1. Murilo and Jessica on the Mount of Olives overlooking The Dome of the Rock which was erected between 685 and 691 AD and the old city. Jessica got a quick ride on a camel when she was "abducted" by a tourist vulture. This Arab guy just lifted her up and plunked her on the camel and the older guy grabbed my camera. Murilo was so pissed off - and of course, saved the day!
2. A common scene around Israel - the entrance to the Western Wall (Wailing Wall). We had to pass through a metal detector with an armed guard standing nearby while another guard searched our bags. There are security guards at restaurants, the hotels, and the market.
3. Jess and I standing in front of the Western Wall (women's side) - we were supposed to cover our heads but no one reprimanded those who didn't. Other places we visited while in Jeruselum: The tomb of King David, the "Cardo" in the Jewish Quarter, V ia Dolorosa (Stations of the Cross), Church of the Holy Sepulchure, the room of the last supper (Dormition Abbey), and Yad Vashem (Holocaust Museum).
4. The view from our hotel (the same hotel Murilo stays at while working). The small mosque in the foreground is undergoing rennovations.
5. On Thursday (Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement after New Year - holiest day in Israel), Murilo was fasting and didn't feel like walking in the sun. So, Jess and I headed off south along the beach to Jaffa. This picture is looking back towards our hotel - beautiful!
6. One of the historical sites in Jaffa - Napolean was here. Everything in the area was closed due to the holiday. This is the one day of the year where nearly everything is closed in Israel. There were no cars out (as it is illegal to drive) so everyone was walking, skating, or riding bikes through the streets. This is also the day in 1973 when Egyptian and Syrian forces (with the help of several other Arabic nations) invaded Israel, knowing the Jews were observing their holiest day. Although extremely outnumbered and caught off guard, the Israelis managed to initiate a counter attack coming within 65 miles of Cairo. When the Egyptians attempted to retreat to protect their capital, they found all the bridges destroyed and their path home cut off. They haven't messed with Israel since!
7. We also toured Masada and the Dead Sea. Here, we are looking down on the storage houses from the remains of King Herrod's palace. This place was amazing - with all the cysterns filled and the storage houses filled with supplies, about 1000 Jewish zealots (men, women, and children) lived for 3 years while Roman slaves built a huge ramp to reach the top of the mountain. This was the only way to reach the fortress as it was completely impregnable (of course Herrod didn't build it for the Jews to use). When the Romans finally reached the top, they found enough food and water for the zealots to live another 5 years and nearly 1000 bodies. The Jews chose death over a life of slavery and only a handful of survivors lived to tell their story. Masada is now a symbol for Zionists and the Israeli Army whose motto is "Never again Masada."
8. Jessica and I floating in the Dead Sea with Jordanian mountains on the other side. You can't help but float!! We tried to walk around in the deeper water but when we lifted our knees too high they just bobbed towards the surface. There is no life in the water at all - no fish, no algae, nothing. The bottom and the shoreline is hardened salt and mineral deposits.
We had a great trip - these pictures are just the tip of the iceburg!! I can't believe we waited so long to visit but the prospect of the 18 hour plane ride from Oregon was just too daunting. We would love to visit again and stay longer.
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