WHAT WE DID TODAY...
First, we had Church together~ it was very
special and meaningful... Our miracle of the
Communion Juice was accomplished~ even
had a few cups left over...
After that we went down to the Dead Sea...
I just wasn't much into it... I did git a handful of
the water~ it's almost like a very light syrup...
Crystal Clear... Those who did swim said it was
a marvelous experience~ they couldn't walk out
past their waists, because their bodies would
jus' float up beyond that point. Me ner Dave
took the plunge...
Then it was off for Masada... WOW!!! was it
ever something to see (Tim Kern~eat yer heart
out...) It is far bigger in scope than any pictures
or film of it that I've ever seen before... The
Gondola ride up the mountain was really an
EXTREME experience for some~ but me & Dave
road right up in the front~ it was thrilling... it was
about 1200 feet up the steel cables to the site...
The Gondola held all of our bus folk (30) Lookin'
down to where the Roman Legions were camped
was really something... The earthen ramp is still
mostly there... And there's a big pile of round rocks
that were the catapolt rocks that the Romans shot
up at the fortress... Too many pictures to download
them all, but I hope to show you some soon...
Then, towards afternoon, we went to Abraham's
tent to ride camels and share the hospitality of Old
Father Abraham... We sat on pillows under his tent
and shared a wonderful meal... A great Old Jewish
man re-enacted the character of Abraham~ very
entertaining... Dave didn't much like sittin' on the
ground on mats... but, he did git a big kick out of
the camel ride...
Then, after entering JERUSALEM , we went to
a Mom & Pop olive wood craft factory... I'm afraid
I spent what little inheritance my kids would've
got... Sorry Girls... But, the stuff was hand crafted
right there in Jerusalem... It was a place where
hagglelin' was expected... To level the playing field,
I thought it was only fair to warn the proprietor
about Dave's horse-tradin' skills... They gave us
a "25%" "discount" going in... I managed to git an
extra 30% knocked off (the tour guide said that was
good) The also deal in authentic antiquities... I asked
to look at a little 4 inch tall vase made of Roman
Glass... the price tag said $3000~ I immediately
handed it back and said that it was beautiful,
but I could not afford it... to which my eager sales
person retorted~ jus' between you & me, I can take
$1000 off of that... They must of thought I was Ol'
Diamond Jim Brady...
We are now at our Hotel...or, should I say Palace!
It's The Big "King David Hotel" in Jerusalem... it is
beautiful! For what we paid for this trip, I expected
to stay in the cut-rate digs~ but, "Pilgrim Tours"
truly gives a great service... Even Dave agrees that
we have gotten quite a bit of bang fer our buck...