More Jerusalem sightseeing wraps up Israel

Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Jerusalem, Jerusalem District, Israel
We started our day with some rain! This is quite unusual (apparently due to a storm in Africa which has impacted over here) but very welcome as not only is water here in the Middle East always needed but the temperature is now lovely in the twenties. Such a nice reprieve from the heat.
Firstly, we headed back up to the Mount of Olives for the best view of the Dome of the Rock. We left early this morning to be one of the first up there - and we had the best vantage point. By the time we left the coaches were arriving in droves. 
And then to the old city of Jerusalem. First to St Anne’s church (Anne, or Hannah in Hebrew, was Mary’s mother - and the church is built over the cave where Mary was born). The acoustics in this church were just amazing, and each group sing when they visit. I could have sat in that church for a couple of hours listening, it was just so lovely.
Nearby were the pools of Bethesda (a location where Jesus healed a paralyzed man).
And then we visited the 14 stations of the cross. Stations of the Cross, represents the path that Jesus would have taken, forced by the Roman soldiers, on the way to his crucifixion.  
(1) The place where Jesus was condemned to death;
(3) Jesus falls for the first time;
(5) Simon of Cyrene is made to bear the cross (Chapel of Simon of Cyrene);
(6) Veronica wipes Jesus’ face;
(7) Jesus falls for the second time;
(8) The women of Jerusalem weep over Jesus;
(9) Jesus falls for the third time;
(10) Jesus is stripped of his garments;
(11) Jesus is nailed to the cross;
(12) Jesus dies on the cross;
(13) Jesus is taken down from the cross; and
(14) Jesus is placed in the sepulchre.
The entire journey is only about 600 metres, but the cross was extremely heavy. Some pilgrims recreate this journey by carrying a cross of their own but we didn’t see that today. The last several of these stations (10 -14) are located in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It was extremely crowded in the church, as you would expect at such a historical site.
Number 12 is arguably the most important. It was certainly the one that took the longest for us to visit, as everyone wishes to kneel down to touch the base of where the crucifix stood, and where Jesus died. A significant and important historical place indeed.
Number 14 had a 3 hour wait to get inside the sepulchre (tomb) but we did not do that. At any rate, because Christian faith believes that Jesus rose from the dead, there is no body in the tomb.  
Following this historic walk, we went to lunch. Another falafel sandwich. I will have to learn to make these at home - so good!
And then we had some free time in Old Jerusalem - it’s a fascinating labyrinth of narrow lanes full of shops and restaurants. It’s so easy to get lost in here! But it was so interesting wandering around.
And a final visit to the Western wall. This time, the army was present - about 40 young girls (everyone completes mandatory time in the army after school) complete with their M16s with additional clips on their belts. Our guide spoke to them and they were more than happy to pose for photos!
Our tour then ended at about 3pm. We are all quite literally exhausted from what has been a very busy 7 days. There is so much to see here. The days have been busy and hot, but we feel we have learned so much, not only about the historical sites themselves and the fabulous history but also about the people, various religions that have an interest here (many of the sites have shared control), culture, economy, food and politics. This may well have been the most intense week of learning ever experienced on a holiday and so rewarding. Our guide (Raffi - for Rafiel), was amazing. An absolute encyclopedia of knowledge, and clearly very passionate about his country. 
Israel is a rewarding destination, a wealthy and powerful country for its size. The food is amazing. Obviously, it is the Middle East and Israel is not always popular with its neighbors so tensions can flare at any time. Luckily, our week was free of conflict.
After a recharge, we met some of our fellow travelers for a drink in the bar (a mix from Australia, New Zealand and USA) and we headed into a vibey area for dinner with 5 of the other couples. It was a great night, and the outdoor temperature was just perfect for our last night in Israel. 
Other Entries

Comments

Joan
2023-09-15

Once again great photos set me a lot of History there lots of what I learned at school keep sending them through.

Conno
2023-09-15

When we left Bethlehem and crossed border we had a young girl with machine gun come on the bus. Absolutely stunning girl but still a bit scary.

Suey
2023-09-15

Amazing stories. Everything was just so interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your stories. You have seen so much and described your visit so well! Thank you for the effort you made to write such interesting stories. Your talent as a writer is quite amazing.

2025-02-16

Comment code: Ask author if the code is blank