Roadtrip to the South of Israel!!!

From July 29-July 31, we drove down to the Negev (the desert) to see the southern parts of Israel. We stayed in Kibbutz Eilot, in Eliat, Israel. The city is located on the Red Sea and borders the countries: Jordan and Egypt. You can even see Saudi Arabia across the Red Sea.

July 29: On our way to Eliat, we stopped at Masada, an ancient site of palaces and fortresses. The place became famous after the First Jewish-Roman War when the siege of the area by the troops of the Roman Empire led to a mass suicide of the Jewish people living there when defeat became imminent. After touring the entire city, we drove further to the Dead Sea where we swam/floated for nearly an hour. It was definitely quite an experience. The salt content of the water was so high that the water does not go above your neck when floating and any open cuts/wounds would burn. We didn't find the mud that was synonymous with the Dead Sea, as we were further south, but we did notice that below the water were golf ball sized salt "balls/crystals" that made it difficult to walk. We found that amusing. After our fun in the Dead Sea, we drove to our Kibbutz and we grabbed dinner at the local shopping mall.

July 30: We woke up at about 6am so we could eat breakfast at about 7am. We had to get up early because we were leaving for Petra, which is in Jordan. Petra is known for its rock-cut architecture, which were done by the Nabateans, an Aramaic-speaking Semites. We entered the site through the modern visitors, which approached the ancient site from the east. The impressive eastern entrance leads steeply down through a dark, narrow gorge (in places only 3–4 meters wide) called the Siq ("the shaft"), a natural geological feature formed from a deep split in the sandstone rocks and serving as a waterway flowing into Wadi Musa. At the end of the narrow gorge stands Petra's most elaborate ruin, which we know as "the Treasury". It blew my mind because it was impressive how they were able to do this during a time without any machines. On our way back, Patrick and I rode horses through the Siq to get back to our group in time for lunch. Then we headed back for Eilat, Israel.

July 31: Our last day in Eliat was very relaxed and free-flowing. We decided to go snorkeling in the coral reefs of the Red Sea. OMG! It was amazing. The water was so clear that we could see all the tropical fishes swim around and all the reefs. It was my favorite activity (besides Petra). We spent the entire morning just swimming and enjoying the sun until we had to leave at noon to head back to Jerusalem. It was four hour drive but we made stops along the way. At one of our stops we went to look at a gigantic natural crater that was formed nearly 4 million years ago. It was as impressive as the Grand Canyon in Nevada. With all of the traffic and stops, we made it to Jerusalem in perfect timing and came in around 6pm, in time for the PBI festival for St. Ignatius of Loyola.

I'm Really "Digging" This... Really.

Today we went on an archaelogical dig in Maresha. Maresha was one of the cities of Judea mentioned in the Bible (Joshua, Chronicles 2) and was one of the cities fortified by Rehoboam against the Babylonians.


We were with other families and with members of the Archaeological Seminars Institute. We had to climb down inside a hole where the excavation was occurring. For some reason, I was afraid going down because I have a fear of falling and at first I decided not to participate; however, after everyone went down, I decided to go. There I saw my group digging away and I really didn't feeling like doing so, so I took the task of taking photos. It was going slowly but it wasn't until Patrick and David uncovered something was that was hard and curved. At first we thought it was another building block of the city but as they continued to dig even further, they found out that it was a fully intact water jug. Just imagine their faces when they were finally able to pull it out of the earth and to see it was intact! Unbelievable... a 2,000 year old jug found by college students and not by archaeologists.

We then got out of the cave and we started to sift through the stuff we all discovered. Although it was mainly rocks and clay, we found bits and pieces of pottery and bones. It was pretty cool.. Next we went through a cave tunnel that hasn't been fully excavated. It was pretty dark as all we had to guides us were a path of lit candles. There was a part where we had to go through a small hole and just slowly go through it and I was scared because I was unsure how deep it was but I did it! Also, there were a lot of other passageways where we had to crawl on our backs and it was quite interesting. I have never gotten so dirty in my life. By the end, I was quite proud of myself for going through that as I would have never done it.

Lastly, we saw a fully excavated cave that was opened to the public and we saw the pigeon stoop and the olive press. The people of Maresha carved openings in the wall for the pigeons so they could either eat them or use their feces for fertilizer, which was used for the olive trees. Also they used the olive press to make olive oil which was used for making soap, for consumption, for trade and for burning lamps.

After we got our certificates, we grabbed lunch at the gas station and Davidal gave us a tour of the Bell Caves. Originally there were 800 bell caves and 80 of them were connected by passageways that became a vast underground networks. Most of these caves were used as quarries, which supplied the materials to the cities of Bet-Guvrin and other cities in the coastal plain. After a full day in the heat, we drove back to Jerusalem to rest.

Tomorrow we will be heading for Eliat and the Red Sea where we will go to Masada and other places of interest. I'm really excited about this upcoming trip but we won't have internet access where we are staying so I just wanted to let all of you know that we'll be back hopefully by Thursday. Ciao.

Visit to Hebrew University and to All of the Churches

Since Paul and David were ill and Patrick had an appointment in the city for his thesis research, it was only Blanca and I who went on an excursion in Jerusalem with Julie and Davidal. We first went to Hebrew University.

Hebrew University of Jerusalem is the oldest university in Israel and was established in 1918. However, construction of the Mount Scopus campus did not begin until 1925. By 1947, the university became a large research and teaching institution but the campus was under the attack of the Arabs in 1948. In 1949, the Israelis were not allowed to have access to Mount Scopus by the Jordanians and the Israelis were forced to build another campus in Givat Ram. It wasn't until 1967 when the Israelis were finally able to move back to the campus on Mount Scopus.

When we were walking around, it was interesting to see how different each building were. The outside seem very modern yet when you walk inside, it is very dated, 1960s. School was in session, even though it was a Sunday (because Saturday is a holy day--Shabbat), so it was nice to see the school buzzing with activity. I think the best part of the university was the outdoor amphitheater as it offered the best views of the desert and the forest. I stood there literally for 20 minutes because it was simply breathtaking.

We later stopped by the Church of All Nations, where olive trees that are over 2,000 years old can be found. When inside the church, the first thing that catches your eyes are the windows. It looks like stained glass but it isn't--it's alabaster. When the sunlight reflects into the windows, it gives off a purplish hue giving the church a subdue feeling. The purple represents the color of suffering. Also, another cool thing was when you look at the ceiling, you can find the seal of the United States and other countries. These 16 nations help support the construction of the church, hence they were memorialized.

Next we went to the Church of Mary Madaglene. This is the place where she was supposedly buried and can see her tomb. It reminded me of the Church of the Nativity as it is run by the Greek Orthodox. Everywhere you look, you can see light fixtures and religious icons hanging everywhere. I found it to be interesting but kinda over-empowering.

We then also went to the place where the Last Supper occurred. It was in this tiny room in a church and sadly, it was overcrowed with people. Lastly, we went to see the grave of King David. It was interesting because the men and women were separated into different sides of the room, like the Western/Wailing Wall. But that too was overcrowded and people kept pushing us from the back so it was difficult to truly enjoy it. After a full day of touring, we headed back to PBI for lunch.

Roadtrip to the Sea of Galilee!

We just arrived back to our wonderful place in Jerusalem and after three amazing days around the Sea of Galilee, I have to admit how happy I am to be back in the city of stone and light! Since, my computer was unable to connect to the internet at the place we were staying, here's a brief synopsis of what we did July 23-26, 2008.

Wednesday, July 23: We left PBI around 9am and we took the highway north of Jerusalem. It was interesting to see how the topography changed immediately when we left as it became more desert-like and barren. The first stop was Qumran, the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We also shopped at the Ahava factory store. At Bet She'an, we walked around a Roman amphitheater and walked down an ancient road with columns on both sides. It was amazing. We also made a stop at a natural spring called Sakhne to take a swim and to cool off. Then we headed to the Kibbutz at Ma'agan. Located right on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, it provided an amazing view of the areas around the lake. It blew my mind that this was the same body of water where Jesus swam and fished. How awesome is that?!? We had dinner at another Kibbutz and I had Jesus fish and it was AMAZING.

Thursday, July 24: I got up at 6:30am to have breakfast at the Kibbutz before heading off for a full day of sightseeing. We first went on top of a mountain to take a look of the entire lake and region from above. It was an incredible sight! We then went to Tell Dan, a nature preserve, which I didn't partake in because I was over-exhausted from the heat. We also went to another factory store where they make really comfortable sandals but I didn't buy one because I thought they were a bit pricey. We also went to see the ancient Galilee boat, which really blew my mind. It was uncovered in 1986 and what was thought to be a piece of wood turned out to be a boat dated to the first century BCE-CE. When we got back around 3pm, Patrick and I swam in the Sea of Galilee and we relaxed by the tiki bar at night.

Friday, July 25: We left the Kibbutz at Ma'agan for another one near the border of Israel and Lebanon. It was pretty cool to know that we were 50 miles away from Beirut, Lebanon. We also went to the several other places, which I can't remember right now before going to the beach to watch the sunset and to grab dinner.

Saturday, July 26: After having breakfast, we checked out of the Kibbutz to head to Rosh
Hanikra. It is a cliff with natural grottoes and in order to get to the place you have to take a cable car to the bottom. It was really cool and awesome thing to see. The waves were so violent when we went in the grottoes that we all got soaked from head to toe. Also, the border of Lebanon and Israel could be found here so we took our pictures at the border crossing. Pretty cool, huh? We then went to Caesarea, which was an ancient city built by Herod the Great. It had an amphitheater, hippodrome, and a fortified city. It was amazing to see and I fell in love with the view of the sea it offers. We then headed back to PBI and Jersualem!

Mount Herzl Park, AKA National Cemetery

Today we went to Mount Herzl Park, which is also the site of the National Cemetery. Like Arlington National Cemetery in DC, one can find the tombs of Israel state leaders, dignitaries and military. Mount Herzl is named after Theodore Herzl, who was the visionary of the Jewish state. He wrote and published his book The Jewish State in 1896 in which he presented his vision for the establishment of an independent state for Jewish people. Although he died in 1904 in Vienna, he requested in his will that when the state is established, he would like to be interred there. On August 17, 1949, his last wishes were finally honored when he was laid to rest on the mount.

In the area called Resting Place of Great Leaders of the Nation, the tombs of Israel's presidents, prime ministers, speakers of the Knesset, and other dignitaries decided upon the government can be found here. I paid my respects to these great men and women by placing a stone on each of the tombs and I even stood at the grave of Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated in 1995, for at least a moment.

What really impacted me was seeing the tombs of the men and women of the Israeli Defense Forces. Each tomb looks like bed with a pillow as if they were "sleeping" and I even held back tears when I saw some of these brave souls were only 17 or 18 years old when they lost their lives for their country. It truly speaks volumes.

After walking around the entire cemetery, we took the bus back to PBI for lunch... Although it was the only thing we did today, we will have a busy schedule as we are leaving for the Sea of Galilee tomorrow and we won't return to PBI until early Saturday morning.

It's Another Busy Day

We had another full schedule today. After having breakfast at PBI, we left for the Garden Tomb, which is located outside the Damascus Gate, around 9am. This is believed to be the garden and tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea; hence it may be the spot where Jesus resurrected into Heaven. People believe that this is the actual place because on the side of the hill, the caves form what looks like a skull and an actual tomb can be found on the premises.

Although, it seems credible, I don't believe to be the place but it was interesting to hear other people's beliefs. After walking through the garden, we headed back to the Damascus Gate where we toured an Roman plaza and went underground in King Solomon's Quarries (Zedekiah's Grotto). According to ancient tradition, this was the place where King Solomon quarried the stone needed to construct his buildings. To the Jews this was the place where King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, hid from Babylonian forces in 587 B.C. before being captured and taken away with the rest of his people. The coolest thing about this quarry is the fact that it extends below the entire city of Old Jerusalem and is about 18 stories below ground level.

After that, Patrick, Julie, Davidal and I went to the Ramparts Walk. It offers a different vantage point of the Old City as it offers views above the city. The pathway that is built on top of the city's walls can be accessed at Damascus, Jaffa, Zion, and Lion Gates. The walls are approximately two-and-a-half miles long. It is not possible to circumnavigate the city atop the walls. The street separates the Citadel and Jaffa Gate at one end of the city. At the opposite end, the wall walk ends at St. Stephen's (Lion's Gate), because you cannot walk along the wall surrounding the Temple Mount. This is where the walk beginning at the Jaffa Gate ends. The walk from the ends short of the Dung Gate, opposite the Jewish Quarter. I had to admit that I was afraid because I felt like I could fall off the pathway and die but I am glad I had the opportunity to do this as it did offered some great views of the city.

Last but not least, we had a meeting at Moshe Safdie's office. We were going to have an actual meeting with him but he was out of the country so we ended up meeting with one of the architects who works there. He spoke mainly about their involvement in planning an entire city that is located between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. It was quite interesting as he spoke about the process (which could take between 5-10 years) and why it's so complicated. I found this to be interesting as learned more about how politics can get involved with architecture.

After the meeting, Patrick and I walked around Ben Yehuda Street to window shop and to enjoy a bagel with cream cheese. We then headed back to PBI at around 7:20pm for dinner.

The Knesset and Supreme Court

Today we had a tour of the Knesset, the legislative branch of the Israeli government, which is like the U.S. Congress. The Knesset enacts laws, elects the prime minister (although he is ceremonially appointed by the President), supervises the work of the government, reserves the power to remove the President and the State Comptroller from office and to dissolve itself and call new elections. Every four years, 120 members of the Knesset is elected into office; however that could change if elections are held earlier than expected due to the dissolution of the Knesset.

The building is smaller than the U.S. Capitol and seems less formal. The structure was built during the 1950s and 1960s as funds were donated by Rothschild family. It was originally held in the Jewish Agency building in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv until it moved to its present location. Found in the hallways are tapestry created by Marc Chagall and other important documents. The coolest thing was the fact that the Israelis were preparing for the arrival of Prime Minister Brown of the United Kingdom. He is coming to address the Knesset regarding Iran and its nuclear weapons program. There were so many British flags flying as well as the Israeli flag.

We also took a tour of the Supreme Court. Located in the same complex as the Knesset, it is the highest court in Israel, which is exactly like the Supreme Court in the U.S. The justices are appointed by the President upon the approval of the Nomination Committee. The number of justices on the Supreme Court is determined by the Knesset. As of right now, there are 14 judges.

Opened in 1992, the funds for the Supreme Court was donated by the Rothschild family, who also funded the construction of the Knesset. The Israeli Supreme Court is nicer and more spacious than the Supreme Court in the U.S. Unlike the Supreme Court of the U.S., the Israeli Supreme Court echoes both the past and the present with different usage of building materials/elements (Jerusalem stone, marble, windows, wood, and etc). After a nice tour at both the Knesset and the Supreme Court, we headed back to PBI for lunch and had the rest of the day off.

Shabbat or Sabbath... It's All the Same

Since it was Saturday, the resting day for the Jews, we took it easy today. We were about to attend another Shabbat service but Patrick had quite an experience in the bathroom this morning.

While taking a shower, he noticed that the water pressure was slowing down and he decided to turn off the water to see if it would resume; however when he turned it back on, no water came out out the shower head. Patrick was literally stuck in the shower with no water supply--it was somewhat hilarious. Luckily, he didn't have any shampoo in his hair and he was able to take his shower in another bathroom as the one that he was in, was being renovated.

After that little fiasco, we headed to the YMCA across the street for breakfast. We had an amazing French toast with fresh fruit and a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice (can you see the theme here? fresh?!) It was simply amazing!!! I loved it. OMG. So much better than what you can get in the US.

Then we walked to the Old City where the group and I went to the Lutheran Church. We paid five shekels to climb the tower in order to get the perfect views of the city. At first I hesitated because it was dark and was in tight enclosed spaces. But I did it anyways and I am glad that I did it.

Patrick and I later walked to the City of David to figure out where the underground water tunnels were because he had heard that tours are available and one would have to wear bathing suits and have flashlights as the water is up to your calves and it is dark. Sounds very interesting and exciting. However, it was closed and we decided to go back to PBI where we watched some news on the television.

Market Day!

For the beginning of Shabbat, we went to an open air market to see how it is. It was so crowded that I could barely walk. The sights and sounds and smells were overwhelming. You had people shouting at you to tell you the price of an item while others were trying to get your attention.

I had to admit some of the smells made me sick to my stomach but it was quite an experience. I bought 1/3 of kilo of olives at the small price of 8 shekels. At the end, we had lunch at a nearby restaurant where we had our fill of hummus. When we got back to PBI, we had the rest of the day off and I decided to take a nap.

Bethlehem

We took a bus to Bethlehem, which is not a part of Israel. It is under the control of the Palestinian Authority. As we were on the outskirts of Jerusalem, our bus was stopped by Palestinian authorities and everyone had to get off the bus. I had to show my passport to them but when they saw the cover and the fact that I was an American, they let me back on the bus. It was not until when everyone was back on the bus when I realized 4 people were not allowed to continue traveling to Bethlehem. It could be that they didn't have their travel papers or because they were Israeli.

As soon as we arrived to Bethlehem, which was only a 20 minute ride, we went to the Church of the Nativity. This was the place where Jesus was born. The church is maintained by the Greek Orthodox and below the church was the spot where He was born. The thing is that before you enter the church, you have to duck because the door is so low that you can bop your head on it.

Afterwards, we went across the street for lunch and for 76 shekels we got a plate of hummus, falafel, salad, and shawerma. It was so good. We also hit up some stores for rosaries and other gifts for friends and families. After spending three hours in Bethlehem, we took the bus back to Jerusalem.

Tel Aviv

Julie gave us a free day and at the crack of dawn, we left PBI for the train station. We were going to take the train to Tel Aviv but when we arrived, we found out that there were mechanical problems so we ended up taking the bus.

We arrived into Tel Aviv around 11:20am and we went to a shopping mall where we grabbed food before we said goodbye to Julie. It turns out that Julie only accompanied us to Tel Aviv to ensure that we arrived safely. Then we went to the old city of Jaffa.

Jaffa was an old Muslim port with an actual fort and walls but the walls were demolished recently in order to expand the roads. However a ton of renovations was in the process and the area was basically dead. After walking around in the heat for an hour we took a cab to the Dan Hotel where we changed out of our clothes and into swimming outfits.

The beaches of Tel Aviv were okay. It was a South Beach wannabe--full of tourists and people and trash. It was kinda disgusting because there were cigarette butts all over and close to the shoreline the water was filled with trash. I also found out that it was jellyfish season but it was too late--I got stung several times by the larvae. After watching the sunset, Patrick, Paul and I went to an amazing Italian restaurant. We left Tel Aviv at around 10:20pm and we arrived back at PBI around 11pm. It was great to be back!

Meeting with Ofer Manor

It was a semi-free day as we did have much planned except for a meeting with Ofer Manor, who is the Chief Planner for the City of Jerusalem. We met with him at noon at the City Municipality and he walked us through this life-sized model of Jerusalem.

He also spoke about the current and future plans for the city in regards to the light rail and plans to bring it into the 21st century. Some of his proposals and plans were so innovated that I, myself, was quite impressed. They also answered the problems that Jerusalem was facing (i.e.--inadequate housing for younger couples and a reduction of the city's population). I hope that these problems would be solved so that Jerusalem could really be the beacon of light in Israel.

All Over the Place...

Early in the morning, the group and I went to the Temple Mount where we saw the Dome of the Rock up close and personal. It is one of the best known landmarks in Jerusalem. When nearby, you can see its golden dome, which was renovated in 1998 by King Hussein of Jordan at the hefty price of $8.2 million. Built between 687 and 691, the Dome of the Rock is still considered to be sacred by three different religions: the Muslims, Jews, and Christians.

For the Muslims, the rock in the middle of the dome is where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to God in heaven, accompanied by the angel Gabriel. There, he consulted with Moses and was given the (now obligatory) Islamic prayers before returning to Earth. For the Jews, this is the place where Abraham almost sacrificed his son Issac before being stopped by an angel of God. (However, the Muslims believe that he almost sacrificed his other son Ishmael, the ancestor of all Muslims. For the Christians, the Dome of the Rock was where Constantine's mother built a small church.

Afterwards, we stopped by St. Anne's Church where we saw rubble of old churches and water cisterns from the Byzantine period. There is an intact church on the compound, which was built during the time of the Crusades. What was interesting was the fact that it wasn't destroyed when the Muslims conquered Jerusalem because they fell in love with church for its simplicity and grandeur.

We also stopped by the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This was the place where Jesus was supposedly crucified and they have the slab of stone where His body was laid. Although it was considered to be a holy site, I did not feel holy because of the way people were acting inside the church. One lady had two bags full of religious icons and placed almost all of the items on top of the slab so that they would be blessed. It kinda cheapened the sanctity of the place and made it feel like Disney World.

Later that afternoon, back at PBI, we met with an another famous architect David Resnick. He built the Brigham Young University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies complex. (This is also the place where my friend, Ashley, who's Mormon, stayed when she was in Jerusalem for a semester. ) The Center itself is a beautiful building on Mount Scopus overlooking the Mount of Olives, the Kidron Valley, and the Old City. The 125,000 square-foot, eight-level structure is set amid five acres of beautifully landscaped gardens. ( We will have the opportunity to tour this complex next week!)

David Resnick spoke mainly about how and why he became an architect. He gave great advice ranging from: "Architecture is more than just building a building" to "Architecture is all about perception". He even emphasized the role politics plays in architecture. I really enjoyed this lecture because he spoke from the heart and he was really entertaining.

Meeting with David Guggenheim

It was rather a relaxing day as we did not have a jam-packed schedule but we had a meeting with David Guggenheim, an architect from Israel. But before we headed off to his office, we decided to walk to Yemin Moshe, a small mixed use development that was created after the independence of Israel in 1948. The houses and stores that are presently found in this location was considered a no-man's land. Jordanian snipers would shoot people who would cross this area. The houses were very quaint and covered in lush flowers and plants. It offers perfect views of the Old City.

After walking around this area, we went on further to the former German district, where we went to the office of David Guggenheim. He spoke about the history of Israel architecture and how it was impacted due to its crossroad location. He also provided examples of each architectural style through the use of photos and he went on in detail how it morphed into the style that is currently seen today.

Shabbat Shalom!

It's the holy day for the Jewish people today and it's rather different from Sunday. Everything in the city is closed until sunset and the streets look like they have been deserted and vacated. I have to admit, it's quite strange to see. I'm so use to seeing people work on Saturdays and do other things but the Jewish people in Israel take the Sabbath day seriously.

To fully immerse myself in everything Jewish, the group and I decided to attend a service at a nearby temple. The service was in both English and in Hebrew and it was lead by two rabbis, one female and one male. Unlike the Catholic mass, the prayers were mostly sung and the only time where the rabbi spoke was during the homily. After the end of the service, we were invited to have bread and wine in the courtyard. There we met several people and we introduced ourselves. What shocked me the most was the fact that there were more Americans than Israelis at the service.

Before dinner, since we had free time, we all went to the Wailing/Western Wall to witness the prayers occurring. It was very different then when I went to the wall the other day. A sense of reverence and holiness could be felt in the air and it was interesting to see how the different sects of Jews offered their prayers and thanksgiving. One group would be singing and dancing around in a circle while others would be very solemn and be bowing at the wall.

After an hour at the Wailing/Western Wall, the group and I grabbed dinner in the Old City; however it was quite a challenge to find a restaurant that was opened because it was a holy day. Nevertheless, we found a restaurant open near Jaffa Gate and we proceeded in having our hummus.

Yad Vashem

Today we went to the Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum. It presented the story of the Holocaust from a Jewish perspective, with the individual stories highlighted in the narrative. Using authentic artifacts, testimonies, photographs, film clips, works of art and music, the museum successfully weaves the stores of those who were persecuted and suffered during this dark period of time.

I have to admit that the museum was put together well and presented the story of the Holocaust in a very interesting way. The museum is a prism-like triangular shape that penetrates a mountain, with both ends cantilevering into the open air. To see all of the exhibits, one would have to move in a zig-zag path as the route of the museum travels down a central path from which the "chapters" branch out on either side. As one is in the museum, one can see the "light at the end of the tunnel" but one cannot reach it yet, as he or she has to witness the atrocities of the Holocaust. It is not until the end when one reaches the exit and has a dramatic view of Jerusalem.

Within the Old City

Today (July 10) was a jam-packed day. I woke up at 7:00am to the sounds of birds chirping in the garden and the light streaming through the window. I had breakfast around 8am and at about 10am, the group and I went to Jaffa Gate where we met Davidal, Julie's cousin. Davidal is a tour guide and he walked us through the entire old city, explaining everything about the 4 quarters (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Armenian) and ancient and holy sites.

We first went to the Wohl Museum of Archeology where we saw the remains of houses that were built in the Jewish Quarter around the Herodian Period. These houses were homes to the wealthiest aristocrats in Jerusalem. Although they were only the remains, they showed a vivid indication of their wealth. The structure of numerous storage rooms, reservoirs and other items were still present as so was the decorative adornments such as mosaics and elaborate frescoes and stucco works.

The next place we went to was the Jerusalem Archaeological Park where one could find the Temple Mount Excavations. We walked on the same path that Jesus walked on almost 2,000 years ago and had the opportunity to sit of the steps where Jesus and Paul taught as well. We also went to the Wailing/Western Wall where we observed people placing their prayers into the cracks of the stone. I had to admit it simply blew my mind.

The last place we went to today was the Western Wall Tunnels. The wall is the narrator of history as it has witnessed war, peace, calamity, revival. The wall tunnels show the rest of the wall that cannot be seen from above as the base is about 200 feet below ground. The excavation of the Western Wall revealed the entire length of it--488 meters.

After having an amazing lunch in Jerusalem, which consisted of hummus, falafel, and pita bread, we headed back to PBI. There we had a talk given by Ludlich, who heads the Jerusalem Institute for Research and he had a role in the Camp David Accords. He spoke about the reunification of Jerusalem and the problems it faces now and in the future. Despite the fact that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and is considered holy and sacred by three religions, the population has decreased due to the migration of the middle class and because there is a shortage of affordable housing. He offered interesting views and opinions regarding this matter and he helped us understand the dynamics of this city, which we will continue to explore.

Safe and Sound!

I arrived yesterday in Tel Aviv after a thirteen hour flight. I had to fly from Florida to Dulles, where I had to catch a flight to London and then from London to Tel Aviv. It was a relatively comfortable and okay flight, as I was able to sleep almost the entire time. However, I was hit hard by the jetlag.

I arrived with Julie, the professor, and Patrick, the teaching assistant and my boyfriend, into Tel Aviv at around 3:30pm. When we went through border control, I had no problems and so did Julie; however Patrick was pulled aside for no apparent reason but we thought it might be because he's been to Israel three times in a short amount of time and he went to Jordan last year. I had no clue what was going on because I was in a different area than Patrick.

After picking up our luggage, we went straight to a shuttle bus, which is like the Israeli version of Super Shuttle, and we went to the Pontifical Biblical Institute (PBI) in Jerusalem. It was a 30 minute car ride but it took almost two because of traffic and accidents (cars broke down in the highway). By the time we arrive at PBI, it was 6:00pm and I was exhausted.

The rest of our group didn't arrived until almost midnight and to kill time, Patrick, Paul and I went for a walk to the Old City Walls and to the Jaffa Gate. It was so beautiful, especially at night with the way the light illuminates the stone. After walking and looking at the entire city, we decided to go back to PBI where we went to sleep.

One Week and Counting...

As I look at my calendar, I am in disbelief that by this time next week, I would be in Israel. It feels like yesterday when I voiced my desire to participate in the Jerusalem Foreign Studies program with the School of Architecture. I have been so lucky that I was "adopted" into this small group of intellectuals and future architects of the world as I am not their typical candidate who would go on a trip like this. I am a politics major and I graduated in May.

When I finally told close family and friends, I've been getting a lot mixed comments regarding my upcoming journey. They range from "Aren't you scared?" to "What would you benefit from this trip?" to "You are only going because of your boyfriend, right?". Honestly, I am not scared-- I'm more anxious/excited; no, I am not going because my boyfriend is-- but what I do know is this trip will expand my horizons and help me have a better understanding of the region This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I look forward to the next month.