Tour Tales
Every month we feature funny or inspiring anecdotes from Rick Steves' tour alums. If you have a true tour tale to share, send it to stories@ricksteves.com. If you have a photo that illustrates it, please attach it. Don't forget to tell us which city and state you live in. We'd love to hear from you!
This month's tale doesn't come from a tour alum, but it certainly speaks to the joys of "experiential" travel we can all relate to.
Ir ye a Kafflic?
I visited Jerusalem in 1977. I was living on a kibbutz near Haifa and traveled south to visit the holy city. Standing at the foot of the Via Dolorosa (The Way of the Cross) in the old city of Jerusalem, just before Good Friday, a bald-headed Jesuit priest in an itchy-looking brown woolen robe approached me. Dangling on his chest, at the end of a rust-colored length of twine, was a carved ivory crucifix. In a broad Ulster accent he asked "Ir ye a Kafflic?" I thought he was proselytizing. To avoid arguing with him about God and the church I answered, "Aye," hoping that would end our conversation.
"Will ye carry the crucifix up the Stations of the Cross?" I started to say no, then I thought, "Jesus Christ, John, this is the opportunity of a lifetime — what a tale to tell the lads in the pub!" I gushed, "Och, I would love to do that, as long it's not too heavy." A balsa wood cross, with a wee wheel attached at the long end, was placed on my shoulder.
Jauntily testing the weight and enjoying the jealous stares of the devout, I turned to my Jesuit friend and asked him "You're no going to stick nails in me are ye?" The dark cloud that passed over his face let me know that my humor was unappreciated.
"This is indeed a great honor the church is bestowing on you. Don't let the divil take hold of your tongue again."
Suitably chastened, off I went up the winding path of the Via Dolorosa, me, a wee boy from Cowdenbeath, with a wee-wheeled crucifix on my shoulder, trailing pilgrims, tourists and the clergy behind.
— John in New York City
Fine print: We reserve the right to edit and post all Tour Tales submissions. Please provide us with your full name and city/state. We will not print your last name or email address in Tour News.