SHALOM AND WELCOME TO ISRAEL!
Our arrival into Israel was interesting...
We were the only passengers on our flight to be pulled aside, immediately upon exiting the plane, to have our passports checked, and to be questioned on why we were entering the country. You expect this at passport control...but when someone approaches you the moment to set foot into the terminal....you're caught a little off guard. Still we managed to put on our happy, excited faces....meet up with our taxi driver....and begin our journey to Jerusalem, which is where we stayed for the next week.
As I mentioned above, our plan was to stay in Jerusalem, and take day trips to surrounding areas. We rented a car...and paid extra for the navigation system, but quickly learned that a navigation system which is rented in Israel does not navigate you through Palestinian Territories. As tourists, you are allowed to travel in and out of both areas, but what good is a navigation system, if it won't direct you to roads leading to those areas. Anyways, moving on....We spent the first 5-6 days in Jerusalem and taking day trips to the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. Towards the end of the week, we flew to Eilat, in the southern corner of Israel, in order to take a 3 day trip to Jordan. I will post our Jordan photos in a separate blog post...but I included Eilat in this post. After we returned to Israel, we flew to Tel Aviv for 2 nights before flying onto Switzerland.
This trip was filled with every emotion you could possibly imagine. I will try to share all of our experiences with you, but it's almost impossible to write everything down. As Christians, our expectations were to find a spiritual, holy land...filled with God's presence. However, it was a rude awakening to find just the opposite. I will try to elaborate throughout the blog on each of our adventures. We did have a great time...it just took some time to come to terms with what you expect to see and what is really there...
PRIORITY #1 UPON ENTERING ISRAEL:
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| Find a new hairstyle for these untamed locks....I tried many, but he was happy with nothing. So, you will all have to deal with Shaggy Goldilocks for the rest of the trip! ;-) |
Inside the walls of the Old City....
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| Seeing the outside walls to the old city for the fist time. |
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| The first night we were there was a Jewish holiday...the streets were totally empty. It was nice and peaceful....little did we know that the following day would be the complete opposite....but it was nice to have this experience of solitude while it lasted. |
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| Signs like this were posted all over the Christian Quarter. |
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| Jewish families walking into the old city from the Damascus Gate |
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| Andreas was dying to try an Arabic coffee...it was incredibly strong and left a very thick layer of ground coffee at the bottom of the glass...still, we drank every last drop! |
VIDEO:
Arabic Coffee - Wow, that's strong!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6tsrCketdY
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| Inside the Muslim Quarter of the Old City....the streets were overrun with vendors....my favorite, the candy vendor! |
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| Light was passing through a small hole at the top of this arch....it hit a net that was hanging up and formed a heart in the sky! |
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| This is one of my favorite pictures of the Old City. It was on the Jewish holiday...so the streets were pretty quiet. To the far left is the Tower of David Museum and behind the buildings straight ahead is the start of the Christian Quarter. |
VIDEO:
Western Wall - Jerusalem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URRoJIVu48U
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| Sign Reads "Loitering in the passageway prohibited" (I guess snoozing in your sleeping bag is not considered loitering in Israel) |
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| Walking around the little ally ways of the Old City! It was incredibly easy to get lost!!!! |
Tower of David Museum
We are those bad tourists that pay money to the museum...only to climb to the top and check out the view. We tried to walk around and look at the items the museum had to offer...but two short attention spans = a short stay! However, the view of the Old City was worth every penny!
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| Andreas noticed I was talking his photo.... |
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| So he quickly adjusted himself so that his most valuable asset was in full view! |
Yad Vashem - Holocaust Museum
I have been trying to think of a way to share our experience at the Holocaust Museum with you...but I simply can't put into words how moving it was and how emotional one feels walking through this exhibit. Andreas and I have both been through Holocaust museums and memorials before...nothing is as moving as this. If you are ever in Israel, you must experience this for yourself.
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| We were unable to take photos inside the museum, but this is the outside area. Does not do it any kind of justice, but I personally wanted to remember the experience. |
The Via Dolorosa "The Way of Sorrow"
The walk leads from the Ecce Homo Convent to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. This is the route Jesus followed bearing His cross from Pilate's Judgement Hall in the Antonia to Calvary Hill, the site of crucifixion. Along this route are the 14 stations of the cross. Each station marks an event of sacred memory.
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| Station 1. Jesus is condemned to death Station 2. Jesus takes up the Cross |
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| The "Ecco Homo" Arch - "And Pilate said to the crowd, 'Behold the Man!' (in Latin: Ecce Homo) (John 19:5) |
Station 3 - Jesus falls under the Cross for the first time (Unfortunately, we were unable to locate this station)
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| Station 4 - Jesus meets His Mother I know its hard to see, but the carving above the entrance to this church is a picture of Jesus bearing the cross and His Mother by his side. (the man in the photo was incredibly friendly and took us around the church...for a small fee, of course) |
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| Statue inside the church at Station 4, which depicts Jesus with the cross, and His Mother by His side. |
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| Station 5 - Simon the Cyrenian is forced to carry the Cross (I didn't know this...) "They enlisted a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the country, to carry His Cross." (Mark 15"21) |
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| Station 6 - Veronica wipes the sweat from Jesus' face (today this site is the chapel of the convent of the Little Sister of Jesus). |
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| Station 7 - Jesus falls for the second time (this marks Jesus' second fall, just as He was leaving the city through the gate. Tradition tells us that His death notice was posted here. Hence the Christian name for the site: Judgment Gate".) |
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| Station 8 - Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem (this station is marked by a Latin Cross on the wall of the Greek monastery) |
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| Station 9 - Jesus falls for the third time |
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| Station 10 - Jesus is stripped of His garments - inside the site of station 10. |
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre....and the continuation of the Via Dolorosa
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| Station 10 - The exterior of the church that symbolizes station 10 - Jesus being stripped of His garments. |
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| The entrance to the left is into the Holy Sepulchre Church |
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| Station 11 - Jesus is nailed to the Cross |
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| Station 12 - Jesus dies on the Cross "Jesus cried, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani?' that is, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? once more, uttering a loud cry, Jesus gave up His spirit" (Matt. 27:50) The Greek altar, ornamented in Eastern style, stands over the Rock of Calvary. It is over the place where the corpses of Jesus and the two thieves were erected. In the bed-rock, beneath is a large crack caused by an earthquake on the day Jesus died. |
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| Station 13 - Jesus is taken down from the Cross - The Stone of Anointment where they put Jesus after his death |
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| At the Stone of Anointment - I had candles blessed for my father and papa. |
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| Lighting the candle's for my dad and papa at the site of Jesus' Tomb |
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| Station 14 (the final station) - Jesus is laid in the Tomb |
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| The scene to enter the Tomb of Jesus was insane. Like I said earlier...it's hard to see this as a spiritual, religious experience...when people would trample you into order to get in front of you in line. |
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| The Church of All Nations, which is right next too the Garden of Gethsemane. |
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| Inside the Garden of Gethsemane are massive olive trees. They are stunningly beautiful...unfortunately, this is the best picture I have of them. |
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| Mary's Tomb |
Sights Outside the Old City Walls
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| Murals painted on walls around the city made you look twice...some were painted so well..they looked real! |
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| The wall that separates Israel from Palestine Territories |
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| Mom - thought of you when I saw this! Really wanted to bring you a Holy Bagel...but didn't think it would last the trip! |
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| Jaffa Street - the major street where we lived for a week! |
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| Attn Mom & Meg - If you two continue to sign me up for random marathons all over the world...I am going to sign you two up for this one next year!!!! |
Sunset on The Mt of Olives
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| Andreas and I took the long walk up to the Mt of Olives for sunset....the view was breathtaking!!!! |
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| The Jewish Cemetery just outside the city walls! |
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| It was a sea of stone tombs.... |
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| Again, another photo of the border wall that separates Israel from Palestine Territories |
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| Three Israeli soldiers watching the sunset |
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| Watching the sunset! |
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| Sunset over the Old City of Jerusalem |
Our last Sunrise in Jerusalem.....
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| was VERY early...and cloudy! |
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| but we still managed to have a good time! |
The Dead Sea
After a congested day in the Old City...Andreas and I hopped into our rental car and drove out to the Dead Sea...What an experience
VIDEO:
Driving below sea level
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L6FrP5oL84
Ok, I have been working in this post for days now....Andreas seems to think it's time to get out and enjoy the beach....so I'm cutting it short and posting what I have...but I promise to post pictures and commentary from the Sea of Galilee, Golan Heights, Tel Aviv and Eliat when I get home this evening!!!!
Oh one last thing, as we come to the end of our trip...and blog posts, if you are reading this blog and not yet a follower...we would love to know you are out there. Andreas and I have worked really hard on these posts and would love to know just how many people are reading our stories! You don't have to follow the blog, if you don't want to, but we would appreciate to hear from you...email, fb message etc.
Ok, off to the beach....be back soon to post the rest of Israel ;-)
I was so excited to see a new post! I was hoping that there would be at least 1 more before you come home... The Dead Sea pictures are awesome, I think I will have to go there one day. Enjoy the rest of your trip and get home safe. Miss you both!
ReplyDeleteIt was great to follow you both and read this blog. Although sometimes it was tough...especially in the office at 8 am on Monday mornings ;-)))
ReplyDeletePS. Grenzgaenger = Patrick Buech ...have to change this ;-)
ReplyDelete