Final Day of the tour, a free day in Jerusalem. With the Pope due in Jerusalem later in the day, there was much concern about areas of the city being closed off. As it turned out, really just the Christian Quarter of the Old City

Early start then to visit the Dome of the Rock, well, at least the Temple area known to the Muslims community as Haram esh-Sharif. In the queue for 7:05 we were in soon after 7:30.

The El-Aqsa Mosque draws huge crowds as the main centre of worship for the community. Like the main Temple, as non Muslims we weren’t allowed in.

The main area of the Temple Mount is a huge paved area, and with few crowds was a place of tranquility.

After breakfast, we headed through the Muslim Quarter to the start of the Via Dolorosa, and traced the stations back to the Church of the Holy Sepulcre – closed to us because of the Pope visit.

Stations 5-8

So, on to the Citadel and Tower of David.

Finally, a walk through the modern city.

Early start again into the Jerusalem sunshine. From the Jaffa Gate we headed straight for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, hoping to miss the early morning queues.

Almost, but we still had a wait to see the Rock of The Golgotha (Site of Crucifixion)

and then the Tomb of Christ.

Following the Stations of the Cross in reverse we headed for the Via Dolorosa and stations along the way.

From the Muslin Quarter and the 5th Station, we emerged onto the Western Wall Plaza for a second look at the Wall

Short walk up to Mount Zion and the Tomb of David

Walking past the Cardo we headed for the Christian Quarter and Lunch on the rooftops, looking out towards the Dome.

Finally, it was down to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations (closed).

Started the day with a visit to Yad Vashem, the very moving Holocaust Museum. No photo’s inside, but some outside.

In the grounds a Children’s memorial remembering the 1.5 million children lost to the world.

Then the Shrine of the Book, a splendid building housing the Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran – a settlement near the Dead Sea where the basis of modern Jewish religion was defined. A fascinating set of scrolls including the biblical texts, texts omitted from the bible, and then records or everyday life.

And a model of Jerusalem at the Second Temple Period in the Museum of Israel

In the afternoon it was across the checkpoint into Palestinian Bethlehem for a look at the Shepherds Fields.

On to the Church of the Nativity for a 2 hour queue to see the Nativity Grotto, and spot marking the birth of Christ.

Then a more pleasant and calm visit to the Milk Grotto, a place marking the home of Mary and Joseph.

Final stop, a quick visit to the Western Wall, to see the square celebrating Shabbat.

Trying to get my head straight, simplified version of some events over time:

A more leisurely morning at the hotel by the Dead Sea, enjoying the sun and the strange sensation in the water. (not that strange just like swimming in a 5mm wetsuit)

To Massada, some 440m above the Dead Sea. First fortified 1-2c BC, and then reinforced under Roman Ruler Herod the Great who added two luxurious palaces.

The Fortress was captured from the Romans by the Jewish Zealot Sect in AD66, and after the Romans had crushed the Jewish Rebels in Jerusalem, Massada was the last Jewish stronghold which only fell after a 2 year siege in AD73

Then, across the West Bank Palestinian Territories to the Mount of Olives for our first view of the old city.

An early start to catch the boat across the Sea Of Gallilee. After a rousing start with each of the national anthems for all represented on the boat, we were entertained with Israeli dancing and a fishing demonstration

First visit was to Capernaum, the town where Jesus spent most of his life, and where he recruited local people including the fishermen Andrew and Simon as his disciples. A ruined Synagogue on the site of the one there in Jesus times, and another concrete church built over the supposed site of Simon Peter’s house.

A rather beautiful church inside

Then up the hillside to the Mount of Beautitudes, and a church marking the ‘Sermon On The Mount’ and the well known ‘blessings’ passages.

Then to Tabkha, and the somewhat disappointing Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. A very minor mosaic at the front of the church.

Maybe what we need was lunch, although not at £15 each fro a kebab and salad – but that’s what you get when there’s little choice in the area for the tour buses. Still, there was a beer shop 🙂

And so to the long drive down the Jordan Valley, through the Palestinian West Bank to the Dead Sea at Ein Bokek. Well, you have to don’t you, so David was in the Dead Sea within 20 minutes of arrival.

Day 2

Bright and early start with an early morning walk on the beach at Tel Aviv

to get on the coach up to Caesarea – a city built in 29-22BC by Herod the Great during the Roman times. A magnificent restored amphitheatre, a large Forum and extensive building ruins were the highlights.

The site was prosperous through Roman and Byzantine times until c600AD, when the Muslim Armies of Omar became the new rulers of Palastine. A quick look at the aqueduct..

Heading north, up the Mediterranean coast, to a drive through look at Haifa, a quick photo of the Baha’i Temple on Mount Carmel. Interesting – the Baha’i believe no religion has a monopoly of the Truth and aim to integrate the teachings of all holy men.

On to lunch at the Crusader City of Akko (Acre). Always an important Meditteranean port, it was taken by Crusaders around 1100 and extensively fortified and rebuilt as a stronghold that was defended for the next 200 years.

The Crusader ruins are preserved underground after recent excavations, with magnificent Gothic Knights halls, each representing the nations involved in the Crusading Order of the Knights Hospitallers

It was destroyed by Arab Mamlukes invading from the south (Egypt) in 1291, who then built an Arab town on the ruins. The town was taken again the invading Ottoman armies in 1516 who have shaped the city through until the mid/late 19th Century, and that’s essentially as it appears today.

Travelling on we headed for Nazareth to begin the Biblical section. A very interesting Church of the Annunciation built in 60’s concrete, over the reins of a Crusader church and the supposed Home and workshop of Mary and Joseph

The adjacent St Josephs Church was rather more beautiful in its simplicity

Finally, it was on through Kafr Kana past the location of the water into wine Wedding, and on to Tiberias, at the edge of the Sea of Gallilee.

So here we go for a short tour of Israel and the Holy Land. Mid afternoon flight with El Al

..into Tel Aviv for 10:30, so a rather late bedtime.