O Little Town of Bethlehem...

Bethlehem is not so little anymore, but it is a Palestinian city, which means it's behind "the wall." "The Wall," the "protective" barrier between Israel and the West Bank (which is controlled by the Palestinian Authority) makes life difficult for those in Bethlehem. Many have left, so we saw many abandoned houses (many nice houses empty). It takes a long time for someone to get through the border, so work is difficult and rare. We breezed right through as American tourists, but for those who live here, life can get hard.

We began the day, however, trying to help with the economy, doing our treasure shopping at the Bethlehem New Store. Let's just say I did my part to stimulate Bethlehem's economy. Then, a short bus ride and walk later, we found ourselves with a crowd at the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square. Never have I waited as long as I did today to get into the grotto. We waited...and waited...and waited...and finally were able to see the place where Jesus was born. It was hot and muggy and Rachel got a little dehydrated. (She's doing fine now.)

After the Nativity Church, we went to lunch at a very nice restaurant. Salad bar, falafel, baklava and a cold drink. Yum! Lunch was a refreshing stop, then it was on to Shepherd's Field. There are many traditional sites for the place where the shepherds heard the angels singing; we went only one, to a grotto and a small chapel church, where we sang Christmas carols and remembered the angels message to the shepherds: "Good news for all!"

Our last stop of the day was to the Herodiun, a huge manmade mountain built by Herod the Great in honor of himself. We walked to the top in the heat, saw the ruins of the palace and the swimming pool, the synagogue and the towers. From the top of the Herodiun, you can see much of the Holy Land in all directions. To exit, we passed through a series of tunnels (thankfully cool!) that were used in Herod's time as a water system and later as a "secret entrance" by the Jewish rebels. A few years ago, Herod's tomb was discovered at the site, and just a short time after that, the archaeologist who found it fell at the site and died instantly. Some claim there is a "curse" on Herod's tomb.

Hot, tired and ready for a rest, we arrived at the Olive Tree Hotel in Jerusalem. From our eighth floor room, we can see the Old City of Jerusalem, where we will be exploring over the next couple of days. It is good to be in this place, this holy place, where so many have encountered God. We will, too, as we walk these ancient streets and listen to the sounds of this culture.

But tonight...a nice dinner, then rest. Tomorrow is an early morning!

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