Akko - Crusader's city

On the Mediterranean coast is an ancient city - Akko or Acre as it was known to the Crusaders. Google it if you want to know the history. I went to see it by bus from Nazareth on Friday - an interesting route through several small towns - many displaying rooftop flags of various nationalities...a lot of Brazilians around! Back to Akko, the Old City is a UNESCO Heritage Site. It is walled, fortified with a massive citadel built when the Crusaders used it for their headquarters. It fell into disuse, filled with sand, and was reinhabited by Al-Jasser, an Arab caliph some 200 years ago. The surface has buildings he had constructed to build up his wealth and authority - including a turkish bathhouse. Underneath, the Crusader fortifications have been "discovered" and dug out in more recent years, along with an extensive tunnel system. A huge hospital for crusaders was established, to care for the ill after their long trip and the injured from fighting. The determination of powerful men to leave their mark is incredible. Napolean was defeated here so never got a foothold Palestine. Later some large rooms were used by the British to hold Jewish rebels prior to 1948... so fighting in subsequent generations is commemorated, but today its a rather dusty, harbor town - with people living in the history for real. An art gallery, the fishing boats, a good shwarma sandwich and fresh citrus drink, catching the return bus by 2:45 because of Shabbat - the buses stop at sunset. A rather wierd experience, all in all.