Part Seven
Full Day #6
So as usual, we begin the day with an awesome breakfast. Soon it’s time to head back to the buses, most of us toting swimwear.
We venture out of Jerusalem (just slightly) and enter back into the West Bank to go to Bethany. Here we have Mass at the area where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived. Yes, you guessed it. A significant part of this celebration was Jesus raising Lazarus from the tomb. We hear another great homily from Father Dave. Wonderful way to start the day!
Into the bus we go. Before long we are at the Jordan River. While I knew this was part of the day’s plan, I can add this to another one of these experiences that I didn’t realize would be so…awesome.
Looking at maps, the Jordan River right here is the boundary between the nations of Israel and Jordan. Mentally, this is easy to understand. However seeing it for myself was a while different experience.
The Jordan River is not very wide.
Shoot, if you have a good right arm you could probably fling a rock from Israel into Jordan.
Given this is another popular destination in the Holy Land, we are among several tour groups there at this time. The plan for our group is to have a renewal of baptismal vows and be sprinkled with holy water. When I glance around at the other groups it’s pretty obvious that a few folks will be going into the river for full-immersion baptism.
I’m glad I am with the Catholics because…that water doesn’t look very clean or clear.
Some members of our group mentioned that, at this site, the Jordan River can be quite polluted due to things such as agricultural runoff.
How about some pictures to help the story along?
Looking directly east, into Jordan:
That’s Father Dave in the middle, just before sprinkling all of us with holy water:
It’s now time to go to the Dead Sea! After a quick lunch we get instructions unique to this body of water. Things such as: how to best float oneself; do not put one’s head under the water; don’t get the water in your mouth or nose; and the importance of showering off once you’re done. Oh, and they mention you can also dig down from the bottom and put that mud on yourself.
(You couldn’t get more different from visiting a Minnesota lake if you tried!)
I admit I had some trepidation at first. I am not the world’s most coordinated person and I had fleeting thoughts of somehow slipping or otherwise winding up fully immersed in this salt sea.
Turns out I shouldn’t have been anxious. The temperature of the water was fine and sure enough, once I got out to a certain depth just gently laying back and allowing the water’s buoyancy to do what it does was all that was needed.
After a certain amount of time in the water just floating around, minding my own business, I figure I’ve had enough. Getting out was really just as easy as getting in and after a stop at the bathhouse for a quick shower I’m dressed, relaxed, and my skin feels, yeah, pretty good.
I meet up with Geogal and we get adult beverages at the lowest bar in the world. We also touch base with a couple from our bus and enjoy some really good conversation.
This is one awesome way to spend an afternoon.
But we’re not done with the day yet! Once we’re back on the buses it’s time to visit the city of Jericho. According to the information from our guides this is the oldest continuously inhabited city on planet Earth.
Just outside the city we get a stunning view of significant cliffs and rock outcroppings. This area is believed to be where Jesus endured some of the evil one’s temptations when He was in the wilderness for 40 days just prior to starting His ministry.
After milling around it’s back to our buses, back to Jerusalem. For the first time since departing the airplane, this evening there will not be a group meal. Instead all of us have the opportunity to simply go eat wherever we wanted this evening.
A large city, with numerous eating establishments within walking distance. Sounds good, right?
Except…
It’s the Sabbath. (Shabbat) We are in Jerusalem and the vast majority of restaurants/eating establishments are closed as of sundown.
Some of our acquaintances talk about visiting an Italian joint (Christian-owned, so they are open) for pizza however that doesn’t work for Geogal and I. She cannot have gluten and I despise cheese. Therefore we need a different plan.
Since we’re staying at a five-star hotel we figure we’re going to get our money’s worth and go to the concierge. Thankfully she guided us to a place that fit our needs well.
About a 10 minute walk from our hotel was a vegan restaurant. And since it was owned by Gentiles, it was open. (Sadly, as I write this it is no longer around.)
We end up being able to have a short conversation with one of the servers. Her English was a little bit shaky but she seemed very friendly and willing to engage with us. Turns out she’s an immigrant from either Russia or one of the associated republics. When it was time for us to leave, we left her a very generous tip. Our server expressed a lot of thanks and Geogal thinks that she might even have had tears in her eyes.
Time to take the short walk back to the hotel and turn in for the night. This was one of the earlier evenings both of us got to bed.
And there was a reason for that.