The weather forecast for the weekend, Memorial Day Weekend, is for highs in the low 90s with lots of wind and sun.  Consequently, we bit the bullet with our sore bodies and waxed the motorhome.  The roof had never been waxed, and a hint published on one of the many RV forums was to use Mop ‘N Glo, so we gave it a try, and it worked well—so far.  While I worked on the roof and the front overhang, Kay waxed the back and started on the driver’s side.  We worked in tandem on the rest of the RV, using Nu Finish, a product we used last year with a lot of success.  It’s a once-a-year wax, and really held up well to the sun and rain this past year.  We finished waxing around noon, and moved the motorhome back to its usual parking spot.  After a rest and some lunch, we exercised the generator, extended the slides. and dressed all the rubber gaskets and molding.  We’re now ready to go…

Another year has passed since the motorhome got detailed, i.e. a complete wash and wax job.  Last year, we did this annual chore on April 4 and 5, but almost constant rain and a trip to Israel and Jordan this year delayed us.  Our weather was cool and wet most of the spring, then when we returned from the Middle East, we had a couple of cool nights, then wham—90 degree weather.  Oh well, we waited for a somewhat cool and overcast day, and began with scrubbing the roof.  With so much rain, we had mold and mildew everywhere, but a scrub brush and elbow grease—and tons of sweat—saw the job done.  We were so glad to get this difficult part done that we drug our old and worn out bodies out in the afternoon and completed washing the rest of the almost 4-year old motorhome.  Gosh, we’re glad that’s over.  Tomorrow, we’ll wax!

I think my favorite sights were the Valley of the Wind and Doves in the Galilee, the boat ride on the Galilee, the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, and seeing the Walled City of Old Jerusalem.  The Valley of the Wind and Doves was our first stop in Galilee, and because it wasn’t developed, it appeared to be what I would imagine the trail and mountains could have looked like in Jesus’ time.  There was a small brook, cows mooing on the hillside while grazing, a lovely breeze blowing, and this trail that passed through the mountain range from Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee.  We had a devotion there, and my heart felt a moment of a ‘thin veil’—when time stands still and one can feel a connection with the past and present and sense God.  It felt very sacred.  I may have walked where Jesus walked.  The Bible was coming alive like a movie and I wasn’t having to create the scenery; we were ‘on site’.  
Again, on the boat cruising the Sea of Galilee, we saw small individual fishing boats doing just what Peter, Andrew, and James were doing when Christ called them to be His apostles.  It’s a beautiful sea, and the hillsides and shores were witnesses to Jesus’ walks, teachings, healings, etc. 
The Garden Tomb in Jerusalem is a ‘possible’ site for Joseph of Arimethea’s tomb because it is a garden near a huge rock structure that resembles a skull which is not far from the top of the Via Dolorosa.  It is run by a Christian group, and is a very quite, beautiful, serene, garden in the middle of downtown Jerusalem, but out of the hustle and bustle of the big city.  We had a very moving communion here and revisited the idea that it doesn’t matter where the ‘real tomb’ is (even when archeologists are able to document it); what matters is that it is EMPTY.
Seeing Old Jerusalem, the Walled City, was amazing.  It is much larger than I had expected and much more congested, convoluted, and cacophonous.  There are several sections or divisions within the old city—the Roman Catholic section, the Jewish section, the Arab/Palestinian section, and the Christian section.  The Via Dolorosa winds through the streets with stores and residential apartments on either side.  There were vendors selling their wares throughout the city, Muslim residences painted with pictures of pilgrimages they had taken to Mecca, young, tiny children pushing trash and wheel barrels through the streets because construction/repair appears to be ongoing everywhere.  There are churches built on top of older churches on top of ‘traditional’ sacred sites like where Jesus fell, where another person was made to carry the cross, etc.—all stations of the cross.  Yet everyday life is going on and there are thousands of other pilgrims such as us who are moving down the streets, shopping, moving in and out of the churches and mosques, etc.  It was very busy, chaotic, and surreal.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was very disturbing to me because there were at least three or four churches operating inside the structure—all ornate, hanging lamps, incense burners, burgeoning with pilgrims and worshipers—and it didn’t ‘feel’ like a sacred place; I kept thinking of Jesus cleaning out the temple because of the moneychangers etc.  The Jewish sector was so clean and well kept and well repaired that it looked like it didn’t belong in the Old City.  They were also very busy and involved in excavating under their part of the Old City for the historical ruins that were underneath.  You can buy almost anything in the Old City, fresh meat, chickens being cleaned and hung up, meat being butchered and hung, fish, fresh vegetables and fruit, plus souvenirs, religious objects, clothing, etc.
But here is the great Dome of the Rock in the middle of the city and Christians and Jews don’t visit it because it’s for Muslims only.  They confess to believe that it is the site that Abraham took Isaac to be sacrificed in Jewish/Christian tradition; but, it is also believed that it is the site (rock) where Mohammed stood when he was ‘beamed’ to heaven to receive the Koran.  Its gold dome is visible from most hills in Jerusalem.  It’s like a beacon, but an evil beacon. 
Jerusalem is not just one large mountain; it is many mountains and small/large valleys at an elevation of approximately 2600 feet above sea level.  The modern city surrounds the old Walled City, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, all of the sacred churches built on top of the ancient holy sites.  I suppose it seemed especially strange to me because of this.  Our country, USA, is so young that sacred sites, etc. are preserved, and nothing is built on top of them because no one has ‘defeated’ us and invaded our country.  Israel and Jerusalem, in particular, have been inhabited for centuries, been invaded and defeated, and the winners have tried to obliterate the former civilizations.  It’s an archeologist’s best and worst nightmare. The Hebrews are trying to recover and recapture the ancient sites, even though many of them are buried under Arab/Palestinian houses.  It was very strange to stand at the ancient digs of King David and look across the valley at visible ancient tombs which had been ravaged/destroyed/desecrated.  Whatever happened to respect for the dead?  At the top of the last mountain in Jerusalem, one can look out to see the Judean wilderness and the Dead Sea which is approximately 40 miles away.  It’s a drop of almost 3000 ft. in elevation and the the bedoins are one of the few inhabitants who live in this area, although there are a few settlements in the West Bank.  It’s a tremendous contrast to the ‘beautiful city’, the gorgeous new buildings and verdant gardens.
What else about our trip was the best?  Our guide, David Aarons, was perhaps the best guide/docent I’ve ever experienced.  Even though he was Jewish, he was so spiritual and called us the righteous remnant whom God had chosen to come to our spiritual geography.  He knew the New Testament backwards and forwards and was so respectful of our beliefs and views.  It was several days into our trip before I realized that he was not a Christian.  He was originally from Boston, and still had quite a bit of that accent and he was one of the funniest guides ever.  He would sometimes start a story and have us in the cup of his hand before we realized it was all a ‘sham/joke’.  Got ya!  Our spiritual guide was our pastor, Sieg Johnson, and his wife Sherry.  They were wonderful!  Sieg is so smart, knowledgeable, and yet he has such a sweet spirit for the Lord.  He made each site a spiritual moment drawing us all closer to God. 
Other notable folks on the tour were Hileil, our Arab driver.  He was an incredible driver in Jerusalem, for sure.  There are hundreds of huge tour buses (seating 50+) plus all the normal car/truck traffic in a city of almost 1,000,000 people.  Trying to drop us off and pick us up was a congestion nightmare, but David and Hileil always worked it out to our advantage.  They were both pure professionals and seemed to have a mutual respect and concern for each other.  I will never forget Imogene Crawley.  She is an almost 83 year old petite lady from Hot Springs who outwalked all of us each day.  Her mind is sharp as a tack and she’s in incredible shape.  This was her third trip to the Holy Land, and the second trip which she made on her own, she stayed for two weeks by herself.  I told her she’s my new ‘heroine’!  I don’t think I was prepared for all the ‘walking’ and ‘standing’ that we did on this trip.  My feet took a beating and should I go again, I would buy some very good walking shoes.  We walk 3 miles in our neighborhood, but most days on this trip I would guess we walked 3-5 miles touring sites. 
Our accommodations were very nice.  In the Galilee we stayed in Tiberius at the Gai Beach Hotel which was right on the sea.  It was a beautiful facility, with a very nice spa, hot tubs, etc.  It was our base for 3 days of exploring the Galilee area.  We were driven all over Israel in luxury buses, ours was a Mercedes—very luxurious, good ride, but no bathrooms.  In Jerusalem, we stayed at the Olive Tree Hotel which was between the Jewish section of Jerusalem and East Jerusalem, the Palestinian section.  There is a wall between them—not as sturdy as the Berlin Wall, but similar nevertheless.
It’s easy to discern which section you’re in; the Jewish section is clean, flowers everywhere; the Arab/Palestinian section is dirty, rundown, trash everywhere—no one appears to have respect for their environment.  Maybe it is because they are in ‘occupied territory’ and I don’t believe they are allowed to be citizens of Israel.  Since Palestine isn’t a country either, they may not have citizenship anywhere—just refugees.  It’s a very complicated issue and one that I don’t pretend to understand.  It was very disturbing to see Jerusalem divided by a large wall.  Something seems very wrong with that.  I can’t imagine the city divided by two countries. 
The weather was very nice—in the low 70’s most days.  One day we had the threat of rain but it never really developed.  The food was sometimes quite good, other times mediocre at best.  Most of us ate breakfast and dinner at the hotel buffets.  There were always huge salad and fresh vegetable dishes available at breakfast and dinner.  The meats on the hot buffets were often overcooked and dry.  Sometimes the fish dishes would be good as were the lamb dishes.  The beef and chicken were usually not very good and were often dry.  Suffice it to say that they eat a Mediterranean diet and I loved the olives and hummus. I couldn’t force myself to eat raw veggies/salads for breakfast, and especially not pickled fish!  I found it strange that while dates and figs were a huge produce item in Israel, they were never offered as fruits at any of our meals.  I was told that they exported them all because they could get such good export prices.  We did stop in Nazareth at a Palestinian sweet shop which was wonderful.  Everything I tried there was great.  For the most part, the deserts at the hotels were mousse-cake like creations which were okay but not very sweet. 
The people of Israel were quite friendly as tourism is one of their main avenues of commerce.  I don’t think I was prepared for all the tourists.  I can’t begin to describe how crowded Jerusalem was with pilgrims.  Each day we would drive near the Mount of Olives, and there would be NO LESS than 15 massive buses lined up on the road, not counting the ones who dropped their pilgrims off.  Pilgrims were from Russia, France, Romania, Africa, and basically, just everywhere.  Believers from all nations come to see the beginning of it all.  That was pretty fantastic.  I’ve never seen so many Orthodox Jews in one place in my life—well, we did had a full flight of them on the plane with us from New York to Tel Aviv.  I just have no personal experience with that culture.  We were amazed at how friendly the Jordanian people were.  They were very excited and pleased we were visiting their country—could it be the boost to their economy we bring?  Anyway, I never really felt unsafe or uncomfortable in either country.  Several in our group were somewhat uncomfortable in Jordan because it was a majority Muslim state.  I did not because our tour guide was Jordanian Christian.  The crime in Israel is miniscule, even in Jerusalem, though we were warned about pickpockets in the Old City.   The security entering in and around Israel is very tight—no pussyfooting around there. It’s incredible how much there is to see there and two weeks is certainly not enough time to do it justice.  We needed at least one whole day or more at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.  I would have loved to tour Hebrew University and the Knesset (their governing building).  There’s tremendous investment/money in Israel and as a start-up country they have done incredible things in a short while. 
I know this.  I don’t think I’ll ever read the Bible the same again.  My cinematography eye has been changed forever.  I know I want to study the Old Testament more.  I’m poorly grounded in that area.  I’ve seen the Jezreel Valley, Megiddo, and where the battle of Armagedden is predicted to take place.  The Valley is one of the most beautiful, wide, well developed, agricultural valleys I’ve ever seen and it’s huge—miles and miles of vegetation and bounty.  The Jews have claimed their spiritual homeland in the midst of enemies all around them and are growing a new Eden in the desert.  It’s a fearful and courageous undertaking that I have to admire.   

Today marks our last day in Jordan and Israel.  We packed last night, readying for our border crossing from Jordan to Israel, and the necessary security and customs clearances for our flight back to the US.  Despite it being our farewell day, we had a busy schedule, and our first stop was the largest of the Decapolis cities in the Near East, Jerash. 

Jerash, Jordan.  Dubbed the "Pompeii of the East," Jerash is a Greco-Roman ruined city located 80 miles north of Amman (though Jerash was never buried by a volcano). The impressive, beautifully preserved ruins of Jerash include places of worship and other buildings from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and early Muslim periods.  Remains in the Greco-Roman Jerash include the Corinthium column; Hadrian‘s Arch; the circus/hippodrome; two large temples (dedicated to Zeus and Artemis); the unique large oval Forum which is surrounded by a fine colonnade; the long colonnaded main north-south street, Cardo Maximus; the Byzantine church of Saints Cosmas and Damian with its mosaic floor; a large south theater and smaller north theater; two baths, and a scattering of small temples; and an almost complete circuit of city walls.  Jerash was the home of Nicomachus of Gerasa (c. 60 – c. 120) who is known for his works Introduction to Arithmetic, The Manual of Harmonics, and The Theology of Numbers.  Recent excavations show that Jerash was already inhabited during the Bronze Age (3200 BC – 1200 BC).  The Emperor Hadrian visited Jerash in AD 129-130.  The triumphal arch (or Arch of Hadrian) was built to celebrate his visit.  Excavation and restoration of Jerash has been almost continuous since the 1920s.  We entered Jerash on the south side through Hadrian’s Arch and made our way to the Oval Forum or Oval Plaza which measures 90 X 80 meters.  From the Oval Forum, we climbed to the Temple of Zeus (162 AD). Another staircase led to the temple itself, which was surrounded by 15 meter high Corinthian columns.  From the Temple of Zeus, we walked to the large south theater.  Kay, Seig, and Janet began singing Amazing Grace, and was surprisingly accompanied by bagpipes and drums.  Then, to our surprise again, a number of Muslim teenage girls climbed on the stage and began doing a cultural dance to bagpipes and drums.  They moved down to the floor of the theater, and pulled members of our tour group into their circle.  It was a memorable, profound exchange of cultures, and for me, one of the most gratifying activities of the trip.  From the large theater, we reluctantly moved to the Propylaeum or gateway that led to the sacred precinct of the Temple of Artemis (150 AD). A monumental staircase, which once had high walls, leads up to a horseshoe-shaped terrace with the foundations of an open-air altar. A second staircase leads through a colonnade of 22 Corinthian columns and into the sacred precinct.  We descended the stairs to the Cardo Maximus, the main Roman road in Jerash. The Cardo Maximus was lined with a broad sidewalk and shops. It is still paved with its original stones and bears the ruts of chariot wheels, and ancient manholes accessing the underground sewage system which ran the full length of the street, into which rainwater was channeled through holes on the sides of the street.  The stones are laid at an angle in about 10-meter segments, interspersed with an approximate 1-meter wide construction joint.  The purpose of the stones being laid at an angle was to soften the chariot ride.  As we continued on the Cardo Maximus, we came to a large nymphaeum, or monumental fountain. It was constructed in 191 AD and was faced with marble. From there, we walked the Cardo Maximus back to the Oval Forum, then exited by the hippodrome where chariot races and sporting events were held. Chariot races were being held today, but we did not have an entrance pass, and were not allowed to take pictures.  We did see some Jordanian “Roman” soldiers who were participating in the races.  From there, we stopped at a Jordanian restaurant for lunch where Kay and I split a plate of lamb kabobs.

We traveled from Jerash through the Jordanian countryside for the border crossing between Jordan and Israel.  Along the way, we passed through several Jordanian towns, and saw entrenchments and military equipment aimed at the West Bank.  We changed buses and guides (our Israeli guide was about an hour late), and made our way to Tel Aviv, stopping for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.  At Tel Aviv, we dropped off members of our group who were to catch a later plane, and arrived at the airport some 3 hours before the flight.  While it took some time, getting through Israeli customs and airport security was not a big issue.  We boarded our airplane for the 13-hour flight home. 

Photos of this trip may be seen at: https://picasaweb.google.com/DunnGoneTravels/IsraelAndJordan2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIL-g8GBjtb-Lw&feat=directlink

Petra.  After a long 3 1/2 hour bus ride from Amman, we reached Petra of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade fame; it is mind blowing.  Our friend, Jeff, tried to tell us about Petra but words were not adequate.  Although much has been written about Petra, nothing really prepares you for this amazing place. It has to be seen to be believed.  Petra, the world wonder, is without a doubt Jordan’s most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction. It is a vast, unique city, carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled here more than 2000 years ago, turning it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes,between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome.  It is not permitted for motorized vehicles to enter the site, but horse-drawn chariots rattled through the gorge, bouncing on the cobblestone, and barely missing the hundreds of pedestrians.  Petra is half-built, half-carved into the rock, and is surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges. It is one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites, where ancient Eastern traditions blend with Hellenistic architecture.  We entered the “city” through the Siq, a narrow gorge, almost a  mile in length, all downhill, which is flanked on either side by soaring, 250+ feet high cliffs, reminding us of the slot canyons of northeastern Arizona. Just walking through the Siq is an experience in itself. The colors and formations of the rocks are dazzling.   As we reached the end of the Siq, we caught our first glimpse of the Treasury, and it almost took our breath away.  This is an awe-inspiring experience. A massive façade, about 100 feet wide and over 140 feet high, carved out of the sheer, dusky pink rock-face and dwarfing everything around it.  It was carved in the early 1st century as the tomb of an important Nabataean king and represents the engineering genius of these ancient people.  The Treasury is merely the first of the many wonders that make up Petra.  There are hundreds of elaborate rock-cut tombs with intricate carvings – unlike the houses, which were destroyed mostly by earthquakes, the tombs were carved to last throughout the afterlife and 500 have survived, empty but bewitching as you file past their dark openings. While grossly overshadowed by the Treasury, there also is a massive Nabataean-built, Roman-style theatre, which could seat 3,000 people. There are obelisks, temples, sacrificial altars and colonnaded streets.  Despite successive attempts by the Seleucid king Antigonus, the Roman emperor Pompey and Herod the Great to bring Petra under the control of their respective empires, Petra remained largely in Nabataean hands until around 100 AD, when the Romans took over. It was still inhabited during the Byzantine period, when the former Roman Empire moved its focus east to Constantinople, but declined in importance thereafter.  The Crusaders constructed a fort there in the 12th century, but soon withdrew, leaving Petra to the local people until the early 19th century, when it was rediscovered by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812.  After an all too brief visit of less than 3 hours, we began our arduous one mile trek uphill to the bus for the 3 1/2 hour drive back to the hotel.  If we are afforded an opportunity to visit Petra again, we’ll spend much more time exploring its many crevices and nuances.

Photos of this trip may be seen at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/DunnGoneTravels/IsraelAndJordan2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIL-g8GBjtb-Lw&feat=directlink

Enroute to Jordan.  We departed Jerusalem early in the morning, leaving the cool temperatures and 2600 feet altitude for the Judean Desert, and the Jordan River, which is the border between Israel and Jordan.  About 20-25 feet wide, the Jordan River is little more than a muddy stream, since much of its water, about 90 percent, has been removed upstream for use by Israel and Jordan.  The border crossing from Israel to Jordan was time consuming, but uneventful.  First, we went through Israel Customs, then Jordanian Customs.  Our luggage, and we, were scanned at each.  We changed buses, bus drivers, and guides, and were on our way to Jesus’ baptism site.  By the way, our guide was a Jordanian Catholic.
Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan, Jordan.  The site traditionally identified with Jesus’ baptism is east of Jericho in Jordan. It has been extensively excavated and developed since the 1994 peace treaty and there are now many ancient ruins and modern structures to see here.  Obviously, it is one of the most important recent discoveries in biblical archaeology. Excavations only began here in 1996, following Jordan’s peace treaty with Israel in 1994, but have already uncovered more than 20 churches, caves and baptismal pools dating from the Roman and Byzantine periods. Jesus was baptized by his cousin, John the Baptist, on the shores of the Jordan River. Here John identified Jesus as the Lamb of God, and a dove was seen to land on Jesus as he came up out of the water (Matthew 3).  He later returned to the site to teach (John 1:40-42). Enroute to the baptism site, we drove by an area associated with the ascension of the Prophet Elijah into heaven, which is commemorated at a hill called Tell Mar Elias. The baptism site is located in a desolate area of jungle like vegetation just off the Jordan River.  The bus parked, we exited, and most bought cold bottled water for our fairly long walk to the baptism site.  The air was thick and hot; the temperature was 102 degrees.  It is nearly the lowest point on earth, near the Dead Sea, at over 350 meters (over 1,100 feet) below sea level. The ground was dry and chalky and vegetation was sparse except on the banks of the river.  As we walked along the trail, we noted baptisms across the Jordan River on the Israeli side.  After five or ten minutes’ walking, the path leads into a clearing marked by a modern pool where the site itself had been tastefully developed. adjacent to the ruins of the 7th-century Church of John the Baptist.  Here you can see the original altar and mosaic floor, which was originally placed atop an arch to prevent flooding. The support pillars of the arch lie on the north side of the church, in the very spot they fell many centuries ago.
Mount Nebo.  Mount Nebo is a 1,000 meter (3,300 feet) high mountain located 6 miles northwest of Madaba in Jordan, opposite the northern end of the Dead Sea. According to ancient tradition, this is the mountain from which Moses saw the Promised Land before he died.  In the 4th century AD a sanctuary, mentioned by the pilgrim nun Egeria, was built on Mount Nebo to honor Moses, possibly on the site of an even older structure. The church was finished by 394 AD and had three east apses flanked by funerary chapels on the north and south sides.  In the 6th century, the church was enlarged and transformed into a basilica with a sacristy and new baptistery (whose surviving floor mosaics date from 530 AD). Soon the church was the heart of a large monastery and pilgrimage center that would thrive for nearly six centuries.  The site was abandoned by 1564 and remained mostly neglected for several centuries more. Finally, in 1993, the site was purchased by the Franciscans, who excavated and restored the area. On March 19, 2000, Pope John Paul II visited the site during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, planting an olive tree next to the Byzantine chapel for peace.  We were unable to visit inside the church because the roof had begun to cave in, and massive renovation was underway. 
Mosaic Workshop.  Not far from Mount Nebo, near Madaba, just south of Amman, is a workshop where mosaics are made, and a large display area where they are sold, together with textiles and other craftwork. We were given a short demonstration of how mosaics are made nowadays, and an explanation of the amount of work that went into the most detailed of them (presumably to justify the rather high prices, compared to the poorer quality mosaics available elsewhere). A high proportion of disabled people were employed in the workshop.  Most of the time spent at this location was in the show room, where Jordanian salesmen and women pushed their Jordanian products quick robustly.  We managed to escape without buying any of the beautiful, but expensive, goods.
Amman.  From Mount Nebo, we drove to Amman, Jordan, with elevations ranging to over 3,600 feet, where we were greeted to 80 degree weather.  Amman is the capital and largest city of Jordan. It is the area’s political, cultural and commercial center and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The city has a population of over 2.8 million people.  As we entered the hotel, both we and our luggage had to undergo security screening.  Our room was modern and quite nice, perhaps the best of the trip. 
We went to bed early as we had had a long day of traveling by bus, made a border crossing as we changed countries, and changed climate zones; my cold is finally breaking, but Kay is beginning to sneeze and cough.  This does not bode well.  Tomorrow is Petra.

Photos of this trip may be seen at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/DunnGoneTravels/IsraelAndJordan2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIL-g8GBjtb-Lw&feat=directlink

The Garden Tomb.  The Garden Tomb is an alternative to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as the actual site of Jesus’ burial in Jerusalem. It was discovered in 1867 and is especially popular with Protestants as a place of devotion.  In the 19th century, a number of scholars disputed the identification of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with the actual site of Jesus’s crucifixion and burial. In1842, Otto Thenius proposed that a rocky outcrop outside the walls was Calvary (Golgotha), the place of the skull.  The Garden Tomb itself was discovered in 1867, and was soon identified as the burial place of Jesus, mainly because of its location in the area that had been identified as Calvary. Another factor in its favor was the recent discovery the tombstone of the deacon Nonnus in the nearby Church of St. Stephen, which mentioned the Holy Sepulchre.  Since that time, some Protestant piety has encouraged this identification, although the wardens of the property (The Garden Tomb Association) stress that it is the resurrection of Jesus, not the issue of finding the exact spot of his burial, that is important.  Inside of the tomb are the partial remains of a burial bench. The date of the tomb is not certain, but it may, in fact, date to the late Old Testament era, and thus would not have been a “new tomb” (Matthew 27:60; John 19:41) at the time of the crucifixion.  We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here, and especially liked having Holy Communion in the garden, with accompanying devotional and songs.  It was quite a moving and contemplative experience.
Kibbutz Ramat Rachel. Our guide took us to Kibbutz Ramat Rachel for lunch, but we were a bit early.  As a surprise, and somewhat of a joke, we renewed exchanging our wedding vows at a site overlooking Jerusalem, before the great lunch.  Kibbutz Ramat Rachel is situated on a hilltop overlooking the magnificent panorama of Jerusalem’s Old City, the Dead Sea, and the Judean Hills.
Israel Museum.  The Israel Museum in Jerusalem was founded in 1965 as Israel‘s national museum. It is situated on a hill in the Givat Ram neighborhood of Jerusalem, near the Knesset, the Israeli Supreme Court, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The Museum has extensive collections of biblical archaeology, Judaica, ethnography, fine art, artifacts from Africa, North and South America, Oceania and the Far East, rare manuscripts, ancient glass and sculpture.  Many of its benefactors are American Jews from New York, New York.  One of the recent additions to the Museum is the Second Temple Era model of Jerusalem. This incredible model reconstructs the topography and architectural character of the city as it was prior to 66 AD, the year in which the Great Revolt against the Romans erupted, leading to the eventual destruction of the city and the Temple. It was one of the most educations parts of our Jerusalem tour.  Originally constructed on the grounds of Jerusalem’s Holyland Hotel, the model, which includes a replica of the Herod’s Temple, is now a permanent feature of the Museum’s 20-acre campus, adjacent to the Shrine of the Book.  Regrettably, we have no pictures of the the Shrine of the Book.  It is a uniquely designed building on the museum campus, houses the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered 1947–56 in 11 caves in and around the Wadi Qumran, and artifacts discovered at Masada.  The shrine is built as a white dome, covering a structure placed two-thirds below the ground. The dome is reflected in a pool of water that surrounds it. Across from the white dome is a black basalt wall.  The colors and shapes of the building are based on the imagery of the Scroll of the War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness, whereas the white dome symbolizes the Sons of Light and the black wall symbolizes the Sons of Darkness. The interior of the shrine was designed to depict the environment in which the scrolls were found.  There is also a permanent display on life in the Qumran, where the scrolls were written. The entire structure was designed to resemble a pot in which the scrolls were found.  As the fragility of the scrolls makes it impossible to display all on a continuous basis, a system of rotation is used. After a scroll has been exhibited for 3–6 months, it is removed from its showcase and placed temporarily in a special storeroom, where it “rests” from exposure. While no photographs were allowed, we were able to view a continuous scroll containing the Book of Isaiah.  After viewing the Dead Sea scrolls, I sat in a coffee shop recuperating from the upper respiratory infection while Kay and most of the others toured a wing containing a large collection of paintings representing a wide range of periods, styles, subjects and regions of origin. Painters in the collection include such international figures as Rembrandt and Camille Pissarro as well as such Israeli and Jewish artists as Abel Pann and Marc Chagall. Should we ever visit Jerusalem again, the museum is a place at which we’d like to spend considerable more time.  Sculptures on the grounds were amazing, including Rodin, and a huge apple core.
Folk Festival at the YMCA.  We bought tickets to a folk festival at the Jerusalem YMCA featuring song and dance, and other cultural activities of Jerusalem and Israel.  I opted to stay in the hotel, but Kay attended.

Photos of this trip may be seen at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/DunnGoneTravels/IsraelAndJordan2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIL-g8GBjtb-Lw&feat=directlink 

City of David.  The story of the City of David began over 3,000 years ago, when King David left the city of Hebron for a small hilltop city known as Jerusalem, establishing it as the unified capital of the tribes of Israel. Years later, David’s son, King Solomon, built the First Temple next to the City of David on top of Mount Moriah, the site of the binding of Isaac, and with it, this hilltop became one of the most important sites in the world. Today, the story of the City of David continues.  Deep underground, the City of David is revealing some of the most exciting archeological finds of the ancient world. While above ground, the city is a vibrant center of activity with a visitor’s center that welcomes visitors for an exciting tour to the site where much of the Bible was written.  The tour of the City of David begins with a breathtaking observation point overlooking Biblical Jerusalem which sends visitors 3,800 years back in time to the days of Abraham, when the first foundations of the city were laid.  As one moves through the site, one comes in contact with archaeological excavations and thrilling biblical finds that span thousands of years of history including both First and Second Temple Jerusalem. The tour continues underground to the Gihon Spring, the major water source of Jerusalem for over 1,000 years. After walking down a dry tunnel, about half our group trekked through knee deep water in King Hezekiah’s 2,700 year old water tunnel, one of the wonders of early engineering. Continuing to the Shiloah Pool, the major water drawing source in biblical times, one reaches the Herodian Road, the ancient thoroughfare that led pilgrims north to the Temple.  We attempted to depart the area near the valley floor, but the exit gate had been locked because, according to our guide, Palestinians were paying children to throw rocks at the tourists.  Consequently, we walked up the long, steep hill to meet our bus.  I was feeling terribly bad from the upper respiratory infection at this point and left the tour, returning to the hotel for bed rest.
Tomb of David  The site, located on Mount Zion, is the traditional site of the tomb of King David, and one of the most holiest places for Jews, Christians and Muslims. It is one of the few sites in the world that is shared by the 3 religions.

Bethany.  Bethany is a Muslim and Christian Arab village of about 3,600 people on the southeast slopes of the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem. Bethany was the home of the Lazarus, Mary and Martha and the setting for a number of New Testament events.  The Tomb of Lazarus in Bethany has long been venerated by Christians and Muslims alike, and a modern church dedicated to the resurrected saint stands on the site of much older ones.  Bethany was the home of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead (John 11:38-44), and his sisters Mary and Martha. Jesus often stayed in their home.  The modern entrance to the Tomb of Lazarus is accessed by 24 very uneven stone steps. This probably was a rock-cut tomb, but very little of its original form remains. The rock probably collapsed under the weight of the large Crusader church built above it.  The original blocked entrance can be seen in the east wall of the antechamber; this alignment suggests the tomb predates the Byzantine churches and may well be from the time of Lazarus.  Even further up the hill is a modern Greek Orthodox church that incorporates a wall of the Crusader church built over the tomb. Nearby are substantial ruins that belong to the Orthodox Patriarchate and are traditionally identified as the House of Simon the Leper (where Jesus was anointed) or the House of Lazarus. Jesus was anointed at the home of Simon the Leper in Bethany (Mark 14:3) and returned to Bethany after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Mark 11:11). According to Luke 24:50, Jesus ascended into heaven near Bethany (commemorated at the Chapel of the Ascension). The remains of a tower belong to the Crusader monastery (1144 AD).
The forecourt of the Franciscan Church of St. Lazarus stands over the west end of the older churches, from which parts of the original mosaic floor are preserved. The west wall of the forecourt contains the west facade of the 6th-century basilica, with three doorways. The cruciform-plan church stands over the east end of the older churches. Trapdoors in the floor just inside reveal parts of the apse of the 4th-century church (the Lazarium), which was shorter than the 6th-century church. The modern church bears a mosaic on its facade depicting Mary, Martha and Lazarus. The interior is decorated with polished stone and mosaics.  Just up the hill on the left is the 16th-century Mosque of al-Uzair. The courtyard is in the Byzantine church atrium and the mosque is built in the vault that formerly supported the west end of the 12th-century church.
House of Caiaphas  The fabulous Saint Peter in-Gallicantu Church is built in the slopes of Mount Zion. According to tradition, this was the place of the palace of high priest Caiaphas. Its name is given after the story of Peter’s triple denial of Christ and the cock crowing twice.  Notable about the church is the rooster weather vane.

Photos of this trip may be seen at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/DunnGoneTravels/IsraelAndJordan2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIL-g8GBjtb-Lw&feat=directlink

Today, we are touring the Dead Sea area and the Judean Desert.  We entered a tunnel near the Mount of Olives and a few hundred feet later exited the tunnel on the edge of the Judean Desert.  The distance from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea is not more than 20 miles and the elevation drops from about 2600 at the Mount of Olives to about 1388 feet below sea level at the surface of the Dead Sea.
Masada.  Our first stop of the day was Masada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Masada is the name for a site of ancient palaces and fortifications in the South District of Israel on top of an isolated rock plateau on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea.  We arrived at the bottom, and took a fully-loaded cable car to the top of the mountain rather than hike the long and difficult snake path, winding up the side of the mountain.  The ruins were amazing.  Inside the synagogue, an ostracon bearing the inscription me’aser cohen (tithe for the priest) was found, as were fragments of two scrolls; parts of Deuteronomy 33-34 and parts of Ezekiel 35-38 (including the vision of the “dry bones”), found hidden in pits dug under the floor of a small room built inside the synagogue. In other locations fragments were found of the books of Genesis, Leviticus, Psalms, and Sirach, as well as of the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice.  After the First Jewish-Roman War, a siege of the fortress by troops of the Roman Empire led to the mass suicide of the Sicarii rebels.  Herod the Great fortified Masada between 37 and 31 BC as a refuge for himself in the event of a revolt. In 66 AD, at the beginning of the First Jewish-Roman War against the Roman Empire, a group of Jewish extremists called the Sicarii overcame the Roman garrison of Masada. After the destruction of the Second Temple, additional members of the Sicarii and their families fled Jerusalem and settled on the mountaintop, using it as a base for harassing the Romans.  The Sicarii were an extremist splinter group of the Zealots who were equally antagonistic to both Romans and other Jewish groups. The Zealots, in contrast to the Sicarii, carried the main burden of the rebellion, which opposed Roman rule of Judea.  The Sicarii on Masada were  joined by additional Sicarii and their families that were expelled from Jerusalem by the Jewish population with whom the Sicarii were in conflict shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple.  In 72 AD, the Roman governor of Judea, Lucius Flavius Silva, laid siege to Masada. The Roman legion, with several camps in the area, surrounded Masada and built a circumvallation wall and then a siege embankment, shown in the photograph, against the western face of the plateau, moving thousands of tons of stones and beaten earth to do so.  The rampart was complete in the spring of 73 AD, after probably two to three months of siege, allowing the Romans to finally breach the wall of the fortress with a battering ram. When they entered the fortress, however, the Romans discovered that its 960 inhabitants had set all the buildings but the food storerooms ablaze and committed mass suicide.
En Gedi Nature Reserve.  Our next stop was the En Gedi Nature Reserve.  En Gedi is one of the most important reserves in Israel. The park is situated on the eastern border of the Judean Desert, on the Dead Sea coast. The elevation of the land ranges from the level of the Dead Sea at 423 meters (1,388 ft) below sea level to the plateau of the Judean Desert at 200 meters above sea level.  En Gedi Nature Reserve includes two spring-fed streams with flowing water year-round.  We were at En Gedi only briefly, long enough for short, one-mile hike to the first water falls, then returning to the bus for our next stop.
Qumran.  After departing En Gedi, we drove to Qumran, one of my most anticipated sites. Qumran is an archaeological site in the West Bank. It is located on a dry plateau about a mile inland from the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, near the Israeli settlement and kibbutz of Kalia. The Hellenistic period settlement was constructed during the reign of John Hyrcanus, 134-104 BC or somewhat later, and was occupied most of the time until it was destroyed by the Romans in 68 AD or shortly after. It is best known as the settlement nearest to the caves in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden, caves in the sheer desert cliffs and beneath, in the marl terrace.  Since the discovery from 1947 to 1956 of nearly 900 scrolls in various conditions, mostly written on parchment, with others on papyrus, extensive excavations of the settlement have been undertaken. Cisterns, Jewish ritual baths, and cemeteries have been found, along with a dining or assembly room and debris from an upper story alleged by some to have been a scriptorium as well as pottery kilns and a tower. 
Dead Sea.  About 3 kilometers (2 miles) north of Qumran, we stopped for a swim in the Dead Sea at Kalia
Judean Wilderness and the Jericho Road.  Because of its lack of water and good routes, the Judean Wilderness has been mostly uninhabited throughout history. Consequently it was an ideal place for those seeking refuge from enemies or retreat from the world. When on the run from King Saul, David hid in various places in the Judean Wilderness. John the Baptist preached here, and it seems likely that this was the wilderness where Jesus was tempted. Herod the Great built two fortresses in the Judean Wilderness (Herodium and Masada) for protection should his people ever revolt against him.  From our vantage point atop a hill, we could see the Jericho Road, Jordan, and the Dead Sea.  As was the case at most stops, we were bombarded with adults and children selling souvenirs.  In this particular location, most of the sales people were bedouin.  Kay bought a desert headdress and some other small things from one of the bedouins.
Here Comes a Cold.  For the last few days, I’ve been feeling like a cold was at hand.  I began sneezing before we left the US, and was okay for the first couple of days.  Then, at Tel Dan Nature Reserve, pollen and cottonwood “balls” infiltrated the air.  Today, I’m beginning to feel not so good.

Photos of this trip may be seen at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/DunnGoneTravels/IsraelAndJordan2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIL-g8GBjtb-Lw&feat=directlink

First happy Mother’s Day to Kay, and other mothers the world over.
As Christians our day was both a sad one and a glad one—sad because we walked the Via Dolorosa, the way of the cross, and thought about the suffering Jesus did for us, and glad for the same reason. We began by entering old Jerusalem through the St. Stephen’s gate, also known as the Lions gate.
Pool of Bethesda.  After entering into old Jerusalem, we walked to the site of the pool of Bethesda; it’s not what we had imagined it to be. The Pool of Bethesda is believed to be the site where Jesus healed a paralytic (John 5:1-15).  We enjoyed a wonderful Sunday morning service in a small garden adjacent to the Pool of Bethesda. Our service included Scripture readings, a brief devotion, and were anointing with oil for healing—both ourselves and loved ones for whom we had asked for prayers.  It was a moving service.
Church of Saint Anne.  Our Sunday morning service was followed by another service at the church of St. Anne, a beautiful 12th-century Crusader church, erected over the traditional site of the birthplace of Anne (Hannah), the mother of Mary. It is an excellent example of Romanesque architecture.  St. Anne’s Church is located in the Muslim Quarter, near the Lion’s Gate.  St. Anne’s Church was built between 1131 and 1138 to replace a previous Byzantine church. Shortly after its construction, it was enlarged by moving the facade forward by several meters.  In 1192, Saladin turned the church into a Muslim theological school, which is commemorated in an inscription above the church’s entrance. Eventually abandoned, the church fell into ruin until the Ottomans donated it to France in 1856. It was subsequently restored, but most of what remains today is original.  Saint Anne’s acoustics, designed for Gregorian chant, are so perfect that the church is virtually a musical instrument to be played by the human voice, supposedly with a 12 second reverberation. The church’s acoustics are most amazing when used by a soprano or a tenor solo voice.  Kay sang an awesome rendition of Amazing Grace, and everyone was moved, including Father Michael, overseer of the church, who gave Kay a “5 Stars” rating.
As we left the Church of Saint Anne, we walked the streets of Old Jerusalem.  The Palestinian streets were quite interesting.  Families who had been on pilgrimage identified their houses with colored doors and announcements. Though the streets are narrow, kids, as well as adults, use them for transporting goods, transportation, and even carrying their trash away.
Via Dolorosa.  The Via Dolorosa, ” way of the cross” is the most sacred route known to Christians. The route of the Via Dolorosa begins near the Lions’ Gate in the Muslim Quarter and ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter, covering 500 meters and incorporating 14 Stations of the Cross.  Each of the 14 Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa is marked with a plaque, but these small signs can be difficult to spot.  It begins where Jesus was tried and follows his path carrying the cross to Golgotha, the place of His crucifixion. According to Roman Catholic tradition, there are 14 stations of the cross along the Via Dolorosa.  While we did not see every one of these we did see most. Walking the Via Dolorosa today was physically difficult and arduous; we can’t begin to imagine how Jesus suffered carrying the cross, while being constantly beaten.
NOTE:  Over the centuries the route has changed many times, based on world politics, church splits, etc.  For most pilgrims, however, the exact location of each event along the Via Dolorosa is of little importance; the pilgrimage has great meaning due to its proximity to the original events and the reflection upon them along the way.
Franciscan Chapel of the Flagellation and Chapel of Condemnation.  As we began walking the Via Dolorosa, our first stop was the Chapel of Flagellation and Chapel of Condemnation; these commemorate the sites where Jesus took up the cross.  Vendors are located in many places along the Via Dolorosa.
Along the Via Dolorosa.  Along the way we saw sites commemorating where Jesus fell for the first time, where He met his mother, Mary, and where the Cyrenean helped Him carry the cross. The streets were crowded, with many locals and a myriad of tourists. We also saw sites commemorating the veil of Veronica, and where Jesus falls the second time. We also got our first up close look at one of the domes of the Church of the Sepulchre.  As we continued walking we saw the site commemorating where Jesus fell the third time, then an ancient African church, and the site commemorating where Jesus was stripped of his clothes. 

Church of the Sepulchre.  Many “faiths” have chapels and alters in the Church of the Sepulcher, including the Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Ethiopian, among others.  However, keys to the Church of the Sepulchre remain with the Palestinians.  We entered the door of the church near the site commemorating where Jesus was stripped of his garments. We walked past Calvary, where Jesus was nailed to the cross, and where He died on the cross. We were able to touch the stone thought to be where His body was prepared for burial. Nothing remains of this traditional burial site, as people, over the centuries, vandalized the site and removed pieces for their religious uses. This ended our journey along the Via Dolorosa. Having just celebrated the Advent season, Lent, and Holy week certainly heightened our awareness of Christ’s journey that day, but nothing compared to actually walking the road.
The Jewish Portion of Old Jerusalem.  We stopped for lunch and some shopping before we left the Palestinian part of old Jerusalem. We walked through numerous meat markets, and the stench of butcher shops, on our way to the Jewish part of old Jerusalem. Whether it has to do with age, or culture, the Jewish portion was much cleaner; it is only some 60+ years old though it lies within the ancient city of Old Jerusalem and still uses much of the structure of the old city. Israel has done much in the way of archaeological excavation, preservation, and restoration.  Old Jerusalem dates back some 5000 years beginning with the Canaanites, with many civilizations, largely built one on top of the other, up to the modern day State of Israel. We saw of the city of David which was located on a hill below the Temple back. We spent considerable time around the site of the Temple Mount, also known as Mount Mariah and Mount Zion.  The Temple Mount was the site of temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel, and Herod.  The Muslims consider it a holy place as they believe Mohammed went to heaven from this spot and constructed the Dome of the Rock to memorialize this.  We “toured” remnants of an ancient street, an ancient wall that surrounded the city, and the walls, steps, and remains of other structures that led to the temple. Jesus traveled some of these same roads and walked up some of the same steps. From within the Old Jerusalem were several views of the Mount of Olives.
The Wailing Wall.  The Western Wall (Ha-Kotel Ha-Ma’aravi) in Jerusalem is the holiest of Jewish sites, sacred because it is a remnant of the Herodian retaining wall that once enclosed and supported the Second Temple. It has also been called the “Wailing Wall” by European observers because for centuries Jews have gathered here to lament the loss of their temple.  The Western Wall was built by King Herod in 20 BC during his expansion of the Temple enclosure, and is part of a retaining wall that enclosed the western part of Temple Mount. According to the Roman-Jewish historian Josephus, construction of the walls took 11 years, during which time it rained in Jerusalem only at night so as not to interfere with the workers’ progress.  In 70 AD, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple. During the Ottoman Period (beginning in the 16th century), the wall became the Jews’ chief place of pilgrimage, where they came to lament the destruction of the Temple.  For centuries, the Western Wall was located in a narrow alley just 12 feet wide that could accommodate only a few hundred densely packed worshipers. But in1967, immediately after the Six Day War, Israelis leveled the neighboring Arab district to create the Western Wall Plaza, which can accommodate tens of thousands of pilgrims.  At the same time, the Israelis made the wall about 6 1/2 feet higher by digging down and exposing two more tiers of ashlars (squared stones) from the Temple Plaza’s retaining wall that had been buried by accumulated debris for centuries.  The Western Wall Plaza, the large open area that faces the Western Wall, functions as an open-air synagogue that can accommodate tens of thousands of worshipers. Prayers take place here day and night, and special services are held here as well.  While here we saw Israeli service men and women rehearsing for their annual memorial day celebration.  Today, Israel remembers its fallen soldiers, and the streets were filled with uniformed service men and women readying themselves for a national evening of celebration. Tomorrow is Israel’s Independence Day and Jerusalem will be the center of celebration. This is an interesting time to visit Israel.
After a full day, we returned to the hotel for some much-needed rest and relaxation.

Photos of this trip may be seen at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/DunnGoneTravels/IsraelAndJordan2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIL-g8GBjtb-Lw&feat=directlink