Down to the Jordan River

The walkway down to the Jordan was interesting, and the sky was gorgeous. The temperatures on the day we were down in the desert region of Israel topped 110, so a dip in the water sounded refreshing.

The Jordan River we read about in the Gospel bears little resemblance to the Jordan River we saw on our time in Israel. Factors such as the use of water for irrigation have turned the flowing river into a muddy trickle. Only one of our group was intrepid enough to fully immerse in the water, although most of us got our toes wet.

The Jordan River - at least at this point - is quite narrow, and it would be easy enough to swim across to the nation of Jordan, where pilgrims were also renewing their baptismal vows.

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Elvis sighting in Israel!

Imagine our surprise as we traveled from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv near the end of our journey when we found ourselves here!

Elvis lives on in Abu Gosh!

 

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Making a dangerous situation kid-friendly?

Entrance into the bomb shelter at the Dan Hotel in Jerusalem.

I can't quite fathom what it would be like to live in a country where this sort of thing is taken for granted as a normal security measure. Pray for peace for our world.

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As Holy Week begins...

The courtyard outside of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The church was undergoing reconstruction while we were there, but we could still see splendor.

Imagine the thrill to hear music filling this beautiful place!

The Roman Catholic chapel within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

These stairs lead to Calvary, where Our Lord suffered on the Cross.

This is called the Rock of the Annointing. I don't believe there is any evidence to suggest that it was on this rock that Jesus' body was annointed following his death, but worshipers pause to pray and remember here.

Bowing prostrate to remember His suffering and death on our behalf. It is possible to reach down below this floor and touch the bedrock of Calvary.

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Care for a camel ride?

As our bus traveled down the road in Jericho, this enterprising gent came trotting along to sell us a camel ride.

Here is a view of the Mount of Temptation, which soars above Jericho. Note the monastery near the summit.

We'd already had the opportunity to ride a camel in Nazareth earlier, so passed this time. But the camel brightened up the arid landscape, didn't he?

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Jerusalem kitties

This kitty seemed to be reduced to hard times, scavenging in the trash for food.

Someone got a shot of this little fellow coming to me for attention... or perhaps a handout.

He was pretty and friendly, but I doubt Israeli airport security would have let me slip him aboard the plane. Nor would my husband or our two felines taken kindly to the idea.

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The market in the old city of Jerusalem

The sights and smells and sounds and colors and tastes of the old city are almost intoxicating!

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