A Long Day in Jerusalem

Today was a test of stamina for many. we bagan with an overview of the city from the Mount of Olives. See the exciting "first time on a camel" pictures.





 We then walked down the path Jesus took on Palm Sunday, stopping at the church of Dominus Flevit (Jesus Wept) and looking out over the city. Further along we found the Church of All Nations at the Garden of Gethsemene.










Our visit next took us to the excavations of the City of David, the site of the original Jebusite city conquered by the army of David under Joab  and established as the capital of United Israel (ca. 1000 BC). We visited the stepped remains of the ancient settlement and stopped at the partiaally excavated remains of the Siloam Pool, the site of one of Jesus' miracles. We then climbed back up the hill through the ancient drainage channel/tunnel/sewer of the Herodian city, a narrow, slick, low tunnel and tested our steel.


We enjoyed a great lunch at a restaurant in Mamila, a neighbourhood in Jewish Jerusalem. Our afternoon visit took us to to the site of the Upper Room, a crusader period structure built over the traditional site of Jesus' last Supper with his Disciples that Passover night. We also saw the nearby Tomb of King David.

We returned early to our hotel to freshen up. After dinner we hit the Old City again for a walk along the Herodian Street level beside the Western (wailing) Wall. We saw the foundations of the ancient Temple renovated by Herod, with stones as large as 600 tons! We took a moment to visit the Western Wall (some to stop and pray) before returning to our bus past some of the displays in the city's Festival of Light. Back at the hootel at 10:45 pm, we leave again at 8am. See you then!