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Published: September 2nd 2015
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We were completed baffled and amazed by the thought of there being a religious theme park on this planet. So we decided to visit Tierra Santa last Friday, as it is only open Friday-Sunday and during holidays.
The first thing we noticed about the place, was the costumes of the staff. They were all dressed in the fashion of Jesus's time. There were some dressed like monks, others with general robes and a few dressed as guards in red attire.
The park was rather empty and this was probably due to the time of year and also people would have been at work and children would have been at school. It was only $100 (pesos) to enter and we went in not sure what to expect. As we purchased our tickets, we were told that the Nativity show would be beginning soon so we rushed over to see what it was about. Mechanical figures and lighting re-enacted the Nativity scene and there was a narrator telling the story of the birth of Christ. Though it was in Spanish, we more or less figured out what was being said in the show.
The
Creation show
God created Adam and Eve next show we attended was the story of Creation. This was definitely better than the Nativity one, with fantastic lighting, sound and it had more mechanical figures. The animals were the highlight of the show! At the end, God created man and then woman, and Adam and Eve closed the show. There were people taking selfies and pictures with Adam and Eve - we didn't bother as there was a line to take pictures. As we came out of the show, we found a small man-made mountain where we climbed (by stairs!) to the top, to see the crucifixion of Jesus. The sight was magnificent and depicted the crucifixion well. Back on the ground, we found the stations of the cross were dotted around, for example, Jesus carrying his cross.
The park was small, but was really well thought out. The buildings looked like what they would have during the time of Jesus and the environment seemed like that too. It really helped to set the scene; the environment was mainly sand coloured and there were palm trees, camels, donkeys, sheep and people made of plastic around the park. There were lots of different shrines and grottos
On the mountain
Jesus being cruicified of saints, the Virgin Mary and Jesus around, and also tributes to great people, such as Gandhi and John Paul II. We found a tribute to Gandhi in town too! There were buildings and places of worship for other religious too, such as a small Mosque, a Hebrew temple and a Synagogue, perhaps depicting what it was like during the time of Jesus. The park had a main square, where live shows take place. However, due to it being off-peak season, we did not get to witness a live show. I have attached a panorama of the main square.
The main cuisines at the park were Middle Eastern / Arab which went with the theme of where Jesus lived and were all very reasonably priced. We were saving our appetite for steak that evening so we settled for a medialuna con jamon y queso with a hot drink.
There was a little market / bazaar where they sold artisans, sweets and religious ornaments and there was also a souvenir shop. The shop and stalls had a large number of souvenirs with Pope Francis on it; we noticed this in a lot of places in
Buenos Aires. Near the market, there was a place were you could take photos on a chariot and also one of those things were you put your face behind a statue and you instantly look like you are dressed in costume - just like the one they have in Brighton!
There was one more thing to do before we left and we really did save the best for last: witnessing the Resurrection of Jesus. We sat amongst others to watch this magnificent sight, opposite the mountain. Dramatic music began and we saw the head of Jesus appear from the mountain. Alleluia followed and continued as Jesus rose. This mechanical figure was huge - and it had life-like features like blinking, moving its head and moving side to side.
Overall, it was a great, interesting and novel experience and would recommend it to anyone who wants to experience what things were like in the Holy land; I've read on sites that people come here on a pilgrimage too. As we exited the premises, we agreed that we were glad we spent the day at Tierra Santa. However, a few things that would have made our
day better: going during peak season, as there would have been live shows in the main square which we didn't get to see. Also, we would have preferred if there was some form of English translation during the narration of the shows, but we were given a map in English which was ideal. One more thing - they should consider adding rides to this theme park!
Other things to do near Tierra Santa Lago de Regatas and parks (with outdoor gym equipment) are nearby and Paseo del Rosedal is a bit further on.
There are some tempting restaurants near Tierra Santa, the taxi driver told us there is a good steak place on the same side of the road. The water front is on the opposite side of the road, if you fancy a calm walk. There is a university nearby so if you decide to walk around, you will see a lot of students.
Transport If you read my last blog, you will know that buses stop right outside Tierra Santa and go to Plaza Italia in town. It only costs $3.50 (pesos) with the SUBE card and we saved
ourselves quite a few pesos by getting the bus back! Subte stations are not that close so a taxi there and back is also an option.
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