While it was unfortunate that we were not able to see the Shrine of the
Báb in all its golden-domed grandeur (covered over during on-going
rehab), we had the bounty of being only the third pilgrim group to visit the
restored Ridván Garden outside of
'Akká. The Bahá'í World News Service has an excellent
article, from October 2010, on the restoration work and the history of the
garden: Holy place restoration sheds light on region's
heritage.
It is indeed a beautiful and calming place, and one can well imagine the relief
of leaving the horrid conditions of the city to spend a few hours in joyful
company on the island. This entire complex is filled with trees and plants
descended from those brought across the deserts by pilgrims from Persia (as
mentioned somewhere in The Chosen Highway), particularly cypress, pomegranate,
and various citrus fruits (the tangerines were ripe and wonderful!). The peace
and tranquility in this site, which is only a few hundred yards from apartment
buildings, could easily send one into a rapturous state.