Crowne Plaza Jerusalem

... 1500's King Suliman resolved the issue of who should hold the key by giving it to a muslim family to open and close each day. The descendants of that family still open and close the church today.

On our second day we visited the Dead Sea and the ancient fortress of Masada. King Herod built a mountain fortress and palace on a mountain plateau near the Dead Sea and during the uprising of the Jews against the Romans in the first century, a ...

... and convivial and modern. The streets were spotless, the houses all modern and architectually designed, and the gardens beautifully landscaped and manicured. All 30 minutes from Bat Ayin.

Fred

Aside by Aimee: Ezra commented today how in Vancouver we're religious, but in Israel, we're not religious at all. I guess having cousins who seem even more religious than the most religious kids at his school had him thinking about how it's all very relative.

... their parents parents parents parents were born, because they know where they belong.

So back at the drumming circle, I'm looking around, people watching, feeling the energy and trying to figure it all out. Baby brother whispers to me "These are the Lost people, they are 2 meters from their home but they are still lost." I think about this. He knows better than I because he hung out with them for a few months a while back. They seemed to me like people who were having fun. I ...

... experience with a falafel, and ice-cold cokes in the little glass bottles like we used to have when I was a kid. This square also had a great book and Judaica store run by a very modern but spiritual Jew and a tiny candy shop run by a very nice, gentle Jewish man (who reminded us of our friend Ike). It was very ironic that the candy shop man ate very healthy and himself ate nothing with refined sugar in it. We had a quick introduction ...

... was born, and even though I'm disappointed that this area is under Palestinian rule, and even though I don't feel the need to kiss the star, I still think it was cool that we got to go to Bethlehem and be somewhere near where he was born. The guide took us back to the checkpoint, and we were happy to see Micha again. Back to the hotel, hoping Micha could get us into the Old City the next day, and that the road closures would not deter us.

... He speaks Hebrew fluently but doesn't like to.  You apparently have to speak Hebrew at a certain level to work in certain positions, especially with the government like him in public transportation.  I really felt a bit of solidarity with him speaking Arabic, like he could speak freely and was more at ease.  So I went to Borderline after that, walking on Nablus street through East Jerusalem and enjoying speaking Arabic with locals instead of having to feel awkward ...

... till the ground and the floor of concrete was almost straight, was a good solution. At home the internet did not work just as in the village. The difference was that 012 was not in Rwanda and in Jerusalem they managed to repair the connections. To listen to the news here is really depressing but to have a TV is great, small things such as ...

... before. We got a great breakfast and snack on the airlines which was a great surprise. It actually was rally good food too. I had fresh fruit with other goodies. Oh course I asked for more fruit... it was pineapple! Got to London. While the plane was landing, i tried looking for something I could recognize. I saw no big ben, no London bridge. Quite disappointing. HOWEVER, I did see people driving on the other side of the street and ...