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.

Shepherd's Field and more!

 

"And there were in the same country

shepherds abiding in the field,

 keeping watch over

 their flocks by night." Luke 2:9

 

 

 

About a four minute drive, just outside of the old city of Bethlehem, is a beautiful chapel and manicured grounds that claim the site of the Shepherds of old.

It is a popular place and was quite easy to find.

 

 

 

Our families are ready to explore after a packed lunch of PB & J, Jaffa Oranges (which are to die for), and pretzels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grace overlooking the fields near Bethlehem.

I thought this was one of the most beautiful sites we visited.  It felt very peaceful and I think I feel it is more authentic,more natural,  being out in the open, not inside a chapel to think about the birth of our Savior.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was awesome.  You could climb down into the caves that were used by the Shepherd's.  During extreme weather the Shepherd's would climb down here for shelter.  There was enough room to bring a herd of sheep too.

 

 

 

 

 

The stairs are modern construction.  There is a small altar and crucifix - allowing a church service here.

 

 

 

 

 

 Once we finished exploring the hills and caves we set off for the Old City of Jerusalem.

 

 The temperatures fell quickly with the falling sun. It was about 55 degrees. We layered up and bought some warm fresh bread.  This is a common bread  bought in Jerusalem- made by the Arabs.  It is baked covered with sesame seeds and then you can sprinkle a mixture of cumin and salt seasoning on it.

 

 

 

Audrey and I finishing our bread outside of Jaffa Gate.  The Old City of Jerusalem is actually what lies  inside the beautiful, ancient city walls.  There is not another site on earth that leaves me quite as speechless.  The light of sunset shimmers gold on these old wall, every single night.  It is awesome to behold- this city that is a spiritual center to three great faiths- Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

 

 

 

   There were many stalls offering fresh Pomegranate, Orange and Grapefruit drinks.

We tried them all- my favorite is pomegranate and orange mixed.  Guess this is citrus season.

 

 

 

 

After walking about 10 minutes through the Old City we came to a set of stairs on the western side. At the top of these stairs we caught our first view of the Temple Mount. 

This is a most Holy Place- It is the site that Solomon built the first Temple.  It took 7 and 1/2 years to build.  After it was consecrated, Solomon placed the Ark of the Covenant inside and celebrated with a seven day feast. This temple was destroyed in 586 BC by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon.  There was a second temple built in 515 BC.  King Herod later fixed up the site with an improved wall built around the temple.  This is what you see today.  The second temple was destroyed in 66 AD by the Romans.

 

The golden dome you see in the background is the 3rd most holy site for Muslims.  It is the Dome of the Rock- or also known as Qubbet al-Sakhra.  This holy site dates back before the first Temple.  Under the dome there lies a  large slab of rock that juts from the earth.  According to Jews and Arabs it is the "foundation" rock of the earth. 

 

"The Talmud states that it was here that God gathered the earth that was used to form Adam, and it was here that Adam, Cain, Abel and Noah all performed ritual sacrifices."  -Israel & Palestinian Territories, Lonely Guide, pg.93.

 

This is the believed site that Abraham almost sacrificed his son Issac.  To Muslims- they believe it was Ishmael, Abrahams' literal first son that was to be sacrificed here.

 

Muslims also believe that the Prophet Mohammad traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem in a single night.  He lead the other prophets in prayers at the Temple Mount.  The prophet Mohammed's footprint is embedded in this holy rock. 

 

It is a site holy to three great world faiths, not a site to be missed.

 

 

Sullivan on the "male" side of the wall.

 

After the final destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, the Jews were scattered.  The exact location of the Temple and the Holy of Holies lost.

When the Jews started returning to Jerusalem they still wanted to worship at the site of the Temple.

They began worshipping and praying at an exposed outer wall, fearing they might step on the Holy of Holies,desecrating it.  According to Rabbinical texts- the Holy or divine presence of God had never departed the Temple Wall.  It is the most holy place of Jewish sites.

 

 

 

 

 

The area you see here is like an open air synagogue-  It is divided into two separate prayer sections, one for women and another for men. 

 

 

 

Audrey and Grace on the Women's side, behind them is  the Western Wall.

 

 

                            

                          

Friday Nights

 

 

 

It has kind of become tradition to head to the desert after church on

Fridays. Usually we take along a few families - the more the merrier!

 We cook dinner on a fire, roast smores, and sing songs. ** Smores

are just not quite the same.  Who knew that marshmallows are made

with pork fat?  

Totally not allowed here in this Muslim country. 

 So, we eat marshmallows made from

fish fat.  Not the same texture, a bit chewier with a bit of a

fishy aftertaste.  However we are still

making smores.  Must not be that bad :)

 

 

 

 

                                   

 

Our after church crew!

 

I will never tire of this beautiful sandy landscape.

The sunsets are breathtaking.

I love the solitude of the desert.