Bethany, Mount of Temptations, Jericho and the Dead Sea Day 8: Sunday November 10, 2013

A cute story from last night at dinner:  Jim had what appeared to be roast beef and said it was very good.  Darlene began talking about eating habits and how she never tells her children what might or might not be good or bad tasting and as a result her children will eat just about anything.  She said she thought they would even enjoy the tongue cut of meat that was being served this evening.  Yes, Jim’s roast beef was the tongue and he said he wasn’t sure if he’d have taken it had he known but was glad he did.  Actually Darlene’s husband Steve heard the story and then tasted his beef and agreed with Jim that it was very tasty!

Back to today; we were up at 6 am and on the bus at 8 am for our early morning drive back across the border into Palestine for our appointment in Bethany.  It’s only two miles outside of Jerusalem but because of the walls and fences between them; the trip is now fifteen miles.

We visited the Church of Saint Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha who Christ resurrected four days after he died.  We first visited the main church where there was a group having a Mass and then went into one of the oldest chapels in the complex to have our own private Mass.  Deacon Joe Sullivan assisted father with the Mass.  Afterwards we walked out into one of the ancient streets next to the church and sat for the reading of the Bible story of how Jesus raised his good friend Lazarus from the dead four days after he was laid in the tomb.  This was the first resurrections that Christ performed that was not on the same day and thus difficult for the Rabbi’s to disclaim.   This is a favorite story of mine as Lazarus’ sisters are Mary and Martha who have a large part in the story.  My twin sister and I were named after them. 

Jim did the reading of the story and did a great job except at one point he said that Lazarus had lain in the tomb for four years instead of four days! 

Soon we were headed towards the street where the bus was parked and next to the bus was a live camel waiting to give us rides for only five dollars!   Almost everyone took a turn; even Father Paw climbed up behind one of the Pilgrims for the short ride that took about two minutes at the most!  Lots of fun for everyone!

By 10:30 am we were on the move and heading for the City of Jericho.  Arrived at 11 am and we then took a cable car up the mountain known as the Mount of Temptations where it is believed that the devil tempted the Lord. 

Today we enjoyed the views of the lush Jordan Valley and then hiked along the ridge to the Monastery of the Temptations that is run by Orthodox Christians as a tourist site today.  It was built many years ago for the monks that had previously lived in the caves that we could see on the mountains across the valley.  A great exercise for those that completed the climb to view the inside of the Monastery. 

We celebrated a birthday today for Helen who is twenty one and a half…going on somewhere in her eighties.  She rode the camel and made the climb up to the Monastery; and was game for all of the activities that we did today!  She’s quite a lady and we should all have her energy!

By 12:45 pm we were on the bus and headed for the Jordan River that divides Israel and the Kingdom of Jordan.  When we arrived about fifteen minutes later there were many buses in the parking lot.   This is the spot on the Jordan River that John the Baptist baptized Christ and there were many groups doing both baptisms with complete emersion under the water and those with just touching the water; plus many of us who were there to renew our baptismal promises made by our godparents for us as babies.  Chaotic without a doubt but also very meaningful once you closed out the noises from the other groups.  We had our readings and sang a few songs before taking a moment to stand in the water.  As I mentioned previously, the water at this point is very muddy because of the number of people in and out so for some it was just too much; I did put my foot in along with many others for a photo before leaving. 

By 1pm we were headed for the Dead Sea for a swim!  First we had to cross the border into the Kingdom of Jordan.  Along the way Raouf told us the story of the shepherd boy who found the first of the Dead Sea scrolls in caves while searching for a lost sheep in November of 1947.  They were eventually identified as the Old Testament books that were written over two thousand years ago.  There is a National Park called Qumran that has the caves but we stopped there only to enjoy a fast lunch. 

We were told to only eat and not to shop as we were on our way to the Dead Sea to swim in the very salty waters.  We arrived about 3 pm and nearly everyone participated in the swimming…well really only floating.  Many also covered their bodies in the mud, including our birthday girl, and let it dry before washing it off.  Much like going to an expensive spa.

Soon we were all scrubbed and ready for the return bus ride home of nearly an hour; not including the stop for more shopping at a ceramics shop that enticed many of us to purchase more things to take home. 

Rolled into hotel driveway about 6 pm after finishing our rosary on the way home.  Time to clean up and go to dinner in the hotel at seven o’clock. 

Darlene entertained us all this evening at dinner when she decided to give each of the members of the table new names!  The trick will be to see who can remember them tomorrow!

Bethlehem and the Nativity and Pilate’s Judgment Hall Day 7: November 9th, 2013

I awoke early after the first full night of sleep on the trip; downloaded my photos from yesterday before breakfast and by 8:00 am we were on the bus and headed back into Palestine territory to spend time in Bethlehem to visit the Holy Sites related to the birth of Jesus.  Going across the border is not a problem; returning is not one either for us but private cars are searched each time that they enter back into Israel. 

We arrive about 8:30 am at Shepard’s Field; an area known for centuries for the sheep and their keepers who live with them in the many caves that permeate the area.  They were the unclean and were not permitted to enter Jerusalem.   Because of ancient history that has come down through the ages; this is the area where the Shepherds’ would have been living when they saw the Star of David over the area when Jesus was born.  

We then visited the church of the Nativity and held Mass after our visit in one of their oldest chapels known as the Chapel of St. Helen.  Deacon Nick assisted Father Paw during the Mass.  After Mass we entered the main part of the church that is under restoration.  It was very dark in the church of the Nativity and there were many people waiting in line to enter the cave where Joseph and Mary spent the night when Jesus was born.  The church is actually an Orthodox Catholic Church and they have many icons and hanging lights in the sanctuary.  Our group was scheduled to go in just as a group of dignitaries arrived; a delegation from Canada we later learned.  We waited while they made their visit.  Then we each had a minute to view the cave and say a few prayers.  Thousands of people arrive every day to visit this sacred cave. After we finished our private Mass we entered the Catholic Church in the complex where each year on December 24th they hold the midnight mass to celebrate the birth of Christ.

By noon we were back on the bus and headed for a Bedouin style restaurant decorated like it was a tent.  It was reminiscent of our trip to Jordan several years ago where we went out into the desert to an actual Bedouin tent for tea!  Delicious lunch of lamb and chicken; they offered to let us smoke the pipe again but with the exception of a few men, we declined.  Once was enough!

A quick stop at the store we visited last night for some things that we wanted after sleeping on it overnight and then a visit to an ATM machine that gives American Dollars!  

Soon we were back in Jerusalem and headed for the church of Saint Anne and the Pool of Bethesda located inside the old city walls. 

We entered through the Lion Gate and walked about a mile on our journey to the church and back out again.  The site is very old and the church goes back 900 years to the time of the Crusaders.  It has very good acoustics and groups generally sing a religious song to hear the effect when they visit.  Yes, we sang a song!  Then we went down into the home of Mary’s Mother Anne that is under the church.  The place where the Virgin Mary was born.

Then back out to visit the Pool of Bethesda, after climbing down inside we finally found some water.  In the spring it came become up to eighteen feet deep during a very rainy season but this has been a dry one so the water level was very low.  A one point in history there was a church built over the pools and the remains of the foundations are still there.

Home by 5:30 pm we had a dinner scheduled for 6:30 pm.  I’ve spent the evening catching up on my blogs.  Hope you’ve enjoyed the stories of our journey.  Below is the link to the slideshow: 

Mount of Beatitudes, Bet She’an, Jericho and Jerusalem Day 6: Friday, November 8th, 2013

Long day yesterday so I will post the story this evening....but the photos are already on line.

We had breakfast on the patio at 6:30 am and the sky was so clear you could easily see the hills on the other side of the Sea of Galilee; God gave us a light rain last night that washed the air!

By 8 am we were on the bus with our suitcases, we’re moving to Jerusalem today, but first we headed for the nearby Mount of Beatitudes. 

We celebrated Mass in an open air chapel with a view of the Sea of Galilee far down the hill; the same place that Jesus once sat and talked with a multitude of people that stretch all the way down to the seashore.  The miracle was that everyone could hear everything that he was saying as though they were seated next to him as his voice carried down the mountain so that everyone could him.  A beautiful church graces the spot where he sat and the gardens are designed to give you a place to spend time in contemplative reflection and prayer.  There were pilgrim groups all over the gardens.  Jim assisted with the singing for the first time and I think he enjoyed adding his voice to Roberta who has been guiding us in song since the beginning of our pilgrimage. 

Deacon Joe assisted Father Paw during the Mass.

By 9:30 am we were on the bus and headed south towards Jerusalem.  We followed the shoreline all the way to the southern end of the Sea of Galilee where we first saw the Jordon River that is the source of water for this lake.  At this point it was just a narrow stream but somewhat clear.  We will be visiting the river again in a few days to renew our baptismal vows and I understand at that point it will be rather muddy.   The River Jordon enters on the south side and exits on the north end of the Sea of Galilee.  At the northern end the lake can sometimes be as much as six miles across and as I said before up to thirteen miles in length.   

Soon we could see the Kingdom of Jordan across the valley and then eventually we were driving on the road near the double fences with security strips between that divides the two countries.  I’ve heard several people mention that there are few stop signs; almost all of the four way intersections are roundabouts just like in Europe.  This makes driving much easier as we don’t have so many stops, just easing in and out of the roundabout! 

By 10:30 am we’d arrived at Bet She’an, a Roman Town that dates back to the fourth century B.C. that has been slowly excavated over the past eighty some years. 

There was a wonderful iron map that helped us to see the whole picture before we actually walked done into the site to climb the theater and walk around the columns.   A few of the younger ones headed over to climb the hill that is known as the Tell, including Father Paw.  This was where the first towns were built.  Over the centuries the hill got higher and higher as one town was built on top of the previous one.   Time was short for our visit and one had to decide to climb the Tell or explore the ancient ruins.   It really wasn’t possible to do both well.   We had lots more to do today!

By 11:30 we were headed for Jericho, nearly an hour’s drive away from Bet She’an.  We crossed over the border into Palestine to reach Jericho.  We drove for miles along the double high wire fences that held mine fields along the border. 

During our drive we were given a brief education about the history of the Jewish people.  Over the centuries they were ruled by Romans and then other countries but they did not have a country they could call their own.  In 135 A.D. after a three year revolt they lost; the Jews were disbursed around the world, but not in Jerusalem, by the Romans. 

In 1917 the first Jews arrived from Europe into a divided Arab World.  The League of Nations created the Nation of Israel in 1948; taking land from the Palestine people to make the state.  They have been at odds ever since.  Today the population inside the old city of Jerusalem is mostly Arab Muslims, a few hundred Arab Catholics and less Jews than reside in New York City per our tour guide.   Worldwide, eighty percent of the Jews live in either Israel or the USA; split about fifty-fifty.  And I do hope that I got the information right!.

The town of Jericho is ten thousand years old and has about seventy thousand people today.  There are about five hundred Christians and approximately two hundred fifty Catholics.  We enjoyed seeing the city from the bus and then spent an hour in a very nice restaurant for lunch.  At the end of our lunch were offered an opportunity to smoke their waterpipe or Hookah.  The fellows had no problem but some of us girls, yes…including yours truly…ended up with headaches and a really bad after taste from the experience.  But lots of fun for everyone as the brave ones were cheered on to get the water churning enough to generate some smoke to blow!

After lunch we headed back into Israel for our new home for the balance of our trip, Hotel Grand Court in Jerusalem.  We arrived about 3 pm and found that one elevator is preprogramed for the Sabbath, sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, to run automatically without pushing buttons so that the Orthodox Jews can use it.   Nothing quite so frustrating as getting an elevator that has a mind of its own.  No matter what buttons you pushed it kept going up and if it was headed down there was no way to go up! 

There were some funny stories when we climbed back on the bus at 4:30 pm and then Raouf explained that they were not broken and by Sunday it would be working normally.  We all had a good laugh and enjoyed our evening excursion to the Garden of Gethsemane.  This is a church built in the garden where Jesus and his disciples prayed the night before his crucifixion.  The church is over the rocky surface where history says that Jesus prayed while his disciples kept watch in the nearby Olive Garden.  We had a private hour in the church for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and time for reflection and prayer.  We were allowed to put our hands on the rock during our prayers.  Unfortunately our plan to walk around the ancient olive trees that date back to the time of Jesus was not to be; they locked the gates early and we were only allowed to walk around the outside of the garden.  We hope to go back later this week to visit the garden during the day. 

Back to the hotel and dinner at 6:30 pm.   About an hour later we all boarded the bus for a short trip back across the border into Palestine territory to Bethlehem.  There Raouf had arranged for a store to be opened for us to shop in for an hour.  Many dollars later we headed back to the hotel with our treasures and to bed.  By the way; we’ve yet to find a need for the Shekel or Israel coin.  They accept American Dollars everywhere and even show the prices in dollars, euros and Shekels. 

As you may know; I went straight to bed and this blog is a day late in arriving.  Hope you enjoy the slideshow which I did manage to post early this morning.