雅思阅读精选：圣诞节的朝圣之旅_雅思英语阅读

雅思阅读精选：圣诞节的朝圣之旅

　　Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority, Ramallah, Palestine

　　As President of the Palestinian people, I share in the annual Christmas celebrationsboth the Western and Eastern Christian traditions. We were the first Arab state to consider these as official feasts to be shared by all our people, and we always invite Arab and foreign Christians to visit and make pilgrimages to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ. We have agreements with many states to encourage pilgrimages to Palestines Christian holy sites.

　　I always try to eat with my family at Christmas, though there are often official lunches to attend in our headquarters, or other official occasions in the various Palestinian towns. And each year, I attend dinner and Mass in Bethlehems Church of the Nativity on Dec. 24.

　　Maoz Inon, hotelier and co-founder of the Jesus Trail, Nazareth, Israel

　　In the old city of Nazareth, Christmas is peak season for tourists. Many visitors come to enjoy the festivities, the streets are crowded, and theres a great atmosphere. Locals celebrate with family and friends and join the parade between the Greek Orthodox and the Catholic churches on Dec. 24. Theres also a traditional Christmas market , selling food and gifts, which has become very popular over the past few years.

　　Winter here is mild, with plenty of sunshine, so I like to get out of town to hike in the country. The Jesus Trail , which runs from Nazareth to Capernaum, connecting sites important to Christianity, is a great alternative way to experience the Christmas spirit. Nazareth is increasingly known for its restaurants and bars, and you can go out for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a week and still not run out of fantastic places to eat.