to sit. Mary Lou had the opportunity to sit beside that sofa, in the position of one sitting at Baha'u'llah's feet. It was quite a moment. We also were able to see the rooms of other family members, including the Greatest Holy Leaf and her mother, Baha'u'llah's wife Navvab.



After visiting the house, we went to the actual prison, where Baha'u'llah was brought on His arrival in Akka. The area in which Baha'u'llah was, we understand, recently re-opened after having been closed for several years for refurbishing. We were actually rather surprised to see a bright area with fresh plaster, lots of windows, spacious rooms and a beautiful new stone floor. "Gee!" we thought. "This isn't that bad for a prison!"

Well... we soon changed our minds when we heard the sad story. In Baha'u'llah's time, the floors were dirt. And many, many friends and family members were crowded into those rooms without adequate food or water. Early in their captivity, illness struck the party and three of the friends passed away. But even worse tragedy was in store, when Baha'u'llah's beloved younger son, Mirza Mihdi (the Purest Branch), fell to his death from an open skylight on the roof.



The scene of this tragedy has been beautifully restored (above). After our guide told the tale, there was absolutely not a dry eye in the house. One of the pilgrims read a prayer and could hardly get through it because of his strong emotions. So sad. *Sigh*

After a quick stop to view the Ocean Gate and the Land Gate, the only two entrances to Akka at the time, we went back to the beautiful Bahji Visitors' Center for lunch. Here's another photo of that lovely garden.



Next we went to the Garden of Ridvan, so named by Baha'u'llah because it provided a heavenly place of respite in his exile. (Not to be confused with the Garden in which He declared His mission before leaving Baghdad.) That's an amazing story, but it's late and we're not gonna have time to post it tonight. But we promise it'll be worth the wait.

Finally, after a quick stop at the hotel we returned to the International Teaching Center for a meeting with the International Teaching Committee. Here we are, tired but happy. Thanks for stopping by.

Tips for Pilgrims

Just our two cents, our opinion only, your mileage may vary.

1. Bring a dressy outfit for your meeting with the beloved Universal House of Justice. We looked presentable enough, but we ended up wishing we'd brought a suit and tie (Gary) and something dressy (Mary Lou). I'm sure the members of the House don't care what we wear, but believe us when we tell you the occasion calls for Sunday best.

2. In general, plan to dress a little more formally than you would on a regular vacation. You'll want to show less skin than you normally would to tour a foreign country.

3. The pathways around many of the Shrines are made of fragments of red clay roof tiles. It's gorgeous but a little messy. The red dust gets on your shoes and, when you remove and replace your shoes, gets on your hands and feet. And thence (if you're not careful) on your clothes. Don't say we didn't warn you.

4. Don't wear black to the prison at Akka. The barracks where Baha'u'llah and his companions were interred has been restored beautifully but there is a lot of white dust on the surfaces. It shows up pretty badly on dark clothing.

5. A box lunch prepared by the Dan Carmel hotel contains more than enough food for two people. Get an extra bottle of water, and the two of you are good to go.

We'll post some photos when Gary wakes up from his nap!

Day 2, Part 2: The Beloved Universal House of Justice

There's a tradition in the Baha'i community to refer to certain of the Institutions of the Faith in rather flowerly language. For example, it's common to hear people talk about "the Beloved Universal House of Justice." We had always thought that this was just kind of... well, flowery language.

Not any more. This isn't flowery language, it's a simple statement of fact. We are here to tell you that to be in the presence of the beloved Universal House of Justice is to love them. A lot.

But we digress...

When last we met, we were reluctantly leaving Bahji because we had a date with the aforementioned beloved Universal House of Justice. We managed to catch a short nap on the bus ride back, and before we knew it, we had been deposited at the gate leading to the Seat of the Universal House of Justice. We walked up a very long, very wide, very impressive stone pathway to the very large and unbelievably impressive building. We mounted the marble steps and went inside. (Note: We weren't allowed to take photographs at this event. Stay tuned later in the week for photos of all of the beautiful buildings on Mount Carmel, known as the Arc because of their semi-circular arrangement on the side of the mountain.)

We've both been to Washington D.C., and in our opinion there's not a building in our nation's capital that can hold a candle to the Seat of the House of Justice. The marble columns are just amazing, as is the beautiful ornamentation within and without the building.

We entered a very large reception hall, in which some 270 chairs had been arranged for all the pilgrims. Through an amazing stroke of luck, we were able to secure seats in the very front row, facing a few marble steps leading to a broad Persian rug-covered landing upon which seven chairs had been placed. Some of the Baha'i youth on the World Center staff stood at attention around the room, attending to the needs of the pilgrims as necessary. Once everybody was seated, they went from person to person and offered glasses of juice and cookies as we waited for the House members. Here is a photo of the landing, taken a few days later:



Once the juice and cookies had been consumed, and the glasses and napkins taken away, the noise level in the hall gradually increased until it was very noisy with the chatter of excited pilgrims. Suddenly, for no reason we could discern, the noise just stopped, as suddenly as though a switch had been thrown. We sat in breathless silence for a few moments, looking around and wondering what would happen next.

We later decided that the silence must have been caused by the entrance of the members of the House from the rear of the hall. As they approached the front, the pilgrims rose to greet them. Similing and relaxed and looking dapper in suits and ties, they took their seats on the landing.

What a surprise!! We had expected a group of old men, perhaps stooped and bowed by the weight of their heavy responsibilities. Instead, we were faced with a group of seven radiant and vital men who seemed to be in the prime of their lives. So humble were they that they weren't even introduced by name. One of the members read a short prayer, and then another greeted us on behalf of the group. He told us that the pilgrims are their life-blood, and that their meetings with the pilgrims are a source of great joy to the House members. After his short remarks, another member chanted a prayer in Persian.

Next it was time for the individual introductions. If one were fortunate enough to meet the President of the United States or other head of state or religious leader, it's likely the dignitaries would form a receiving line through which the visitors would proceed. Not so in Haifa! The chairs having been magically removed and everyone having risen to their feet, the members of the House waded into the crowd, faces wreathed in smiles and hands outstretched to greet each pilgrim up close and personal.

Dr. Firaydoun Javaheri, who was elected in 2003, came straight down the steps and warmly clasped our hands, telling us that our smiling faces seemed so familiar to him, and asking if we had met him before. Gary replied that his face also seemed warm and familar despite the fact that this was our first meeting.

Have we mentioned that we fell in love with each and every one of them on sight? We now understand, and will forever refer to them, with utmost sincerity, as the beloved Universal House of Justice. It's like this: Think of your cluster or your church family. In every religious family, there are those rare individuals who light up a room just by entering. They are humble, loving, hard-working, really really smart, and just the coolest guys in the room -- any room. Think of seven of those coolest guys in the room, all together in one room, and you might have a teeny tiny inkling of what this afternoon was like. (By the way, although there are nine members of the House, two of them were traveling today. Darn.)

Although we were among the first to be greeted by most of the House members, Hartmut Grossman had begun his greetings at the back of the great hall, so we were among the last to meet him. Amazingly enough, when he reached us and grasped one of our hands in each of his, he apologized for making us wait! When we told him we were from California, he seemed delighted. "Do you know what 'Abdul-Baha said about California?" he asked with a smile in his charming German accent. Mary Lou replied, "Yes! He said it was like the Holy Land!" "That's right," replied Mr. Grossman with a twinkle. "And do you know what he said California does not have?" "Um... spiritual qualities?" ventured Mary Lou, remembering the Tablet of the Divine Plan, in which He urged Californians to develop their spirituality. "No!" chuckled Mr. Grossman. "He said California doesn't have Holy Places!" He laughed as though we had shared a wonderful joke together, and left us standing teary-eyed and open-mouthed at his fabulousness.

All over the great hall, the pilgrims were having similar experiences. We saw a group from Baltimore greeted by Maryland native Kiser Barnes, and share an exhultant group hug when he'd moved on. Everywhere the beloved House members went, they left light and joy in their path.

Of course, when Gary mentioned this phenomenon to beloved Mr. Lample, he demurred and said "No! It's the pilgrims who bring the light with them!" Of course he said that. But although we were convinced of his sincerity, we're not 100% convinced of his accuracy. (Mr. Grossman said the same thing: "The pilgrims are our life's blood! When the blood comes to the heart, the body lights up!")

Did we mention that today was our seventh wedding anniversary? Three words:

Best.

Anniversary.

Ever.

Here's how emotional it was: Mary Lou was so overcome that she SNORTED, just like she did on her wedding day. (At least this time, it wasn't into an open microphone.)

After the beloved (and adored and most precious) House members had left, we floated out of the building and enjoyed a leisurely walk through the gardens and out the side gate. One of the young men guarding the gate looked familiar: "Hey! Didn't we just see you serving cookies in a coat and tie?" "Mayyyyybeeeee," he replied with a smile.

Stay tuned. Although it's hard to imagine, we think things might even get better...

Day 2: Our First Visit to Bahji

Today we got up bright and early and met at the PRC for our trip to the Shrine of Baha'u'llah at Bahji, about 45 minutes by bus from Haifa. Because this blog is getting a little big and we want to share more photos, we've posted the photos here: Our Flickr pics.

Here are a couple to get you started. (Double-click on the photos for larger versions.) Above is the entrance to the Shrine of Baha'u'llah. Note the pilgrims' shoes outside. The shot below is a very small part of the huge and fantastic gardens surrounding the Shrine. If the tree in the center were growing at home, we'd call it a California Live Oak. Not sure what they call it here in Israel!



Where to begin? The Shrine of Baha'u'llah, burial place of the founder of the Baha'i Faith, is the holiest spot on earth to Baha'is. After a 45-minute bus ride, we arrived at the new Visitors' Center. We were the second group of the day to visit the Shrine, and as we were arriving we crossed paths with the pilgrims who were leaving. Without exception, they were all elated and wearing absolutely beautific smiles. We were soon to find out the source of that elation.

The Visitors' Center is gorgeous -- filled with natural light and lovely Persian rugs. After stowing our packed lunches in the fridge and "making ourselves comfortable" (pilgrim talk for "freshening up"), we went out a side door and began our trek to the Shrine. After a short introduction to the spot from our guide, we proceeded along a wide gravel pathway, lined on each side with beautiful plants that were very familiar to we Californians. Each pilgrim was deep in his or her own private thoughts, and the only sounds were the singing of the birds, the distant sounds of the landscaping crew, and the crunching of our feet on the gravel.

After a surprisingly long walk, we reached the famous black-and-gold gates and passed through a small entryway. Inside the gates the gravel was different, and our footsteps were quieter. As we reached the blessed threshhold, we removed our shoes and left them outside.

The inside of the Shrine was a surprise. Instead of the small dark room one might expect, we entered a large space that was filled with light from high windows on all sides, and filled with beautiful rugs and a central atrium area filled with beautiful light fixtures and climbing plants. When everyone was in place, one of the guides recited the Tablet of Visitation. When he was finished, each pilgrim was permitted to stay as long as he or she wished and to pray or meditate as he or she wished. We went into a small room adjacent to the main area and spent some quality time with our thoughts and our prayer books. Prayers were said for friends, family and for the growth and good health of our beloved Pasadena Baha'i community.

After visiting the Shrine, we spent some time in the gardens, taking pictures and exclaiming over and over again about how familiar all the plants are. There was a lot of work going on in the gardens -- from young men planting flowers to a crew with a backhoe removing and refurbishing beds that had apparently passed their prime. As we passed the beautiful big oak tree in the photo above, Gary sent Mary Lou into a full-on swoon by saying, "Just think. Baha'u'llah looked at that tree."

Oh, my.

Be. Still. My. Heart.

Everybody had brought lunch, and we returned to the visitors' center and enjoyed a festive meal together. As can be imagined, it was quite a party -- everyone was just elated by the whole experience. We hated to leave, but we had a date with the Universal House of Justice.

Let the Healing Begin

We interrupt this pilgrimage blog to congratulate our beloved Pasadena Baha'i Community (and the surrounding communities) for their hugely successful event this weekend featuring Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary speaking on her book, Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome. (See www.letthehealingbegin.net.) More than 300 people attended, and reports of individual transformation are coming in thick and fast.

Ya Baha'ul'Abha!!! We love you!!

Update on Day 1

Here is Dr. Varqa. He is the last living Hand of the Cause of God, and is still going strong at 95 years old. He gave a very sweet talk to the pilgrims last night about the importance of sharing the message of the Baha'i Faith. He asked audience members to raise their hands if they were the head of their household. There was some giggling and fidgeting and not many raised hands. He smiled and said, "You are ALL heads of your households, and as heads of your households it's your job to spread the message of Baha'u'llah." After his talk, various pilgrims offered prayers in their native languages: English, Persian, Arabic, Swahili, Hindu, and French.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's go back and fill in what happened on our first day.

We are feeling almost human this morning after crashing at 9:30 last night. Yesterday was a very full day, and today promises to be even more so. (It's our seventh wedding anniversay, by the way. What a way to celebrate!) But we have a little time to catch up on the action from yesterday:

After breakfast, we took a taxi to the Pilgrim Reception Center, affectionately referred to as the PRC. It’s about a 5-minute cab ride from the hotel. We were deposited in front of an iron gate, which left us nonplused until we saw the call button. “Hello, are you here for pilgrimage? Your surname, please? Please push the gate open and be sure to push it closed behind you.”

We were among the first to arrive, and found ourselves in the PRC dining room with cups of coffee and Bahá'í families from Chicago, Toronto and Melbourne, Australia. After an hour or so we were ushered into another building (the PRC Annex) and got our pilgrim ID badges, informational booklets and Israeli health insurance. After a brief informational meeting at 10 a.m. (“No spaghetti straps, no strapless tops, no bare bellies. Make sure the taxi has the meter on . Avoid crowds. Every Israeli restaurant is required to have a guard at the door – don’t go in a restaurant without a guard.”), we were excused until after lunch.

Took the bus back to the hotel. Gary dug in his pocket and eventually found 11 New Israeli Shekelyim for the fare. Mary Lou felt very proud of him and very much like an experienced traveler to be able to use the local public transportation. Then we took a walk up the main commercial drag and successfully found an ATM and a place to buy a plug strip for our various electronic devices, plus adaptors for the plugs.

After lunch we went back to the PRC and met our pilgrimage guide, Marcia. (For the friends in Pasadena, Marcia is absolutely the spitting image of our dear Sara Prince, in looks and demeanor, circa about 45 years ago. Amazing!) She gave us the rundown on our schedule for the week. It turns out the Declaration of the Bab is not going to be celebrated here this week -- the World Center observes certain Holy Days according to the lunar calendar. However, later this week we will be observing the Ascension of Baha'u'llah, which is going to be quite an event!

We are in Group B, with about 40 or so other pilgrims. (There are about 270 pilgrims here altogether.) We went around and introduced ourselves. We have people in our group from the U.S., all over Canada, India, New Zealand, and Ireland. We were a bit suprised to find that Americans were in the minority in our group -- the country with the most group members is Canada, eh?

After the scheduling meeting, we finally made our first official pilgrimage visit. We gathered in the old Pilgrim House adjacent to the Shrine of the Bab. We were greated by two members of the Continental Board of Counselors (one of whom, Dr. Penny Walker, we'd had the pleasure of meeting when she visited Pasadena a few years ago), who welcomed us and then escorted us to the Shrine of the Bab.

We walked up the gravel path, removed our shoes, and entered what we had been told is the holiest spot on the globe. We went first to the room in which the Blessed Bab is interred. After a few moments for individual prayer and reflection, the Tablet of Visitation was recited by one of the Counselors. It was indescribable. After a bit more time for individual prayer, we moved to the room in which the remains of 'Abdu'l-Baha are interred, and Dr. Walker recited the Tablet of Visitation again. And again, it was indescribable.

Eventually we made our way out of the Shrine and enjoyed our first up-close-and-personal view of the Terraces and the gardens. We have been amazed to find that the vegetation here in Haifa is exactly the same as the vegetation at home. We discovered that an amazing number of plants from our garden at home are also planted in the Baha'i gardens! What a thrill! (If we knew plant names, we'd tell you which ones. Will post photos later.) We were also surprised to discover that, in addition to the oft-photographed Terraces, the gardens extend a good distance to either side and include all kinds of fabulous plants including a huge number of succulents and cactuses. (Cacti?) We had a good tromp around the middle terrace before going back to the PRC for Dr. Varqa's talk, described above.

When we emerged, a line of taxis was waiting outside the PRC. Apparently the locals are well aware of the Baha'i pilgrimage schedule and are anxious to have the pilgrims' business. Our driver said "20 sheckels or meter?" and we were pleased that we already knew that the meter fare is less than 15 so we gave the right (less expensive) answer. Can't blame a guy for asking, though.

Which reminds me... in our travels at lunch we stopped into a shop with a handwritten sign saying "Baha'is welcome." The proprietress was a trip -- she showed us all kinds of Baha'i jewelry and tchotchkes and assured us that "nobody in Haifa takes care of the Baha'is like I do." We procured the long-desired 3-d refrigerator magnet depicting the Shrine of the Bab, plus some other souvenirs, and departed despite her entreaties that we stay longer and look at the whole stock. Very funny.

Back to the evening. As part of our top-floor Executive room at the hotel, we have access to the "business lounge." Popped in there to discover a fabulous buffet of appetizers, drinks and desserts that eliminated the need to find a place to buy dinner. Have we mentioned that the food in Israel is fantastic?

And that, dear friends, brings us to where we last posted... jet lagged, overwhelmed, and very very happy and excited.

Today: Bahji and the Shrine of Baha'u'llah. Stay tuned.

Breakfast at the Dan Carmel

The buffet breakfast at our hotel is just amazing. It's unlike any breakfast we've ever had, anywhere. A huge selection of cheeses, olives, vegetables, fruits, fresh-baked breads, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. I mean REALLY freshed-squeezed. You take an orange, cut it in half, and put it in this device that looks kind of like a drill press (okay, it's an orange press) and voila! Juice! Love it, love it, love it.

But, says Gary, he has to say that the scrambled eggs are for the birds. (Above -- double click to see larger photo.)

In other news, the jet lag has officially kicked in. We had a very full day of pilgrim-type activities including a talk by Hand of the Cause Mr. Varqa. But you're gonna have to wait for the details because we have hit the wall.

Tomorrow: Bahji. And in the meantime, he's one last photo to tide y'all over. The Shrine at noon.

Our 1st Day Begins

We woke up at about 4:30 a.m. and finally decided to start our day at 5 or so. Looked out the window, expecting it to still be dark, and discovered it was dawn already.

Dawn on Mount Carmel. Just... wow.

And look what the dawn revealed! Right outside our window, there is the Baha'i World Center. From left to right are the Shrine of the Bab, the Archives building, the Center for the Study of the Texts, the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, and the International Teaching Center. Did we already say "wow!?" (Yeah, I thought so.) As always, double-click on the photo for a bigger version.

And here's another nice photo of the Shrine of the Bab, taken a few minutes later.