Behind Jesus in Jerusalem

Can't write much tonight.  I don't know whether I'm so tired because of the physical demands of the day (8am to 8pm) or the emotional onslaught.

We started by driving to an overlook near the Garden of Gethsemane to see the Old City from the East, as Jesus would have seen it when He came to it for the last time.  Moti pointed out the Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, the Kidron Valley, Gehenna, Caiphas' house and the "Hill of the Bad Decision" (Jewish term for the decision to have Jesus put to death).  He gave us the history of the Dome of the Rock complex, and the Islamic walling up of the Eastern gate (because Jews believe that the Messiah would pass through those gates, and the blocking of the gates would prevent that).  He identified a thousand different churches and holy sites.  Whew.

Meanwhile, we were treated to a visit from a man leading a "Bethlehem donkey."

After the panoramic view, we visited the Garden of Gethsemane, which was powerful, and the Church of the Agony.

  

Then we drove to the "alternate" tomb site -- The Garden Tomb site.  I understand that the archaeological evidence supports the location of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus as under/inside the Church of the Sepulchre.  But the Garden Tomb site sure seemed like what I imagined as Jesus' tomb site.  An elderly Scottish woman served as volunteer docent.  She was obviously devoted to her Lord Jesus, and she got choked up retelling the story.  Her sweet demeanor and devotion moved us to really appreciate the time.  Rols and I were also interested to hear her talk about the "window" cut in the stone above and to the right of the small doorway leading into the tomb.  Apparently, the Jews of the time believed that the soul of a person left 4 days after death; the window allowed the soul to escape.  So when Jesus delayed in going to heal/resurrect Lazarus for 4 days, Lazarus was not just dead.  He was really, really dead.

After our time in the Garden Tomb site, we drove to the Damascus Gate, and entered the Old City.  We climbed to the top of the Austrian hostel for a panoramic view of the Old City, and then walked the Via Delarosa.

ending up at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  (What an operation that place is -- an incense filled complex of three Christian sects, processing pilgrims continuously and guarding prerogatives.  Rols and I were moved, in spite of ourselves, by the altar area above the place of the crucifixion, the stone slab where Jesus' body was laid, and the tomb.  Rols' favorite part of the visit was noting a pilgrim's graffiti and the date: 1327.

We had a quick lunch in the Arab quarter (kebabs), followed by a convoluted trip to Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity.  The Church of the Nativity was a complex operation similar to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre..

We grabbed a chance for a 2 hour-long tour of the underground tunnel system along the western wall.

And then ... back to the hotel.