ASHDOD (Israel) – Our third early start in four days and 3 huge excursions but today is so wonderful because we are going to JERUSALEM & BETHLEHEM on a ship tour. Along with throngs of tourist buses again, and with our interesting guide Bernice, we were filled with stories from the Bible along the historic route into Jerusalem – we also sang out the moving hymn “Jerusalem” on the bus which was ‘hair-raising’. Our first stop was the Mount of Olives and what a magnificent view it was of this beautiful city, next to the Garden of Gethsemane with its gnarled olive trees; and then into the Church of Agony, also known as the Church of All Nations. We then entered Bethlehem (can’t believe that we are actually here!) and it was quite overcoming to enter the Church of St. Catherine where the birthplace of Baby Jesus is dedicated by the beautiful Silver Star – I was one of the lucky ones to get into the Grotto and take a photo (totally not allowed but others were too!! – you are allowed to take photos of the doorway to the Grotto but not to enter without permission). After lunch at the Grand Court Hotel we went to the Western Wall (or Wailing Wall) filled with prayers written on little pieces of paper which are not destroyed but buried every so often. The stone courtyard was buzzing with throngs of pilgrims. While standing at The Wall we both said a little prayer for Nanna Zoe. We then traversed The Via Dolorosa depicting Christ’s last journey, with the Stations of the Cross, which was absolutely filled with stalls of colourful souvenir shops of every description, and finally into The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which holds the Tomb of Jesus Christ. It’s hard to put our feelings into words but today was a very, very special one that will never be forgotten.
Photos above are: lovely view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives; Garden of Gethsemane; Church of St. Catherine; stained glass inside this beautiful church; The Silver Star; the Wailing Wall.
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