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!









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.



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.


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?