EMMAUS

For our last trip we traveled to see friends who had moved from the kibbutz where we stayed. On the way we stopped at a place called Emmaus, though the location did not line up with a Biblical description in Luke 24:13. It was lovely. 

The construction dated back before the Roman period. Stone waterways and channels ran through  a small valley. It was easy to imagine houses built on the hillsides, and market stalls lining the main square.

It was a pleasant choice for the end of sight-seeing. 

And finally the sun set on our visit. Good night, Israel.

AND LAST OF ALL...

This mosaic was found on the floor of a 6th century church in Jordan. It shows a road going down the middle of Jerusalem. For centuries, no one knew if the road actually existed, until some one tried to do some plumbing repairs in his apartment. Some of the tile floor fell through! He called the authorities and they discovered  the Cardo! 

Some of the columns had quite a bit broken off. Artists painted a mural on a walled up part to show what the market street might have looked like.

This photograph, taken from further back, showed some taller pillars.

The innocents 'playing in the street' captivated our attention!

Before too long we circled back around toward the parking lot and drove away from Jerusalem.

QUICK TOUR PART II

If you haven't looked at the post before this, we recommend it. There was too much to squeeze into one day, and far too much to squeeze into one post. Many folks said it could take a week to tour only the holy sites and much longer for the cultural scene.

During the morning, among the various places we visited, we had walked part of the traditionally accepted route Jesus took from His judgement to His death. In the early afternoon as we completed that route, we headed out of the Damascus Gate.

The Bible accounts tell us that Jesus was crucified and buried outside the walls of the City. We walked a short distance to a garden that fit the description of  the location of the tomb.

This picture shows the hill that many consider to be the place of a skull, Golgotha. Can you see eye-holes?

And this is a photograph taken at a time when more of the lower part of the hill was visible, showing a mouth, too.

                       Behold!
                 The empty tomb!

We're sitting in front of the door where the large stone would have been.

OUR QUICK TOUR OF THE OLD CITY

At one time long ago, points of significance were on either side of the 'street', which resembled a narrow alley, perhaps twelve feet in width. The buildings of religious leaders in Jesus' day were on one side and the buildings of the public officials were across the street. Most of what has been excavated was on the 'religious' side.A fairly recent discovery (1964) was the pool of Bethesda, mentioned in the gospel of John, chapter five. We stopped there briefly.

The site of the pool was located near a church (built later) which has been well known for it's acoustics. We peeked into the ancient building.  It's supposed to be spectacular for choirs.
          

Bonnie couldn't resist taking a moment to stroll through a little garden.

Almost next door we saw this area which is understood to have been an area for whipping. On the night when Jesus was betrayed, He was taken back and forth from the high priest to the civil government offices, merely a few steps. Likely He was beaten at this spot








One of the portions of the 'underneath city'
uncovered next to a cistern, beneath a convent.

It had been opened up, and the floors above reinforced with the pillars and archways in the picture. The work revealed a public square, as is mentioned in the accounts of Jesus' trial.

The Pavement

Next, we left the busy street to visit the Wailing Wall, where countless prayers have been uttered.




It is a remnant of the wall which once surrounded the temple of the Jews.

Guy adds his prayers

But wait....................there's more!

JOPPA GATE

Now to talk about the gates. We entered the Old City through this gate, two in one. The large one,

which are the gray panels on either side, 

and the small, man sized, one set into it.

From the entryway we wound through the streets to find the Via Dolorosa, well known as the street where Jesus carried the cross.   

There is much to learn about this city. The picture on the right is of the pavement. These are the original stones at the street level of Jesus' day. In other sections many layers have been built up and stories are told of people who started to repair a section of their house and only to open up larger holes which led to structures underneath.

We rushed through the streets to arrive at the Garden of Gethsemane. The word means olive press. So it's no surprise that the most amazing olive trees grow there. It is where Jesus prayed before He gave His life on the cross.

Quite likely, Jesus prayed at this very spot, although there is another possibility that we didn't go see.

The ancient tree, probably over 2,000 years old, was almost impossible to kill. 

After walking around the fenced up garden, we returned the way we came, just staying ahead of a larger tour group. We had exited and re-entered through the Lion's Gate, also in the eastern wall. Beside the arch is the carving of a lion (not visible in this picture from a site called Picture a Day.)

Upon our return onto the Via Dolorosa we began to explore more historical places. 

BEGINNING AT THE MOUNT OF OLIVES

Jerusalem was a city designed for protection. Unlike our cities, walls surrounded it and many gates were built  as entryways. We traveled east around the wall and our friend named the historical gates as we passed them. Up a narrow steep road our little car crept carrying us to a famous view overlooking the Old City.

The eastern gate

And now we've stood on the Mount of Olives, looking down at this scene which shows a majestic  gate, tightly sealed, through which prophecies predict a future king will come.

The Dome of the Rock

At the site a man waited with a camel offering rides to the tourists. We declined!  

     Couldn't miss this shot.

This location is a hot spot for many of conjectures and hopes. After discussing a few of our own expectations relating to the future of the world we drove back part of the way we'd come for the walking tour.

JERUSALEM AT LAST

We made three trips into the city. Just imagine, our introduction to it began with a business arrangement to take care of halfway across the world. 

As we set out we admired the view of flourishing fields and forests.  One could not tell that little less than a hundred years ago Israel was a treeless and swampy  wilderness. Now the yellow blossoms draping down branches of acacia trees decorated both sides of the highway.  Upon entering the outskirts of modern Jerusalem, Guy navigated to find his contact. The more direct route eluded us. Detouring past the Old City, we looked for the second choice, passing George Washington Street and Abraham Lincoln Street. What a surprise to see them! Oh, and King George Street was in their company. 

We arrived in good time to meet with this man, Prof. Josh. He showed us the lookout point near his apartment.

The modern city is built on ridges. Valleys and narrow ravines are everywhere with grain fields, gardens and orchards cultivated in them.

The next trip was to visit the museum Yad Vashem, a memorial to holocaust victims. We were told it  was a 'must see.' And it is. Though photographs were not allowed and we didn't have any to post, the experience had an indescribable impact on us. 

A botanical garden had been established nearby. We were glad we'd  planned to tour it after the museum.

  

We'll get to the final trip next time.

DEAD SEA

Points around the shore had salt flats, which we passed to get to the beach. It was a resort area with landscaping, stores and a bustling tourist center. Without noticing much of this we took the closest way down to the water. We'd been told to be very careful not to get any drops in our eyes or they would hurt and burn. Guy was the first one in.

'Look Ma! No hands!' 

To float without effort is an amazing sensation.

Guy demonstrates

 More of us

         

 

The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth. 
We could see through the aquamarine water to the bottom. The salt was so thick it had a different feel on our skin.

The view on the beach

En Gedi - Part two

It was a long trail and continued onwards. We chose to stop at David's Waterfall. 

 

We arrived at last! Bonnie dipped her foot in the stream water coming from the fall. Guy waded too, but we didn't catch a photograph of it.

In the past there has been much more water in the pool, but it was still beautiful.

The path away from the falls was different from the path coming. At times it looked dangerous and slippery. In one spot the bridge crossed part of the way into the water, and only an unsteady rock lay in front to step onto and get across. 

It made me (Bonnie) ask, "Really? Is this the way?"

 When we had come across we watched others halt at that spot. But everyone made it across safely, from elderly to young.

As we scrambled down we saw a group of soldiers resting in the shade.

And more beautiful flowers!

READY FOR EN GEDI

(no rhyme intended)

The barren wilderness of the Negev was unlike any wilderness we knew.  Fresh water springs sounded terrific to us after traipsing an arid, rocky terrain.  Traveling about fifteen miles further south in the desert we came to the gushing stream of En Gedi. As we entered the ravine from which it flows, we saw the wildlife which gathered around it.

ibex

rock rabbits

They climb trees!

Above the stream bed the stony cliffs rose unchanged by the stream coursing by below.

Families enjoy the pools

view of the Dead Sea