Jackson in Israel and Jordan

Hi Bloggies, hope that you enjoy my blog!



We left Egypt on Feb 7 and took a taxi to the Egypt/Israel border and walked across the border .  Then we caught a taxi on the other side in Eilat, Israel to take us to our hotel.

In Elliot we arrived a day earlier than planned to watch the Packers win the Super Bowl!  The next day despite being very tired, we took a taxi to the border of Israel and Jordan, walked across and hired a car to take us to the ancient city of Petra... We had to walk through a cavern to get to the ancient city where everything was. The first thing we saw was a temple. It was really big. And to follow it was some more temples, all made out of colorful sandstone. There was also an amphitheater.  There is not a lot of information know about Petra, for example it is not clear where the people actually lived. On the way back we took a hoarse ride to the entrance. Then our taxi driver picked us up and drove us back to the Jordan border, where we had to walk across again and get a taxi in Eliat.



Jackson makes some friends in Jordan



Entrance to Petra - Amazing!!



Ancient Ampitheatre at Petra

 

Jackson riding a horse out of Petra





The next day we took a four hour bus trip to Jerusalem. We found the apartment where we were staying which is close to the Old City Walls, so the first thing we did was walk to the Jaffa Gate. We looked around and decided to come back the next day when we had more time and get a guide. So the next morning we walked back to Jaffa Gate. There we found a guide. Our guide named Abraham told us that the wall surrounding the old city was built in three different zones. First there was no wall until the Romans came along and ruled Jerusalem and built a small wall. Then when the Crusaders ruled Jerusalem they built another wall on top of the roman wall. Then when the Turks ruled they topped off the wall. So now there are three sections to the wall, all slightly different. Then our guide walked us through the Christian, Muslim, Armenian and Jewish quarters. He also took us to most of the Stations of the Cross which was the route Jesus took when he was going to be killed.  After that our guide took us to a holly place to the Jewish named the Wailing Wall. It is called the Wailing Wall because it is part of a wall that supported a temple that was destroyed twice. To the Jewish it was the most important place but now there is a Muslim Mosque (Dome of the Rock) where the temple once stood. At the Wailing wall the Jewish and any other visitors, write a wish on a piece of paper and stick it in the wall. Our guide told us that some Jewish cry by the wall and that's how it got the name Wailing Wall.

Another day we drove out of Jerusalem to the West Bank, controlled by Palestine, to see the city of Bethlehem where Jesus was born.  Jesus actually was born in a cave not a barn.  There is a church built on this site, so went to the Church of the Nativity and got to go and touch the stone where some people believe is the exact location of where Jesus was born.

The spot where Jesus was born

Church of the Nativity in Bethleham

The next day we found a taxi driver named Sam and he offered to take us to some places. First he took us to The Mount of Olives. The view of the Old City of Jerusalem was amazing from the height of the Mount of Olives.  Then he drove us to the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus and his disciples are said to have prayed the night before his crucifixion.  He also took us to the Church of the Ascension where Jesus was said to have been raised from the dead.  Sam lived in this area, so we also got to see his house.

Next, Sam took us to Masada, an ancient city high on a mountain.  We took a cable car up to the top of the mountain. It is important because the legend is that the Jewish people that lived at Masada knew the Romans would eventually get through their fort and rather than be taken prisoner, they all committed suicide.  It was exciting to see the ramp the Romans built along the side of the fort to get up high enough to knock through their walls  From the top of Masada, we were able to view the outlines (remains) of the Roman camps that encircled Masada.

Jackson at the ruins of Masada

View of Roman camp ruins from the top of Masada

Our next stop was at Qumran, near the Dead Sea, which is a place high in the mountains where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.  It was interesting to see the first cave where some of the scrolls were found after seeing the actual Dead Sea Scrolls in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

Ancient Latrine at Quram

After that we stopped at the Dead Sea to go swimming.  The Dead Sea is 1400 ft below sea level and is so full of salt that when you swim, you can only float. At the bottom (which was not deep where we were swimming) there were piles and piles of slippery mud. It is suppose to have healing powers so everyone rubs some on their bodies, but since the Dead Sea is the most salty sea in the world, it was really painful on any rashes or cuts you might have on your skin and you can get sick from swallowing the water.  It also really stings your eyes if you happen to get splashed.

Daddy & Jackson floating in the Dead Sea!

For our last stop of the day, Sam took us to Jericho, which is also in the West Bank, part of Palestine.  We took a cable car to the top of mountain to see a Greek Orthodox Church that was built on the site where Jesus is said to have stayed for forty days and forty nights while being tempted by Satan.  

The next day we walked to Mt. Zion, just outside the Old City Walls and close to our apartment.  This is the place that people believe Jesus had the Last Supper.  Later in the day, Dad, Savannah and I went on another tour of the Old City, with a group of people.  We saw same stuff as we did the first day, but the guide spoke better English, so I understood more.

On top of Mt. Zion our Jerusalem apartment in the background

Place on Mt Zion where they believe Jesus had the Last Supper

We also went to the Holocaust Museum, but to me it is too sad to write about.

After about five days in Jerusalem, we rented a car and started to drive north toward the Sea of Galilee.  We stopped at a place called Bet She ‘am which were very well preserved ancient Roman ruins.  The best preserved part was the amphitheatre. We also walked to the very top of the site and were able to have a great view looking over the ancient city. We then stopped at a Museum at the Sea of Galilee to see a 2000 year old fishing boat.  The story about how they preserved it was very interesting.



Jackson, Paul & Savannah at Bet She'am

 

The next morning we drove to Akko, which is an ancient city on the Mediterranean Sea in the Northeast part of Israel.  The weather was very bad – rain and blowing and we had trouble finding all of the places to see in Akko, so we saw what we could, including walking through the cisterns underground, but then decided to leave.  On the way looking for our car, we walked through the Akko’s fish market. They had a lot of fish some fruit but they were also selling sharks!!!!!! They were really scary.  

Sharkes at the fish market in Akko

 

We decided to try our luck by driving to Sepphori, which is another ancient Roman ruin, with some very well preserved mosaics.  The weather was much nicer.

The next morning we drove to Tel Aviv to catch our afternoon flight to Istanbul. I really liked Israel and I hope I can come back again.