In Haifa we stayed at the Port Inn – fantastic location, and a super clean hotel.  Yesterday we explored Akko in the morning – it’s an old city just to the north of Haifa.  It is on a peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea.  We saw the Mosque of al-Jazzar, which is the third largest mosque in Israel, built in 1781.  Then we explored the Citadel and the Templar’s Tunnel, or the Templar Crusader Tunnel. The tunnel was found by accident in 1994 when a woman complained about a blocked sewer!  Then we visited the Khan al-Umdan (Inn of Pillars). It is an old caravanserai.  We enjoyed just walking through the streets of the old city.

Then we dropped off our car and headed off on a walking tour of Haifa recommended by our hotel.  We took the Carmelit – Israel’s only subway – it goes up Mount Carmel.  We saw Elijah’s Cave, which is where the prophet Elijah is believed to have hidden from King Ahab and Queen Jezebel.  We got some great views of the Bahai gardens and the ocean.  Then we walked through The Ursula Malbin sculpture garden which shows bronze statues of children at play.  We ate at Douzan Restaurant, which has very good Middle Eastern food with a great view of the Bahai Gardens and a beautiful candlelit outdoor seating area.