On Monday, August 16, our staff met for a breakfast at the Cracker Barrel restaurant on Newtown Pike in Lexington.  We had two reasons for this fun-filled gathering--the first was to enjoy a great breakfast together, and the second was to kick off our Cracker Barrel Photo Contest in The Group Travel Leader.

We're partnering with this iconic restaurant company to help them publicize their new program that encourages groups to call ahead and reserve great meals while on the road.  One of the key components of this campaign is a photo contest we're organizing for any group to participate in.  You simply take a great shot of your group having fun at a Cracker Barrel location and e-mail it to us at grouptravelleader.com  We'll publish some of the best entries in our newspaper and we'll select a grand prize winner in April.  

Cracker Barrel has designated bus parking at most locations and you can use their toll-free number, (800) 576-7693, to make let them know you're coming!  They have group gift card discounts and complimentary meals for your driver and escort.

"You can purchase a single card to cover your whole group's meal, or you can get individual cards and let folks order and pay as they choose," said Lamar Hadley, spokesperson for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.  "Discounts are available on purchases over $1,000.  And there are no fees, expiration dates, and the gift cards can be used in the restaurant, country store, or both."

So, come on.  Join the fun!  Take your group to Cracker Barrel and send us a photo!  We just may publish it and you may win our grand prize of two Cracker Barrel rocking chairs!

The Group Travel Leader team relaxes after enjoying a Cracker Barrel breakfast

Executive editor, Herb Sparrow and publisher, Mac Lacy engaging in a game of checkers

Our sales team, Stacey Bowman and Kelly Tyner on Cracker Barrel's front porch

What can be said about this city that has not been said?  It is a cauldron of culture and religion.  It holds the secrets of eternity and it draws pilgrims from the world's three monotheistic faiths like other cities draw fans to a game. 

We stood on the Mount of Olives and looked across thousands of tombs, chalky white and baking in the sun, the graves of all three faiths, of those who want to be here for the resurrection.  It's interesting to me as a Christian that Jesus taught that place is irrelevant and that faith is personal.  This city is all about place and for centuries people have bled and died because its Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, and Old City are so sacred to so many. 

Here, the Garden at Gethsemane moved me, as I thought about Jesus's last hours and how those he trusted most betrayed and denied him.  And on the Via Dolorosa, the path he took to the crucifixion, I thought about how he made one last plea to his Father to spare him the agony this city held for him. 

He was a rebel, a revolutionary, a peacemaker and a man who ultimately made a conscious decision to die when he could have saved himself.

And, what is most remarkable about this man is that all three faiths here agree on his existence.  On this, there is no dispute.  They treat him as a historical figure who lived and taught across this region before he died here.  As a Christian, this corroboration between these faiths that clash so frequently, gives me a lifetime's worth of questions to ponder.

The Dome of the Rock is one of the most photographed structures in the world

Jews gather at the Western Wall to pray

A member of our group (right) asked a Jewish man how to pray at the Wall

The Garden of Gethsemane today has been beautifully restored and is thought to be the place where Jesus was arrested

Driving down from the Sea of Galilee into Jericho was a study in topography.  The Sea of Galilee is refreshing in itself, bright blue and dotted with boats.  As you drive toward Jericho and the Dea Sea, you descend steadily toward some of the world's lowest elevations and windswept deserts that are so reflective of the sun thas it's a bit blinding.  A swim in the Dead Sea provided a fun diversion, but I was more mesmerized by the desert itself. 

We visited Hisham's Palace, an archaeological site that offers a fascinating look at an ornate 8th century ruler's retreat.  Above us in the distance was a Greek Orthodox monastery, Quarantul, that is built into the mountainside and also dates to the 8th century.  This mountain is traditionally thought to be the Mount of Tempation, where Jesus rebuffed the entreaties of Satan. That evening we rode the Jericho Cable Car up to that site, where we had a wonderful outdoor dinner on a terrace restaurant just beneath that monastery.  Several of us walked up the steep incline to its gate before dinner.  The sun set, a nearly full moon took its place,and a breeze blew into our perch on this high cliff face. As the lights of Jericho and distant Jordan gradually appeared, this meal and evening took on a distinctly Mediterranean feel.  One of our hosts pointed out Amman, Jordan's capital--from here it was a bright glow far beyond the mountains across the Dead Sea.

The following morning, we made a brief visit to a desert overlook that displayed some of the Wadi Qelt, a hiking area that I would have loved to had more time for.  This is Bedouin country, and there is a half-day walk down into this area from the mountain where we dined that would be time well spent.

Our guide said something the next day that I did not forget: "The desert is a very spiritual place."

A member of our group joined me and another for a steep walk up to the monastery gate

A Bedouin's camel took a break as we surveyed the vistas of the Wadi Qelt near Jericho

Our perch for the evening was high on the Mount of Temptation

The ruins of Hisham's Palace date to the 8th century

Wisam Salsaa was our guide for most of this trip.  He is Palestinian and works out of Bethlehem.  He is a Christian.  On our way into Jerusalem from Jericho, he brought up an age-old teaching of Jesus, but added this caveat:

"When Jesus said 'if someone strikes you on the right cheek, offer them the left', he was talking about the Romans.  The Roman soldiers would not use their right hand against you because the right hand is their best hand.  They would use their left hand to strike you because you are not their equal.  So when Jesus said to turn the left cheek to them, he was talking about rejecting their superiority.  This forces them to use their right hand to strike your left cheek.  In doing so, you force them to treat you as an equal.  You were refusing to acknowledge their superiority by doing this."

It made me think about his teaching on forgiveness.  If you forgive someone who does something against you--how much can they hurt you?  Forgiveness becomes a powerful act of overcoming a transgression against you. In a way you are refusing to let that person harm you. On this trip, you begin to realize what a revolutionary figure this man Jesus was and how the downtrodden must have been drawn to him.  And how the powerful must have despised him.

These three girls reside in Nablus, a conflict-scarred town that is almost exclusively Muslim. Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet and will return for the resurrection.

This chairmaker works in Nazareth Village, a very authentic reconstruction of life there in Jesus' time.

Mosaics from throughout the world adorn the courtyard at Basilica of the Enunciation in Nazareth, which is built at the site of Mary's home. This mosaic is from Spain.

To anyone who comes here, there may be a moment of personal epiphany or revelation, I would guess.  Many are most moved by the historic sites--the place of Jesus's birth in Bethlehem, or his passion in Jerusalem.  The Garden at Gethsemane, or maybe Nazareth, where he grew up and was eventually shunned.

For me, it was Galilee.  Specifically, the Sea of Galilee.  We had moved from land that is brown and dry, with mostly olive trees and terraced hillsides, into a valley that became vibrant and green.  For me, it was easy to imagine Jesus teaching the multitudes here on these hillsides surrounding this beautiful lake, or sea, if you prefer.  There was a breeze that came across the Mount of Beatitudes and relieved the heat that is so prevalent here in summer. To sit and listen in this realm makes a lot of sense to me.

On this beautiful day, I could see boats, probably fishermen, down on that water where Jesus found many of his disciples.  Our guide spoke of caravans of immigrants moving through this land as they have done for centuries.  This was a crossroads for many cultures, and many of these people were drawn to this man who spoke in parables and embodied peace.

"Almost 70 percent of Jesus's ministry took place around the Sea of Galilee," our guide said.  "It is here that he calmed the storm, and it is here that he walked on the water."

It was here, for me, in the outdoors, that I could imagine why he might come and spend so much of his ministry.  But then again, it's these waters and hillsides that seemed sacred for me--as sacred as a church or tomb might be to another.

It was in the panoramic landscape of Galilee that I was most able to conjure images of Jesus' life.

The Sea of Galilee was a resplendent contrast to so much of the arid areas of Palestine.

Raed Abu Sahlieh is as charistmatic a figure as we met in all of Palestine.  He is the priest of St. George's Church in Taybeh and he is an outspoken proponent of peace and justice in this beleagured region of the world.  He spent almost an hour with us and one gets the feeling he barely finds time to sleep.

"I am an Arab, a Palestinian, a Christian, a Catholic and a priest," he began good naturedly.  "It's complicated, but this is who I am.  I have studied violence because I want to understand it.  Because when you have peace in Jerusalem, you will have peace all over the world.

"This village is entirely Christian--the only such one in Palestine.  But our population is leaving to all parts of the world because of economic hardship.  Many go to your country, to other places.  Even if you go to the moon you will find some people from Taybeh," he laughed. "Every time I hear a family is leaving to the United States, I tell them to stay.  They say to me, Father, give us a job.

"Don't be afraid for us.  We've been here for 2,000 years ande we'll be here when He comes.  Here, you have to live a life that is not easy, but difficult.  We have no place here for weak people.

"My appeal to you is to come and bring visitors to Palestine--come in big numbers and don't leave us alone."

The ruins of St. George's Church in Taybeh are still used for worship and sacrifices by Christian believers.

Raed Abu Sahlieh is an energetic advocate for peace and reconciliation in Taybeh.

Dr. Maria C. Khoury and her husband have managed to build the only microbrewery in the Middle East.  The Taybeh Brewery was established in 1994 when she, of Greek descent, and he, a Palestinian native, returned to his homeland to live.  After managing to get necessary permits, they began brewing Taybeh Beer.  It is now served in Palestine in predominantly Christian areas as the areas that are Muslim do not serve alchohol. 

We attended a reception and dinner in Bethlehem where Taybeh was the only beer served.  Numerous hosts encouraged me to have one and were obviously proud to have a Palestinian beer to offer guests.  As the only microbrewery in the Middle East, this beer is one of a kind in 26 countries.  It is already being exported to Japan, Chile and parts of Asia.  They hope to export it to America in the future.

Dr. Khoury is also the proud organizer of the Taybeh Oktoberfest, to take place October 2-3 in Taybeh-Ramallah, Palestine.  For more information on the brewery, go to www.taybehbeer.com

I made a purchase while I was in the brewery--two shirts for my sons.  They will be the only guys in Lexington with those shirts on and maybe one day they'll be able to order a Taybeh Golden!

Brewery in Taybeh

Taybeh Beer

Elias Salameh Afteem is carrying on a very proud family tradition at Restaurant Afteem in Bethlehem.  He greets you in a bustling lunchtime crowd just off the market in this iconic pilgrimage city in Palestine.  I noticed him immediately when our group came in the door.  For all I knew he was just a server, but his eyes were friendly and full of life. As I soon learned, he is a young, engaging businessperson who loves to tell the story of his family's success here. 

"My grandfather came here in 1948 when the war started.  He thought he would be here ten days.  Ten days.  Now it's been 60 years.  We still have the key to our house in Jaffa Tel Aviv.  He always expected to return. 

"He knew Palestinian food and he opened a restaurant here in Bethlehem.  My father worked here and now I work here.  Today, we own this building.  We restored it ourselves in one month.  We moved here in 2000 and rented for three years and then bought it.  There are 65 family members who work here in all."

Lots of pita bread and dishes appeared as we sat down, as did pitchers of a beverage popular here that is basically made with fresh squeezed lemons and crushed mint.  I couldn't get enough of it on this very hot day in Bethlehem.

"Our food is for rich people and poor people.  Do you know Sarkozy, the French president?  He was here.  The princess of
Quatar ate here.  We serve falafel, hummus, masabacha, fava beans, fatteh.  The same food at dinner as we have here at lunch."

His eyes brighten as he tells me they were selected for an entry as "our choice" by the guidebook Lonely Planet. " Do you know Lonely Planet?" he asks.  I assure him I do.

I came back in as our group was leaving to get a shot of Elias.  He was sitting with an elderly gentleman just inside the door.  As I approached he rose and said, "this is my father!"  The older man smiled and shook my hand.  The pleasure of meeting this family was all mine.

A lamp against the window in Church of the Nativity

Food vendor in Bethlehem Market

Vendor's goods in Bethlehem Market

Our guide makes a point to our group in Hebron at the Ibrahimi Mosque at the Tomb of the Patriarchs

Elias Salameh Afteem with his father at Restaurant Afteem in Bethlehem

On Sunday, April 11, The Group Travel Leader Inc hosted two annual events, the Travel South Classic Bowling Tournament and the Travel South Classic Golf Tournament in sunny Birmingham, Alabama. More than 70 delegates from all 12 states in the Travel South region joined Kelly Tyner and Stacey Bowman for the bowling event at Lightning Strikes for an afternoon of bowling, food and beverages and big times.

At the same time, 24 guests joined me, publisher Mac Lacy, at Ross Bridge Resort for 18 holes of championship golf on this Robert Trent Jones Trail course just outside Birmingham.

"We could not have had a better event," said Tyner afterwards. "Every team was doing cheers, high-fiving, and knocking down a few pins in the process. It was a blast."

The winning team at the bowling event consisted of Irving and Edythe Harris of Pro-Tran LLC, Evelyn Vasquez of the St. Augustine CVB, Erica Howard of Shreveport-Bossier CVB and Belinda Johnson of Aquarium of the Americas. Congratulations!

The golfers could not have had a better day to be on this magnificent golf course. It was 80 degrees and a bright blue sky--and after a day on the course everyone gathered in the resort to enjoy a few beverages and watch the conclusion of the Masters. Way to go, Phil!

The winning golf team came from nearby, as Ross Bridge General Manager Steve Miller and his long-time golf buddy Dave Bannister lit it up with an 8-under score for the day. I was on their team as well , which made for some serious ribbing from the other players when this team came out on top.

Thanks to Liz Bittner and Travel South USA for providing transportation and logistical help for these two popular events. We love being involved with Travel South USA! And Birmingham once again showed that when it comes to hosting a major meeting of this type--nobody does it better!

How many strikes did we have?  Who cares!

Team members are, left to right, Belinda Johnson, Edythe Harris, Irving Harris, Erica Howard and Evelyn Vasquez.

I can't wait to get back home and wear this shirt again!

Team members are, left to right, Renee Robison, Karen Pryor, Heidi Ryan, Kathy Ritter and Julie Pennington.

Who says you can't bowl with a badge on?

Team members are, left to right, Sandy Haines, Melissa Williams, Tammy Knox, Jennifer Morris and Jon Mathers.

Steve Miller of Ross Bridge and his buddy Dave Bannister lit it up!

The boys from Alabama were bolstered by designated putter Bruce Beckham who played in an ankle brace!  Other team members were Ron McConnell, J.P. Parsons and Bob Hendrix.

If Joe Donnelly could putt, this team might have won!  He's joined here by Tracey Aldridge and Diane McClelland.

Visit Milwaukee threw a party for more than 400 guests at the 2010 BankTravel Conference on February 7 and it didn't disappoint.  The evening began at the Harley Davidson Museum, an amazing collection of hundreds of vintage motorcycles.  There were riders in the crowd and plenty of non-riders as well, but it didn't seem to matter who was who.  

From 1902, these machines have been part of the American fabric and many on display have been lovingly customized by owners who considered them to be their legacy.  Most of us lingered for quite some time here before finding our way over to a sprawling party room across the street for an open bar with finger foods and two huge screens for enjoying the Super Bowl.  That's right--it was Super Bowl Sunday and most of us hit the game room sometime in the first quarter.

The Packers may have been at home, but there were plenty of Colts and Saints fans in the room and this party took on a raucous revelry as different parts of the room erupted in cheers for their teams.  The most ardent fans were on the last bus out right at halftime as the party moved to the Potawatomi Bingo Casino.  A lavish "heart healthy" meal was served and many wore red to this fund-raiser for the local chapter of the American Heart Association.  

Handmade dolls provided the centerpieces for the evening and tables bid on them through the dinner until they were all snapped up.  In all, $5,000 was raised by the delegation and the BankTravel Conference for the AHA.

Just outside the ballroom, as the dinner wound down, dozens gathered to watch the Saints complete one of the Super Bowl's most historic victories.

Many thanks to Wendy Dobrzynski and Brent Forster and their many partners for an evening that roared like the Harleys that kicked it off.

Delegates were decked out in red for Milwaukee's American Heart Association fundraiser.

Vintage Harleys were the star of the evening early on.

Delegate Barbara Bowen stayed in red for the Flemming Tours breakfast the following morning.