My Israel Adventure Day Six

I feel strange posting this after today's events. I am glad that my friends are ok. It is weird to think that a month ago, and the day after the day I'm about to post about, I was at the Jerusalem central bus station. I write about how the experience of the Bethlehem checkpoint made me feel; I can only hope that Benjamin Netanyahu's words quoted below do not signal the daily lives of the Palestinian people being made even more dehumanisingly difficult than they already are.

They are trying to test our will and our determination, and they will discover that this government and the army and the Israeli people have an iron will to defend the country.

Israel will act aggressively, responsibly and wisely to preserve the quiet and security that prevailed here over the past two years.

Tuesday 22nd February 2011

Another very long day, which took in an awful lot. First a taxi up to the Mount of Olives; the small round Chapel of the Ascension, with a basin in the centre with what is supposed to be Christ’s footprint.

A gorgeous day, with amazing views of the Jewish cemetery, Old City and West Jerusalem.

Dominus Flevit Church, with lovely garden; inside the view is framed by this window design.

The church marks the spot in in Luke 19:37-42, where Jesus weeps for Jerusalem and longs to gather its people under his wings like a mother hen. Jesus as 'mother hen' is clearly too much for the RC church, who present it here as a rooster!

Russian church of Mary Magdalene: shiny onion domes, tranquil winding garden path. Queue through the Garden of Gethsemane to get to the Church of the Nations – very crowded but astounded purple and gold interior.

It was a beautiful morning, with beautiful sights, though the tour groups made me embarrassed to be Christian.

Next got the bus to Bethlehem (from the ‘Arab’ bus station) – enjoyed looking out the window at the rocky hillsides.

When we got off the bus in the modern part of the city, ‘taxi drivers’ argued with each other over who would drive us up to the old city. A policeman came along and pointed us to a real taxi!

Church of the Nativity – pleasant but unassuming from the outside, delightful on the inside. Dark walls, red and white limestone pillars, hanging baubles, chandeliers and gold lanterns. Like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, there were Armenian and Roman Catholic processions in quick succession, but much less cramped and busy. Grotto of the Nativity very twee. A really wonderful church.

Walked along a street packed with shops selling nativity scenes carved in olive wood, onto the Grotto of the Milk Chapel - carved out of white limestone; the chalky walls said to bring fertility.

Then walked back and up towards the Christmas Church, and the Palestinian Museum, which recreates life in Palestinian homes from the 17th to mid-20th centuries. Little old lady showed us around – lovely objects, light bouncing off the limestone. I found it immensely moving. Like the folk museums of Yorkshire Dales or the Hebrides.

Then taxi to the checkpoint. Wall, so high and imposing, with powerful graffiti, the cattle-herding nature of the checkpoint barriers; Big Brother-esque signs, military observations points; tourist posters very ironic in this setting. It was very upsetting to see in real life. Can’t imagine what it must be like to go through in the morning, every day, just to get to work.

Back in Jerusalem – disaster! Had somehow forgotten my PIN and couldn’t get cash out – embarrassing and shaming. Worse for wear, made it to the Israel Museum. Shrine of the Book, which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, absolutely gobsmacking.

You start at the fountain that looks like the a lid of one of the jars the scrolls were found in, down through dark caves, to the presentation of the scrolls in a kind of arena. Rest of the museum – huge and glass – equally impressive. Wonderful collection of ancient glass, goddess figurines, Jewish illuminated manuscripts. Was brilliant. Exhausted. Food time.