I'll have to upload this later, but as I'm writing, we're on our way to the northern shores which include the Giant's Causeway. Zach and I have been having fun with the drive... past mile after mile of green pastures, cows, and sheep, Martin zipping along over tiny country roads, Lucy hanging on for dear life and hollering at Martin, Jack (their youngest) out cold, falling over on Zach's shoulder and drooling, and generally just enjoying some beautiful weather. I can't say I'm exactly looking forward to returning to 110 degrees in Phoenix!
Okay, that paragraph was on the way. We're now at Matt's folks' house and I've got some Net time. The Giant's Causeway was remarkable. But the reason I mention being out of shape was the Mount Everest of a hike we went on after it. (Okay, perhaps I'm exaggerating a little...) But wow, what a view. I hope some of the pictures remotely do it justice; I wonder because it was a really cloudy day and it seems to confuse digital cameras color-wise. And size. It's hard to nail the immensity of the place. Kind of like taking pictures of the Grand Canyon; you can get a nice representation of it in a 4x6 print, but it doesn't really do the place justice. Sort of like here. It's one of those places you just have to come see.
On the way back here, Martin and Lucy stopped off and treated us to some classic fish & chips. Good stuff, and HUGE portions! Let the record show, by the way, that I FINISHED EATING BEFORE ZACH. Yes, it occasionally happens.
Tomorrow is a day trip to Dublin, if Zach and I can get up early enough!
It's not as logical a link as this blog, so I figure I should post the link for pictures every so often. Here you go: http://picasaweb.google.com/tth7902/Ireland2010#
Friday, June 04, 2010
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Holly is now Mrs. Gawn!
Well, Holly's successfully married Matt Gawn, and now she really is Gawn. I'm gonna miss seeing her around Phoenix. Congratulations, Holly! :)
The wedding started at 1 p.m. (approximately). It is now 1:14 a.m. and we just got home a bit ago. They really know how to throw weddings and receptions here! I'm not a huge fan for various sundry reasons (not the least of which I played in so dang many in college), but this wedding was fun.
As I said it's 1 in the morning, and we have another big day tomorrow. So this is it for the ruminations tonight. Anyway, great wedding, great reception, great party, great day. God is good, faithful, and gracious, and I have no difficulty believing He had a hand in the fun tonight.
The wedding started at 1 p.m. (approximately). It is now 1:14 a.m. and we just got home a bit ago. They really know how to throw weddings and receptions here! I'm not a huge fan for various sundry reasons (not the least of which I played in so dang many in college), but this wedding was fun.
As I said it's 1 in the morning, and we have another big day tomorrow. So this is it for the ruminations tonight. Anyway, great wedding, great reception, great party, great day. God is good, faithful, and gracious, and I have no difficulty believing He had a hand in the fun tonight.
Funny hosts!
Zach and I are stirring about to get ready for the wedding. Lucy pokes her head in the door this morning and says, "You know you really shouldn't leave your wallet lying about." I says "Oh?" She says, "Aye, you can't trust anybody these days!" I says "Oh?" She says, "Guess who's older than meeeeeee... guess who's older than meeeeeee..." Apparently Lucy got a gander at my drivers license! :)
(Background of the anecdote: Ben almost got himself chucked out the car on the M2 to Belfast yesterday for making over-40 cracks that were aimed at me, but apparently also applied to others in the vehicle!)
(Background of the anecdote: Ben almost got himself chucked out the car on the M2 to Belfast yesterday for making over-40 cracks that were aimed at me, but apparently also applied to others in the vehicle!)
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Sun gets in your eyes
Or is it smoke? Well, here, it's sun. The sun is up til almost 11 p.m... and nobody seems to go to bed early. I really need to get working on these things sooner! Fortunately tomorrow, about all that's going on is the wedding and it's not til 1 in the afternoon... so we get to sleep in. I think. :) Which will be nice, since I'm sleeping better than I have in weeks.
Sunburn in Ireland?
I know, I know, people get sunburned snow skiing all the time. But being from Phoenix, I have a mental block on the phenomenon being a consideration when I'm wearing a jacket! Nothing huge, but I apparently did come back to the house a little pink.
Today was the first day Zach and I got to hang out with Ben. Fun! And considering his alternative was helping his mom and sisters iron wedding dresses, I think he was as happy to be along as we were to have him.
Today was spent at the Folk Museum, and the Transit Museum. For those familiar with the Pioneer Living History Museum outside of Phoenix, or perhaps Williamsburg in Pennsylvania, you'll get what the Folk Museum is like... except it's a LOT bigger. The village is pretty self-contained, but the entire walk (which we didn't do to make sure we had time for the Transit Museum) was apparently some 2.5 miles.
Transit Museum... wow. It had several claims to fame. A room with SEVERAL huge locomotives, a slew of extremely rare cars (including an amphibious car that you could drive around town and then take to the lake... that actually worked!), and even a DeLorean. Probably the biggest and most extensive exhibit though, was the Titanic Exhibit. As you may recall, the Titanic was built right there in Belfast (I'm saying "there," not "here," because we're actually staying in Doagh, about 10 miles away).
Quick stop by Belfast Castle on the way back, since neither Ben nor the two girls (Holly's friends) who met us there had been inside.
Wedding tomorrow! I saw the church today. I'm sure it's gonna be beautiful.
Pictures have been updated. If you don't have the link handy, you can click here.
Today was the first day Zach and I got to hang out with Ben. Fun! And considering his alternative was helping his mom and sisters iron wedding dresses, I think he was as happy to be along as we were to have him.
Today was spent at the Folk Museum, and the Transit Museum. For those familiar with the Pioneer Living History Museum outside of Phoenix, or perhaps Williamsburg in Pennsylvania, you'll get what the Folk Museum is like... except it's a LOT bigger. The village is pretty self-contained, but the entire walk (which we didn't do to make sure we had time for the Transit Museum) was apparently some 2.5 miles.
Transit Museum... wow. It had several claims to fame. A room with SEVERAL huge locomotives, a slew of extremely rare cars (including an amphibious car that you could drive around town and then take to the lake... that actually worked!), and even a DeLorean. Probably the biggest and most extensive exhibit though, was the Titanic Exhibit. As you may recall, the Titanic was built right there in Belfast (I'm saying "there," not "here," because we're actually staying in Doagh, about 10 miles away).
Quick stop by Belfast Castle on the way back, since neither Ben nor the two girls (Holly's friends) who met us there had been inside.
Wedding tomorrow! I saw the church today. I'm sure it's gonna be beautiful.
Pictures have been updated. If you don't have the link handy, you can click here.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Driving in Ireland and other ruminations
It is always inadvisable, I suppose, to paint with too broad a brush, but I think this is reasonably accurate: the Irish drive fast. It's just an observation—anyone would say I'm certainly one to talk—but what makes it memorable is that the roads in Phoenix where I do my leadfooting are a little more than 8 feet wide! I exaggerate somewhat, of course. But it is funny nevertheless. It reminds me somewhat of being back in Romania with our latest talented-but-crazy Romanian daredevil ferrying us from one village to another. These guys are talented, too. And fast! Pastor, you'd love driving here. :)
Today we took a bus tour through Belfast, ate at McDonald's, and spent the afternoon at the Ulster museum before heading out to the rehearsal dinner.
Bus tour... worth the 12 pounds 50 pence. A lot of information!
Some people (Pastor) have already heckled me for going to McDonald's. But it's intentional. We've been eating normal Irish fare most of the time, but I like going to McDonald's wherever I travel: it's interesting to see the local spin on an American institution.
An interesting note on the rehearsal dinner: it was a novelty for the folks here! Apparently there is no such thing in Ireland. But Holly is from the States, so there was a rehearsal dinner.
I am in the process of moving pictures from Dropbox to Picasa since they can be captioned (which I've not finished yet, sorry). Please click here to see them in the new location.
My parting advice: if you don't want to feel quite ripped off, don't try to call your brother or a good friend from your church from a pay-as-you-go phone purchased in the UK!
Today we took a bus tour through Belfast, ate at McDonald's, and spent the afternoon at the Ulster museum before heading out to the rehearsal dinner.
Bus tour... worth the 12 pounds 50 pence. A lot of information!
Some people (Pastor) have already heckled me for going to McDonald's. But it's intentional. We've been eating normal Irish fare most of the time, but I like going to McDonald's wherever I travel: it's interesting to see the local spin on an American institution.
An interesting note on the rehearsal dinner: it was a novelty for the folks here! Apparently there is no such thing in Ireland. But Holly is from the States, so there was a rehearsal dinner.
I am in the process of moving pictures from Dropbox to Picasa since they can be captioned (which I've not finished yet, sorry). Please click here to see them in the new location.
My parting advice: if you don't want to feel quite ripped off, don't try to call your brother or a good friend from your church from a pay-as-you-go phone purchased in the UK!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Belfast and tired!
Well, we made it. Not without a little delay in Newark while mechanics went onboard to troubleshoot "a mechanical issue" (something you want to hear on your way across an ocean!), decided it couldn't be fixed in a timely fashion, waited for a plane to get there from Heathrow, and got into Belfast about 90 minutes later than scheduled. But we made it.
Anyone who knows me at all will appreciate this. On the trip between Newark and Belfast, Zach elbowed me and motioned to the book the lady next to him was reading... Surprised By Joy. Yup... by C.S. Lewis. It took no time at all before we were yacking away about our favorite books and why. Very nice lady by the name of Mari Anne. Gave us a couple of ideas on what to see once we'd landed, too.
Belfast is beautiful. Old, pastoral, and eminently walkable: something I really enjoy, coming from Phoenix where everything is a minimum of 15 miles from my house. Zach and I went with Matt to get a prepaid phone, and walked the two miles back to the house we're staying at. Loved it!
For those wondering, yes... stuff is pretty expensive. The pound has fallen against the dollar ($1.45 to the pound as of this writing), but that only means that it's now slightly less pricey than it was before. But I think as long as we're careful with our food budget and where we stay and whatnot, we'll do okay.
If you're interested in pictures... check here. The photos are uploading right now so depending on when you check, they may or may not all be there yet.
For now, though, I think I'm going to leave this at "We're safe, we're here"... I'm too tired to think. Here's hoping I can get some SLEEP tonight!
Anyone who knows me at all will appreciate this. On the trip between Newark and Belfast, Zach elbowed me and motioned to the book the lady next to him was reading... Surprised By Joy. Yup... by C.S. Lewis. It took no time at all before we were yacking away about our favorite books and why. Very nice lady by the name of Mari Anne. Gave us a couple of ideas on what to see once we'd landed, too.
Belfast is beautiful. Old, pastoral, and eminently walkable: something I really enjoy, coming from Phoenix where everything is a minimum of 15 miles from my house. Zach and I went with Matt to get a prepaid phone, and walked the two miles back to the house we're staying at. Loved it!
For those wondering, yes... stuff is pretty expensive. The pound has fallen against the dollar ($1.45 to the pound as of this writing), but that only means that it's now slightly less pricey than it was before. But I think as long as we're careful with our food budget and where we stay and whatnot, we'll do okay.
If you're interested in pictures... check here. The photos are uploading right now so depending on when you check, they may or may not all be there yet.
For now, though, I think I'm going to leave this at "We're safe, we're here"... I'm too tired to think. Here's hoping I can get some SLEEP tonight!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Ireland or Bust
I got a degree in Communications. I think I'm a reasonably good listener. But I am apparently not always as effective a communicator as I could wish! I'm at Sky Harbor Airport with my buddy Zach, headed for Belfast, Ireland. Been planning for months. Thought I mentioned it to my folks. Turns out I mentioned the possibility of going, never told 'em that I was. Sorry, Mom & Dad!
So: official notification to loved ones one and all: I'm headed to Ireland for a couple of weeks of much-needed vacation. A good friend from church is getting married in Belfast (or in Ballyclare, to be specific) on the 3rd, and then Zach and I are going to see as much as time and funds allow. If that Icelandic volcano decides to blow again, I just hope it does so after we get there.
Went to bed at 3 this morning. Not really awake enough to wax poetic or profound, I'm mostly just kicking off this journal of sorts in hopes that I will have time, opportunity, and inclination to continue it while I'm gone.
So: official notification to loved ones one and all: I'm headed to Ireland for a couple of weeks of much-needed vacation. A good friend from church is getting married in Belfast (or in Ballyclare, to be specific) on the 3rd, and then Zach and I are going to see as much as time and funds allow. If that Icelandic volcano decides to blow again, I just hope it does so after we get there.
Went to bed at 3 this morning. Not really awake enough to wax poetic or profound, I'm mostly just kicking off this journal of sorts in hopes that I will have time, opportunity, and inclination to continue it while I'm gone.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
The End
March 17, 2008 - 01:45
Yes, that's 1:45 a.m. I'm back home, and like a dolt I slept 7 hours this afternoon (basically during the same time I'd be sleeping in Israel). I guess adjusting to Phoenix time will have to wait a bit longer.
This concludes my journal of Israel, and now all that's left is to post the pictures... which is going to take hours to plow through and figure out which ones are best to post. The benefit of digital is that you can take a LOT and just pick the ones you want later. The bad thing is that you can take a LOT and just pick the ones you want later. :)
Tedd
Click here for the pictures! I would suggest clicking Slide Show above the first row; it's easier to see them that way since it auto-advances the shots. You can click forward or back and pause as well, if you need to, which you will if you want to read the explanatory signs I included, but it's easier overall and much less cluttered-looking, I think.
Yes, that's 1:45 a.m. I'm back home, and like a dolt I slept 7 hours this afternoon (basically during the same time I'd be sleeping in Israel). I guess adjusting to Phoenix time will have to wait a bit longer.
This concludes my journal of Israel, and now all that's left is to post the pictures... which is going to take hours to plow through and figure out which ones are best to post. The benefit of digital is that you can take a LOT and just pick the ones you want later. The bad thing is that you can take a LOT and just pick the ones you want later. :)
Tedd
Click here for the pictures! I would suggest clicking Slide Show above the first row; it's easier to see them that way since it auto-advances the shots. You can click forward or back and pause as well, if you need to, which you will if you want to read the explanatory signs I included, but it's easier overall and much less cluttered-looking, I think.
Heading Home
March 15 - 23:00
We just took off from Tel Aviv a little while ago, and I have been sitting here drumming my fingers on the little dinner tray in front of me trying to think up some sage way to summarize the trip. I've concluded that I can't–at least, not with what's left of my faculties after a busy day and really busy couple of weeks. And looking back over what I've written, perhaps no summary is necessary. But I will say this: if you are able, go.
I reared up at the idea that this was a "pilgrimage" when someone called it that; pilgrimage almost has too many "mere religion" overtones to me, like something one sets out to do to gain approval from one's god or God. But on this end of the trip, I think that's the right word. And it's a pilgrimage worth taking.
The four Gospels have everything we need for salvation, but the Fifth Gospel is definitely worth reading as well. Even with all the hazards, all the headaches, the long trips and overpriced falafels, I can think of no substitute for walking where Jesus walked, seeing what He saw, and getting to know Him just a little better in the process.
Shalom, y'all!
We just took off from Tel Aviv a little while ago, and I have been sitting here drumming my fingers on the little dinner tray in front of me trying to think up some sage way to summarize the trip. I've concluded that I can't–at least, not with what's left of my faculties after a busy day and really busy couple of weeks. And looking back over what I've written, perhaps no summary is necessary. But I will say this: if you are able, go.
I reared up at the idea that this was a "pilgrimage" when someone called it that; pilgrimage almost has too many "mere religion" overtones to me, like something one sets out to do to gain approval from one's god or God. But on this end of the trip, I think that's the right word. And it's a pilgrimage worth taking.
The four Gospels have everything we need for salvation, but the Fifth Gospel is definitely worth reading as well. Even with all the hazards, all the headaches, the long trips and overpriced falafels, I can think of no substitute for walking where Jesus walked, seeing what He saw, and getting to know Him just a little better in the process.
Shalom, y'all!
All Good Things
March 15, 2008 - 18:12
Just now leaving Abu-Nassar Hinnawi, an apparently famous restaurant in Jaffa. It was actually quite a good spread, though for some reason everyone up and headed for the bus about 25 minutes before we needed to (at Med's instigation, I understand?)... so we didn't get to enjoy the tea and baclava they set out! Actually, Bill, Rick and I stuck around long enough to try the tea. But it was a pretty good dinner... makings of falafels for an appetizer, and then some beef-lamb mixture of sorts to make two little burgers, and a shishkebab of chicken for the main meal. Having said all that, I've enjoyed almost everything I've tried here, but am looking forward to eating things I can pronounce.
Nader just shared his hope that he has helped make the Gospel come alive for us in a new way as a result of what we've seen, and hopes that we will be different people going back than when we first arrived. I think he did, and I think we are. It is not that I believe more fully than I did before–if anything, I can better understand how the Gospel would be difficult for some people to accept just because of the sheer ordinariness of the surroundings here. I don't think Jesus ever intended to leave incontrovertible, geographic proofs of His life and ministry; His proofs are the lives of His followers, and I suppose it has been that way since Matthew 28.
It seems an eternity since I first wrote what I hoped for out of this trip... 1) to learn something I didn't know before; 2) to get preconceived notions out of my head by coming up against reality, and 3) to get a different perspective on Who God is as a result of my visit here. I think I mostly succeeded.
Learn something I didn't know before. Facts-wise, that's a given... Nader is a walking encyclopedia. Otherwise, I'm still processing. I think I can say I didn't really know much about how Arabs and Israelis interact with each other in the Holy Land. Obviously not every Arab is a bomb-throwing crazy (Nader said that neither he nor any of his friends, Christian OR Muslim, have any use whatever for Osama bin Laden... and he cried when he heard about 9/11)... but Jerusalem is nevertheless very divided. Muslims, Christians, and Jews live in distinct parts of the city.
I also didn't know exactly how seriously Jews take the Sabbath. As inconvenient as it was sometimes (all the stores are closed and you do NOT want to have to wait for a shabbat elevator!), it's still kinda cool that they're pretty insistent that things take a breather on the Sabbath. there are enough Arabs and non-practicing Jews to where the city isn't completely dead on Saturday, but there is a noticeable drop in activity.
And finally, I didn't know just how run-of-the mill Jesus' crucifixion would have been to probably a good chunk of the Jerusalem population. Crucifixions happened all the time. There was a would-be messiah on every other corner, preaching about a coming deliverance for Israel. So what was so different about Jesus? Ah, that's the stuff of legend. And the Gospels. And Christianity.
Preconceived notions. The preconceived notions that I came with, namely, that the Jews are the people to whom God promised this land, I still largely have intact. The belief that they have the right to defend themselves from the constant barrage of indiscriminate rocket attacks into southern towns, attacks that terrorize, injure, and kill innocent civilians, hasn't changed one bit. I can to some degree understand the frustration that would give rise to such radicalism, but that makes it no less unconscionable.
The Jerusalem Post pointed out in an op-ed today that the U.S., in its efforts to appear even-handed so as not to tick off excitable Muslim types, acts as if Israel and the Palestinians are equally at fault for the stalled peace process. In reality, whereas Israel has moved from being almost totally against a two-state solution to a majority being for it or at least seeing it as a necessity, the Palestinians have made almost no movement for their part toward embracing such a concept... which is logical, since so many of them are still stuck on the notion that Israel doesn't have a right to exist in the first place. And how are you supposed to deal with someone like that?
Having said all that, and having made it probably quite obvious that I'm incorrigibly pro-Israel (see Gen. 12:3, Zech. 2:8), I will also say that again, I was reminded that there are always–always–two sides to every story. I would like to take a trip like this again with perhaps a Messianic Jew as a tour guide, but it was a good thing to have a Christian Arab Israeli guide, I think. Apart from the fact that he was probably able to take us some places a Jew could not, it is the very fact that his perspective is different that is good. I don't view disagreement as an automatically bad thing. I have a pretty good handle on the American perspective, I think. I have a better handle on the Jewish perspective because of my friend in Jerusalem. I had not, prior to this trip, had a chance to hear from an Arab who lives there.
A different perspective of Who God is. I can't say that I had any earth-shaking epiphanies this trip. Maybe because I wasn't specifically looking for them, maybe because I didn't have any more space in my head for anything else after all the input and information I was getting! But I think I got a really good look at the reality that Jesus was born into.
It's one thing to hear that He was born of humble birth. It's another to see the cave where Mary laid Him (more over-the-top trappings notwithstanding).
It's one thing to hear that He was from a podunk town. It's another to see the somewhat ramshackle town of Nazareth, hardly a dump but still probably not a lot more glamorous than the town Nathaniel was shocked a prophet could hail from.
It's one thing to hear that He died like a common criminal. It's another to see the little rise in the ground that Golgotha probably was... not the ponderous mountain one sees in paintings, the focal point of that day for all of Jerusalem. To have such a humble birth, one could perhaps understand–but to face such an ignominious death? I got just a bit more of a glimpse of how Isaiah described Him in chapter 53.
Just now leaving Abu-Nassar Hinnawi, an apparently famous restaurant in Jaffa. It was actually quite a good spread, though for some reason everyone up and headed for the bus about 25 minutes before we needed to (at Med's instigation, I understand?)... so we didn't get to enjoy the tea and baclava they set out! Actually, Bill, Rick and I stuck around long enough to try the tea. But it was a pretty good dinner... makings of falafels for an appetizer, and then some beef-lamb mixture of sorts to make two little burgers, and a shishkebab of chicken for the main meal. Having said all that, I've enjoyed almost everything I've tried here, but am looking forward to eating things I can pronounce.
Nader just shared his hope that he has helped make the Gospel come alive for us in a new way as a result of what we've seen, and hopes that we will be different people going back than when we first arrived. I think he did, and I think we are. It is not that I believe more fully than I did before–if anything, I can better understand how the Gospel would be difficult for some people to accept just because of the sheer ordinariness of the surroundings here. I don't think Jesus ever intended to leave incontrovertible, geographic proofs of His life and ministry; His proofs are the lives of His followers, and I suppose it has been that way since Matthew 28.
It seems an eternity since I first wrote what I hoped for out of this trip... 1) to learn something I didn't know before; 2) to get preconceived notions out of my head by coming up against reality, and 3) to get a different perspective on Who God is as a result of my visit here. I think I mostly succeeded.
Learn something I didn't know before. Facts-wise, that's a given... Nader is a walking encyclopedia. Otherwise, I'm still processing. I think I can say I didn't really know much about how Arabs and Israelis interact with each other in the Holy Land. Obviously not every Arab is a bomb-throwing crazy (Nader said that neither he nor any of his friends, Christian OR Muslim, have any use whatever for Osama bin Laden... and he cried when he heard about 9/11)... but Jerusalem is nevertheless very divided. Muslims, Christians, and Jews live in distinct parts of the city.
I also didn't know exactly how seriously Jews take the Sabbath. As inconvenient as it was sometimes (all the stores are closed and you do NOT want to have to wait for a shabbat elevator!), it's still kinda cool that they're pretty insistent that things take a breather on the Sabbath. there are enough Arabs and non-practicing Jews to where the city isn't completely dead on Saturday, but there is a noticeable drop in activity.
And finally, I didn't know just how run-of-the mill Jesus' crucifixion would have been to probably a good chunk of the Jerusalem population. Crucifixions happened all the time. There was a would-be messiah on every other corner, preaching about a coming deliverance for Israel. So what was so different about Jesus? Ah, that's the stuff of legend. And the Gospels. And Christianity.
Preconceived notions. The preconceived notions that I came with, namely, that the Jews are the people to whom God promised this land, I still largely have intact. The belief that they have the right to defend themselves from the constant barrage of indiscriminate rocket attacks into southern towns, attacks that terrorize, injure, and kill innocent civilians, hasn't changed one bit. I can to some degree understand the frustration that would give rise to such radicalism, but that makes it no less unconscionable.
The Jerusalem Post pointed out in an op-ed today that the U.S., in its efforts to appear even-handed so as not to tick off excitable Muslim types, acts as if Israel and the Palestinians are equally at fault for the stalled peace process. In reality, whereas Israel has moved from being almost totally against a two-state solution to a majority being for it or at least seeing it as a necessity, the Palestinians have made almost no movement for their part toward embracing such a concept... which is logical, since so many of them are still stuck on the notion that Israel doesn't have a right to exist in the first place. And how are you supposed to deal with someone like that?
Having said all that, and having made it probably quite obvious that I'm incorrigibly pro-Israel (see Gen. 12:3, Zech. 2:8), I will also say that again, I was reminded that there are always–always–two sides to every story. I would like to take a trip like this again with perhaps a Messianic Jew as a tour guide, but it was a good thing to have a Christian Arab Israeli guide, I think. Apart from the fact that he was probably able to take us some places a Jew could not, it is the very fact that his perspective is different that is good. I don't view disagreement as an automatically bad thing. I have a pretty good handle on the American perspective, I think. I have a better handle on the Jewish perspective because of my friend in Jerusalem. I had not, prior to this trip, had a chance to hear from an Arab who lives there.
A different perspective of Who God is. I can't say that I had any earth-shaking epiphanies this trip. Maybe because I wasn't specifically looking for them, maybe because I didn't have any more space in my head for anything else after all the input and information I was getting! But I think I got a really good look at the reality that Jesus was born into.
It's one thing to hear that He was born of humble birth. It's another to see the cave where Mary laid Him (more over-the-top trappings notwithstanding).
It's one thing to hear that He was from a podunk town. It's another to see the somewhat ramshackle town of Nazareth, hardly a dump but still probably not a lot more glamorous than the town Nathaniel was shocked a prophet could hail from.
It's one thing to hear that He died like a common criminal. It's another to see the little rise in the ground that Golgotha probably was... not the ponderous mountain one sees in paintings, the focal point of that day for all of Jerusalem. To have such a humble birth, one could perhaps understand–but to face such an ignominious death? I got just a bit more of a glimpse of how Isaiah described Him in chapter 53.
On to Tel Aviv... Then Home
March 15 - throughout the day
I didn't put a time for this entry because I'll probably be adding to it as time permits throughout the day. We had to check out of the rooms at 11, so I didn't have a chance to post anything before leaving with all the packing and redistribution I had to do.
My friend Ori came to the hotel again today so we could hang out and see some sights before it was time to head for Tel Aviv, so Ori and Rick (who had trouble with his room key and got left by the group going to the mall) and I headed out. Ori is a gracious host and kept loading us up with cool new things to eat. I couldn't begin to tell you what all the stuff was called! But we went by several places we didn't get a chance to on the tour, like the beautiful valley of En Karem. Apparently the appeal of the place hasn't escaped the notice of Realtors and buyers... Ori told us houses in the area go for some US$2-3 million.
From there we went to Abu Ghosh - it's a modern Arab village near Emmaus, and our tour guide mentioned it on the way out of town! Rick and I looked smugly at each other, for we had just been there. Unlike these other deprived Philistines on the bus. Just kidding, guys. :) Anyway, we stopped there at a little shop where Ori got us some Arab sweets... very odd flavors and textures, but good. And probably healthy, as opposed to most American versions of sweets. There was also a super strong coffee, flavored with an herb I couldn't pronounce. I'm not a coffee drinker so I probably couldn't appreciate it as much as some of my coffee hound compadres might, but I was glad I got a chance to try it.
We got back to the hotel in plenty of time, and Ori spent the rest of the time before we departed talking to several other members of the group. It was funny, but I think he was quite the celebrity... a local that wasn't getting paid to hang out with us!
We're on our way to Jaffa for our going-away dinner, and then on to Tel Aviv to fly out. I'm really not looking forward to the crazy security, but considering where we are, I can hardly blame them.
I didn't put a time for this entry because I'll probably be adding to it as time permits throughout the day. We had to check out of the rooms at 11, so I didn't have a chance to post anything before leaving with all the packing and redistribution I had to do.
My friend Ori came to the hotel again today so we could hang out and see some sights before it was time to head for Tel Aviv, so Ori and Rick (who had trouble with his room key and got left by the group going to the mall) and I headed out. Ori is a gracious host and kept loading us up with cool new things to eat. I couldn't begin to tell you what all the stuff was called! But we went by several places we didn't get a chance to on the tour, like the beautiful valley of En Karem. Apparently the appeal of the place hasn't escaped the notice of Realtors and buyers... Ori told us houses in the area go for some US$2-3 million.
From there we went to Abu Ghosh - it's a modern Arab village near Emmaus, and our tour guide mentioned it on the way out of town! Rick and I looked smugly at each other, for we had just been there. Unlike these other deprived Philistines on the bus. Just kidding, guys. :) Anyway, we stopped there at a little shop where Ori got us some Arab sweets... very odd flavors and textures, but good. And probably healthy, as opposed to most American versions of sweets. There was also a super strong coffee, flavored with an herb I couldn't pronounce. I'm not a coffee drinker so I probably couldn't appreciate it as much as some of my coffee hound compadres might, but I was glad I got a chance to try it.
We got back to the hotel in plenty of time, and Ori spent the rest of the time before we departed talking to several other members of the group. It was funny, but I think he was quite the celebrity... a local that wasn't getting paid to hang out with us!
We're on our way to Jaffa for our going-away dinner, and then on to Tel Aviv to fly out. I'm really not looking forward to the crazy security, but considering where we are, I can hardly blame them.
Home Stretch
March 14, 2008 - end of the day
As long and exhausting as this trip has been, it's also gone by rather quickly! Hard to believe we head back to Phoenix tomorrow night already. We only went three places today, so this one should be short.
Temple Institute. If you want to get eschatological shivers, go to this place. It is the group working feverishly to get all the implements ready for the Third Temple. The guide explained how they don't know yet exactly how they're going to get the Temple built (there is the small matter of the Dome of the Rock and not wanting to start World War III), but they want to have everything ready for when construction starts. What they've done even so far is remarkable. The blue of the high priest's tunic comes from a special kind of snail, and it takes hundreds (if not thousands) of the slimy little suckers to make a very small quantity of dye, so in ancient times only royalty (and priests) would wear the color.
All of the things made out of gold, silver, gold-covered acacia wood, etc. as instructed in the Torah are all being done the same way now.
There is one thing the high priest wears that I thought was amazingly insightful (God gave all the instructions–go figure)... the garments the High Priest wears are incredible. His office is unique. It would be easy to get a fat head and start fancying that his position had something to do with his own merits. To help deter this kind of thought process, the high priest also wears a solid gold crown (more a thick band than imperial crowns you might see in the West) with one simple phrase inscribed on the front of it in large letters: "HOLY UNTO THE LORD." The only reason he is decked out as he is is because he is going to be in the presence of God. The splendor of what he wears has more to do with Whom he serves than who he is.
Maybe that ought to be an accessory in places in the U.S. where people still get almost more decked out for Easter Sunday than their high school kids do for the Prom?
House of Caiaphas. This is where Jesus underwent the first of several kangaroo courts (there are apparently all sorts of laws that were broken in the way the "trials" were held, including time and location). Underneath the site is a place believed to be the remains of a sort of prison, where Jesus was probably held at some point of their deliberations. The place was dry, but dark and foreboding... I can just imagine a soon-to-be crucifixion victim sitting there, having a lot of time to anticipate a pretty horrible fate.
Garden Tomb. This is the other site besides the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where there is a decent amount of archaeological evidence suggesting Jesus was buried. It is certainly a little easier to imagine, away from the over-the-top ornamentation and wall-to-wall people at the Church. But the presenter at the Garden Tomb probably said it best... "It could have been here that Jesus was buried, it could have been where the Church of the Holy Sepulcher now stands, but the point is, wherever He was buried, He didn't stay buried long." Amen.
I think that's one reason I have been so awed by Jerusalem as a whole, but somewhat less so about individual sites... there is just too much speculation sometimes to know for sure if they are indeed the places they commemorate... too much history built over the place, more built over that, and still more again... but the most important thing is, they happened. And they happened in this city... in this region. It is amazing to walk the same streets, even if it's a different level of the same streets.
Infidel! Or man, at least...
An old beggar woman in the square where we ate lunch yesterday came around with her hand out, and I gave her a few coins that I had. Well, indirectly. I started to hand them to her, and she backed away a little bit and pointed to the ground. Fortunately I'm not completely dense, so I figured out what she wanted. I put the coins on the ground, where she then stooped over to pick them up. Apparently that got old for someone her age, because I noticed the next guy from whom she got some coins put them in the corner of her veil at her direction... that way there was still no direct contact, but she didn't have to bend down to pick it up, either. I asked our Arab tour guide if it was because I was a man or because I wasn't a Muslim, but he said it was because I was a man. I guess she can't touch a male outside her family without being made unclean in the process. I don't know the exact regulations.
To be honest, I've gotten really tired of spending 7 to 10 dollars for every lunch... which is usually a falafel and a drink, so I took off by myself in the Old City to go find some bread and fruit on my own. I did indeed get something like lunch for about 9 shekels, or approximately $2.50, and didn't even get lost on the tiny winding streets, thank you very much!
The only dark spot on the day was Giselle taking a tumble on some uneven stairs at the Garden Tomb, but other than being sore, happily she didn't break anything. With all those uneven ancient stone steps and walkways, even harder (I venture) than cement, it could have been worse.
That about wraps it up for today. Hard to believe we're heading home tomorrow night.
As long and exhausting as this trip has been, it's also gone by rather quickly! Hard to believe we head back to Phoenix tomorrow night already. We only went three places today, so this one should be short.
Temple Institute. If you want to get eschatological shivers, go to this place. It is the group working feverishly to get all the implements ready for the Third Temple. The guide explained how they don't know yet exactly how they're going to get the Temple built (there is the small matter of the Dome of the Rock and not wanting to start World War III), but they want to have everything ready for when construction starts. What they've done even so far is remarkable. The blue of the high priest's tunic comes from a special kind of snail, and it takes hundreds (if not thousands) of the slimy little suckers to make a very small quantity of dye, so in ancient times only royalty (and priests) would wear the color.
All of the things made out of gold, silver, gold-covered acacia wood, etc. as instructed in the Torah are all being done the same way now.
There is one thing the high priest wears that I thought was amazingly insightful (God gave all the instructions–go figure)... the garments the High Priest wears are incredible. His office is unique. It would be easy to get a fat head and start fancying that his position had something to do with his own merits. To help deter this kind of thought process, the high priest also wears a solid gold crown (more a thick band than imperial crowns you might see in the West) with one simple phrase inscribed on the front of it in large letters: "HOLY UNTO THE LORD." The only reason he is decked out as he is is because he is going to be in the presence of God. The splendor of what he wears has more to do with Whom he serves than who he is.
Maybe that ought to be an accessory in places in the U.S. where people still get almost more decked out for Easter Sunday than their high school kids do for the Prom?
House of Caiaphas. This is where Jesus underwent the first of several kangaroo courts (there are apparently all sorts of laws that were broken in the way the "trials" were held, including time and location). Underneath the site is a place believed to be the remains of a sort of prison, where Jesus was probably held at some point of their deliberations. The place was dry, but dark and foreboding... I can just imagine a soon-to-be crucifixion victim sitting there, having a lot of time to anticipate a pretty horrible fate.
Garden Tomb. This is the other site besides the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where there is a decent amount of archaeological evidence suggesting Jesus was buried. It is certainly a little easier to imagine, away from the over-the-top ornamentation and wall-to-wall people at the Church. But the presenter at the Garden Tomb probably said it best... "It could have been here that Jesus was buried, it could have been where the Church of the Holy Sepulcher now stands, but the point is, wherever He was buried, He didn't stay buried long." Amen.
I think that's one reason I have been so awed by Jerusalem as a whole, but somewhat less so about individual sites... there is just too much speculation sometimes to know for sure if they are indeed the places they commemorate... too much history built over the place, more built over that, and still more again... but the most important thing is, they happened. And they happened in this city... in this region. It is amazing to walk the same streets, even if it's a different level of the same streets.
Infidel! Or man, at least...
An old beggar woman in the square where we ate lunch yesterday came around with her hand out, and I gave her a few coins that I had. Well, indirectly. I started to hand them to her, and she backed away a little bit and pointed to the ground. Fortunately I'm not completely dense, so I figured out what she wanted. I put the coins on the ground, where she then stooped over to pick them up. Apparently that got old for someone her age, because I noticed the next guy from whom she got some coins put them in the corner of her veil at her direction... that way there was still no direct contact, but she didn't have to bend down to pick it up, either. I asked our Arab tour guide if it was because I was a man or because I wasn't a Muslim, but he said it was because I was a man. I guess she can't touch a male outside her family without being made unclean in the process. I don't know the exact regulations.
To be honest, I've gotten really tired of spending 7 to 10 dollars for every lunch... which is usually a falafel and a drink, so I took off by myself in the Old City to go find some bread and fruit on my own. I did indeed get something like lunch for about 9 shekels, or approximately $2.50, and didn't even get lost on the tiny winding streets, thank you very much!
The only dark spot on the day was Giselle taking a tumble on some uneven stairs at the Garden Tomb, but other than being sore, happily she didn't break anything. With all those uneven ancient stone steps and walkways, even harder (I venture) than cement, it could have been worse.
That about wraps it up for today. Hard to believe we're heading home tomorrow night.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Superwalk and Midnight Tunnels
March 13, 2008 - 16:58
Our travels today took us to the Old City of Jerusalem. There is security to get in this area, and the place is crawling with cops (I don't think most Americans are accustomed to seeing someone standing around with a submachine gun on every other corner!). The police in the Old City look even more no-nonsense than almost everywhere else, but then it occurred to me why.
The Temple Mount, the obvious focus of the Old City, is the most hotly contested patch of land on the planet. Muslim countries tend to blame Israel for everything, including poverty, displacement, bad weather, and probably bunions. It therefore behooves the Israeli security forces to be zealous about guarding against any shenanigans against the Dome of the Rock by extremists of any sort. If anything happened to it, full-scale attacks would almost certainly begin almost before Al Jazeera finished reporting it.
Having said all that, a trip into the Old City is well worth it. For me, that was kind of where "the rubber met the road." So much happened there. The Middle East is the epicenter of world affairs... always has been. Jerusalem is the epicenter of the Middle East. Always has been. And the Temple Mount has always been the epicenter of Jerusalem. I still don't know quite what the Muslim claim on Jerusalem is, but of course it is the place where Jews believe the presence of God (Shekinah) dwelt when the Temple was intact, and where Christians believe Jesus was tried, crucified, buried, and resurrected.
We saw far too much to try to chronicle everything, but I will try to hit the highlights that I am guessing will be interesting to the people I most anticipate will read this. As for the "Superwalk" in the post title? All of this that we saw was within the Old City... so we got there by bus, and that was the last we saw of the bus until we went back to the hotel. Everything else was on foot over innumerable steps!
Dome of the Rock. This of course is the blue, golden-domed mosque that most people probably think of when they think of the Jerusalem skyline. Until about eight years ago, anyone could go in. After the clash between Arabs and Israelis when Sharon showed up at the mosque with a bunch of armed men, it is now open only to Arabs or Muslims. Period.
St. Anne's Church. Though this church is definitely all about Mary, it is more or less named after Mary's mother Hannah. It was built in the 12th Century (1131-1138 A.D.) to replace an even older Byzantine church. The church has two particular characteristics: 1) It is adjacent to the Pool of Bethesda, and 2) its windows are made of translucent alabaster. Jesus healing the paralytic without him going down into the water is significant. There was a Roman temple to the god of healing there, and Jesus wanted to make it clear that it was He Who healed the man, not the pool or the god of healing that the Romans worshiped.
Church of the Condemnation. This chapel is Station 1 of the Cross. It was presumably built over the place where Jesus was first officially condemned.
Church of the Flagellation. This chapel is Station 2 of the Cross. Just across the way from Station 1 on the same property, this is built over where Jesus was scourged.
Via Dolorosa. Yes, we walked it. And it probably looks much the same as it did when Jesus was carrying His cross to Golgotha. Ryan A., I thought of you and your favorite song on more than one occasion on that walk!
Church of the Holy Sepulchre. One word: amazing. For a couple of reasons. 1) The church, though a bit on the gaudy side as Orthodox churches are prone to be, the church is nonetheless impressive both because of its size and the complexity of its design, being built around two natural formations of significance. 2) This church houses what apparently even some Protestant scholars are coming to believe what is most likely the site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial both. As with the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, I had trouble making a connection between all the knick-knack bric-a-brac in the church, and a simple, ghastly cross on a skull-shaped mound and tomb a little ways away. That, and the wall-to-wall people weren't really conducive to heavy-duty reflection. But it still ranks as one of the top 5 things I hoped to see here, I think. Never before this trip did I fully internalize what is meant by the fact that Jesus was killed as a common criminal. Golgotha is not a spectacular hill overlooking the city or anything... it's a rock formation a little higher than the ground just outside the city wall where people would walk by. The condemned would have hung just a little higher than pedestrians on the road next to it. Somehow, that makes Jesus' death even more ghastly than it was... it truly would not have been a momentous event for a lot of people... the sacrifice He made for us was not marked as such; to some He was just one more criminal in a long line of criminals who met their ends on that little rise in the ground outside.
St. Mark's Church (Syrian Orthodox). This is the church our guide attends. It is built over what there is apparently strong archaeological evidence for is the room where the Holy Spirit came on the disciples at Pentecost. A lady who worked there, Josefina (sp.?), sang the Lord's Prayer for us in Aramaic, and then recounted a time where God seems to have re-enacted the tongues bit. A Russian man came in, and he and Josefina carried on a conversation in English for a good hour or so. The thing is, when she ran into him again a year or so later, he was speaking Russian. She asked him "why don't you speak English like we did before?" thinking he was playing a joke on her. He insisted he didn't know English. Never had. He insisted she was messing with him. She just said "no, it was the Holy Spirit."
A personal highlight of my day... finally getting to meet a friend I met almost by accident (my accident, anyway--I suppose God might beg to differ) some 14 years ago online. He was in the Israeli army at the time, and we landed in the same Religion & Theology forum at some point. At the time, there were some pretty excitable Christians in the forum we were in, and my friend was making comments he probably knew would tick them off. He played that violin beautifully, I gather, insofar as the excitable types were only too happy to commence flaming him up one side and down the other! I started a separate chat with him, and we wound up conversing for quite awhile. We've kept in touch ever since, some 14 years down the road. It was really fun to finally get to meet face to face. If all goes well, he'll be able to join us and tag along tomorrow. I hope so.
Western Wall Tunnels. This was our last stop of the day... or early morning, I guess I should say. They are so busy that our scheduled tour was at 12:00 midnight! There were several interesting things about this visit. Number one, men and women had to go in different entrances. Number two, women could pray at the western wall, but only separated by a partition from the men. Number three, in one of the tunnels, an orthodox Jew shielded his eyes on our side as he passed. At first I had half a mind to get offended on behalf of our group until I realized what he was doing... shielding his eyes from the women in our group!
The tunnels themselves are archaeological digs under the Old City, in part to learn more about the city in the time of Herod (much of which is still available under ground level). What I thought was the most spectacular feature: a single, solid stone more than 40 feet in length, and weighing over 400 tons. It is the largest and heaviest single stone ever moved by man as far as anyone knows. This dwarfs anything that even the pyramids contained... and I didn't know anyone could improve on that.
Part of what we're doing tomorrow is looking at the massive preparations underway for the building of the new Temple. Eschatology buffs, yes, I am well aware of the prophetic implications of that. I can't wait to see if our guide is as well. But the walking encyclopedia that he is, I imagine so. :)
It's now 2:12 a.m., so I'd really better get to bed. I just didn't want to fall any more behind in this thing, or I know I'll never catch up! Peace to you, whenever and wherever you're reading.
Tedd
Our travels today took us to the Old City of Jerusalem. There is security to get in this area, and the place is crawling with cops (I don't think most Americans are accustomed to seeing someone standing around with a submachine gun on every other corner!). The police in the Old City look even more no-nonsense than almost everywhere else, but then it occurred to me why.
The Temple Mount, the obvious focus of the Old City, is the most hotly contested patch of land on the planet. Muslim countries tend to blame Israel for everything, including poverty, displacement, bad weather, and probably bunions. It therefore behooves the Israeli security forces to be zealous about guarding against any shenanigans against the Dome of the Rock by extremists of any sort. If anything happened to it, full-scale attacks would almost certainly begin almost before Al Jazeera finished reporting it.
Having said all that, a trip into the Old City is well worth it. For me, that was kind of where "the rubber met the road." So much happened there. The Middle East is the epicenter of world affairs... always has been. Jerusalem is the epicenter of the Middle East. Always has been. And the Temple Mount has always been the epicenter of Jerusalem. I still don't know quite what the Muslim claim on Jerusalem is, but of course it is the place where Jews believe the presence of God (Shekinah) dwelt when the Temple was intact, and where Christians believe Jesus was tried, crucified, buried, and resurrected.
We saw far too much to try to chronicle everything, but I will try to hit the highlights that I am guessing will be interesting to the people I most anticipate will read this. As for the "Superwalk" in the post title? All of this that we saw was within the Old City... so we got there by bus, and that was the last we saw of the bus until we went back to the hotel. Everything else was on foot over innumerable steps!
Dome of the Rock. This of course is the blue, golden-domed mosque that most people probably think of when they think of the Jerusalem skyline. Until about eight years ago, anyone could go in. After the clash between Arabs and Israelis when Sharon showed up at the mosque with a bunch of armed men, it is now open only to Arabs or Muslims. Period.
St. Anne's Church. Though this church is definitely all about Mary, it is more or less named after Mary's mother Hannah. It was built in the 12th Century (1131-1138 A.D.) to replace an even older Byzantine church. The church has two particular characteristics: 1) It is adjacent to the Pool of Bethesda, and 2) its windows are made of translucent alabaster. Jesus healing the paralytic without him going down into the water is significant. There was a Roman temple to the god of healing there, and Jesus wanted to make it clear that it was He Who healed the man, not the pool or the god of healing that the Romans worshiped.
Church of the Condemnation. This chapel is Station 1 of the Cross. It was presumably built over the place where Jesus was first officially condemned.
Church of the Flagellation. This chapel is Station 2 of the Cross. Just across the way from Station 1 on the same property, this is built over where Jesus was scourged.
Via Dolorosa. Yes, we walked it. And it probably looks much the same as it did when Jesus was carrying His cross to Golgotha. Ryan A., I thought of you and your favorite song on more than one occasion on that walk!
Church of the Holy Sepulchre. One word: amazing. For a couple of reasons. 1) The church, though a bit on the gaudy side as Orthodox churches are prone to be, the church is nonetheless impressive both because of its size and the complexity of its design, being built around two natural formations of significance. 2) This church houses what apparently even some Protestant scholars are coming to believe what is most likely the site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial both. As with the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, I had trouble making a connection between all the knick-knack bric-a-brac in the church, and a simple, ghastly cross on a skull-shaped mound and tomb a little ways away. That, and the wall-to-wall people weren't really conducive to heavy-duty reflection. But it still ranks as one of the top 5 things I hoped to see here, I think. Never before this trip did I fully internalize what is meant by the fact that Jesus was killed as a common criminal. Golgotha is not a spectacular hill overlooking the city or anything... it's a rock formation a little higher than the ground just outside the city wall where people would walk by. The condemned would have hung just a little higher than pedestrians on the road next to it. Somehow, that makes Jesus' death even more ghastly than it was... it truly would not have been a momentous event for a lot of people... the sacrifice He made for us was not marked as such; to some He was just one more criminal in a long line of criminals who met their ends on that little rise in the ground outside.
St. Mark's Church (Syrian Orthodox). This is the church our guide attends. It is built over what there is apparently strong archaeological evidence for is the room where the Holy Spirit came on the disciples at Pentecost. A lady who worked there, Josefina (sp.?), sang the Lord's Prayer for us in Aramaic, and then recounted a time where God seems to have re-enacted the tongues bit. A Russian man came in, and he and Josefina carried on a conversation in English for a good hour or so. The thing is, when she ran into him again a year or so later, he was speaking Russian. She asked him "why don't you speak English like we did before?" thinking he was playing a joke on her. He insisted he didn't know English. Never had. He insisted she was messing with him. She just said "no, it was the Holy Spirit."
A personal highlight of my day... finally getting to meet a friend I met almost by accident (my accident, anyway--I suppose God might beg to differ) some 14 years ago online. He was in the Israeli army at the time, and we landed in the same Religion & Theology forum at some point. At the time, there were some pretty excitable Christians in the forum we were in, and my friend was making comments he probably knew would tick them off. He played that violin beautifully, I gather, insofar as the excitable types were only too happy to commence flaming him up one side and down the other! I started a separate chat with him, and we wound up conversing for quite awhile. We've kept in touch ever since, some 14 years down the road. It was really fun to finally get to meet face to face. If all goes well, he'll be able to join us and tag along tomorrow. I hope so.
Western Wall Tunnels. This was our last stop of the day... or early morning, I guess I should say. They are so busy that our scheduled tour was at 12:00 midnight! There were several interesting things about this visit. Number one, men and women had to go in different entrances. Number two, women could pray at the western wall, but only separated by a partition from the men. Number three, in one of the tunnels, an orthodox Jew shielded his eyes on our side as he passed. At first I had half a mind to get offended on behalf of our group until I realized what he was doing... shielding his eyes from the women in our group!
The tunnels themselves are archaeological digs under the Old City, in part to learn more about the city in the time of Herod (much of which is still available under ground level). What I thought was the most spectacular feature: a single, solid stone more than 40 feet in length, and weighing over 400 tons. It is the largest and heaviest single stone ever moved by man as far as anyone knows. This dwarfs anything that even the pyramids contained... and I didn't know anyone could improve on that.
Part of what we're doing tomorrow is looking at the massive preparations underway for the building of the new Temple. Eschatology buffs, yes, I am well aware of the prophetic implications of that. I can't wait to see if our guide is as well. But the walking encyclopedia that he is, I imagine so. :)
It's now 2:12 a.m., so I'd really better get to bed. I just didn't want to fall any more behind in this thing, or I know I'll never catch up! Peace to you, whenever and wherever you're reading.
Tedd
March 12... a little belated...
March 12, 2008 - 19:48
Today was a REALLY full day... emotionally AND time-wise (you'll see why farther down). In fact, I'm a day behind in actually posting this because I've been trying to figure out how to frame some of it.
First stop... the Shrine of the Book, next to the Israel Museum. The Shrine of the Book is dedicated to the Qumran scrolls... and they have a replica of the largest piece found from the Book of Isaiah in the center of the Shrine. Yet another portion—albeit smaller—of the Holy Land where what you know by reading comes crashing together in your head with what you now see. Jesus said "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe" (John 20:29), but that is certainly not to say there is no power in seeing as well!
Anyway, there are also a ton of ancient books and manuscripts on display—some of them real—though unfortunately there are no photographs allowed once you get inside the building. But the intricacy and the ornate, handwritten text speak volumes about the loving care and reverence that went into preserving the Word of God. If you think of it, ask Fred for details on the process the ancient Hebrews had for scroll transcription; it's absolutely mind-boggling. There is a lot of information online about the Shrine of the Book and it wasn't the most significant place we went today, so I won't waste too much time recounting it.
Gethsemane, Church of All Nations. The Church of All Nations adjoins the Garden of Gethsemane. It is, I believe, originally a Franciscan monastery (and may still be), but the church was funded by many different nations. The official seals of several nations appear on the ceiling on the inside of the church. I think I got a picture of the United States seal.
I don't think Gethsemane—nor its significance—needs much explanation. It is not exactly the same place as it was when Jesus prayed (and was betrayed) there... but I don't think it's possible for a believer to remain wholly unaffected when walking into that garden. It is different now, of course. The olive trees, though incredibly old (one of them is apparently more than fifteen HUNDRED years old), do not date back to Jesus' time. But it is there nonetheless where that final, terrible drama all started.
Southwestern Corner of the Wall, through the Dung Gate. Some of the stones used to build the wall weigh up to 400 tons... and they are not just at the bottom where it would be less difficult to move them. I I wish I could tell you more about this place, because it was fascinating; but our guide knows SO much information about every place we've gone, I'm operating on overload. I can say that the southwestern corner of the wall shows a lot more than you might see otherwise of just how many transmogrifications Jerusalem has gone through. As our guide said, you could dig anywhere in the city—anywhere—house, restaurant, whatever—and find something. The city is incredibly old, and each successive civilization living there builds on what was there before. I've been other places in the world where that is also the case, but nowhere have I seen it as plainly as in Jerusalem. You can see the different eras even in the buildings standing now.
There was a guy with a camel who showed up where our bus stopped, offering rides to whoever wanted one (for a small fee, of course). The highlight (I thought)... Mark Kendall and his mom hopped on the camel and away they went. As they came back, my attention was turned elsewhere, and I felt a nudge in my shoulder... it was Mark's foot from up on high, telling me to look out. Not quite quickly enough, though, I guess... I think I can now say I'm the only one in our group who came to Jerusalem and got stepped on by a camel! :) (To the medical and mom sorts... don't worry. Camels have very wide hooves which distribute their weight. I was much more amused than pained by the encounter.)
Holocaust Museum. I think this entry is what kept me from even wanting to finish this post earlier; the last thing I wanted to do was relive what I saw in the process of recounting it. If Gethsemane was the highlight of the day, this was probably the lowlight. Not that it wasn't spectacularly well-done—it is and then some—but it's hard to see room after room of the evidence of absolutely incomprehensible evil.
And it is chronological. The Nazis were nothing if not patient. They didn't just jump into power and commence killing Jews. They laid the national-pride groundwork first, then slowly started their diabolical program of blame and "punishment." The display starts off with the nationalistic slogans and posters the Third Reich put out long before the Nazis started to show their true colors. They carefully gauged local public sentiment before starting in on the Jewish populations of each locale. Where there was already resentment or hostility, the Jews suffered earlier persecution. In areas where they were still largely held in esteem, the Nazis took it easy on the restrictions they were putting on them elsewhere.
If I may indulge myself a soapbox here about a pet incredulity of mine, I would love to know how Christians of any stripe justify harsh treatment of Jews. Are they not just as in need of the Gospel as anyone else? Of course. I really hope there's some loophole I'm missing because they're still God's chosen people, but why else would Peter have gone to preach to the Jews, while Paul went to preach to the Gentiles? Anyway, one of the displays in the museum described how Christianity in antiquity started blaming Jews as a whole for having killed Jesus. Did these people (or their modern counterparts) not have a clue how asinine that is?? Even if the Jews as a whole were totally for killing Jesus, there are two gigantic holes in that logic. #1: It can't be because they're Jews, because Jesus Himself was a Jew. So were all His disciples. That seems like a REALLY obvious point to me. #2: If you have the slightest doubts that anyone could kill the Son of God unless the Son of God specifically planned to be killed, read John 10:18. Obviously a lot of Christians haven't.
The museum is set up in such a way that you cannot just rush through it; you have to go from room to room to exit... there is no straight path through. And in each massive room are combinations of video interviews of survivors playing in a loop, archival footage from the camps, and hundreds upon hundreds of personal effects of the people who perished there. Several Jewish groups, having heard that it was possible to buy freedom from the Nazis, even arranged to buy the freedom of several of their friends and relatives... only to find out that it was yet another deception of the SS.
As you exit the museum itself, the trail takes you to the memorial for children... in honor of over 1 million children who were murdered by the Nazis. There is a memorial of columns, incompletely built, and a massive room that is quite disorienting... seemingly thousands of candles (it's hard to tell for sure) behind tinted glass and mirrors. No other light. The entire time you are walking through, a voice is slowly reading the name, age, and country of a child, one after another. If they really recorded the recitation of 1.2 million names, I suppose it's impossible to hear the tiniest fraction of the true number... but I'm glad they did it. Even if the vast majority of those children did not achieve the fame of the likes of Anne Frank, they each had a story, and a life.
There was a huge group of young people in the Israeli Army, a lot of them kids from the U.S. who moved here to join up, at the Holocaust Museum... it is apparently part of their training for military service. I can't imagine a more effective display of the danger of complacency, and I imagine that's the intent.
I probably do not need (and definitely have no wish) to chronicle all that I saw there. The movie The Pianist horrified me... I have never even seen Schindler's List, nor do I ever intend to, so this was definitely over the top as far as I'm concerned. But then, I suppose that is the intent. If the compilation they have worked so hard to create there helps prevent another such Holocaust from ever happening because people buy into the lies of the likes of Ahmadinejad who love to claim it never happened (or at least on the scale it did), it will have been worth their efforts.
I think that's enough for now. I'm exhausted inside and out, and I know that's probably a lot to read. Thanks for reading.
Today was a REALLY full day... emotionally AND time-wise (you'll see why farther down). In fact, I'm a day behind in actually posting this because I've been trying to figure out how to frame some of it.
First stop... the Shrine of the Book, next to the Israel Museum. The Shrine of the Book is dedicated to the Qumran scrolls... and they have a replica of the largest piece found from the Book of Isaiah in the center of the Shrine. Yet another portion—albeit smaller—of the Holy Land where what you know by reading comes crashing together in your head with what you now see. Jesus said "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe" (John 20:29), but that is certainly not to say there is no power in seeing as well!
Anyway, there are also a ton of ancient books and manuscripts on display—some of them real—though unfortunately there are no photographs allowed once you get inside the building. But the intricacy and the ornate, handwritten text speak volumes about the loving care and reverence that went into preserving the Word of God. If you think of it, ask Fred for details on the process the ancient Hebrews had for scroll transcription; it's absolutely mind-boggling. There is a lot of information online about the Shrine of the Book and it wasn't the most significant place we went today, so I won't waste too much time recounting it.
Gethsemane, Church of All Nations. The Church of All Nations adjoins the Garden of Gethsemane. It is, I believe, originally a Franciscan monastery (and may still be), but the church was funded by many different nations. The official seals of several nations appear on the ceiling on the inside of the church. I think I got a picture of the United States seal.
I don't think Gethsemane—nor its significance—needs much explanation. It is not exactly the same place as it was when Jesus prayed (and was betrayed) there... but I don't think it's possible for a believer to remain wholly unaffected when walking into that garden. It is different now, of course. The olive trees, though incredibly old (one of them is apparently more than fifteen HUNDRED years old), do not date back to Jesus' time. But it is there nonetheless where that final, terrible drama all started.
Southwestern Corner of the Wall, through the Dung Gate. Some of the stones used to build the wall weigh up to 400 tons... and they are not just at the bottom where it would be less difficult to move them. I I wish I could tell you more about this place, because it was fascinating; but our guide knows SO much information about every place we've gone, I'm operating on overload. I can say that the southwestern corner of the wall shows a lot more than you might see otherwise of just how many transmogrifications Jerusalem has gone through. As our guide said, you could dig anywhere in the city—anywhere—house, restaurant, whatever—and find something. The city is incredibly old, and each successive civilization living there builds on what was there before. I've been other places in the world where that is also the case, but nowhere have I seen it as plainly as in Jerusalem. You can see the different eras even in the buildings standing now.
There was a guy with a camel who showed up where our bus stopped, offering rides to whoever wanted one (for a small fee, of course). The highlight (I thought)... Mark Kendall and his mom hopped on the camel and away they went. As they came back, my attention was turned elsewhere, and I felt a nudge in my shoulder... it was Mark's foot from up on high, telling me to look out. Not quite quickly enough, though, I guess... I think I can now say I'm the only one in our group who came to Jerusalem and got stepped on by a camel! :) (To the medical and mom sorts... don't worry. Camels have very wide hooves which distribute their weight. I was much more amused than pained by the encounter.)
Holocaust Museum. I think this entry is what kept me from even wanting to finish this post earlier; the last thing I wanted to do was relive what I saw in the process of recounting it. If Gethsemane was the highlight of the day, this was probably the lowlight. Not that it wasn't spectacularly well-done—it is and then some—but it's hard to see room after room of the evidence of absolutely incomprehensible evil.
And it is chronological. The Nazis were nothing if not patient. They didn't just jump into power and commence killing Jews. They laid the national-pride groundwork first, then slowly started their diabolical program of blame and "punishment." The display starts off with the nationalistic slogans and posters the Third Reich put out long before the Nazis started to show their true colors. They carefully gauged local public sentiment before starting in on the Jewish populations of each locale. Where there was already resentment or hostility, the Jews suffered earlier persecution. In areas where they were still largely held in esteem, the Nazis took it easy on the restrictions they were putting on them elsewhere.
If I may indulge myself a soapbox here about a pet incredulity of mine, I would love to know how Christians of any stripe justify harsh treatment of Jews. Are they not just as in need of the Gospel as anyone else? Of course. I really hope there's some loophole I'm missing because they're still God's chosen people, but why else would Peter have gone to preach to the Jews, while Paul went to preach to the Gentiles? Anyway, one of the displays in the museum described how Christianity in antiquity started blaming Jews as a whole for having killed Jesus. Did these people (or their modern counterparts) not have a clue how asinine that is?? Even if the Jews as a whole were totally for killing Jesus, there are two gigantic holes in that logic. #1: It can't be because they're Jews, because Jesus Himself was a Jew. So were all His disciples. That seems like a REALLY obvious point to me. #2: If you have the slightest doubts that anyone could kill the Son of God unless the Son of God specifically planned to be killed, read John 10:18. Obviously a lot of Christians haven't.
The museum is set up in such a way that you cannot just rush through it; you have to go from room to room to exit... there is no straight path through. And in each massive room are combinations of video interviews of survivors playing in a loop, archival footage from the camps, and hundreds upon hundreds of personal effects of the people who perished there. Several Jewish groups, having heard that it was possible to buy freedom from the Nazis, even arranged to buy the freedom of several of their friends and relatives... only to find out that it was yet another deception of the SS.
As you exit the museum itself, the trail takes you to the memorial for children... in honor of over 1 million children who were murdered by the Nazis. There is a memorial of columns, incompletely built, and a massive room that is quite disorienting... seemingly thousands of candles (it's hard to tell for sure) behind tinted glass and mirrors. No other light. The entire time you are walking through, a voice is slowly reading the name, age, and country of a child, one after another. If they really recorded the recitation of 1.2 million names, I suppose it's impossible to hear the tiniest fraction of the true number... but I'm glad they did it. Even if the vast majority of those children did not achieve the fame of the likes of Anne Frank, they each had a story, and a life.
There was a huge group of young people in the Israeli Army, a lot of them kids from the U.S. who moved here to join up, at the Holocaust Museum... it is apparently part of their training for military service. I can't imagine a more effective display of the danger of complacency, and I imagine that's the intent.
I probably do not need (and definitely have no wish) to chronicle all that I saw there. The movie The Pianist horrified me... I have never even seen Schindler's List, nor do I ever intend to, so this was definitely over the top as far as I'm concerned. But then, I suppose that is the intent. If the compilation they have worked so hard to create there helps prevent another such Holocaust from ever happening because people buy into the lies of the likes of Ahmadinejad who love to claim it never happened (or at least on the scale it did), it will have been worth their efforts.
I think that's enough for now. I'm exhausted inside and out, and I know that's probably a lot to read. Thanks for reading.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Some Needful Clarification, Apparently...
March 12, 2008 8:08
Apparently some people were left with the impression that the baptisms at the Jordan were "just a fun thing to do," and not something meaningful. I guess what I took to be a given in my account was not a given for those reading, so let me clarify.
There was a lot of laughter. The water was cold. There were rats swimming around with the catfish (think about that one). We had two pastor types who are also good friends. There is a lot of fodder for laughter in that combination, folks, and if you don't believe me, you really need to read Stories I Couldn't Tell While I Was a Pastor by Bruce McIver.
But the reason we were there in the first place–the reason the folks who were baptized braved the cold water and the rats and the cigarette butts in the water and the overpriced robe rentals–is because they really wanted to be baptized where Jesus was baptized... to share yet another unique communion with Him by proximity, to demonstrate once again their faith in the first Christian act of obedience. And I have yet to see a baptism, solemn or hilarious, that is not also joyous because of what it symbolizes.
Hope that clears things up a bit.
Apparently some people were left with the impression that the baptisms at the Jordan were "just a fun thing to do," and not something meaningful. I guess what I took to be a given in my account was not a given for those reading, so let me clarify.
There was a lot of laughter. The water was cold. There were rats swimming around with the catfish (think about that one). We had two pastor types who are also good friends. There is a lot of fodder for laughter in that combination, folks, and if you don't believe me, you really need to read Stories I Couldn't Tell While I Was a Pastor by Bruce McIver.
But the reason we were there in the first place–the reason the folks who were baptized braved the cold water and the rats and the cigarette butts in the water and the overpriced robe rentals–is because they really wanted to be baptized where Jesus was baptized... to share yet another unique communion with Him by proximity, to demonstrate once again their faith in the first Christian act of obedience. And I have yet to see a baptism, solemn or hilarious, that is not also joyous because of what it symbolizes.
Hope that clears things up a bit.
...and, JERUSALEM!
That's right, we have finally arrived in Jerusalem. Amazing place. Modern and new mixed in with freakishly old and historic. We Americans get excited about something built in 1890. This city has been here for at least, what, 4000 years? It's hard to wrap my head around.
We haven't seen a lot of Jerusalem yet... mostly just driven through while our guide points out different things. Of course we saw Dome of the Rock coming up out of the tunnel, and of course everybody took a bazillion pictures of it.
Touring Jerusalem starts in earnest tomorrow... we're getting the evening off to catch our breath, write home (or blog in my case), etc. And hey... I would love to know what people think of all this... I keep posting and not hearing back! If you don't have an address that will let you respond, please just email me and let me know which one you're responding to. Thanks, and good night!
Tedd
We haven't seen a lot of Jerusalem yet... mostly just driven through while our guide points out different things. Of course we saw Dome of the Rock coming up out of the tunnel, and of course everybody took a bazillion pictures of it.
Touring Jerusalem starts in earnest tomorrow... we're getting the evening off to catch our breath, write home (or blog in my case), etc. And hey... I would love to know what people think of all this... I keep posting and not hearing back! If you don't have an address that will let you respond, please just email me and let me know which one you're responding to. Thanks, and good night!
Tedd
Masada... Qumran... Bethlehem...
March 11, 2008 - 16:27: writing in Bethlehem
Two great stops earlier today... Masada and Qumran. Masada, as you will recall, is where zealots held off a Roman attack for an unbelievable amount of time; when it became plain that the Romans would breach the fortress the next day, they committed mass suicide rather than submit to slavery. Any further information you need I'm sure is readily available via Google. I was surprised not only at how remote it is, but how HUGE it is. It was quite a fortress, though I still don't quite get why they bothered to build it where they did in the first place. It seems almost a citadel in nowhere guarding nothing! Perhaps there is more to be seen in the larger regional context, but if you see the pictures, you'll see what I mean.
Qumran of course is the location of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It's funny, I didn't put together until just now that that's where we were... the Dead Sea where those scrolls were first written and found some 1900 years later. After writing a research paper on them and seeing all kinds of pictures, it was really something to stand on the cliff edge overlooking the cave where they were found.
We are definitely getting a closer look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict now. We entered Palestinian territory since Bethlehem is now in their control, and they don't allow Israeli citizens to cross the boundary. In fact, there are signs that say so. A Palestinian guard with an AK-47 or similar weapon (no one I've asked got a close enough look to know for sure) slung over his shoulder boarded the bus, gave us a once-over, and left after insisting that we take no pictures of the checkpoint. I took that to be mean we must be more sneaky about taking pictures of the checkpoint.
There are pictures of Arafat everywhere. Apparently he is still quite the hero where we are right now. And it was not lost on me that a lot of the pro-Palestinian graffiti is written in English. Considering Arabic is the predominant language, the only reason for that that I can think of is to influence Western tourists who come into Bethlehem.
Our first stop at a shop is owned by a Palestinian Christian; while we were gathered around to meet him, he asked us a favor, and then had instructions for shopping. The favor was really something... he said that he realizes there will be no peace in this region until the Prince of Peace returns, but the U.S. and others were getting ready to try to hammer out a peace agreement between the Palestinians and Israel... and he asked us to pray that God would give wisdom to those involved in that process. Then he went on with a welcome to his store and give instructions for shopping. (Interesting side note... "shopping baskets" are quite literal here!)
We're coming up to the checkpoint to get back out of the Palestinian territory; I'll wrap this up for now, but I must say the barricade reminds me a lot of what the Berlin Wall must have been like.
Okay, we're through. That took forever. But after a friendly Israeli soldier (notable contrast to Palestinian soldier earlier!) went through the bus looking at our passports, we were on our way.
The other stop we made in Bethlehem was, of course, the Church of the Nativity. It is apparently the oldest Christian church in the world. Although it was fascinating, and the weight of history does indeed bear down on one in such a place, it was difficult (for me, anyway) to make more than an intellectual connection between the gaudy votives and commemorations, and the humble beginnings that Jesus actually had. I think I would have preferred the little cave as it was when Jesus was born--protected, yes, but still just plain. But I still wouldn't have missed it for the world. It's a beautiful church, amazingly old, and fascinating that such obscure beginnings from so long ago could be found.
Well, I've got 15 minutes before dinner, so I think I will close here and lie down for a little bit. It's been a long day and a lot of travel... but a blast!
Harking back to the three things I hoped to accomplish this trip, I don't know exactly where it falls but I am being reminded of one thing... that there are always–always–two sides to every story. I'm hoping to get a little more of that while I'm here.
Two great stops earlier today... Masada and Qumran. Masada, as you will recall, is where zealots held off a Roman attack for an unbelievable amount of time; when it became plain that the Romans would breach the fortress the next day, they committed mass suicide rather than submit to slavery. Any further information you need I'm sure is readily available via Google. I was surprised not only at how remote it is, but how HUGE it is. It was quite a fortress, though I still don't quite get why they bothered to build it where they did in the first place. It seems almost a citadel in nowhere guarding nothing! Perhaps there is more to be seen in the larger regional context, but if you see the pictures, you'll see what I mean.
Qumran of course is the location of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It's funny, I didn't put together until just now that that's where we were... the Dead Sea where those scrolls were first written and found some 1900 years later. After writing a research paper on them and seeing all kinds of pictures, it was really something to stand on the cliff edge overlooking the cave where they were found.
We are definitely getting a closer look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict now. We entered Palestinian territory since Bethlehem is now in their control, and they don't allow Israeli citizens to cross the boundary. In fact, there are signs that say so. A Palestinian guard with an AK-47 or similar weapon (no one I've asked got a close enough look to know for sure) slung over his shoulder boarded the bus, gave us a once-over, and left after insisting that we take no pictures of the checkpoint. I took that to be mean we must be more sneaky about taking pictures of the checkpoint.
There are pictures of Arafat everywhere. Apparently he is still quite the hero where we are right now. And it was not lost on me that a lot of the pro-Palestinian graffiti is written in English. Considering Arabic is the predominant language, the only reason for that that I can think of is to influence Western tourists who come into Bethlehem.
Our first stop at a shop is owned by a Palestinian Christian; while we were gathered around to meet him, he asked us a favor, and then had instructions for shopping. The favor was really something... he said that he realizes there will be no peace in this region until the Prince of Peace returns, but the U.S. and others were getting ready to try to hammer out a peace agreement between the Palestinians and Israel... and he asked us to pray that God would give wisdom to those involved in that process. Then he went on with a welcome to his store and give instructions for shopping. (Interesting side note... "shopping baskets" are quite literal here!)
We're coming up to the checkpoint to get back out of the Palestinian territory; I'll wrap this up for now, but I must say the barricade reminds me a lot of what the Berlin Wall must have been like.
Okay, we're through. That took forever. But after a friendly Israeli soldier (notable contrast to Palestinian soldier earlier!) went through the bus looking at our passports, we were on our way.
The other stop we made in Bethlehem was, of course, the Church of the Nativity. It is apparently the oldest Christian church in the world. Although it was fascinating, and the weight of history does indeed bear down on one in such a place, it was difficult (for me, anyway) to make more than an intellectual connection between the gaudy votives and commemorations, and the humble beginnings that Jesus actually had. I think I would have preferred the little cave as it was when Jesus was born--protected, yes, but still just plain. But I still wouldn't have missed it for the world. It's a beautiful church, amazingly old, and fascinating that such obscure beginnings from so long ago could be found.
Well, I've got 15 minutes before dinner, so I think I will close here and lie down for a little bit. It's been a long day and a lot of travel... but a blast!
Harking back to the three things I hoped to accomplish this trip, I don't know exactly where it falls but I am being reminded of one thing... that there are always–always–two sides to every story. I'm hoping to get a little more of that while I'm here.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Make like a Cork
23:42
The Dead Sea... wow! I have very much enjoyed this trip 'til now, but the Dead Sea is hands-down the most fun I've had. It is like nothing I've experienced anywhere else... it really and truly is impossible to sink. You lean back, you sit in the water, you don't sink. If anything, your feet fly up. It's a sort of hyper-buoyancy that even enables you to stand in the water... without touching bottom. It is not necessary to tread water, unless you actually want to go somewhere.
The salinity of some 30-33% means that it's a good idea to stay in the water no more than 15 minutes at a time--it can actually burn your skin after awhile--but it is also what keeps you from sinking. It was a hoot, watching a bunch of full-grown adults giggling and laughing as they experienced this unique body of water... especially those who were still concerned they were going to sink. You would expect the water to be really salty and gritty, but it's not! If anything, it's quite slippery. If you ever get the chance to go, do. The experience is worth the drive (it's a good distance from Tiberias).
As I said earlier, we went through the West Bank today... another rather volatile area I had no idea we'd be traveling through; but it was fascinating! We stopped in Jericho for lunch, and went to a shop where they made hand-blown glassware. Amazing stuff... he banged two goblets together to demonstrate how strong the glass was. The area is definitely Palestinian... the shop owner had pictures of Arafat up all over the place.
Not as much to report today... the distance between the places meant that we didn't have quite as many stops. In a way, that's not all bad... my entry name of "Overload" yesterday really wasn't much of an exaggeration!
The Dead Sea... wow! I have very much enjoyed this trip 'til now, but the Dead Sea is hands-down the most fun I've had. It is like nothing I've experienced anywhere else... it really and truly is impossible to sink. You lean back, you sit in the water, you don't sink. If anything, your feet fly up. It's a sort of hyper-buoyancy that even enables you to stand in the water... without touching bottom. It is not necessary to tread water, unless you actually want to go somewhere.
The salinity of some 30-33% means that it's a good idea to stay in the water no more than 15 minutes at a time--it can actually burn your skin after awhile--but it is also what keeps you from sinking. It was a hoot, watching a bunch of full-grown adults giggling and laughing as they experienced this unique body of water... especially those who were still concerned they were going to sink. You would expect the water to be really salty and gritty, but it's not! If anything, it's quite slippery. If you ever get the chance to go, do. The experience is worth the drive (it's a good distance from Tiberias).
As I said earlier, we went through the West Bank today... another rather volatile area I had no idea we'd be traveling through; but it was fascinating! We stopped in Jericho for lunch, and went to a shop where they made hand-blown glassware. Amazing stuff... he banged two goblets together to demonstrate how strong the glass was. The area is definitely Palestinian... the shop owner had pictures of Arafat up all over the place.
Not as much to report today... the distance between the places meant that we didn't have quite as many stops. In a way, that's not all bad... my entry name of "Overload" yesterday really wasn't much of an exaggeration!
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