Touring the Holy Land

Sunday, March 17, 2013 by Nicole | 21 Comments

I’ve made you wait long enough for photos from my trip to Israel. It took longer than expected to eliminate the blurry, over-exposed, and repetitive photos from more than 2,500 images on five memory cards and at least 400 more on my tablet. There was a minor major hiccup when I accidentally deleted photos from my camera before downloading them to my laptop. However, I’m not too upset because I have plenty of pictures to remember the trip, and even more memories to savor until I can return to Jerusalem.

Before I boarded the plane in Newark, New Jersey to Tel Aviv, Israel, I upgraded my seat from Coach Economy to Coach Plus (definitely worth $107) and swallowed a sleeping pill. I was asleep before take-off. Ten hours later, I watched the sun rise over Athens, Greece {thanks to a handy-dandy map app on the 10-inch screen attached to the seat in front of me}. Still tired, I slept through breakfast too. On the return flight (from Tel Aviv to Newark), I upgraded to Coach Plus again (this time it cost me $127 for a wider seat, more leg room, + a window seat) and slept 10 hours.

If you have plans to visit the Holy Land, may I offer these three suggestions:

1. lose all expectations
2. become a dry sponge willing to soak up all the sights, sounds, and experiences
3. wear comfortable shoes

In regards to expectations, it is important to remember that the Holy Land has endured battles, uproars, disagreements, wars, and power struggles for thousands of years. Modern ideals (i.e. religious law, gender roles, clothing, food, etc.) must respectfully take a backseat during your visit. I also suggest you dust off your history books and religious texts.

A long time ago, people with power and deep pockets ordered the construction of churches, cathedrals, and temples to be built on holy sites. I do not doubt the validity of these locations because in the big scheme of things, it doesn’t matter to me. Instead, I’m savoring memories like these: walking where Jesus walked; remembering my baptism at the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist (but I don’t think John was a Baptist); and praying in the Garden of Gethsemane beside olive trees confirmed to have been present in Jesus’ time. We don’t have to agree, but that’s just plain cool!

According to tradition, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (also called the Church of the Resurrection) sits atop Golgotha (Calvary). Visitors can kneel at an elaborate altar and touch the stone believed to have held Jesus’ cross. There is also a large stone slab in the Rotunda where Jesus’ body was prepared for burial, the Anointed Stone. Despite the extremely low light inside the church, photos of massive tile mosaics turned out better than expected. Another photo miracle came while standing in line to see the tomb of Jesus. I stared at a bronze angel for several minutes before taking its picture. The photo even has bokeh.

Once in Tel Aviv, we visited the coastal city of Jaffa. It was pouring rain so some pilgrims {fancy term for tourists in the Holy Land} stayed on the bus. Jaffa, I learned, is the oldest port in the world. According to the Bible, Jonah set sail from Jaffa before encountering the whale (or was it a fish?), and it was in Jaffa where Peter raised Tabitha from the dead.

Inside most temples, cathedrals, and churches were the most beautiful tile mosaics I have ever seen. Along the Via Dolorosa, I saw this incredible mosaic of Jesus carrying his cross. Every tile had to have been cut and polished by hand, then very carefully arranged to create this beautiful image. I’m still in awe.

The hill of Mount Zion, the highest point in Old Jerusalem, is dominated by the Church of the Dormition (bottom left photo). According to Christian tradition, it is the place where the Virgin Mary died. Nearby is The Upper Room, where Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and served The Last Supper before being crucified, and King David’s Tomb. In the main area of the tomb, before the split between men-only and women-only areas, a grandmother-like woman grabbed my hand (no kidding!) when she saw my camera. Afraid I might take pictures (which I would not do after instructions from our tour guide), she escorted me through the room and back to the exit on the opposite side. She didn’t speak an ounce of English, but she made sure I followed the rules!

The Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu (bottom right photo) is a stone’s throw from The Upper Room, located on the lower east side of Mount Zion. This Roman Catholic Church takes its name from Peter’s triple rejection of Jesus. The church has been rebuilt several times, the latest construction in 1931, and further connects Peter with the golden rooster on the roof. Inside are multiple underground caves and crypts. Some believe Jesus was imprisoned here. On the north side of the church is an ancient staircase that leads to the Kidron Valley and many Christians believe Jesus followed this path down to the Garden of Gethsemane.

There were so many wonderful, magical moments on this trip. I had a blast following the footsteps of Jesus and visiting places important to his ministry. However, walking along the stone streets of Old Jerusalem put so much into context. I don’t know if it was the conglomeration of three major religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) or the sense of old world charm in a bustling metropolis, but I loved every minute of it. Luckily, my tour group spent the last day of our pilgrimage in the Old City — and shared the Sacrament of Holy Communion in the Garden of the Empty Tomb — the perfect way to conclude our trip! Even though the final day focused on the Via Dolorosa, I intentionally stayed at the back of the pack (like I normally do in large group settings) to capture lifestyle shots. Anybody can Google the places I’ve seen, but I wanted photos that captured the essence of the people who live, work, and thrive inside the ancient city walls. There were open-air markets and street vendors selling shawarma (meat prepared on a rotating spit), brightly colored scarves blowing in the breeze, a variety of candies and sweet treats on display tables, and more fresh produce than this country girl could ever imagine!

Where there is water, I usually find a way in. I swam floated in the Dead Sea and now I’m a frequent shopper of AVAHA Dead Sea products. My daily skincare routine includes cleansers, toners, scrubs, masks, and hydrating lotions packed with black mud or saltwater from the Dead Sea. After dining on Saint Peter’s fish (similar taste and texture of tilapia) at a family-style restaurant along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, I snuck away from the group to dip my feet in the (very cool) water. The large rocks provided perfect coverage for my secret mission. Moments later, the group discovered my location as they began boarding a large cruising boat for another tour. The skies were a perfect shade of blue, the water was nice and calm, and the captain turned off the engines and played a soft melody of It Is Well With My Soul over the speakers.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When you have the opportunity to sit atop a camel, just do it already! There were 54 adults standing and gawking, talking about how cool it would be to ride a camel, but nobody was willing to get on the furry animal until Yours Truly demonstrated it was perfectly safe. I’m glad to take one for the team … and do something I’ve never done before!!!

I hope you enjoyed this post and perhaps you learned a few things too. I’d love to visit Jerusalem and the Holy Land again sometime, especially with my Mom. Have you traveled to the Holy Land? The Middle East? What were your favorite spots? What other destinations are on your dream list? Someday, I want to travel to Africa and Asia.

About these ads