the beginning of the end

Sadly, this is going to be one of my last posts in the Holy Land. We are leaving on Thursday and I can’t believe it! It has been a busy few weeks and I’m sure the next few days will be just as busy! A few weeks a go we went to the Israel Museum and we had a huge list of things to check off for one of our classes. It was a really cool museum but after a while we were struggling to stay interested. We decided to sneak pictures with all of the sculptures even though you are technically not supposed to take pictures in the museum. Eventually we had a suspicious security guard following us around like a chicken with his head cut off. We still were super sneaky and managed to get some good pictures. Last week we had our last out of Jerusalem field trip. It was a great one to end on. First we went to Qumran, which is where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. It was great to go there because we had just seen the actual scrolls in the Israel Museum. Our next stop on the field trip was Masada. This was one of the last standing cities during the first Jewish revolt. When the people of the city saw the Romans coming to fight them, they decided to all commit suicide instead of being humiliated by the defeat they would have faced by their opponents. It was a really cool site but kind of creepy at the same time.  It was very very hot because we were right next to the Dead Sea and below sea level but it was worth it. Next we went to Ein Gedi, which is a natural reserve, and we got to go in some waterfalls for a little while to cool off. Then the climax of the field trip came with a nice dip in the Dead Sea! It was the strangest feeling to just be able to stand there in the water with no effort at all! You were able to just glide on top of the water and lie there and not have to worry about treading water. I couldn’t help but think that it would have been so nice if my water polo team in high school was able to play in the Dead Sea! After our swim we boarded the bus to go home with salt caked all over us and we said our final good-bye to the Dead Sea. We recently went on another field trip where we visited different churches in the Old City. I am always amazed at the number of churches here. Just when you think you have seen them all you find some side road that has 3 or 4 more on it! Our first stop was Terra Sancta. We father Molina talk to us about the architecture of the church and the typical architectural elements that are found in most churches today. It was beautiful inside and I loved the detail of the interior. We also went to the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, St. Mark’s church, Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox church and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This was one of my favorite field trips and I couldn’t get enough of the architecture and detail in the churches. Today we had a free day and we went to the Dome of the Rock for the last time. It was nice because it was our first stop of the day and so it was pretty empty so we got some great pictures of the Dome. Then we went around the entire perimeter of the Old City and took pictures at all 8 of the entrance gates. It was very sad to think that this was one of our last opportunities to get pictures in these places. This summer has flown by and it is amazing to think of all the sites I have seen and people I have met. I will never forget Jerusalem and the memories I have made here.

Outside the Temple Mount, Al-Aqsa Mosque in the background 

Lauren posing by her favorite statue at the Israel Museum

Ceiling of Terra Sancta

Terra Santca

Detail on columns in Terra Sancta

TC, me and Jess in Terra Sancta

Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Rock of Unction where they believe Christ's body was laid after the crucifixion 

Rock of Unction from above

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Prayers in the wall at the Holy Sepulcher

Alexander Nevsky church

Alexander Nevsky

Cave 4 in Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found

Jess and I at Masada 

Garden Tomb

Al-Aqsa Mosque

Dome of the Rock

Dome of the Rock, women in burkas 

Everyone in the Dead Sea!

The Sea of Galilee

It has been a week since we have returned from Galilee so I guess a blog post is necessary. It was a great 10 days and we spent our time touring around Northern Israel and working on our tans at the beach. WE stayed on a kibbutz called Ein Gev in 4 person bungalows that were right on the shore of the Sea (which I discovered is not a sea, but a lake). We had class/beach time every other day and then the other days we went on field trips. These included going to the Mt. of Beatitudes, Mt. Tabor, Mt. Carmel, Tiberias, Capernaum, Bathsaida, Gamla, Nazareth, etc., etc. Most of these field trips were either sites that were biblically significant or archaeologically significant. It was extremely hot and humid so it made for some great delirious bus rides and bonding times in between sites! Since my blog has pretty much just turned into a photo feast with very little writing, here are some pictures of some of these sites and a few other treats for your enjoyment!

Mt. Arbel

Church on Mt. of Beatitudes

View of Tiberias

This is what I looked like for most of the bus rides

Bahai Gardens

Cisterns at Caesarea 

Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee

Dinner at a local fish restaurant

Gamla

View of Golan Heights from Gamla

Kursi

Bungalows at Ein Gev

Mt. Tabor

Megiddo

Gan Hashelosha, natural Springs

Our furry friend at Gan Hashelosha

Eilat of Fun!

Hello!!!

So I realize it has been a while but we are leaving for Galilee on Monday so I figured I would do a post before I am completely cut off from the internet and blogging world! Last post, we left off on the Jordan trip. Since then, we have gone to Yad Vashem, a Holocaust memorial, snorkeled at Eilat (pronounced "a lot") which is on the Red Sea, celebrated Christmas on the 4th of July in Bethlehem, mingled with some students at Bethlehem University, went to the Church of the Nativity, and went to Shepherd's Field. It has been a very busy few weeks but amazing nonetheless! Then today we celebrated the 4th of July in true American style with a BBQ at the Jerusalem Center. We had cheeseburgers, steak, chicken kebabs, hot dogs, corn on the cob, french fries, potato salad, and peach pie. It made me realize how much I miss American food! Here are a few pics to help you get the idea... 

Oh and if you need me in the next 12 days or so I'm sorry but I will be relaxing by the Sea of Galilee! Look for a new post then!

Eilat

Jess, Lauren and I with some Bethlehem University students

Our tasty lunch in Bethlehem 

Entrance into the Church of the Nativity

The supposed birth place of Christ

One night we went to dinner in West J-Ru and after we were determined to get enough money for the taxi home by performing our amazing music on the streets. We got 10 Aragot (or 3 pennies in US Dollars). Pretty pathetic!

Everyone decked out in snorkeling gear at Eilat

Shepherd's Field, Bethlehem on the hill in the distance

Shepherd's Field

Yad Vashem Memorial

Yad Vashem Children's Memorial

Shout Out: Part Deux

 First thing's first. Being the bad blogger that I am, I missed the shout out post I was planning for Father's Day. Luckily my Dad's birthday was yesterday! I know I am a day late but I had to do something!! He is the most amazing man I have ever met and I feel so honored to call him my father. Despite the health issues and trials he has faced in the past few years, it never ceases to amaze me at how optimistic he is and I have so much to learn from him. I am so proud of him for completing his first sprint triathlon last weekend also. I love you dad, you're the best!!

Saying goodbye to my Dad before I left for Israel

This past week we spent 4 days in Jordan. It was so fun! The highlight was definitely the day we spent in Petra. We also saw yet some more ancient cities and archeological sites and made a stop at the Jordan River. Probably the best part about Jordan was the Jordanians. I don't know what it was but I was the Queen of Kickbacks on this trip. I would always start chatting with a vendor and then he would give me a gift from his shop. I got a gift from a vendor everyday. These included a necklace, earrings, a keychains, and a free package of postcards from a little boy who thought I was Angelina Jolie! Besides the extreme heat, the Jordan trip was amazing! And to top it all off, we went to a Matisyahu concert the night we got back! Here are a few pics of Jordan and the few weeks before, enjoy!

Jess, Jess, and I in Hezekiah's Tunnel

Dove Caves

Bell Caves

Field Trip to the Separation Wall

Mt. Machaerus

Yoga on Mt. Nebo

Treasury in Petra

Right after this was taken, the camel almost bit my nose off!

Monastery in Petra

Temple of Hercules

Jess and I in the Jordan River

Matisyahu Concert