Yes this was our destination for the day. The Israel museum. And the Shrine of the Book. At least I can now say I have been inside. Not being able to take pictures is annoying. Something I just realised now is that there is no justification for preventing photo's in the museum except for greed. You must buy the book. No you say, the flash might damage the documents. Not actually. Most of the documents there are copies. Faximilies. Fakes. So no damage would occur. And if it did it would be easy to fix. The model of Jerusalem they had just inside the entrance was very good. The model was of Jerusalem in the second temple period just before it was destroyed by the Romans in 70AD. The temple conpound is huge. It takes up a significant portion of the city. Herod's palace was on the other side of the city and one theory puts Jesus' trial before Pilate there. This would mean that they would have only needed to march Jesus across the courtyard to take him to Herod instead of across the city. They had an arrow on the wall to indicate where the modern Western Wall where the orthodox pray is. Isn't that nice of them :)
Was able to pick out the name of God from the Isaiah scroll. Facsimilie. Fake. Yes I am just a little annoyed. I bought a book at the shop called "The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English" with not a biblical scroll in sight. Not one of the biblical scrolls are included. Fortunately I bought a critically marked up version of the biblical scrolls in English. So it was not a total loss. I am more offended over the title than anything else.
Our next stop was the Anglican International School in Jerusalem.
It was a hospital first. But as in Zefat the Jews did not want Christians ministering to sick Jews so they built their own. So it was changed into a school. There was a pulpit in the waiting area of the hospital and people who came in got to listen to a gospel presentation while they waited. Much better than the usual magazines I think :) We were given a short message on evangelism to the Jewish people with a few moving testimonies by the head of Shoresh tours. He was also so kind to give me back my baggage tag. So considerate of him. Thanks we have done all we can now it's your problem. Not that it's actually their fault. They did what they could and technically it was above and beyond so I guess I can't complain. Guess I'll have to put in an insurance claim. See if this global travel insurance is all it's cracked up to be. They had better not want to take anything from me at the airport this time. You will be reading about me in the news if that happens. Nuff said.
I guess shopping was not completely banished from the menu for this trip. The bus driver had the rest of the day off and so we had to walk back to the hotel. Not too far but we had two shopping options. Didn't want either but had to choose one as I would be walking either way. Had food at MacDonalds again. Actually tried Burger King but the service sucked so badly that I rather went to Mickey D's.
Took a leisurely stroll back to the hotel.
Took a short detour into the Jaffa gate as you can see :)
The longer the tour continues the more I realise going on your own, even when part of a tour group, is not for me. It's not that the other group members are nasty to me but there is a distance. Each person has someone close to them experiencing the tour with them. I feel like the extra wheel. It is a feeling I am very familiar with but it still sucks. And no Terri that doesn't apply when you are with me, just in case you were wondering. ;) Next time I take a cheaper ten day tour and bring someone along. Even if I have to pay. It's worth it :). Well enough pity parties. No one likes them anyway.
After that it was a beer at the hotel and a very insightful article about the whole Ergun Caner debacle that is about to break. Ask me later.
Then a trip to the turkish bath. Big mistake. It's unisex. So lots of barely clad young ladies pouring water on themselves and rubbing themselves down with some weird sponges. I felt similarly when I went to Clifton beach for the first and last time. Decided the empty jaccuzi was a much better prospect. Which it was!
Supper and then bed!
Tomorrow is a church day so lots of walking and covered knees.
-- Post From My iPhone
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