Sanctuary of Christ the King

... I have to take pictures of church programmes to remind me where I am! ...

There are times when we dock and have to take long bus or train rides to get to where we want to go.

But in this case, we only had to look over the side of the boat and see that everything was within walking distance.

The excursion operator gave a lecture every night before we docked, telling us about sights we might want to see.

The Church of the Sanctuary of Christ the King was on his list of sights to see, as was the bell tower.

 ... me,  at the trolley stop, just across from the boat ...

It is one thing to survey a town from the deck of boat and figure out where to go.

It is another thing to get there on foot.

We took off for the church first, since seeing the bell tower had to be timed for noon, when two mechanical figures would strike the gong.

As well, a circular mechanism would be set off, celebrating the nativity -- the wise men, the shepherds, Mary, Joseph and the baby, all circling before us.

Both Greg and I were laughing.

How could we have missed the entrance to the church so many times, circling to the east of it, to the west and then above it, before we finally find the narrow path through the walls that led us to our destination.

At the very least we can say we had our exercise for that morning.

...the tomb of the unknown soldier ...

The church was beautiful, as are all of the churches I have entered on this trip.

In this church were many pinks and blues.  And for once, a relatively empty church.

Perhaps Greg and I weren't the only ones who had trouble finding the church.

I liked the view down to the basement where I could see the tomb of the unknown solider ... a nice touch.

The chiming of the bells was a tourist destination.

Several tourist buses had arrived there before us. 

Fellow pilgrims like Greg and me, from cruise ships that had docked,  arrived at the town square at the designated time.

The shady spaces had been taken and there was only room to stand in the sun.

... the other side of the bell tower ...

The square was full of people, and hawkers with their wares -- necklaces, table clothes, dish towels in the form of maps. I am learning not to look and not to touch -- both of which are taken as signals to venders that I might pull my wallet out and buy something.

I buy little, cognizant that what I buy, I will to roll on wheels every where I go for the next 30 days, -- a big deterrent to shopping therapy.

At any rate, we waited in the heat for the bells to ring, ... and when the chiming was over I said to Greg, "In another life, this may be an event I will miss next time around."

"Yes," he said. "Not much to do in town if this is the biggest attraction."