RETURN FROM ISRAEL RECAP

We got back home and after a couple of days, we think we are sort of adjusted to Eastern Standard Time.  It is just in time to have the time change this weekend where we set the clocks back one hour.  Alas!  It will be dark at 5:30 P.M.

Anyway, I wanted to put a few photos in that I thought were important at the time.

Walt finally had a chance to read the newspaper while in the Dead Sea.  This was taken with the little waterproof camera at dusk.  Not the best quality but a good effort.

 The following are some of our favorites.

Walking on old Roman roads that are still in decent condition.  I am not sure we can say the same for our current roads.

Nice view over Jerusalem

View of the Dome on the Rock at Temple Mount from a small church. 

Just a nice overlook in Jerusalem

Petra was wonderful.

Having a nice glow after our hike up to Masada

Masada

The Roman siege ramp at Masada

On the steps that Jesus walked on to the Temple.  These were pretty worn and slanted but after 2,000 years, they seem in good shape. 

You can see some of the repaired steps behind.  Neat place.  It did happen to rain that day.  We were fortunate it only rained one day on our trip.

Walking along one of the wet and slippery city walls of Jerusalem

This was a trip of a lifetime and we saw so much.  I am sure we won't remember half of it but at least we have some photos to remind us of some of the unique sites.  There was an awful lot packed into two weeks with little down time to absorb.  There is so much history and culture as well as Biblical and religious information in this area of the world.  These countries have layers and layers of history beneath their streets.  It was wonderful to experience.

ISRAEL-JERUSALEM-MON. OCT. 26, 2015

This was our last full day of touring in Israel.  We, along with most of the folks on the trip are getting a little travel weary.  

Our first stop was the Hadassah Hospital to see the stained glass Chagall windows.  They were actually pretty neat considering that he did weird modern art.  The Hadassah women are responsible for the funding of this lovely hospital.  There is a story about the Hadassah women.

Some Hadassah women were killed in a car accident and Heaven was full for the night so they were sent to Hell for that evening.  The next day the angel appears to take them to Heaven.  The representative from Hell was so glad that the angel was there.  The angel asked why and the representative from Hell said, "They have only been here one night and have already made arrangements for air conditioning."

We did go through a very large Holocaust Museum which was interesting but awfully depressing.  So much for that.

Our last item of the day was the tunnel to see beneath the Western Wall.  That was absolutely fascinating.  It was huge and at least a three story building beneath.  Whew, that was a great way to end our trip.

The Western Wall even closer to the Holy of Holies under the one you see on the surface and farther along to the left of the wall where you see most Jews praying.  Notice some slips of paper in the cracks here too.

The wall and aqueduct were huge but wonderful to see.

I had trouble taking this last photo outside the Western Wall so it is a little blurry.  

We have Brian to thank for helping us find a great camera.  It is too bad I was a bit shaky taking this particular night shot. 😟. The camera has been phenomenal and has been great.  It would even be better in the right hands but even novices like us do fairly well most of the time.

We did visit the Monster of Jerusalem.  A nice large slide meant for "Big Kids".

A full moon upon leaving the Western Wall area.  Good bye, Israel.  It was a great trip. 

Now to return to reality and a long, long flight back home.  It is time to get home to do laundry and eventually catch up on all of our old mail.  Plus we have to be prepared for those scary Trick or Treaters on Saturday.  

ISRAEL-JERUSALEM-SUN. OCT. 25, 2015

We were fortunate to get up to the Temple Mount.  Our guide suggested we leave any bags on the bus so that we might not have to go through their security and that really made a difference.  We went right through, but they madesure she did not talk to us in one spot more than a couple of minutes.  They were also really fussy about having something covering your arms past your elbow.  Worse than the Vatican for "modesty." We could walk around the grounds and take photos but not inside.  There have been problems here because the Muslims want to have more control and take over all of the area around and want to expand.  The Muslims have even started digging and that doesn't go over well with Israel with all of the history underground.  The Muslims want to destroy any evidence of other religions and history.  We could feel tension, but there were plenty of Israeli soldiers all around.

Us up by Temple Mount.

Security has been everywhere.  The finger on the trigger and ready.

We were also able to walk the wall from the Byzantine time period.  It started to rain so photos had to be taken with the little waterproof camera.  I don't have the right adapter to transfer photos from that to the iPad so no photos of that.  

The black railing above is one of the walls you can walk on.

We also got to walk on the steps that Jesus walked on to the Temple.  They are short and long and slanted because there was to be no running up the steps if you were late.  That is the story, but I think they are just awfully worn down after so many years. It was unique to think that could be so.

The steps that Jesus probably walked on to get to the Temple.  There were quite a few steps, but here are only a few to show details.

It started to rain today for the first time the whole trip.  I think that is actually pretty good odds.  The odds in Vegas aren't that good.  

ISRAEL-JERUSALEM-SAT. OCT. 24, 2015

We had a very busy day again, so this blog will probably be short.  I have had trouble downloading or getting e-mail to go through very quickly.  Therefore few photos will also be included.  This one should be short and sweet.

Here is the recap of this morning.  We went to the Garden of Gethsemane and from there and another church (I think St. Anne) we proceeded to do the stations of the cross.  I didn't remember there being so many but here they added a few for our walking and step climbing pleasure.  We did end up at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where the base of the cross from the crucifixion was to have been (traditionally).  That means a good guesstimate of where it may have been 2,000 years ago. It was rather neat to think it could be.  Faith you know.

A neat overview from a big/little old church.

We finally had a little bit of shopping time to at least check out the bazaar area which meandered, but we didn't have time or want to wander too far, so that worked out well.  There were so many vendors or hawkers constantly trying to sell you something for $1 but then do the bait and switch and say it was for the smaller one or whatever.  A person on another tour group was robbed or pick pocketed, but that was a failure.  Apparently the would be thief was in training.  Either way you need to watch your pockets and your purse because they surround you and another person takes your stuff while you are negotiating. 😟. It certainly takes the fun out of shopping.

Remember to shop with care.

Some sort of bars for sale in the market.

We checked out the Israel Museum and then went back to the hotel to gulp down supper.  We then got on the bus to see a night show at the Tower of David.  It actually was pretty good.  Disney would have been proud of them.

The Jerusalem cross.

Now to be ready for an early morning.  We have a wake up call for 5:30 AM to get to the Temple Mount.  

There is a time change here also, so we set our clocks one hour back.  Yes, we know how that works, you are supposed to get an extra hour of sleep, but stay up later so it doesn't make any difference.  Tired is tired whether you change time for seasons or not.

ISRAEL-BETHLEHEM-FRI. OCT. 23, 2015

We had a very nice welcome into Jerusalem last evening and today we should be in Bethlehem and at the Western Wall or often called the Wailing Wall.  Here we hope to insert our special requests by inserting small slips of paper into cracks in the wall.

We had an early start and went to the Herodium Palace.  Archeologists have excavated several levels of King Herod's Palace over the years.  A bath house and a very complete cistern and tunnel system for water were also located under various levels.  It is very common for the next time period that decides to build, to use recycled stones or blocks and that is why you may see Byzantine structures along with more ancient or more modern ones.  It does make the job of archeologists more difficult but interesting. The latest excavation in 2007 discovered the remains of what is thought to be King Herod and also a royal theater.  The tomb seems to be badly broken but King Herod was not well liked so who knows what might have happened.

Bethlehem was our next stop, but we had to drop our guide off at one of the borders since Israeli folks can not guide in Bethlehem.  There were all sorts of red signs indicating A, B, and C and those meant folks from Israel could not go in certain areas and Palestinians can not be in certain areas and some need a permit and you name it.  It all seemed rather confusing to say the least.  Anyway, we met Gabriela our guide and she took us to Manger Square and then we walked to the "Traditional" places of where Jesus was born and also to where the manger was to have been.  The word traditional is used fairly freely but I guess it does give you an idea.  It would be a bit difficult to preserve something for 2000 years.  

The star marks where Jesus was probably born in the cave.

This is probably the spot where the manger was which is indicated by the little altar.

 This was also in Bethlehem.

We visited what was most likely the site where Jesus was interrogated and thrown into the dungeon.  It is below a church of St. Peter and the Rooster or at least that is what it translated to.  Jesus had told Peter you will deny me thrice before the cock crows.  Peter did deny knowing Jesus three times before dawn, so this church is appropriately named.

The Western Wall or what is often referred to as the Wailing Wall was our next stop.  The women go on one side and the men on the other.  There is also another fence blocking folks from just meandering down to the wall.  The wall is actually a supporting wall that was next to the temple but it was all that the Jews had at the time and it is still considered very important.  We had to get there before sunset so that we could take photos or to put a special request in one of the cracks of the wall.  It was very interesting to be part of.  The women are supposed to leave the wall by backing up and not just turning around.  This is because you are not to turn your back on God. 

JORDAN/ISRAEL DAY 7-THURS. OCT. 22, 2015

   

We had a 5 AM wake up call and breakfast at 6 and had to be on the bus by 7 AM.  We took our luggage up just before breakfast and we were ready to go.  We really did not see much leaving Jordan.  Jordan is such a poor country.  The desert area certainly does not produce much in the way of agriculture.  Their tourism is also way down.  In fact, Sam, our guide said that 28 large hotels in Petra are now closed due to lack of tourism.  It is no wonder the children and the people of Jordan waved to the bus as we passed by.   They definitely need tourism to spur their economy since it is really lackluster.  Near the border and the town of Agaba, the countryside actually looked pretty good since they are located on the Red Sea.  Hopefully that will bring in more commercial businesses as well as industry and transportation.

Several military vehicles were parked around a town that had a resident recently killed by the government during a drug bust. Drug dealing is punishable by death in Saudi Arabia so the traffic is moving into Jordan. They add small amounts to coffee which is extremely popular and get people hooked. The town's residents were causing trouble because of tribal loyalties to the person killed. Therefore, the government has stationed police/military vehicles like this around the town for the last week as a show of force.

It did take us quite awhile to cross the border into Israel.  They are serious about their security.  Walt was taken to another curtained room and wanded because he kept setting off the security sound.  His pants have lots of zippers, so that must have been the problem.  We actually went through very quickly, but we travel quite lightly and that helps when in that type of situation.  Some of the large bags winch were bulging really were scrutinized and opened and rifled through.  One guy in the group slammed down his suitcase in a huff and everything was gone through and he ended up having to repack his stuff in both of his bags.  They were also understaffed which was also a problem.

We had a two hour drive to Masada so the majority on the bus were sleeping.  Our guide did give a little historical information while everyone still had their eyes open.  The scenery is desert with a valley and mountains in the background, mostly light brown in all directions.  The trees and agriculture are sparse.  There is some agriculture but that is hit and miss.  The date palm is one of the few plants or trees that survive and grow in the desert with the little water.

Masada is really a palace that King Herod built as a refuge but never used it as that.  It was very self sufficient with a planned out water supply and some agriculture. This is in the middle of the desert near the Dead Sea, so that is a feat in itself.  It was occupied but not by him for any length of time.We did hike up to the top and enjoyed some terrific views on the way up.  We saw the quarry where they used some of the huge rocks and how they also painted the walls to resemble marble.  The ideas and plans were very Roman.  He had a bath house and sauna which would not have really been essential in a palace in the desert, but it had to conform to the Roman style.  It was a neat place in its day and what has been restored gives you a good idea of that type of lifestyle.  

We are ready for our hike.  Another gal also hiked and the three of us were up before the cable car left. It was a 43 minute hike even with stopping to take photos and get something to drink.

The ramp used by the Romans to take over Masada.

This is the siege machine from the movie "Masada".

We did drive past a cave area where a shepherd boy discovered what are called the Dead Sea scrolls.  

It should be the top right cave which is cave number 4 where the Dead Sea scrolls were found.

We got into Jerusalem about dusk and did go to an overlook to see this special place on earth.  Our guide brought a couple bottles of wine to celebrate our visit to this unique place.  This is one of the places that you read about or dream about and have a difficult time believing you are actually in that place.  It was really quite a memorable moment.

Two fisted drinker.  One is never enough. 😀

Jerusalem overlook.  

JORDAN-DAY 6 OCT. 21, 2015 PETRA

This whole day was spent at Petra.  This site was lost to the outside world for almost 2000 years.  It was discovered in the 19th century.  We walked between huge cliffs in the canyon until we reached the Treasury.  This massive monument was named by the Bedouins. The Bedouins believed that the pharaoh hid his treasure in the urn.  This is the monument that was portrayed in one of the Indiana Jones movies. There were a number of tombs throughout this area.  No one lived here, but some of these are immense while others are only a niche in the cliff side.  The whole place was so impressive.  

We had a Turkish Bath on the way back to the hotel: sauna, hot tiles, scrub, massage, and shower.

Almost to the Treasury.

There was a lot of walking - over 25,000 steps plus over 800 steps up to another site there. All the Bedouins pestered you for a camel or donkey ride or to buy something. Bedouins are normally nomadic tribres living in tents but these are permanent residents.

    It was a very scenic walk through the Siq (slot canyon) to get to the iconic view of the Treasury.

The Treasury.

Guess who?

Bedouins

A long climb to get here.

A well deserved beer at the end of the day. they have 5, 8, 10, and 13% versions.