Having returned from a fantastic trip to Jerusalem and now feeling as though there isn't anything else that I truly need to see in the area, I thought I would put out a poll for my next vacation. That's right ladies and gents, I want YOU to help me decide where to go on the next vacation.
Now, I'm not going to completely rely on this vote, so if some of you band together and manage to push something like Iraq or Iran into the victory circle, I may have to over-ride the decision. However, here are the current options:
Jordan--a lovely little country to the east of Israel. If I venture here, it would be a short trip over to Petra and back. Petra is an ancient city that was actually built into the rocks and the countryside. It is rumored to be an incredible site. The plus on this trip is that it shouldn't cost too much and it's the site that Indiana Jones visits in the Last Crusade.....awesome.
Back to Israel--there are some things that I would like to see in Israel that I missed last time. For instance, Masada, the Dead Sea, Jericho and Northern Israel, where Jesus spent a lot of time. It would be fun to go up there and walk in His footsteps a little more. The plus here is that it's not too expensive and I already know some of the route. The drawback is that I've been to Israel and it might be cool to get another stamp in the passport.
Cyprus--okay, I know what some of you are thinking....."Why Cyprus?" My response is, Why Not??? It's a little island in the Mediterranean Sea. The weather is pretty nice and it has some cool archaeological sites. The flight is pretty cheap out of Cairo ($250+) and the accommodations shouldn't be too bad. The drawback of course is that.....well, it's Cyprus.
(*editor's note: This possibly could be combined with the trip to Jordan...just a thought)
Europe--Some where in Europe, possibly Germany and Central Europe. The positive here is that I would get to explore a little more of Europe. The drawback is that this is the expensive option out of the group.
That's it, that's all I've got. Of course if you have an idea, feel free to submit that as well and see if you get the votes!! However, keep in mind that I will not be allowed into some Arab countries due to the Israel stamp in the passport (sorry Libya, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon).
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
My Pilgrimage.....
Okay, first off, I know, pictures....I'll try to post some soon, but I have to find a coffee shop or something with a faster connection, because mine is too slow, anyways, back to business......
Now that I have returned to Cairo, I can finally sit and truly think about the experience of the Old City. To be honest, this was half the reason I came to Cairo. To be able to travel to Jerusalem, to see where Christ was Crucified and where He Resurrected was a trip that I will always remember. I was able to walk where He once walked and that is one of the biggest thrills of my short life. This is something and a place that I have always wanted to visit and I can't wait to go back again in the future.
Besides seeing Golgotha, I also enjoyed Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity. This is one of the oldest churches still in use today (the tour guide said the oldest, but he also took us to his "family's" souvenir shop which was conveniently close by) with parts dating back to the late 6th Century. Seeing the old mosaics on the walls and floor were amazing and the painted pillars that are credited to the Crusaders was also a thrill.
At the same time, the trip saddened me a bit as well. I don't like the souvenir shops, stalls and the pushy sales people that line the cramped streets of the Old City. I understand that there were stalls, shops and everything else back in the time of Christ, but I felt as though it cheapened the experience. To be walking down the Via Dolorosa, deep in thought and then to be asked, "Hallo, Where ar you from?" was very distracting and ultimately disappointing. Not just on that path, but all over the city. I realize that people live there and that they too need shops for food and other necessities, but I wish the city was more like the Jewish Quarter, a quiet and comfortable little place.
It was also disappointing to walk along the wall and through the historic sites and see how people have treated it. Walking through the Archaeological Park, filled with remains from over 1500 years ago and to see the part near the street looking like a garbage dump is upsetting. When will we learn to treat not only these places, but our own cities, towns and environment with a little respect? Are you telling me that these locals and tourists couldn't hold their trash for another 10 minutes tell they came across a garbage can?
Enough rambling, overall and incredible trip and one I will remember for the rest of my life. To see, read and pray where Jesus lived is truly amazing and nearly brought me to tears on a few occasions. I will return.......one day.
Now that I have returned to Cairo, I can finally sit and truly think about the experience of the Old City. To be honest, this was half the reason I came to Cairo. To be able to travel to Jerusalem, to see where Christ was Crucified and where He Resurrected was a trip that I will always remember. I was able to walk where He once walked and that is one of the biggest thrills of my short life. This is something and a place that I have always wanted to visit and I can't wait to go back again in the future.
Besides seeing Golgotha, I also enjoyed Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity. This is one of the oldest churches still in use today (the tour guide said the oldest, but he also took us to his "family's" souvenir shop which was conveniently close by) with parts dating back to the late 6th Century. Seeing the old mosaics on the walls and floor were amazing and the painted pillars that are credited to the Crusaders was also a thrill.
At the same time, the trip saddened me a bit as well. I don't like the souvenir shops, stalls and the pushy sales people that line the cramped streets of the Old City. I understand that there were stalls, shops and everything else back in the time of Christ, but I felt as though it cheapened the experience. To be walking down the Via Dolorosa, deep in thought and then to be asked, "Hallo, Where ar you from?" was very distracting and ultimately disappointing. Not just on that path, but all over the city. I realize that people live there and that they too need shops for food and other necessities, but I wish the city was more like the Jewish Quarter, a quiet and comfortable little place.
It was also disappointing to walk along the wall and through the historic sites and see how people have treated it. Walking through the Archaeological Park, filled with remains from over 1500 years ago and to see the part near the street looking like a garbage dump is upsetting. When will we learn to treat not only these places, but our own cities, towns and environment with a little respect? Are you telling me that these locals and tourists couldn't hold their trash for another 10 minutes tell they came across a garbage can?
Enough rambling, overall and incredible trip and one I will remember for the rest of my life. To see, read and pray where Jesus lived is truly amazing and nearly brought me to tears on a few occasions. I will return.......one day.
Monday, February 05, 2007
My Last Day.....
Okay, I know I'm cheating, two posts in one day, but I head home in the morning and I want to get it out of the way.
The morning started with a walk through the Jewish Quarter, probably the only part of town that truly seems like a normal city. It's so laid back and it has a fantastic atmosphere that it's just fun to walk in.
I then went to check out the Dome of the Rock and hopefully the Temple Mount, the place it is believed that Abraham nearly sacrificed his son because God told him to. The Dome of the Rock (the big golden dome associated with Jerusalem--not the one in South Bend, IN) is a sacred Muslim site and can not be entered by any Jewish person. It is a huge complex that consists of another mosque where worship takes place, a lot of trees and open space, the Dome of the Rock (which covers the Temple Mount come to find) and the Golden Gate, where the Messiah is supposed to enter the city when he returns. Unfortunately the security folks foiled me again by stopping me from entering the Dome of the Rock, so I was unable to see the rock that Abraham nearly sacrificed his son upon.....so that was a bummer. The bonus was that I made a friend, Natasha, from Utah and we spent the day checking out sites together.
We then headed to meet with David, a student at Hebrew University (in town) and someone she met the day before. The three of us went to the Israel Museum, which would have been incredible, but the archaeological wing was closed....so we had to settle for just seeing the Dead Sea Scrolls. That was pretty sweet and totally worth the hour long walk.
After that came the highlight of the day. We took a bus to Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus. We crossed over into the West Bank (Palestine) without any problems and took a taxi from the border to the Church of the Nativity. It was truly an awesome site to behold. There are three churches in one on the site, the oldest dating back to the 500s (at least that is what the tour guide said, I haven't checked his facts yet). There were some beautiful mosaics in the church and some pillars that had been painted during the Crusades. It was amazing to still see some of the paint on the pillars and to actually be able to see what they looked like.
We then visited the other churches, which was neat and then we were lead to a souvenir shop nearby. Then as we were leaving, the guide invited us to his family's shop (there's always one of these) and we were told to look around. Today only, the entire store was.....you won't believe it.....50% off!! Just for us! (uh-huh).
After this we took a taxi to what was supposed to be Rachel's Tomb, but we could find it, plus we wouldn't be able to get in since we weren't Jewish. So we walked up to the border crossing to head into Jerusalem. The crossing was insane. You would have thought we were leaving a detention center or just getting released from prison. If you aren't familiar with what has happened.....
........Israel has created a giant wall all around the West Bank and Gaza, to keep the Palestinians in and out of Israel. The problem is that this wall is huge....at least 20 feet of cement in some places (I had thoughts of the Berlin wall dancing in my head). On the Palestinian side, you see all sorts of Anti-American and Anti-Israel graffiti and you honestly feel bad for these people. Walking from on side of the fence to the other is literally a night and day type of experience, they are that different. Once we crossed back into Jerusalem, it was as if we were back in the West. However on the Palestinian side, it was almost as if I was back in Egypt.
Palestine says that the Israelis have taken some of their land in the building of the fence. The Israelis say that they are keeping terrorists out of Israel. Ultimately, the people losing out are the citizens, the everyday folks like you and I that just want to work, earn money and help their families. Hamas (the Palestinian Gov) hasn't paid their Gov. workers for the past year, so the Postal workers in Palestine are on strike. It's truly a sad situation.
After returning from Bethlehem, we took a walk downtown to eat at Burger King again, I know two days in a row but we don't have it in Egypt and I won't see it again till July!!!!
Then we walked around downtown before Natasha and I headed to the Central Bus Station to check the schedules for tomorrow. I'll be headed to Eilat tomorrow, probably around 10 am. Then I'll try and catch the 4:30 pm bus to Cairo from Taba in Egypt. Hopefully I'll get home around 11 pm Tuesday night......but as I've learned on this trip, some things don't go as planned.
The morning started with a walk through the Jewish Quarter, probably the only part of town that truly seems like a normal city. It's so laid back and it has a fantastic atmosphere that it's just fun to walk in.
I then went to check out the Dome of the Rock and hopefully the Temple Mount, the place it is believed that Abraham nearly sacrificed his son because God told him to. The Dome of the Rock (the big golden dome associated with Jerusalem--not the one in South Bend, IN) is a sacred Muslim site and can not be entered by any Jewish person. It is a huge complex that consists of another mosque where worship takes place, a lot of trees and open space, the Dome of the Rock (which covers the Temple Mount come to find) and the Golden Gate, where the Messiah is supposed to enter the city when he returns. Unfortunately the security folks foiled me again by stopping me from entering the Dome of the Rock, so I was unable to see the rock that Abraham nearly sacrificed his son upon.....so that was a bummer. The bonus was that I made a friend, Natasha, from Utah and we spent the day checking out sites together.
We then headed to meet with David, a student at Hebrew University (in town) and someone she met the day before. The three of us went to the Israel Museum, which would have been incredible, but the archaeological wing was closed....so we had to settle for just seeing the Dead Sea Scrolls. That was pretty sweet and totally worth the hour long walk.
After that came the highlight of the day. We took a bus to Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus. We crossed over into the West Bank (Palestine) without any problems and took a taxi from the border to the Church of the Nativity. It was truly an awesome site to behold. There are three churches in one on the site, the oldest dating back to the 500s (at least that is what the tour guide said, I haven't checked his facts yet). There were some beautiful mosaics in the church and some pillars that had been painted during the Crusades. It was amazing to still see some of the paint on the pillars and to actually be able to see what they looked like.
We then visited the other churches, which was neat and then we were lead to a souvenir shop nearby. Then as we were leaving, the guide invited us to his family's shop (there's always one of these) and we were told to look around. Today only, the entire store was.....you won't believe it.....50% off!! Just for us! (uh-huh).
After this we took a taxi to what was supposed to be Rachel's Tomb, but we could find it, plus we wouldn't be able to get in since we weren't Jewish. So we walked up to the border crossing to head into Jerusalem. The crossing was insane. You would have thought we were leaving a detention center or just getting released from prison. If you aren't familiar with what has happened.....
........Israel has created a giant wall all around the West Bank and Gaza, to keep the Palestinians in and out of Israel. The problem is that this wall is huge....at least 20 feet of cement in some places (I had thoughts of the Berlin wall dancing in my head). On the Palestinian side, you see all sorts of Anti-American and Anti-Israel graffiti and you honestly feel bad for these people. Walking from on side of the fence to the other is literally a night and day type of experience, they are that different. Once we crossed back into Jerusalem, it was as if we were back in the West. However on the Palestinian side, it was almost as if I was back in Egypt.
Palestine says that the Israelis have taken some of their land in the building of the fence. The Israelis say that they are keeping terrorists out of Israel. Ultimately, the people losing out are the citizens, the everyday folks like you and I that just want to work, earn money and help their families. Hamas (the Palestinian Gov) hasn't paid their Gov. workers for the past year, so the Postal workers in Palestine are on strike. It's truly a sad situation.
After returning from Bethlehem, we took a walk downtown to eat at Burger King again, I know two days in a row but we don't have it in Egypt and I won't see it again till July!!!!
Then we walked around downtown before Natasha and I headed to the Central Bus Station to check the schedules for tomorrow. I'll be headed to Eilat tomorrow, probably around 10 am. Then I'll try and catch the 4:30 pm bus to Cairo from Taba in Egypt. Hopefully I'll get home around 11 pm Tuesday night......but as I've learned on this trip, some things don't go as planned.
My Second Day.....
Day two in the Old City (okay, technically this was Sunday, but I was a tad busy) was pretty sweet as well. I started off the day by trying to head to the Western Wall, aka the Wailing Wall, which is the last remaining wall from the Second Great Temple of Jerusalem and is the most sacred site for the Jewish people.
As I walked in that general directions, I took the long way around the wall and around the Armenian Quarter, which is pretty empty. I then stumbled upon a sweet archaeological park in the corner of the city, next to the wall. It was fantastic and I'm surprised that it wasn't that busy. It has remains from Palaces built in the 7th and 8th Centuries, as well as some remains from basic houses at the time. The park gives you a basic history of the city and area through the years, so if you're over here, it's worth the stop.
And then decided that I was going to try and get into the wall, since it was nearby. I had been thwarted on two early attempts by the local police and the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) agents that patrol the city and the site. (Brief side note--Many IDF folks are just teenagers serving their time in the military, so imagine if you will 17 yr old high school students, guys and gals, with automatic weapons and really big guns--good call).
This time, Success!!
I managed to get through security and I was able to say a brief prayer at the wall. Next I wandered into a little room to the left of it where many people were praying, because I thought this was the Wall Tunnels.....but no, it was a bunch of men praying. I was stopped at the entrance and asked if I was Jewish....upon replying no and asking if that was a problem, the man said, "No, no problem at all, you just need to smile as you walk through."
So I walked around as these men prayed and then I left that area and found the tunnels. The tunnels were pretty interesting. I bought my ticket at 1:30, but was told that I should have been on the 1:20 group, so I hurried through and looked for the English speaking group around the corner....or at least these were my directions.
Upon not finding the group, I decided that I could wander around the tunnels solo, which looked a bit shady no doubt, but it was still fun. You got to see a lot of the wall, so arches and some pretty cool cisterns. Good times.
After this I made my way back to the hostel for a brief rest and falafel (awesome) and then I took a taxi to check out Jerusalem's best shopping area....the Jerusalem mall.
It sucked. Totally not worth the money....but they had a Burger King and you bet I ate there, since we don't have it in Egypt.
Then I came back to the hostel, walked to the bus station to check out bus rides to Eilat for Tuesday and returned to the hostel where we dissected US Marshals, a fabulous movie, for the remainder of the evening.
As I walked in that general directions, I took the long way around the wall and around the Armenian Quarter, which is pretty empty. I then stumbled upon a sweet archaeological park in the corner of the city, next to the wall. It was fantastic and I'm surprised that it wasn't that busy. It has remains from Palaces built in the 7th and 8th Centuries, as well as some remains from basic houses at the time. The park gives you a basic history of the city and area through the years, so if you're over here, it's worth the stop.
And then decided that I was going to try and get into the wall, since it was nearby. I had been thwarted on two early attempts by the local police and the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) agents that patrol the city and the site. (Brief side note--Many IDF folks are just teenagers serving their time in the military, so imagine if you will 17 yr old high school students, guys and gals, with automatic weapons and really big guns--good call).
This time, Success!!
I managed to get through security and I was able to say a brief prayer at the wall. Next I wandered into a little room to the left of it where many people were praying, because I thought this was the Wall Tunnels.....but no, it was a bunch of men praying. I was stopped at the entrance and asked if I was Jewish....upon replying no and asking if that was a problem, the man said, "No, no problem at all, you just need to smile as you walk through."
So I walked around as these men prayed and then I left that area and found the tunnels. The tunnels were pretty interesting. I bought my ticket at 1:30, but was told that I should have been on the 1:20 group, so I hurried through and looked for the English speaking group around the corner....or at least these were my directions.
Upon not finding the group, I decided that I could wander around the tunnels solo, which looked a bit shady no doubt, but it was still fun. You got to see a lot of the wall, so arches and some pretty cool cisterns. Good times.
After this I made my way back to the hostel for a brief rest and falafel (awesome) and then I took a taxi to check out Jerusalem's best shopping area....the Jerusalem mall.
It sucked. Totally not worth the money....but they had a Burger King and you bet I ate there, since we don't have it in Egypt.
Then I came back to the hostel, walked to the bus station to check out bus rides to Eilat for Tuesday and returned to the hostel where we dissected US Marshals, a fabulous movie, for the remainder of the evening.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
My First Day....
My first day here was amazing. It was so busy that I actually got a blister from my shoes on the back of my heel!
I started off by taking in half of the Rampart Walk, where you get to walk on the Old Walls that surround the Old City. The walls were last reinforced in the 1500s, so it is a pretty cool experience. You get to see almost the entire city and it makes you actually realize that people do live here! I saw a couple of schools, a daycare center and even a high school, not to mention the various churches and mosques.
After that I took a stroll down the Via Dolorosa, or the "Sorrowful Way" (I think). They believe that this was the path that Jesus walked with the cross through the city. It's poorly marked, so I managed to get lost and I appeared near my hostel again, which was a plus because my camera batteries died.
In the afternoon, I took in the Garden Tomb and Golgotha, or Skull Hill, where according to the Book of John, Jesus was crucified. The Tomb was nearby and it was truly an incredible experience. I had my Bible with me and read the two chapters in John about The Crucifixion and Resurrection. I was a little upset because so many people just clicked a picture and walked away, possibly just thinking this was another "Tourist" site. I thanked God for allowing me to be here for this truly is a blessing and an amazing experience.
After that I began to wander up the Mount of Olives, stopping at the Grotto (where Jesus often went to pray), the Tomb of the Virgin Mary, and the Garden of Gethsemane. The top of the Mount provides an amazing view of the Old City and the Golden Gate. On the Mount, I read from Matthew 24 before I began to walk back down to the city.
Then it started to rain and I didn't have my jacket, so my sweater is still wet today (Day 2). It is actually still raining outside, which is funny because I haven't seen this much rain since the summer.
Funny side note, the Hostel I'm in doesn't have hot water right now, so I barely got wet before deciding I could wait to shower. Awesome.
I started off by taking in half of the Rampart Walk, where you get to walk on the Old Walls that surround the Old City. The walls were last reinforced in the 1500s, so it is a pretty cool experience. You get to see almost the entire city and it makes you actually realize that people do live here! I saw a couple of schools, a daycare center and even a high school, not to mention the various churches and mosques.
After that I took a stroll down the Via Dolorosa, or the "Sorrowful Way" (I think). They believe that this was the path that Jesus walked with the cross through the city. It's poorly marked, so I managed to get lost and I appeared near my hostel again, which was a plus because my camera batteries died.
In the afternoon, I took in the Garden Tomb and Golgotha, or Skull Hill, where according to the Book of John, Jesus was crucified. The Tomb was nearby and it was truly an incredible experience. I had my Bible with me and read the two chapters in John about The Crucifixion and Resurrection. I was a little upset because so many people just clicked a picture and walked away, possibly just thinking this was another "Tourist" site. I thanked God for allowing me to be here for this truly is a blessing and an amazing experience.
After that I began to wander up the Mount of Olives, stopping at the Grotto (where Jesus often went to pray), the Tomb of the Virgin Mary, and the Garden of Gethsemane. The top of the Mount provides an amazing view of the Old City and the Golden Gate. On the Mount, I read from Matthew 24 before I began to walk back down to the city.
Then it started to rain and I didn't have my jacket, so my sweater is still wet today (Day 2). It is actually still raining outside, which is funny because I haven't seen this much rain since the summer.
Funny side note, the Hostel I'm in doesn't have hot water right now, so I barely got wet before deciding I could wait to shower. Awesome.
Friday, February 02, 2007
My adventure to the Old City......
As I was walking to the bus station in Cairo this morning, I was thinking about how smoothly this trip was going to work out. Bus to Taba, walk across the border. Bus to Eilat and then bus to Jerusalem. Pretty easy right?
Little did I recall that today is Friday and that everything in Israel shuts down at 4:30 for Shabbat. Uh-oh.
I didn't make it to Taba until around 12:15 pm (after leaving Cairo at 7 am. It was supposed to be 6:30, but Egyptians are always late). Standing around at a tiny bus stop, I was unsure where to go. So I started walking toward what I assumed was the border and I got lucky.
After a few minutes with the border patrol, I was able to actually leave Egypt. Then I had to get into Israel. I had to convince them that I was coming for tourism. They asked where I was going and I replied Jerusalem, the Old City.
She then asked, "What are you going to see?"
"Um.........everything?"
And with that she let me through. The drawback was that I discovered on my way to Taba that the last bus to Jerusalem from Eilat was at 1 pm on Fridays. I arrived at 1:28 pm (after paying 40 NIS for a 10 minute taxi ride). So now what???
I got lucky. There was a bus to Tel Aviv leaving at 2 and I started thinking about it. If I waited for the next bus, I would be in Eilat till 4:30 pm Sat and I'd basically miss out on a day. I decided to head to Tel Aviv and try to either stay there or get a cab/mini-bus to Jerusalem. So off I went with no where to stay and knowing full well that almost everything would be closed.
After many, many stops (Be'er Sheva and numerous bus stops ON the highway) we finally arrived in Tel Aviv. Now I was confused, do I wait till tomorrow or push my luck? Well, I pushed it. I spoke with the first guy knowing full well that it was going to cost a ton, but I just wanted to be in Jerusalem tonight. Period. Luckily (again....divine intervention?) he agreed, although it cost a ton, more than the two bus trips and previous taxi ride combined. Heck, more than my hostel for the four days.
It was worth it though. I spoke with an Israeli man that was very interesting. There was a little talk of politics and he basically has a one track mind--women. He asked many times if I was looking for women (pimp?). I said no, to which he replied, "Why not?"
An hour later, we arrived in Jerusalem. We had to ask for directions, but we finally made it. The streets are cramped, but I'm finally here........
Little did I recall that today is Friday and that everything in Israel shuts down at 4:30 for Shabbat. Uh-oh.
I didn't make it to Taba until around 12:15 pm (after leaving Cairo at 7 am. It was supposed to be 6:30, but Egyptians are always late). Standing around at a tiny bus stop, I was unsure where to go. So I started walking toward what I assumed was the border and I got lucky.
After a few minutes with the border patrol, I was able to actually leave Egypt. Then I had to get into Israel. I had to convince them that I was coming for tourism. They asked where I was going and I replied Jerusalem, the Old City.
She then asked, "What are you going to see?"
"Um.........everything?"
And with that she let me through. The drawback was that I discovered on my way to Taba that the last bus to Jerusalem from Eilat was at 1 pm on Fridays. I arrived at 1:28 pm (after paying 40 NIS for a 10 minute taxi ride). So now what???
I got lucky. There was a bus to Tel Aviv leaving at 2 and I started thinking about it. If I waited for the next bus, I would be in Eilat till 4:30 pm Sat and I'd basically miss out on a day. I decided to head to Tel Aviv and try to either stay there or get a cab/mini-bus to Jerusalem. So off I went with no where to stay and knowing full well that almost everything would be closed.
After many, many stops (Be'er Sheva and numerous bus stops ON the highway) we finally arrived in Tel Aviv. Now I was confused, do I wait till tomorrow or push my luck? Well, I pushed it. I spoke with the first guy knowing full well that it was going to cost a ton, but I just wanted to be in Jerusalem tonight. Period. Luckily (again....divine intervention?) he agreed, although it cost a ton, more than the two bus trips and previous taxi ride combined. Heck, more than my hostel for the four days.
It was worth it though. I spoke with an Israeli man that was very interesting. There was a little talk of politics and he basically has a one track mind--women. He asked many times if I was looking for women (pimp?). I said no, to which he replied, "Why not?"
An hour later, we arrived in Jerusalem. We had to ask for directions, but we finally made it. The streets are cramped, but I'm finally here........
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