Dome of the Rock/David Citadel

Eliat!!

We went to the Red Sea and went swimming and snorkeling in Eliat!!! It was way fun!!!

City of David!!

Our field trip this week was to the amazing City of David!! This is the original Jerusalem that Kind David and King Solomon settled and lived in. This is different from the Old City and the rest of the current-day Jerusalem. This place was amazing!! We first watched a movie in 3-D about the city which was really kind of funny and reminded me of Disneyland. Then we looked at some of the archeological sites like what they think to be David's palace and the step-stoned structure that held it up. We even saw a toilet from Lehi's time that they had dug up!! After that we went into Hezekiah's Tunnel! This was built before the Assyrians were to invade to redirect the water from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam and it went under the city to keep it from invaders. It was so cool and there was water that we had to walk through and we got out at the Pool of Siloam which is the place where Christ sent the blind man to wash his eyes to be healed. This was amazing and has been one of my favorite field trips so far!! Then that night we went to West Jerusalem and went to the Waffle Bar for dinner which was soo good and soo filling!!! It was a super fun day!!

David's Palace

Getting ready for the Tunnel

Going through the Tunnel!!


The Pool of Siloam

where the blind man walked

The City of David!

Yummy Yummy Waffle!!!

A Day in West Jerusalem

One Friday morning after class we had nothing to do because we could not go out to East Jerusalem or the Old City so Aly, Heather, Lindsey, and I went to West Jerusalem to the outdoor market and for lunch. We walked around the market and bought some goodies and some challah bread which was absolutely delicious!!! We then went to Ben Yehuda St. for some yummy falafel for lunch!!! Such a good day!
The Market was soo crowded!!

some super yummy challah bread!!

So many KIPPAS!!!

Gettin some falafel!

you can never go wrong with mickey D's ice cream cone

Happy Sukkot!!

This week was the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, or the feast of the tabernacles. In this holiday everyone builds little huts that they usually eat in that are outside on their porches or patios. In these little huts they usually eat their meals in there but sometimes they sleep in them. This is to remember the Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt. A couple of friends and I went to West Jerusalem last night to celebrate the last night of Sukkot. We saw many huts, or booths, around the town and even most of the restaurants had them. There were also bands on the street playing and we were able to get some really good shawarmas. Then this morning we went to the Western Wall where there were so many people there carrying around little bouquets of willow, heart of palm, myrtle, and carrying around an atrog. They were dancing around and singing and some were wacking the willow onto the ground. It was a really neat experience to see so many people there!

Some local band

The group
Just eating some super yummy Shawarma!!!
The Western Wall for the last day of Sukkot

A fancy Sukkot

More Egypt Pictures

Here are some more Pictures from Egypt!! Enjoy!!

Hatshepsut's Temple

Colossus of Memon

Faluka Ride

Camel Ride


Karnak Temple

Sunset on the Nile



Overnight Train!!

Walk Like an Egyptian

This last week we went to Egypt and it was soo much fun!! On our way there we stopped at a kibbutz before the border which was really neat and they took us to the sand dunes. Then we crossed the border at Taba on the Red Sea into Egypt!! We drove through the Sinai peninsula until we got to Cairo where we stayed the night and went to the sound and light show at the pyramids. Then the next day we went to the Giza plateau where we saw the pyramids and the spinx. We also went to Memphis and Saqqara where there is the first pyramid called a step pyramid. Then that night we flew to Luxor and stayed in the really nice Sheraton there. The next day we went to the Valley of the Kings and saw the tombs of Ramses II and King Tutankhamun which was really cool because we could still see the paint on the hieroglyphs inside the tombs and we saw the mummy of King Tut. Then we went to Queen Hatshepsut's funerary temple which was huge and really neat. We also went to a tomb that the Abraham faxcimille was possibly found. Later that afternoon we took a faluka (sail boat) ride on the nile to meet up with a bunch of camels and we all went for a camel ride along the Nile. That night we got to go to the suuq, the market, which was really interesting but kind of cool. The next day we went to the huge Karnak Temple which was really cool and really fun and we took a carriage ride from there over to the Luxor Temple which was really cool. We then took another carriage ride to the hotel where we had the rest of the afternoon off and got to swim and we went to the Winter Palace Hotel where all of the rich and famous people have stayed. Then that night we took an overnight train ride back to Cairo and I was actually surprised as to how much sleep I was able to get, but that was probably due to the dramamine that I took. But we got there at 4 in the morning and it was still way to early! But then that day we went to old Cairo and to the old coptic churches there which were really cool. Then we went to the Hard Rock Cafe which was pretty good. Then we went to the Khan el Khalili Bazaar and we were able to buy some fun souvenirs which were fun. That night we pretty much just hung out in the hotel and went to bed early. Then the next day we went to the Muhammad Ali Mosque which was huge and really cool! Then we started our drive out to the Sinai and got there that night. Then the next morning we woke up at 2 am and started our hike up to Mt. Sinai which was pretty hard but really cool and totally worth it! We sang and talked up there which was really cool and we watched the sunrise!! Then we took our long bus ride back to Jerusalem and got to stop at another kibbutz and had a really good dinner and ice cream!! Overall it was an amazing and exhausting trip!!!


Seeing the Nile while driving through Cairo




Giza Pyramids





The Spinx




Saqqara Step Pyramid



Hatshepsut's Temple




Muhammad Ali Mosque



Sunrise on Mount Sinai

The top of the mountain we climbed up!