Let the Good times Roll!

 

 

With cousins finally here from the USA, we set out on this grand Pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

This is a bit of our crew waiting at the airport for our flight into Jordan.

 

 

 

It was a three hour flight from Abu Dhabi to Amman, Jordan.  We forgot what it felt like to be cold.  Good thing we had packed long sleeved shirts and jackets.  It was cold in the mountains.  This is our sweet family huddled in the back of the taxi as we drove through the Jordanian countryside.

Once we were there we took about a 45 minute taxi ride to the border crossing- King Hussein - Allenby Bridge.  We paid our exit fees and visa and boarded a bus that took us over to Palestine. 

From the Palestinian side we hired a small bus and drove into Jerusalem where we picked up our car rentals.  I'll post pics of our "pad" later. 

 

The next day was Christmas, so we went to Bethlehem.  I was a bit worried about all the checkpoints and passport control that we had read about in order to enter the West Bank.  However it was quite easy.  We just drove straight on through- they waved at us and that was it.  We were there.  In Bethlehem!  On Christmas Day!

 

Check out the first window I look in- 2nd row 4th carving from the left....

Yeah- you guessed it- An olive wood carving of Joseph Smith.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We walked up the cobble stone road to the entrance of the city.

I tried to imagine what it would have looked like when Mary and Joseph entered just over 2000 years ago. It is a beautiful city with narrow limestone streets. Today it one of the most continuously inhabited places in the world.  It is home to Muslim and Christian Palestinian Arabs.

 

We headed straight to the Church Of the Nativity- hoping to avoid the crowds.  Seems like we did.  We arrived pretty early- about 9:30 am.

 

 

 

 

 

Sullivan is about to enter the door- it is called "the door of Humility".  It was most likely built to prevent soldiers on horses from entering.  You have to bend pretty low to get in.

 

 

This is a mosaic floor from the 6th century.

 

 

 

Line of pilgrims waiting to touch the spot where Jesus  manger lay. 

 

 

 

 

Outside in the courtyard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gathering crowds.  Good thing we were there early.

 

 

 

 

On our way to the Shepherds fields.