IN PALESTINE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 51, Issue 3151, 31 July 1942, Page 6

IN PALESTINE

PAEROA BOY’S LETTER LEAVE SPENT IN TOUR SAPPER C. J. McKAIN’S TRIP Seven days’ leave spent in Palestine by a party of New Zealand soldiers during which they visited the Dead Sea, Bethlehem, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Mount of Olives and many other histor- ■ ically famous places is described in the following letter from Spr. C. J. McKain, a son of Mr J. McKain of Awaiti. The letter reads as follows: —

“Last Monday week with five others who came over in the same lot I went on seven days’ leave up to Palestine. We left camp here -at half-past Six on the Monday morning and arrived in Jerusalem at 8 o’clock on the" Tuesday morning. It was a tiring journey but as we hadn’t seen the country before it was not so Ibad.

“As soon as we had booked in at the Australian Club and had a little to eat we got a guide who took us through the city of Jerusalem to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There is no doubt that it is one of the wonders of the world. The diamonds and jewels and gold ornaments are worth millions of pounds alone so you can just imagine' what a sight it was. “We got back to the club in’time for lunch and soon after we left on a tour out to the Dead Sea. We passed many historical places on the way out and stopped and had a look at some. Firstly we passed through the Valley of Jehosaphat then on to Brook Kildron, Siloam, Bethany, Ruins of Mary’s and Martha’s house, Tomb of Lazarus, the Apostles Fountain, Good Samaritan Inn, Brook Cherith, the Mountain of Temptation, Elisha’s Fountain. Then on to the Allenby Bridge over ■ the River Jordan.

Old and New Jericho

“We stopped here to get a photo taken and then turned back and had a drive through New and Old Jericho and branched off through the Valley of Anhor, passed the Tomb of Moses on to the Dead iSea. The sea itself is 46 miles long, 11 miles wide and 10'80 feet deep and 1300 feet below sea level. We were told it got its name because there were no living things in it. “All but one of us went for a swim but you have to be very careful not to get any water in your eyes as it is too salty. We were not allowed to dive or act the goat. We didn’t want to be told as a bit of water in the mouth was bad enough—it was so salty it just about took your breath away. We had a great swim all the same.

“I souldn’t get over it for if you wanted a spell all you had to do was to stop swimming and no matter how you sat or lay or stood in the watei* it only came up as far as one’s neck or to the lower part of your chin. Anyone watching would swear you were standing on the bottom as you could put your hands above your head.

“On the way back for tea we called and had a loqk through the Church of All Nations and the Garden of Gethsemane, arriving at the club at 5.15 p.m.

“After tea at 6 o’clock we went and had a game of billiards at the Y.M.C.A., returning early as we were very tired after the trip up. Wailing Well Visited

“On Wednesday morning we again visited the old city and saw many more churches and the Wailing Wall where all the Jews come to pray and make all sorts of noises. We also saw the Mosque 'of Omar which was a very pretty place. “At 10 o’clock we got back to the club and we left again on a motor drive out to Bethlehem. Wb passed many historical places on the way, then visited, the Church of the Nativity, another pretty' place. “From there we went past the A.I.F. cemetery of the last war, up on to the Mount of Olives where we had a look through the Church of the Lord’s Prayer and the Chapel of the Ascension. . The view of Jerusalem from the top of the mountain was very good. “We arrived back, at the club at 12.15.p.m., nearly too late for lunch. After lunch at 2 o’clock we got a donkey each and went for a ride with a guide around the walls of the old city, getting back in time for tea. After tea we went for a walk to the Jerusalem Club as one of the boys had to .see a chap there. After, taking a while finding the place the chap was out so we returned to the N.Z.A.F.I. Club and had a few games of table tennis.

“On Thursday we were up early as we left at 7.30 a.m. on a 251 miles motor trip around to. the different

places.- We started first for the Sea of Galilee, stopping at Nazareth on the way to see Jacob’s Well and the Church of the Annunciation. We didn’t stay long when we arrived at Tiberius, a small town on the shores of the Sea of 'Galilee. It looked a very peaceful little place. Drive to Tel-Aviv “After leaving the sea we doubled back to Nazareth and branched off towards Haifa, arriving there at 1 p.m. for lunch. The town itself is on the shores of the Mediterranean and seemed a very nice place. We only stayed, an hour, having lunch and a drive through the place. “From there we left for Tel-Aviv, arriving after a pleasant drive through orange and lime plantations at a quarter to four. We had a roam round the town and waterfront for an hour and a-half. It is a beautiful city known as the most modern in the world, as all the buildings are no more than 20 years old. “We left for Jerusalem at a quarter past five, arriving at the club at half past six. “With most of our sightseeing done on Friday morning we visited the American Y.M.C.A., known as the Million Dollar Y.M.C.A.', and what a wonderful building it is. Everything up to the latest fashion including a great swimming pool in which we had a swim. It was nearly lunch time by this so we returned to the Club. “On Saturday morning we visited Solomon’s Quarries where the Freemasons hold their monthly meetings. It is really a great big cave/running ever so far under the big city. From there we walked to Rockfellow’s Museum which is a wonderful building but the exhibits were a little disappointing consisting mostly of mummies and ancient weapons. “On Saturday evening we went to a concert put on by a band of English Soldiers but I didn’t like it very much as most of the items I had seen many times and there was also a lot of classical music. “We left Jerusalem for Cairo on the Monday morning, booked in and had a sleep at the N.Z. Club there

before returning to camp. It nearly broke my heart coming back again to the sand and flies after seeing a country so much like old New 1 Zealand with its grass fields. “It is so hot here now that we are compelled to rest and do nothing from 2 to 4 each afternoon.”