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Published: January 30th 2011
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Today we started with breakfast at our hotel and then headed out for Jerusalem. It was pouring down the rain....we were sad but the locals were thrilled as they have been in a severe drought for a few years. Our guide promised to try and keep us out of the rain as much as possible but on a trip of this nature you just have to grin and bear it because you don't want to miss anything. Also you can’t take good pictures in the rain.
We started out at the Mt. of Olives. It was pouring so we didn’t get out but our bus driver is great and he got us situated so that we could see. It was a really beautiful view of the city so hopefully we will drive by there when the weather is better to get some pics. The Mount of Olives was the place of many biblical events but it is here that the Messiah is prophesied to return…“on that day his feet shall stand on the zmount of Lives which lies before Jerusalem on the east” (Zech. 14:4-5) On the easter side of the Mr. of Olives lay Bethpage, the traditional starting point
of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. On the west side was the Garden of Gethsemane. The domed Chapel of Ascension on top of the Mt,. of Olives is the traditional spot from which Jesus ascended into heaven. Jews pay $25,000.00 to be buried in the cemetery at Mt. of Olives so they will be the closest people to the Messiah when he returns.
From there we went to the Church of All Nations which was built by the Garden of Gethsemane. The church is beautiful and we had our morning devotions there. The rain stopped just long enough for us to get some pictures in the Garden. Botanists say that some tress here are over 3,000 years old. Near one of these trees is where Jesus prayed as the disciples slept nearby.
Our next stop was the Jerusalem Archaeological Park where we saw the Golden Gate (where Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday), Teaching Steps (where Jesus often taught or delivered sermons), the recently uncovered street outside the temple which housed the money changers Jesus spoke of. Here we also went to the Wailing Wall (Western Wall). It is customary to write your prayer requests on paper and
stick them in a crack in that wall….so that’s what we did. It was very emotional to stand there against that wall and pray…..very emotional!
From there we went to lunch and sat under canopies on the street corner..it was fun. We also went shopping in the ancient markets…it was a maze of baazars…really neat stuff. It was very interesting walking through the narrow streets and just looking around.
The sun finally came out…just as we were boarding the bus…but not for long. Tomorrow we head to the Dead Sea and better weather.
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"Honey""
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Cool !
Thanks again for a wonderful vicarious thrill ! It's almost like being there! Your pictures are great - the churches are really beautiful... Be safe!