Sunday was a day of downpours and scattered sunshine. We visit the Garden of Ridván, which is near Bahji and also the House of `Abdu’lláh Páshá. The Garden of Ridván, built by Shaykh `Aliy-i-Miri, the Mufti of Akka, on a small island in the middle of a river east of Akka would “become by now the favourite retreats of One Who, for almost a decade, had not set foot beyond the city walls, and Whose sole exercise had been to pace, in monotonous repetition, the floor of His bed-chamber.” (Shoghi Effendi)
The House of `Abdu’lláh Páshá was the residence of `Abdu’l-Bahá for some 13 years, until he moved to Haifa. It was here that he received the first pilgrims from the West on December 10, 1898.
Monday, Day 8 is started with a visit to the buildings on the Arc which is within the Baha’i Gardens area. Later in the day we collect at the House of the Master built by `Abdu’l-Bahá so he could oversee the building of the Shrine of the Bab. We finish at #4 Haparsim Street which served as a Pilgrim House for the Western believers in the years immediately following `Abdu’l-Bahá’s return from travels in Europe and America.
More information about the Baha’i Faith is to be found here.