They are passionate, loud, abrasive, rude, patriotic, sensible, security-conscious and, men and women, striking and beautiful. And then, on landing, the clapping began. It is not gratitude that the plane hasn't crashed, it is the immensely spiritual importance attached to returning to the homeland. We couldn't help but join in. Then it was on a bus up to the port city of Haifa and the palatial surroundings of the Dan Carmel Hotel, the overnight stay of choice for prime ministers, film stars and us.
Breakfast is a sight to behold.
A buffet stretching the length of a not inconsiderably long ballroom. The wide and healthy range of salads, fish dishes and fresh fruit was to determine the eating pattern for the rest of the trip. On our first day, we visited the remarkable Baha'i shrine. This amazing terraced garden and ornate shrine requires the tender green fingers of 100 workers to maintain its pristine condition. Another site of tremendous interest is Rosh Hanikra.