The Holy Land

I was lucky enough to spend a few days in the Holy Land last week. The weather was glorious and the atmosphere was electric, filled with the spirit of Holy Week. It was slightly surreal visiting places I heard so much about growing up, and my small taste has left me wanting more. I'll definitely be looking for any excuse to go back for a week or so, because we definitely only touched the tip of the iceberg.

We started our day at the Garden of Gethsemane, a beautifully maintained garden of olive trees with a spectacular church in the middle.

We the drove through Jerusalem to the Israel-Palestine border, through the security checks at the wall and into Bethlehem.

Modern Bethlehem is a bustling city, a far cry from the sleepy village pictured on Christmas cards. There was a KFC, that was the only real chain I saw, but you can't say the locals aren't trying...

Talking to our guide, it was clear that the conflicts we hear about on the news so often don't reflect the opinions of the everyday citizens - he was good friends with our Israeli guide. We were taken to the Church of the Nativity, built on the site of the stable where it's said Jesus was born. To enter you have to stoop down through low door. The door is low for two reasons - to show respect as you enter, and to stop camels wandering in! Unfortunately the church is undergoing conservation work at the moment, so I don't have any photographs of the inside to share.

We headed back through to Israel, making a stop at the Western, or Wailing Wall. It's generally accepted to be one of the mot sacred places in the Jewish faith.

We then walked through the Old City of Jerusalem, up the Via Dolorosa, the road it's thought Jesus walked with the cross to the place he was crucified. The metal marker on the wall shows the Station of the Cross you're up to. The road itself now is a busy market place, filled with tiny shops packed to the rafters and stalls selling food in crazy colours but giving off the most delicious smells.

We ended the day at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the church built on the place Jesus was thought to be crucified. I have to be honest, it was so busy I didn't feel any sense of wonder, or anything I thought I probably should have been feeling, even from just a historical viewpoint. But it was a fascinating site, and despite the queues by all accounts we were visiting on a quiet day. The church is so important to so many denominations of Christianity that it is split into sections, so each denomination has it's own little area. It's so jam packed though, that some share the roof! 

At the end of my first day in Israel, I was completely exhausted, but so ready to go back for more the next day. Tomorrow I'll show you the wonders of Lake Galilee. But today I leave you with candles, lit in thanks for a wonderful day.