I have to start with a couple of things that popped into my mind about yesterday before I start on today! When we were travelling through the Golan Heights and passing through the Druze villages I was amazed by how carefully materials - that we would probably throw away were stored carefully 'just in case'... A real sense of waste not want not!

I also HAVE to mention the most delicious lunch that we had in a Lebanese restaurant. A fabulous meze packed full of flavour. Pickled cauliflower, bright yellow with turmeric. wonderful olives. The softest pitta. just fabulous!

But back to the day and let's start with a bump! We saw some Crusader latrines!!! The town of Acre was a Crusader fortress that had been ransacked and left to fill with the sands of the Mediterranean. It was "rediscovered" a couple of decades ago and it is the most brilliant example of architecture and 'way of life'! But back to the latrines! What was it about our ancestors that meant they were fine with communal loos?! These latrines 'sat' 20 on each floor and there were two - and then there were urinals in between the seats! The 'facilities' that we used there were slightly more contemporary, but only just, but the saving grace was the odour - disinfectant! Quite pleasant...

The little alleys were fun and they used golf carts/buggy's to get around. I guess they were like taxis and the perfect size! There were some fun stalls and a sort of souk. we drank freshly squeezed orange juice and some purchased souvenirs. Some, including me went for a little boat trip - how amazing to see the old town from the sea... maybe like other pilgrims did many years ago.

So today was all about history. The Crusaders went to 're-capture' Jerusalem for the Christians. They were monks, militia and pilgrims. They tended the sick but also fought for their faith... maybe for our religious freedom... We visited Roman sites as well, aqueducts at Caesarea Maritima.

That was quite a plateful but we still had more to do! We went to Mount Carmel for lunch and ended up in one of the three possible places that might have been Emmaus. A magnificent Crusader church with the most beautiful frescoes. I think i was very close to information and experience overload!

I saw a golf club, possibly the first maybe the only one in Israel, that was at Caesarea. We also hit some SERIOUS road delays around Tel Aviv - a bit like the M25!

I'm in a bar looking out at the walls of old Jerusalem... talking world affairs with two fellow travellers from the States! Isn't this fun. I think the real challenges will start in the morning! Hope you're enjoying this as much as I am!