So we got stuck in Athens for a day. This was an overnight layover flying from Jerusalem to Barcelona. Our morning flight to Barcelona was early - at the airport at 6:00 AM - then learned there was a Government employee strike, including all air traffic controllers - no flights out today. So headed back to our hotel and hung out for the day - Parthenon closed! What a jipp! Government people run it and they were on strike too. So we did other stuff.

Ended up having to fly to Madrid the next day and take a high speed train (125 mph - 3 hs 15 min) to Barcelona. Big stories with that trip - fun, crazy and eventful. Our friends Gary and Katie Dewey have an awesome appartment in Barcelona - two spare bedrooms - they said any of our friends can come stay with them :). So today - we're off to see the place.

No more posts - we're home Sunday night!



Acropolis and the Parthenon at night - our last cool scene in Athens



The Acropolis mount - can't see the Parthenon but its up there.



View from inside the Garden Tomb.



The Garden Tomb - my second favorite site of our trip.



This shot of the old wall and Temple Mount was taken from the Mount of Olives in an olive orchard area above the standard Gethsemane location. Many reasons why this site is significant and a more likely spot for the events recorded as taking place in Gethsemane. Absolutely my favorite site of our trip.



This was a very cool area of the wall. We were the only non-jew people in here. Only men allowed - and my big camera, everyone doing their jewish prayer stuff.











Site of the wailing wall. This was a Barmitsfa day - big family event, lots of grandamas cousins and cameras.



Dome of the Rock - Muslim edifice on Temple Mount



The Damascus Gate - the crucifixion took place along the road near this gate.





More streets in the Old City. (Within the walls)

Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - or "Unholy Sepulchre"



Outside the entrance to Church of the Un-Holy Sepulchr.



Jerusalem Old City streets




Hill overlooking Bethlehem








Cool huh? This is a hill just North of Bethlehem. Old home foundation and caves and things. Can't go into Bethlehem - palestinians have it.

The Food :)

P.S.

Hmmm Steve has loved the food - everywhere!!! The food in Israel definitely better than the food in Egypt. But Jerusalem is a clean modern beautiful place. I have not loved the food - but have been super good about at least trying new things. Pretty interesting to wake up and have people eating salads with weird things on them for breakfast! The good news - the breads are great :)

Galilee and Jerusalem and still can't believe we're here!!

Soooo - How can I ever even begin to say what we have been experiencing?! Every day is a new adventure, full of fun (our tour group is just great!), beautiful places, rolling green vast valleys and hills, 2000 yr. old and older ruins - some excavated and others just sitting there waiting for us to search through (or at least for Steve to take pictures of), constantly contemplating on the moment and the history and what we are seeing and feeling, reading scriptures at each location and gaining new insights on the why's and the Jewish traditions, and the Hebrew translations, and then stopping and listening as the spirit teaches us and strengthens our testimonies!

We have traveled from Elat the very most southern point in Israel - up through the Dead Sea (while some floated and had mud baths), to the top of Masada, drove up to the Northern most parts of the country to the top of Mt. Tabor (the mount of transfiguration), back down to the Sea of Galilee where we went to Caperaum, the Mount of the Beatitudes, boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, and saw the cliffs where the swine ran off the cliffs full of the evil spirits. Whew! Then on to Nazareth (where Mary the mother of Jesus was born and where Jesus spent most of his childhood), the hillsides of Bethlehem, and the valley of Elah (where David slew Goliath).

(taking a deep breath now!) And we still have yet to visit the "Old city", Gethsamane, Garden tomb, Golgatha and the rest of Jerusalem!

So - we hope you enjoy the pictures and get a small taste of what we have had fun doing everyday, all day long! It just couldn't be more fun and educational and spiritual!

Tomorrow (Sat.) we get to attend church at the Jerusalem center (woo hoo) and then take time to ourselves walking around and seeing this beautiful city.

Ceasarea beautiful Palace built by Herod right on the Mediteranean Sea - Paul did some great teaching here.

Jerusalem

Hidden little room under a 1700 year old church on big hill in Nazareth.

Here is the church!

Sea of Galilee

Restaurant where they served us WHOLE fishes - hmmm I had chicken! Two of the women in our group found coins in the mouths of their fish :)

Oil press and pillar in Capernaum

The upper River Jordan!! It is all so green and beautiful!

We passed the turn-off to the site where Jesus was probably baptised it is in the lower River Jordan.

Mt. Tabor - Mount of Transfiguration - according to Pres. Kimball

(the bible dictionary is wrong :)

Mt. Tabor - we have headsets on so that we can hear Bro. Rona - it's really great!

He always teaches us the history first then we sit and read the scriptural accounts then he plays beautiful music for 5-10 minutes that are songs that fit the setting! The hymns will never be the same.

Looking down from Mt. Tabor - this was a life changing experience.

Nazereth is at the top of the hill in the distance.

Out our room in front of Jerusalem - the gold dome is to the right of us.

Bethany - Mary and Martha's home and where Lazurus was raised.

Cool shoreline of the Dead Sea with crazy salt formations.

Tourists taking the mud bath and others floating in the back ground. I stuck my feet in :)

Masada - you'll have to get online and read about (or wait until we get home and we'll tell you all about it!!)

Looking down from Masada

Jerusalem

Dead Sea shoreline

Resorts on the Dead Sea - they have these resorts so that people can come and get all the mineral treatments from the Sea!

Negev desert between the Gulf of Acaba and the Dead Sea - Lehi's group would have crossed through this desert some where.

Yachts on the Red Sea at Elat