Israel

We started our trip off with a bang, or I should say almost a riot at the Atlanta airport. They kept delaying our departure, then boarded us then after almost 3 hours deboarded us and then we spent the night on the floor! Taurean did sleep along with Alan and John. Yes, Taurean's head is in his back pack! Oh, and did I mention that it was freezing in the airport!! It was like a 14 hour delay. We had some pretty excited people who were complaining about how Delta handled it and it was very entertaining! Finally, with no sleep we made it to our tour bus. I'm not sure it was "Fun for LESS" but, it was fun.
Below is a fig leaf. I think Adam and Eve were able to make some nice coverings for themselves with these big leaves.
Sea of Galilee and the boat that we went out on one night. Yes I said night! I was a little nervous because I could not see where we were going!! By the way, the Sea of Galilee looks like Bear Lake! In fact, Israel looks like Utah!! Coincidence? I don't think so.
One of my favorite places below is the town of Capernaum. And of course they built a chapel over Peter's (I think) home.
Well, things have changed since we were in Israel 25 years ago. Below is the wall that the Israel built around the city of Bethlehem to keep who knows what out or the Palestine people in. Guns, guards and towers made us all feel real cozy in the birth place of Jesus.
Sheperd's field where the sheperd's were watching their flocks when Jesus was born. We got to go into some caves here with flash lights.
Masada is the big mountain of dirt in the middle of this picture. If you look to the left side of the mountain you will see a zig zag trail that Alan and Katherine walked down. The city is built on top of the mountain and there is a tram that takes you up to the top. It was so hot and looks out on the Dead Sea! The dark thing on the right side of the mountain at the top is where the tram stops to let you off.
Paintings on the walls inside of Masada. King Herod made it a beautiful place to live.
Fun, fun, fun at the Dead Sea. I did not get in the water, but I must say I had great fun in watching the European swim suits. One gentleman was changing into his swim suit right there in front of me on the beach! Yes, I did take a picture of him. It was like the Mr. Bean episode where Mr. Bean was changing his swim suit on the beach. There was way too much skin showing on that beach!
Another favorite for me on the trip was going to Beit Lehi an archeological dig that is not open to the public. The owner of Fun for Less tours is friends with the land owner. It was like something out of a Star Trek movie! Everything was under ground in caves. Below is a columbarium where they raised doves to be sold at the temple in Jerusalem and to also eat them. It was huge and scary to be under ground.
Below is one of my favorite things of the trip. This is in a cave at Beit Lehi and is a two room stable for animals with three manger's for the animals food. This would be like where Jesus would have been laid in a manger. So cool.
Also, at Beit Lehi there were beautiful mosaic's covered with sand and we would sweep the sand away and...
and a beautiful picture would appear! We were walking on them!!
This is the valley where Samson from the Bible lived and is right next to Beit Lehi.
The huge old Olive Tree's on the Mount of Olives.
Outside our hotel in Jerusalem.

This is my favorite place, the Pools of Bethesda. Well, I also loved the city of Capernaum and everything else we saw!

The Old city of Jerusalem and a nice Magnum Bar! I liked the Magnum Desire bar with cherries in it. Oh, it was so hot! Alan got some very cool flip top sun glasses off a vendor and I am hiding them from him so he doesn't wear them again! Below is the Flower gate which is a smaller gate. I alone took 671 pictures, so with all of us we took around 4ooo pictures, no, probably more. It was a great trip. I am already thinking, "why didn't I put in this picture or that picture". So, I will probably put on a few more in a day or two. The kids were afraid we would get killed in Israel but, the scariest thing that happened to us was our Delta experience!! Well, maybe it was going into Hezekiah's claustrophobic, water gushing tunnel in old Jerusalem and going into the caves at Beit Lehi! BEST PART OF TRIP, BEING WITH MY CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!! Loved the trip and our tour guide, Jack Marshall. Shalom Jerusalem.