Accompanied by two monks, the Beneventan Theudemund and a Spaniard named Stephen (Esteban), Bernard documents his encounters with sacred sites and different people, recording his impressions.
Towards the end of the text, Bernard attests to the peace which existed between Christians and Muslims in Jerusalem and Egypt, contrasting this to the volatile situation in Italy.
To illustrate this point, Bernard claims that if, during his journey, his camel or donkey was to die, he would be able to leave his possessions unattended whilst visiting a different city to retrieve a new animal, and could return to find his belongings still there.
[5] It is in Old Cairo that Bernard details his six-day long imprisonment as a result of the ruler's distrust, reflective of this age as one of "mutual suspicions".
[8] The monk's description of Jerusalem is therefore notably brief, detailing a number of sacred sites and miracles which are afforded little more of a discussion than many of the other places Bernard visits.
William of Malmesbury references Bernard in his early 12th century work Gesta Regum Anglorum (History of the Kings of England).