(This is a continuation of our March, 2016 Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands)
After visiting Bethlehem and having a tasty falafel lunch, we traveled back to Jerusalem to visit the Mount of Olives. Continue reading
Holy Land
Holy Land – Day 6: Bethlehem and Church of the Nativity
To anyone who still happens to track this blog, my apologies for the dearth of posts in recent months. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.
This post picks up from my recent series recounting my March, 2016 trip to the Holy Land. Continue reading
Holy Land – Day 5: Church of the Holy Sepulchre – 1st Visit
Driving northward from the area of Jericho, we finally made it – JERUSALEM!
I’ve dreamed of visiting this holy city for a very long time and it was thrilling to finally see it as we came into the city. It was already late in the day but even driving through traffic I could sense that this was a city unlike any I’ve ever seen. Continue reading
Holy Land – Day 5: Jericho and Mount of Temptations
Saying goodbye to Wadi Rum (and Bertie), we headed south to the border crossing at Aqaba/Eliat and then on to the ancient city of Jericho. Continue reading
Holy Land – Day 5: Bertie and Me
I shuffled out of my tent-room as the morning light began to brighten the eastern sky. A hush engulfed our groggy group as we shuffled through the camp and out into the dryness of the desert.
Bertie and I noticed each other immediately, eyes catching from across the crowd awaiting us for our morning adventure. Of course, Bertie was coy and pretended that I was nothing special. For me, I couldn’t help be drawn to her colorful adornments and accouterments. Continue reading
Holy Land – Day 4: Camping Bedouin-style
We ended Day 4 of our pilgrimage Bedouin-style with an overnight stay at Captain’s Desert Camp on the fringe of Wadi Rum. This desert camp of tents, some individual and some multi-room, was perched at the base of a large outcrop of rock. An oasis of sorts, complete with palm trees, it offers an interesting type of accommodation quite different from the fine hotels we had been staying in. Continue reading
Holy Land – Day 4: Sailing Across Wadi Rum
After visiting the ancient Nabatean capital of Petra, we hightailed it south to Wadi Rum. Also called The Valley of the Moon, it’s the largest wadi in Jordan. Continue reading
Holy Land – Day 4: Petra
After our visit to Mt. Nebo and Madaba on Day 3, we headed south to the ancient city of Petra. Continue reading
Holy Land – Day 3: Mt. Nebo and Madaba
Day 3 of our Holy Land pilgrimage begins much like Day 2. Starbucks and off to the Kings Highway. This time our destination is Mount Nebo and the nearby city of Madaba.
Holy Land – Day 2: Pontifical Mission Library
After visiting the Ancient Roman City of Jerash during the morning, our group of pilgrims visited the Pontifical Mission for Palestine Library in Amman.
Holy Land – Day 2: Ancient Roman City of Jerash
Our second day in Jordan began with something new and something old. Very old.
Holy Land – Day 1: Sunday Mass in the Melkite Rite
This is the second episode of my Holy Land journal, from my trip to Jordan and Israel in March 2016. We are still on Day 1, which lumps together all of the flights from home and our initial experiences in Amman. It’s basically two days, but it keeps the itinerary in sync to consider it one very long, LONG, day. Continue reading
Holy Land – Day 1: Taking Flight
This is the first of several posts to come about my recent and first-ever trip to the Holy Lands of Jordan and Israel. I’ve been trying to decide if I should just hit the high points of the trip, or to give a more complete chronology.
I decided that a chronology will work best for me personally, as a journal of this wonderful pilgrimage. So bear with me. I won’t be offended if you skip over parts you find boring.