Friday 12th-
Big Deal today- The Heordian- a short drive from Jeruselum. Cone shaped mt with ruins on the side- a new archeological site. Palace/ fort of King Herod 37 BC, Roman Jewish King of Israel/ Palestine. on the way we stopped and looked at Israeli tanks and how they are different from ours. The soldier with the gun wouldn't let us climb on it, though. We hiked up the mt. in 100 degree weather to see the ruins of Herod's fortress and the holes they dug looking for it. Went in the underground tunnels that were built as cisterns and then later as hiding places- they had a steady stream of slaves bringing water up here to fill the cysterns. He had the ampitheater and other sites buried in rock when he died so that his tomb on the side of the mt. would be all that showed after he died. Around the top of the mt. is the remains of the tower and 1/2 the walls, baths, bathroom: huge pool at the bottom with columns all around. Children with goat begging at the bottom of the hill.
Passed humungout 2 story walls surrounding Bethlanam that separate Palestine Authority land and Israeli land. Not a pretty sight. Lunch at a Greek Orthodox monastery- we almost had no lunch as "problems" caused roads to be blocked and cooks had hard time getting there. Salads before lunch with olives, pita, hummus, beets, eggplant dish, etc was more than enough when chicken and lamb appeared on long metal scewers along with more salad and fries. Lunch ended with freshly fried donut balls.
Ein Karen- At the bottom of the hill we saw a tall tower, well & fountain with running water - Elizabeth and Mary supposedly met at the well. - we took a long hike up many steep stone steps to the Church of Visitation with beautiful blue and white Spanish tiles inside. This town was the home of John the Babtist.
We went to a viewpoint to see the city from above- sponsored by the Haas family. We are getting very hot as this day is above 100 degrees- seems we arrived during unseasonably hot weather! Still wearing the same few clothes that are not sweaters!!
Back on the bus to the old city- drove along the ramparts and thru stone tunnels, a very narrow road and difficult to maneuver but we have a very skilled driver Hamoudi. We are watching the crowd in their best religous finery coming to celebrate the start of the Shabott as they do every Friday evening at the Wailing Wall. We especially liked the tall furry hats that look Russsian. We walked through security and up to the wailing wall where I was repremanded more than once for taking photos- not allowed- and mom for writting- also not allowed. We put a prayer inside the stones in the wailing wall along with the others. Then we watched the young girls and boys- seperately- singing and dancing and they partying in the courtyard.
Took bus back to hotel for beers and socializing and avoided taking Shaboth elevator back to our room.
Big Deal today- The Heordian- a short drive from Jeruselum. Cone shaped mt with ruins on the side- a new archeological site. Palace/ fort of King Herod 37 BC, Roman Jewish King of Israel/ Palestine. on the way we stopped and looked at Israeli tanks and how they are different from ours. The soldier with the gun wouldn't let us climb on it, though. We hiked up the mt. in 100 degree weather to see the ruins of Herod's fortress and the holes they dug looking for it. Went in the underground tunnels that were built as cisterns and then later as hiding places- they had a steady stream of slaves bringing water up here to fill the cysterns. He had the ampitheater and other sites buried in rock when he died so that his tomb on the side of the mt. would be all that showed after he died. Around the top of the mt. is the remains of the tower and 1/2 the walls, baths, bathroom: huge pool at the bottom with columns all around. Children with goat begging at the bottom of the hill.
Passed humungout 2 story walls surrounding Bethlanam that separate Palestine Authority land and Israeli land. Not a pretty sight. Lunch at a Greek Orthodox monastery- we almost had no lunch as "problems" caused roads to be blocked and cooks had hard time getting there. Salads before lunch with olives, pita, hummus, beets, eggplant dish, etc was more than enough when chicken and lamb appeared on long metal scewers along with more salad and fries. Lunch ended with freshly fried donut balls.
Ein Karen- At the bottom of the hill we saw a tall tower, well & fountain with running water - Elizabeth and Mary supposedly met at the well. - we took a long hike up many steep stone steps to the Church of Visitation with beautiful blue and white Spanish tiles inside. This town was the home of John the Babtist.
We went to a viewpoint to see the city from above- sponsored by the Haas family. We are getting very hot as this day is above 100 degrees- seems we arrived during unseasonably hot weather! Still wearing the same few clothes that are not sweaters!!
Back on the bus to the old city- drove along the ramparts and thru stone tunnels, a very narrow road and difficult to maneuver but we have a very skilled driver Hamoudi. We are watching the crowd in their best religous finery coming to celebrate the start of the Shabott as they do every Friday evening at the Wailing Wall. We especially liked the tall furry hats that look Russsian. We walked through security and up to the wailing wall where I was repremanded more than once for taking photos- not allowed- and mom for writting- also not allowed. We put a prayer inside the stones in the wailing wall along with the others. Then we watched the young girls and boys- seperately- singing and dancing and they partying in the courtyard.
Took bus back to hotel for beers and socializing and avoided taking Shaboth elevator back to our room.
A+ fashion day! Laurel, I like you're skirt. Gramma, I like the color of your top! Wonder what the lunchtime problems were! Sounds scary!
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