One usually thinks of the Holy Land as a place for prayer, reflection and soul-searching. However, it is also very much an entertainment mecca, historical time-capsule and religious Disney Land all-in-one; where instead of rides, you have places that you have only read about growing up. Check out these amazing activities: 1. Go boating in the Sea of Galilee. A charming wooden boat + cool and windy weather + lively Jewish music + dancing = Relaxation

A year ago, I was blessed to be able to celebrate Good Friday at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem . It is thus only fitting that I look back and reflect on what is undoubtedly the holiest place in all of Christianity , and my pick as the most beautiful church in the world  (Italy, France and UK included) in terms of ambiance , history and sheer spiritual weight . * View of the Holy Sepulcher from the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) . The beautiful blue dome definitely complements Islam’s Golden Dome of The Rock  and helps give Jerusalem its ethereal vibe.

When I initially saw the itinerary for the trip, I couldn’t help but salivate at the sheer number of churches we were going to check out.  As anyone who really knows me can attest, I’m a huge fan of anything old , so much more if they are ancient. In Manila, Intramuros would be the closest thing to fit this description with San Agustin Church being the favorite. So you can imagine how it felt to see all these awesome churches in the Holy Land.. I felt like I was in freakin’  Disney Land!! While I make it a point to say a prayer at every location, the bulk of my time is spent reading up on the history of the place (thank you Wikipedia), admiring the facade of the churches and the stories the mosaics, sculptures, paintings and stained glass tell. I am a fan of anything that is created and hand-made (may it be novels, music, art, monuments or tourist traps), and these churches are indeed products of people who were not only masters of their craft but also passionate followers of

Just noticed it now but there is actually a  camouflaged lizard  on this Olive Tree at the Garden of Gethsemane.  Can you spot it?  There MAY be more than one! :D

"A new world. A better world. A kingdom of conscience…a kingdom of Heaven." Taken from Kingdom of Heaven, one of my favorite movies of all time, these words never fail to strike a chord within me; for it’s idealism, it’s truth, it’s message of HOPE. For Holy Week this year, instead of going to the beach as has been the case the past decade, I decided to go on a solo pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Why solo? I have always believed that faith is a personal journey ; one which does not have a destination, but is a continuing process of getting to know the Divine by which we get to know ourselves a bit more. Definitely, the highlight of this trip would be the old city of Jerusalem. Being the history geek, architecture admirer and student of religion that I am, I could not help but feel excited weeks before actually stepping foot in the city; where not only Jesus had done so but also countless Hebrews, Christians, Muslims, Romans and Ottomans before me.  Indeed I had

JERUSALEM. "How can you be in hell, when you’re in my heart."   - Balian of Ibelin Picture of the outer wall of the old city of Jerusalem, taken during my  solo pilgrim walk  from the hotel last night (sorry Mom & Mon).  Blog entry to follow.

Someone’s excited for his trip to Jerusalem!