We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us!

Today was a bit of a strange day. It started well enough. We went to the Mt Zion section of the Old City of Jerusalem. This was probably the place that Jesus had the last supper, but today it is just outside the city walls.

This place was built by crusaders and remembers the Last Super.
We got our first look at Israeli girls in military training.

We went to a chuch that now covers a 1st century house some believe was the site of Jesus trial before Caiphas. I think the location is questionable, but it was a good place to remember the events, including the old cistern that could have been used as a place to hold Jesus before he went to Pilate.

Here we're standing on 2000 year old steps that Jesus and his disciples almost certainly would have walked on when they were in Jerusalem.

We next headed into Bethlehem, now under control of the Palestinian Authority. Our tour agency insists that we visit one specific olivewood store and factory there and it was overpriced and a little too pushy. Ana and I quietly moved around and encouraged our people not to buy there. Bill and I snuck downstairs to take a look at their factory.

The next part was not so good. We got to the church of the Nativity and it was packed. There was a Disneyland type line to get into the grotto and lots of rude, frustrated people standing in it. We even got into a bumping match with an highly rude nun! This is an amazing, historic place...the oldest standing church in the holy land, but the crowd sucked the joy out of it.

Of course, we are a part of that crowd...

We did a brief stop at a a better olivewood shop that actually has one of the original Dead Sea scroll pots, the one the Isaiah scroll was found in. This is a good Christian family who it was a joy to support.

Just outside there shop, you can see a part of the Israeli security wall that surrounds Rachel's Tomb. Not a very pleasant view.

On the way back to Jerusalem, we stopped at the Hass viewpoint, to the south of the old city. This is a view Abraham might have had 3800 years ago (OK, it has changed a bit)

Our final stop was a place known as the Garden Tomb. This tomb is too old to be the one Jesus was placed in, but it is an oasis in the midst's of the chaos of the city and a good spot to visualize what Jesus' tomb might have looked like.

You see a lot of strange people in this city, but this guy must be out for some award.

Tomorrow night I might be out to dinner with an old friend who is a guide, so I might not get a post in. Thanks for looking!

Day 6 - One the Way to Jerusalem

The days started with a lost bag that never showed up at the bus. As it turns out, it wound up in Bethlehem. We'll get it tomorrow. Today we headed south along the Jordan river towards Jerusalem.

We first visited a site that was once a great Byzantine city - Bet Shean. It was the place the body of King Saul was displayed after he was killed. It is a stunning site.

Here is the main street-the Cardo.

We were delayed getting to our next site because of rush hour traffic.

We stopped at Jericho, perhaps the oldest town in world history. Not much to look at, but it is a very historical spot. This tower-store room may be 8000 years old!

Here is a part of the city wall system that Joshua and the Israelites overcame with God's help.

Of course, you have to ride a camel...

Or, you can give the camel a treat.

The Jericho economy gets a shot in the arm as Karen does her thing.One thing I love about Jerusalem is the different people you see there from all over the world.

Here we are at the Church of All Nations.
And here we are at the 1000 year old church of Mary's Tomb.

OK, I'm a little embarassed to admit this is just a part of my room at the Olive Tree hotel. It's good to be the tour host.

Sea of Galilee

Today we drove a whole circle aroung the Sea of Galilee, except for a stretch we did by boat. This was the main are of Jesus ministry and the place where most of the events in the Gospels took place. So, a few pictures, again in random order, thank to the blogger web site working a bit crazy.

This is a first century boat the was found in the mud along the seashore when the lake was low. Much like the boat Jesus would have ridden in and the disciples would have fished in.

Here is our group in front of the 4th century synagogue, built on top of the synagogue that Jesus preached in at Capernaum.

A 5th century mosaic in a Byzantine church on the sea shore.

I told Ana to keep her penguin on a leash, but she wouldn't listen to me.

The town of Capernaum from the sea, as the disciples would have seen it while fishing.

I few folks from our group on our boat trip on the Sea of Galilee. It was a beautiful day.

A close up of our group at the synagogue.

Here you can see the 1st cetury foundation the 4th century church is built on.

Our last stop was at a Byzantine church built near the spot where Jesus cast a "Legion" of demons out of a man and into a heard of pigs.

The effects of a long day, warm sun, and beautiful flowers.

This was our last day around the sea and we're a bit sad to leave. On to Jersualem.

Day 4-Northern Galilee

We visited a whole range of Old Testament and New Testament sites today. The internet is amazingly slow, so I may be posting in bits and pieces today. And it seems the pictures are out of order again.

This is our view outside our hotel window of Tiberias.

Look closely and you'll see most of our group on the top of what was a 2900 year old temple to a golden calf set up in the area of the tribe of Dan.

An oil press at Hazor.

There is nowhere we can go that Ana cannot find an animal to make friends with.

Not exciting to look at, but the was a palace area built by Solomon's orders and a place he probably visited and stayed it when in the north.

We used the fresh and clean Jordan River water that flows out of the Banias spring to do some re-dedication of Baptisms. We actually did one full baptism of a trip member who had not been baptized. It was a very special moment.

It out of the cave the the Jordan once flowed. Romans saw it as an entrance to the underworld and worshipped Pan there. Jesue took his disciples there are asked them "Who do you say that I an?"

This is a 3800 year old city gate (really), one the Abraham may have wandered through.

This is the altar at Tel Dan that the renegade king of Israel set up to keep people away from Jersualem 2900 years ago. They worshipped a golden calf there.

One the the streams that is fed by underground springs and eventually makes up the Jordan river.

Here are Alisha and Melissa just outside the military bunker on a hill that overlooks Syria.

Hard to see, but on the middle left of the picture are the edges of Damascus. The overlook is only about 35 miles away. The apostle Paul had his conversion experience somewhere in the landscape, as he was heading to Damascus.

Here is part of our group, with Syria in the background.

Back near the Sea of Galilee, we stopped at Chorizim. This is a 4th century synagogue. The city Jesus did miracles in was just up the hill.

Not much to look at, but this is another city the Jesus visited and did wonders at-Bethsaida. Three of the disciples called this their home town - Peter, Andrew, and Phillip. It's amazing to think that you're walking in a place Jesus walked in 2000 years ago.