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.