The following morning we arrived in Haifa, the major port city of Israel. At 730 am we got on a bus to journey to Jerusalem, the capital city and a major Holy site for the country. The ride took about 2 hours, which was not very fun and pretty smelly given the different ethnic groups represented on our English speak bus. We first got to stop at an overlook of the city (right next to the Mount of Olives) to take pics like this one.....
Next we got off the bus to walk into the city for about 2 hours. Our first stop was the most Holy of sites, the Wailing Wall. This is the only pic I really have of it since you're not supposed to take pictures of the wall itself and I felt that it would have been disrespectful to take one. So here is where we entered....
Had I taken a picture, it probably would've been along these lines....
It was a great experience to be there. We were there on Saturday, or Shabbat in Hebrew, which is the day of rest for Jews. There were lots of people around, praying and chanting at the wall, which made the experience more vivid I think. I really enjoyed just standing by the wall, listening to people pour their hearts out to God, and just seeing the faith and devotion so many had. Many people go up and touch the wall while praying, either with their hands or foreheads, but I didn't feel the need to touch it. Just standing in it's shadow, knowing that this was a most Holy place and that Jesus would return to this spot, was enough for me.
We continued through the city, walking by the markets and stalls with tons of people and smells surrounding us. Our guide didn't let us shop at all in the bazaar which was a big let down-usually you can get the best deals there. But hey, we have to help her get her kick back at the shops right?
The way she prefaced the trip through the city is that we would be walking where Jesus had when he lived, really following is path to the crucifixion spot. So we winded through the streets, stopping at various points where, according to legend, he had stumbled, fallen, taken water, etc. All these accounts are in the Bible, so the exact locations are left to legend more than anything else.
We stopped at the crucifixion site; where there used to be just a dirt hill, now there are building and churches built over top to mark the spot. It didn't even seem like we were really climbing at all when we arrived here.
This is the garden where He prayed....
Inside it was crazy packed! It was so difficult to see things with so many people around. First we went up stairs to where, according to legend again, the cross was actually put into the ground. THE spot. There was an altar over top the mound marking THE spot. There was also a line about an hour long to just kneel so see it more clearly. Again, no time to spot and linger. We headed down stairs where there was a beautiful mosaic (see Cyprus Life for all the pics!) and this stone slab, which is believed to be the stone that was placed in front of His tomb, which was just around the corner. People were touching, kissing, pouring olive oil, wine, and other offerings onto this slab. Again I am amazed at what people will do to artifacts, however Holy they are, thinking that it will change them in some way. For some people it seemed a genuine reflection of their faith, for others it seemed like a ritual that they had to perform to be blessed.
So here it is....the tomb. The empty (well at least of Jesus) tomb. It's hard to imagine what it really was like in His time, with all the glittering and gold and extras that have now been placed around these sites. I would have much rather seen a mound of dirt and a cavernous hole than this-I think it would've been more real for me, and probably Matt as well. It's difficult to focus on the reality of where you are when it's been over shadowed by all the extra stuff. Again, the line to get into the tomb was over an hour so we didn't go in. But in some respects why would you want to see an empty space-if He were still there that would be something else entirely, but then again if He were there than our faith would be nonexistent.
After finishing up in that church we headed back into the city, finished walking through the markets and got back on the bus, heading off to Bethlehem. Now, as most geologically minded people know, Bethlehem is on the West Bank, in control of the Palestinians. So to get there you must go through a buffer wall. No armored men came on to the bus to let us onto this side, but they definitely did to get back into Israel. Crazy stuff my friends. Here is the wall....
Anyhew, before we say the spot of Jesus' birth, we got to shop a little. It really wasn't all that grand, much rather shop in the bazaar but oh well. All I can think when I see this pic is "look at all that wood (that's what she said) "
Once again, there was a huge (or rather 3) church covering what once was a stable. Now it is grandiose and packed to get into and you have to be very very quiet and you will probably get yelled at anyway. There were guys strolling around this building with guns-made me a little nervous. I'm not a big fan of guns. So once we crawled through the holes, I mean doors, and waited and waited and waited we finally descended a few steps to see this......
After seeing where Jesus was born, we hopped back on the bus for 2 hrs back to the boat and good nights sleep.The next morning we got up, got back on the bus at 730 and headed north this time to the Sea of Galilee and Narareth (or Nazarene for us English people). This is the area where Jesus grew up and started His ministry. First stop, where Mary received the annunciation from Gabriel that she was to have Jesus. It was a lovely church (again it was actually more than one) and there was a mass going on while we were there so we couldn't go down to the altar area.
The big thing that parts of Israel boasts about is that Jews, Christians, and Muslims all live together harmoniously despite the differences in their religions. So all over the place you see mosques, churches, cathedrals, and signage in different languages proclaiming the "truth." I think this was my favorite sign that we saw......
Yea that definitely is a very loving and peaceful religion. I'm proud to be a loser by the Quran's standard.
Next stop was the Church of Beatitudes where Jesus gave His sermon on the mount, right on the sea of Galilee. This was our favorite spot of the trip. It was very calming and beautiful. Jesus did pick a good spot to start his ministry.
Isn't it a great church? And it was so simple inside.
After visiting the church we had a fish lunch, the same that Jesus did the miracle of multiplying fish and bread. It was rather tasty. Even Matt seemed to enjoy his fish.
Then we went to Capagog, and crashed at Peter's mom's house, which also has a church over the site. It was very peaceful and lovely. Again, Jesus knew how to pick some good spots ;)
Our final stop was the Jordan river. If you wanted to, you could be baptized in the river. We opted out of that but we did stick our feet in. Sadly at that point our camera battery died so we don't have a picture on our camera of us in the river. Our friends who we went with do so I need to get the copy. Again this site was tremendously touristy but it was handled better than some of the other sites.
All in all it was a great experience and I would LOVE to go back and really spend some more time in each area that we visited. This trip was a good warm up for going back so we don't get super duper lost ;) I would say that it is worth a trip there if you are able to go-it is quite an amazing thing to see these places that you (or at least we have) read about in the Bible and to see places that changed man kind forever. Now when we read about Jesus' life it will be with a new perspective and understanding which was the whole point really.
