DAY NINE: February 15, 2017 in ISRAEL

We met our new tour guide RENATA.

and we headed to THE CITY OF DAVID

which lies outside (south) of the Old City of Jerusalem and the walls.  The City of David is an Israeli settlement and the archaeological site which is speculated to compose the original urban core of ancient Jerusalem,  According to Wikipedia






From the Beit Hatzofeh Lookout Platform

we had some good views. 

And then it was on to the tunnels.  Hezekiah's Tunnel, is a water tunnel that was carved underneath the City of David in Jerusalem in ancient times. Its popular name is due to the most common hypothesis of its origin, namely that it dates from the reign of Hezekiah of Judah (late 8th and early 7th century BCE) and corresponds to the waterworks mentioned in 2 Kings 20:20 in the Bible.  A few of our group chose to walk through this tunnel, I am not sure why. It involve walking through hip deep water in spots.  The rest of us walked through the Canaanite tunnel which was dry. 

After that we walked to the spot of the POOL OF SILOAM, to wait for the others to

exit from Hezekiah's Tunnel. 

 There was not a lot left to see at this spot.

Southern Wall is a wall at the southern end of the Temple Mount and the former southern side of the Second Temple (also called Herod's Temple) in Jerusalem. It was built during King Herod's expansion of the Temple Mount platform southward on to the Ophel.

Then we walked to what I think Craig referred to as THE SOUTHERN STEPS.   I think it was this area : Southern Wall is a wall at the southern end of the Temple Mount and the former southern side of the Second Temple (also called Herod's Temple) in Jerusalem. It was built during King Herod's expansion of the Temple Mount platform southward on to the Ophel.

We were here at noon and heard the Muslim Call to Prayer.............very eerie...........wailing, almost painful sounding.

 I sat on one of these pillars and it began to roll !!!

 Our itinerary says this:  the southern steps were used by the common people and it is where Jesus entered the temple and threw out the money changers.    Most likely Peter preached on the day of Pentecost from this location.  The wall behind the steps is the southern temple mount wall.

Craig spoke.  And

from there we walked to the Western (wailing) Wall.  Here are a few

pictures I took along the way. 

 I think Renata referred to this as an ANCIENT STREET, but I do not recall what she said about it.

 This truck became stuck going through one of the gates, but I am not sure which gate it is. 

We arrived at the Western (wailing) wall

and were given some free time so

Peg and I decided to try to find an earthcache.  The coords took us right to the intersection of a wall between the men's and women's section.

I love this picture that Pastor Mike Wing took at the wall.  He titled it NO WORDS NECESSARY

After that we headed into the Old City where we were given free time for whatever we wanted to do.  We must have been near the LIONS GATE because I took this picture (as a landmark to make sure I could find my way back to our meeting spot)

 I separated myself from Dave and Peg at this point because they wanted to go to the TEMPLE INSTITUTE and I did not want to go there. I attached myself to Gwen and Mary Kay and we followed Renata to her favorite eating place where I had lunch.  (Quiche and a couple of salads).  The windows just outside the restaurant had some good views. 

Then Gwen, Mary and I

did some shopping until it was time to meet up with our group. 

I noticed this girl making something in a shop window.  I thought the shops were a bit on the expensive side (compared to prices from street vendors) and I did not buy anything.  Peg and David had an interesting experience in a Jewish art shop where they purchased some prints. 

We met with our group and walked to a courtyard like area with some beautiful murals.

 and some pillars.

In this area I saw a  pay phone.s.

Close to this area, Renata showed us this map.

          The Madaba Mosaic Map depicts Jerusalem with the Nea Church, which was dedicated on the 20th of November, AD 542. Buildings erected in Jerusalem after 570 are absent from the depiction, thus limiting the date range of its creation to the period between 542 and 570. The mosaic was made by unknown artists, probably for the Christian community of Madaba, which was the seat of a bishop at that time.

The last point of interest was - Zion Gate in the southern wall of Jerusalem's Old City is scarred by bullet marks from the Six Day War in 1967.

And then the bus took us back to DAN PANORAMA JERUSALUM.  It was a short day today so that we would have time in the late afternoon and early evening to get our belongings organized and packed up.  After our last supper in the hotel (it still had not improved) we had a meeting. 

Craig was in a funky mood and when K.C. was late, he had us all get up and start to walk out as he said something about wrapping the meeting up and saying goodnight.  K.C. was our trip planner and she had all the info we needed about what time to put our luggage outside of our rooms, etc.  We all got a laugh out of this.  K.C. said something like "you all are in for a world of hurt"

We were told that we were officially checking out tomorrow morning, but that they had two rooms reserved for us to use to change out of sightseeing clothing into farewell dinner clothing and to get cleaned up. 

It was our LAST FULL DAY in Israel, although we had a full day of sightseeing planned for tomorrow. 

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DAY TEN: Last Day in Israel THURSDAY FEBRUARY 16th, 2017

First thing, we put our suitcases outside our rooms so they could be picked up. After our usual breakfast buffet (very good!!!) we identified them and they were put on the bus.  There was a bit of a time consuming glitch because  some of the suitcases (including my carry on) were put into the bottom of the bus before identification.  So, many suitcases had to be pulled out so we could make sure they were really ON the bus.

We headed out and our first stop was the REHAVAM OBSERVATION POINT.

And then  got back on the bus and headed to the Garden of Gethsemane.  The views from the bus were colorful and interesting. 

We saw this church 

but did not go in.  I believe it houses the ROCK OF AGONY.

A monk (I think Benedictine) let us into one of the areas of the Garden of Gethsemane. 

Pastor Mike Chorey held a brief service and we had an opportunity to walk around a bit.

Right across from the garden area we saw some interesting big trees.

Our next stop was THE EMPTY TOMB (an approximate location since there are other possible locations.

I thought maybe this round rock was a replica of the rock that was placed in front of the tomb and was "rolled away"/  There is a small chapel there, and we had a brief service and took communion.  

We got back on the bux and went to the FRIENDS OF ISRAEL MUSEUM, which is really not a museum but an interactive high technology honoring of certain people.  

We were surprised when the founder of the museum Mike Evans appeared.

Then it was another bus ride to THE CHURCH OF ST. PETER IN GALLICANTU

Built on an almost sheer hillside, the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu stands on the eastern slope of Mount Zion.It seemed like a long walk down to the pit. 

Beside the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu, excavations have brought to light a stepped street which in ancient times would have descended from Mount Zion to the Kidron Valley.

After that we headed back to our hotel to freshen up for our farewell diner. There were two reserved rooms, one for men and one for women, but some of us freshened up in the lower level restrooms.  I took a brief nap in the lobby and then 

we walked down to the OLIVE AND FISH and had a great meal!  

We were all given certificates

We walked back to our bus at the hotel and headed to the airport.

My complete set of pictures can be seen here:  

www.flickr.com/photos/juneny/sets/72157677063636464

From Israel to New York

After a long day of sightseeing and a wonderful farewell dinner at THE OLIVE AND FISH, we all got on the bus and headed to Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport.  The drive there was uneventful and we all got our luggage out of the bottom of the bus and checked in.

Unfortunately, after we got on the plane, we were told there was a problem causing a delay.  One of the side doors needed a new shaft.  Some passengers got to wait in the airport, but those who had already boarded were stuck in our seats for an extra hour or so while the repairmen did their work.  The pilot had announced that he was hoping it would be repaired quickly before the CURFEW after which no planes are allowed to fly.  I was so tired that I fell asleep while the repairs were completed.  So, our departure was delayed for an hour or so and then we were on our way.  

It was a VERY long flight, I think about twelve hours.  Peg and I got up three or four times and walked around which helped.  We were served two very good meals.  The breakfast of omelette, roll and cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese and small salad was particularly good.  It was a kosher meal.

After landing at JFK, the trouble began.  It seemed like we went through twenty various checkpoints and we often wondered if we were headed in the right direction.  Our trip planner K.C.  was not available to help us out.   After a lot of frustrations including when they refused  to check Horace's large suitcase, we had a very long walk to our terminal.  David and Peggy stopped to have pizza, but I trudged along and found most of our group at the terminal.  I purchased a sandwich at a nearby shop and took a seat.  

Our plane from JFK to Buffalo was small but very comfortable and it was a very short trip.  Our luggage was there!!! Here is some of our group retrieving theirs. 

Davids brother Ken was there to meet us and help us get our luggage to his car and we had an uneventful drive to my house.   David and Peggy retrieved Petra from the upstairs apartment.  

I tried to stay awake until a reasonable time but gave in around five thirty or six pm and went to bed!

MOANA !

Shortly after I moved to Lockport, I was able to locate an old friend from my elementary school days, Marty Bowman.  I think we were friends until the end of eighth grade when she left to go to boarding school, I think in Florida.  A few years after that Barb and I ran into her in Pontillo's and we talked for a couple of minutes and then lost contact until I moved back.  She graduated from that boarding school, married and had one daughter and has lived in Lockport all her adult life.  Her husband passed away in 2014 and she lives not too far from me.

Elaine and I and Marty went to adult coloring together once and also had lunch at LaPorts another day.    Her birthday is this coming Saturday and Elaine and I wanted to help her celebrate it.  We decided to go out to lunch and then to the Palace to see MOANA

We picked her up at her house and I went inside for a few minutes so she could show me her apartment (very nice) and then we had lunch at SCRIPTS CAFE, which is right next to the Palace.  We had a great lunch: half a sandwich and a cup of soup, and then we went to the Palace.

The movie was pretty good (for animated) and we were given free popcorn as we left the theatre.

Gordy's and Vidlers and Geocaching (first 2017 Adventure)

My sister Gail had her birthday in August.  My other sister (Peggy) and I have been wanting to take her out to lunch to celebrate it, but it just was not happening.  Today Peggy and I decided to do something and it was a perfect chance to offer Gail a chance for her birthday lunch at one of her favorite places GORDY HARPER'S BAZAAR.

I arrived about fifteen minutes early so that I could browse in the small shops.  I didn't find anything that I wanted to purchase.

We had a nice lunch together.  I had a fruit cup and a cinnamon/banana french toast.  Both were good.
After that, Gail and I went to East Aurora so that we could go to Vidler's

and do some geocaching.  We found three geocaches and had two DNF's.  We were surprised at how many museums East Aurora has, since many of the geocaches we looked for were at various museums.  I hope to return to the Millard Fillmore House someday.

I purchased a salt and pepper shaker set and a Christmas ornament at Vidlers.  It was a fun afternoon.