Today we entered Jerusalem. Every preconceived idea we had about Jerusalem as well as Israel was incorrect. Every picture we took, we realized that there is no way to explain the busy city of Jerusalem. It is something you have experience for yourself. There is no way a picture can explain the markets, the Garden tomb, the gates to the city, the walls…the remains of the temple…..it is simply overwhelming.
We started our day at 4:30 AM and were out the door at 6:15 for our cappuccino. We drove though Israel traffic and arrived in Jerusalem to meet our tour guide Dvir Hollander and head up to the Mt of Olives. We stopped on the South East side of Mt of Olives and looked over the Judean Desert with the Dead Sea in the distance. After we headed to the North West side, overlooking Jerusalem where Dvir gave us the topography, historical and biblical explanations for the early history. We went to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus went to pray after the last supper.
Everyone felt moved as we realized we were in an olive garden, and the pressure olives go through as they are processed and crushed, just like our savior. The pressure he felt, and instead of oil, his sorrow and pain was revealed as he sweat blood.
We moved from there to the Church of Agony, where the rock is where Jesus is said to ask God to take the cup from him, but His will Jesus would follow. It was beautiful as we walked down from the Mt of Olives, and through the Kidron Valley and back up into Jerusalem through the Lion’s Gate.
We were unable to go thought the East Gate where Jesus would have gone, because only Muslim’s can pass through there now. We passed into a beautiful garden area, where St Ann’s church was (this was supposedly the area where the Virgin Marry was born) where the acoustics made us sound like a choir as we sang together. (Watch for the video soon)!
We entered the area where the Pools of Bethsaida were, where Jesus told the lame man to pick up his mat and go home. You could almost hear the busy area and envision the whole scene take place.
We walked into Old Jerusalem and went through the streets following the stations of the cross, Via Del Rosa, which was marked where Jesus was on trial, where he was unable to carry the cross, as well as where he was no longer able to walk. It was strange walking the exact path of our Savior. With the busy streets it was hard to picture the scene, but yet it was probably exactly as it was back
then—busy.
We stopped for lunch at a local vendor Abu Shukri, and had pita, hummus, goat cheese yogurt, babaganush, tomato cucumber salad, pickled cabbage and peppers. We all let very full, and very satisfied.
We went to the Austrian hospice, and went on the roof, to view the streets from above. It was amazing that you can’t see down into the streets because they are so close together, but you can see the beautiful city, and it is quiet.
Now we know what James Taylor was talking about when he sang “Up on the Roof"~~When this old world starts to getting me down, and peopled are just to much for me to face, I’ll climb way up to the top of the stairs, and all my cares just drift right into space~~on the roof it’s peaceful as can be, and there the world below don’t bother me.” It was peaceful and it was easy to see how this was a refuge for so many.
From there we walked to the Damascus gate, and saw the original gate below the new gate. We then walked a distance out of the city to Golgatha, where the Garden Tomb is.
It was busy at first, but amazingly it cleared out, and we were the only ones there in the tomb. It was one of the most emotional feelings any of us had…and we were able to pray and Thank Jesus that he is no longer there. We had the place to ourselves for almost 20 minutes. Thank you Lord for allowing us that time with you.
From the Garden Tomb we went back into town, to the Church of the Holy Seplichure. We went through an Etheopian Village, and saw Joseph of Armethaus’ tomb.
From there we went into the streets, and hit the market place. We found a spice shop with a spice pyramid, and had a sample.
They say the base is Oregano…but whatever it was, it tasted great on bread…if we could only have had some olive oil.
We bought coffee to take home, and some of us bought the zapa spice.
Our last stop in Jerusalem for the day was the coffee shop, where our guide Dvir went and got us desserts from several of the different corridors.
We had baklava, Halva (a sesame seed sweet), Kanafeh, a jewish pastry made with goat cheese, along with coffee with cardamon, and black tea with mint….it was a wonderful treat. We ended our day with Divir at the Jaffa gate, and he was kind enough to take a group picture.
We headed home tired, but thankful for a great day in Jerusalem.
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