What We Did
Blakely Downs
Palau: A Scuba Fantasy

Palau.  Where we swam with a mob of jellyfish, free dove to hidden lagoons, Kayaked caves, and had the best scuba diving we’ve ever done.

 

Palau: A Scuba Fantasy
What We Did
Blakely Downs
Bolivia - Our Quest to the Salt Flats
Bolivia - Our Quest to the Salt Flats
What We Did
Blakely Downs
The Holy Sites of the Old City
The Holy Sites of the Old City
What We Did
Blakely Downs
Jerusalem
Jerusalem
What We Did
Blakely Downs
The Christian Sites of Galilee
The Christian Sites of Galilee

The Holy Sites of the Old City

Our last day in Jerusalem was our reason to be there:  A tour of the Holy Sites in the Old City.  An all-day tour wasn’t enough time to go to all of the sites, but it hit the more significant ones.  And when you’re talking about the capital of the Holy Land, you can imagine these places were VERY significant.  If you don’t know anything about the treasures of Jerusalem's Old City, know about these:

The Dome of the Rock:  This place is one of the most prized pieces of land for both the Jewish and Muslim faiths, which makes it extremely precious and delicate.  It has a long and very distinguished history.  One, the location of the Dome is the original site of the First and Second Jewish Temples, the Temple Mount.  Two, the Foundation Stone, located at the heart of the Dome, is believed by Jews to be the location of the Holy of Holies in the Second Temple, and therefore the holiest place in the world.  Additionally, the stone is believed to be where Abraham prepared his son Isaac for sacrifice.  The Dome’s location has additional importance in Islam because it is where, in the miracle of Isra and Mi'raj, Mohammed ascended into heaven to speak to God and the major prophets before coming back to earth with instructions for God’s people.  The dome was built in 637 A.D. and, though it was converted to a church for a brief period by the Crusaders, Muslims control the mosque site today.

There are strict rules to follow while in the site.  Besides the usual dress code regulations, men and women aren’t allowed to touch and non-Muslims aren’t allowed to enter the mosque.  Jewish people do not enter the site’s grounds at all.  We originally thought it was in silent protest to the Muslim control, but we later learned that it’s because, since the temples were destroyed, we can’t be sure where we are stepping and they could unknowingly trod on the holiest of holy spots.   

The Western Wall:  On the site where the Dome of the Rock is today, originally stood the First and Second Jewish Temples.  King Herod expanded the Second Temple and, in order to make the hill level, built a gigantic, rectangular platform foundation.  When the second temple was destroyed, that platform foundation remained as just four walls.  Today, the wall encloses the grounds of the Dome of the Rock.  With us so far?

So, a small section of this wall is called the Western Wall.  It is considered to be the closets of the walls to the original temple, and so it is considered to be the holiest one.  Today, many Jews come to pray at the Western Wall because it is the closest they can get to the Temple without entering onto the holy site.  This small section of the wall is not the only surviving portion of the original wall, like many people circulate. 

At the Western Wall, prayer is separated by men and women.

The Church of Holy Sepulcher:  This Church is the Church of all Churches.  It’s where it went down.  This church is built over the locations where Jesus was crucified and buried.  Therefore, where he died, and where he rose from the dead. YES, all one church.  The original church was built by Constantine the Great’s orders in 325 A.D.  It has been torn down and rebuilt many times with the surrounding buildings of Jerusalem coming right up to its border.  The result is a church unlike any other, made of many different rooms with many different denominations adorning throughout.  It’s probably best that the church is so different—no building could encompass the greatness of what happened here and it would be foolish to try. 

Unfortunately, this church also shows the internal competition between denominations that control it.  The territories are strict and sensitive between the groups with each one elbowing the other for more space.  It’s heartbreaking, and not the way it should be.

The church's entrance.

The stone where Jesus' body was lain and prepared for the tomb.

Via Dolorosa (The Way of Suffering):  This is a path through the Old City that is held to be where Jesus walked to his crucifixion.  It includes nine of the Stations of the Cross, including the trial by Pontius Pilot, the three falls, and where Simon of Cyrene carries the cross for Jesus.  The five other Stations are all within the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. 

Where Jesus laid his hand to rest.

The Way winds through the normal streets of the Old City, just as Jesus would have as he carried the cross.

In addition to these spectacular sites, it’s possible to see King David’s tomb, the remains of an ancient Roman street, and the place where the Last Supper was celebrated.  It was an exhausting day, but we returned to our room invigorated by the wonder for all we got to see!

King David's Tomb.

King David's Tomb.

A replica of the ancient mosaic map of Jerusalem that we saw in Madaba.

Wow can’t be said enough.  With our heads and hearts full, we left Jerusalem to continue on through Israel.  Though the great city will be with us forever.

Click Here for our full Israel Gallery.

Jerusalem

Many call Jerusalem the center of the world, and it’s hard to argue since all eyes seem to be trained on it.  The city is wonderfully modern and fairly safe—a first for us since Cape Town and definitely a relief.  The Old City, separated from the rest of Jerusalem by beautiful limestone walls, holds more awe-inspiring attractions than any other place in the world.  

The Old City is divided into four quarters:  The Muslim Quarter, Christian Quarter, Jewish Quarter, and Armenian Quarter.  The ancient, cobblestoned streets wind through a fairly small place that holds precious places for three major religions.  It’s not difficult to see how complicated the city would be to regulate.

We started our time in Jerusalem our favorite way: a bike tour (was a whiter sentence ever said?)!  But not any bike tour, a sunrise bike tour!  The tour’s early hours allow access to crowd-free sights and streets in both the Old City and modern city.  It was the perfect introduction and gave us an appreciation for the wonders in store for us.  At one point, we were standing over where the Last Supper occurred, beside the building that holds King David’s tomb, looking out over a sunrise on the Mount of Olives, with the Dome of the Rock and Temple Mount to our left!    

We continued our first day with an afternoon tour of the Old City from Tours for Tips.  WOW again!  The brief introduction (two-hours was NOT enough!) only reiterated that we needed to get busy!

It was Ryan's birthday and his parents gave us a special treat: Dinner at Notre Dame of Jerusalem, which has a rooftop cheese and wine restaurant that overlooks the Old City.  It was a feast!

The next day, we took a quick day trip to Bethlehem.  Bethlehem is in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory, so we weren’t sure what to expect (again, we were here during a time of increased tension).  While we never felt threatened, we did have to pass through a guard station to get into the area.  We felt grateful that we could pass in and out of the territory freely, while this is much more difficult for others.  Plus, the streets of Bethlehem were eerily quiet and empty, as their tourism has been affected greatly while people worry about the clashes between Jews and Palestinians.

Bethlehem is a quiet city with stone streets that haven’t changed since Mary and Joseph first arrived on the scene.  It was a marvel to walk where they would’ve walked!  

The Church of the Nativity is built over the stable where Jesus was born.  Unfortunately the church was under restoration construction, but we were still able to glimpse the beauty behind the tarps.  History tells us that the stable where Jesus was born was actually more of a cave that would be under the main house.  We were able to go down into the cave where the altars hardly conceal the humble beginning of God’s son. 

The cave was divided amongst the Catholic priests in one corner, the Greek Orthodox in another section, and the Armenians in a third section.  Each denomination’s territory had strict property lines and hours of operation.  While hundreds of people line up, the Armenians performed communion before the cave opened.  Then, the cave wasn’t open thirty minutes before the Catholic priests closed it to hold a private communion.  The hundreds of people waiting would just have to wait a bit longer.  I heard many tour guides explain to their groups how viciously each denomination fought for dominion over territory.  It was a mess and a disgrace.  This is the face we show the world?  We have no excuse to fight amongst ourselves like this, but we tried to not let this detract from standing in the place Jesus was born.

Anyway, after our short trip to Bethlehem we headed to Jerusalem’s fabulous street market for our favorite activity: picnic preparation.  The selection was amazing—blueberry walnut bread (that tastes fantastic, by the by), cheese of every type (including a truffle honey situation we couldn’t afford), and an Israeli wine we dared to try. Whether in Central Park or Jerusalem, these are all of the ingredients for a fantastic picnic.

After our picnic we went to the world class Israeli museum.  WOW.  It has more artifacts than could be imagined on its well organized and laid out grounds.  Everything we could’ve wanted!

Blakely with a model of the Second Temple and the Holy City before the Roman destruction in 66 A.D.

Among many other things, this one museum holds the Venus Berekhat Ram (the oldest artwork in the world dating back to at least 230,000BC), a world-class Fine Arts Wing, and an Archeological Wing that literally tells the story of the world.  No biggy.  But main event for us?  The Shrine of the Book.

The Shrine of the Book holds the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, which contain the oldest biblical scrolls in the world.  These scrolls date back from 300 B.C. and into 1 A.D.  While pictures weren't allowed inside the vault, we can tell you this: they had better handwriting than us.

The vault entrance.

The next day was the main event: A tour of the holy sites of Jerusalem.  Get ready!

Check out the full Israel Gallery here.

The Christian Sites of Galilee

Our first stop in Israel was Nazareth, a small city with big significance.  This is where Mary got the news from Angel Gabriel that she would give birth to God’s son.  It’s also where Jesus Christ lived, breathed, grew into adulthood, and first began his ministry.  The ancient cobble-stoned streets where Jesus ran as a boy wind in a charming, impossible to navigate way.  Thankfully the locals are gracious with directions.  

Today, Nazareth has Israel’s largest Arab population and we were able to see many Muslim’s cohabitating peacefully (69% of the Arabs in Nazareth are Muslim).  However, we also got our first taste of protests, which, though safe, was unsettling.  While it was very easy to avoid the areas where the protests were held, the police use tear gas liberally on the protestors and gas guns sound disturbingly similar to gunshots. 

In Nazareth we stayed in a gorgeous convent called Rosary Sisters Guesthouse.  The rooms were simple and clean and the courtyard gardens particularly welcoming.  

Our first stop in Nazareth was the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, which is built where the Greek tradition believes Gabriel visited Mary while she was visiting a well.  The ornate decorations were gorgeous throughout the small church.  

Our second stop was the Synagogue Church, an ancient room that was originally the synagogue where Jesus read from the scrolls of Isaiah, and first proclaimed Himself as the Son of God.  Besides it being interesting to see where Ancient Jews worshipped, it was an incredible feeling to stand inside a room where Jesus once stood. 

Our next stop was to a church dedicated to Joseph, which is built over the carpentry workshop where Saint Joseph worked.  We loved seeing a tribute to the man God trusted to raise His son, and the ruins of the carpentry workshop are possible to view as well.

The last stop in Nazareth was the Church of the Annunciation, which is where the Catholic Church believes the annunciation took place.  Wow.  We loved a modern take on classic church architecture (not something that gets said often!).  The massive building lets in tons of light and countries from around the world sent in artwork depicting Mary to honor the site.  The different pieces showcase hundreds of different cultures, but blend beautifully.  Together, they create one of the most interesting churches we’ve ever seen.  It was also one of the few churches we saw in Israel that celebrated our differences instead of showcasing our divisions (more on that later). 

From Nazareth, we visited the Sea of Galilee, which is the area where Jesus taught some of his most significant messages and performed many miracles in his ministry.  The first place we visited was a church built over the site where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.  This sermon was a biggy—it included the Beatitudes, the Lord’s Prayer, and other groundbreaking lessons that revolutionized the mindset of the day.  Jesus told his followers to be the light of the world; to turn the other cheek; build their lives on the rock of God; to love their enemies; to ask, seek, and knock; and more.  The gorgeous grounds overlook the Sea of Galilee and the garden holds quotes from that monumental message.  It was easy to imagine the crowds that gathered to hear Jesus that day and the stillness that must have held them as He changed their world.

Second, we visited two different places where Jesus, instead of turning the listening crowd of five thousand away, fed them with only a few loaves of bread and a few fish.  Both churches have the original rock that Jesus used to bless the meal.  

One of the best parts about these churches is that we could get close to the Sea of Galilee.  A church built by man cannot do justice to Jesus' presence or the miracles performed.  But the natural beauty of the Sea of Galilee perfectly praises the wonders that it has seen.  Plus, while sites can be disputed, the Sea of Galilee has been there for thousands of years.  It’s definitely where it is supposed to be!

An important note:  It’s difficult for us to believe that the exact places from the Bible could be identifiable 2,000 years later and, without prior identification, they would be.  But in the 4th century AD, Constantine sent his mother, Saint Helena, to the Holy Land to search out the important spots in Jesus’ ministry.  Churches were built (Jesus was a pretty big deal then as well!) and those spots have been the same ever since. 

After the churches, we headed to the ruins of the ancient town of Capharnaum, which was the center city of Jesus' ministry and the site of many of his miracles.  It's possible to see the 2,000 year old ruins of Peter's house and study the stonework of Jesus' day.

Our last stop in our tour of the Sea of Galilee was the Jordan River, which is where John’s ministry took place and where Jesus was baptized.  Many people choose to the baptized here as well—celebrities like the late Whitney Houston even made the trip! 

In Nazareth, we hitched a ride with a friendly Italian named Moreno, who would become one of our favorite travel associates, and headed to the center of the world: Jerusalem.  Teaser: WOW. 

Our amazing new friend Moreno!

See the full Gallery here!



Israel, an Introduction

Israel is the mecca for us.  Its history is long, deep, and full of a turmoil that continues today.  There's no wonder that the land is fought over so viciously: it is precious and, to many, worth the greatest price.  We feel honored to have walked on the streets, gazed at the hills, and even stood in the places where the events took place that literally give our life its meaning.

Unfortunately, the land of Abraham is full of us measly men and women and the imperfections reflect that.  But these faults don’t diminish Israel’s value.  In fact, they create a desperate desire in all hearts to preserve the land and the history that it holds.  We’ll try to relay the depth and breadth of our awe as we walk you through our remarkable stay in the Land of All Lands. 

Before we get into our Israeli itinerary, we should discuss the border.  After Africa, Egypt, and Jordan, we were very relieved to be in a more westernized country.  Ryan almost kissed every person at the border crossing, and he kept saying “We are really happy to be here,” like a crazy person.

Blakely was pretty excited too.

The first thing we noticed was that soldiers abound.  The second thing we noticed was the women soldiers, which after Egypt and Jordan, was a stark though welcome contrast.  All of the border soldiers were impeccably uniformed and frankly good-looking, and they hold their weapons at the ready.  The sight of soldiers is one that will carry through all of Israel and they carry their automatic weapons visibly.  

 

Lastly, we went to Israel in a time when tension between Israel’s Palestinian population and Jewish population was escalating.  While this was worrisome, we had no issue avoiding the protests or violence.  Israel’s citizens heavily depend on tourism and no one, on either side, wants a tourist harmed because the repercussions would severely damage their economy.  We never felt threatened.  Instead, we were troubled that such a magnificent country is torn apart with complicated and seemingly unsolvable issues.

Since our time in Israel was jam packed, we’ve divided the posts by region and that, to some degree, will separate what religion each post focuses on (the exception, obviously, being Jerusalem where Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all rein).  We were overwhelmed with wonderment for all of the different religious sites in Jerusalem.  And, with all my heart, I wish what we share wouldn’t drive us apart, but instead would bring us together. 

More to come.  Until then, here are some of our favorite pictures.

Our sunrise bike tour had us a little loopy.

Our Road trip through Jordan

Jordan shouldn't exist the way it does.  It shares borders with some of the craziest countries in the news: Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Syria.  And yet it handles the refugees and violence at every border with patience, and sometimes even a dry sense of humor.  It has a peaceful monarch who the Jordanian people love, who handles matters of state responsibly and is a leader who foreign governments respect.  In all, it’s the perfect halfway mark in our Middle Eastern tour.

First thing we loved: the roads are safe and well organized.  As you drive, there are security stops every half hour with armed guards in impeccable uniforms.  They check your passport, and when they hand it back, they smile and say, “Welcome to Jordan.”  Why, thank you!

In celebration of these great conditions, we rented a car and explored to our heart’s delight.  We skipped the capital city Amman for the smaller and more interesting Madaba.  We stayed with the charming and incredibly helpful Chef Odeh at The Black Iris Hotel.  Odeh knows everything you need to do and he can organize the perfect itinerary.  Along with being a fabulous shopping spot (which we’ll get to later!), Madaba prides itself on the peaceful relations between its large Christian population and Muslim population.  Lastly, Madaba’s central location makes it the best jumping off point for the country’s top sights!

First up:  The Wadi Mujib Siq, which has a fun hour-long hike up-river to a waterfall.  As you scramble over rocks and swim through pools, crane your neck up to the towering siq walls around you.

Next, we headed to the famed Dead Sea.  Whether the water and mud actually have any healing powers is up for discussion.  We certainly didn’t feel anything but dehydrated (though Ryan claimed fluency in Gaelic, the effects wore off).  Regardless, the Dead Sea can’t be missed and the buoyancy you feel while swimming is remarkable.  Warning:  Avoid the floating Russian tourists that soak for hours.

Fact: The Dead Sea is Dying.

After our float, we went to Mount Nebo which is where Moses looked upon the Promised Land for the first time.  After standing on top, it makes perfect sense.  The dry air allows sight over great distances to create a remarkable and humbling vista.  Mount Nebo is also where Moses's body was laid to rest (though the exact location of his body is unknown).

Our last sight was in Madaba proper—it’s the Church of St. George, which has a gorgeous mosaic floor that is a map from 600 A.D.  It is the oldest original map of the Holy Land and its depiction of Jerusalem is especially impressive. 

We moved on from Madaba for the main attraction: Petra.  On the way, we drove along the beautiful King’s Highway and we stopped at the impressive Kerak Castle, which was a Crusader fortress in the 1100s.  It’s one of the largest castles in the Middle East and so much fun to explore!  The views aren’t too bad either…

Finally, we made it to Petra.  Blakely treated herself to a cooking class with Petra Kitchen on our first night.  It was a blast.  The food was delicious, the chefs were entertaining, the other guests fun, and the atmosphere warm. 

In Petra, we stayed with wonderful and kind host Mosleh at his creatively named hotel, Cleopetra.  The rooms are simple and clean, but what makes this place exceptional is the host.  Mosleh is exactly what you want in a host and we’re so grateful to have met him!

Petra is a huge park full of ancient tombs.  “The Treasury” is the most iconic building, though by no means the only highlight.  But before you can even enter Petra, you must pass through the siq entrance that leads you through a natural, twenty-minute build up to the highlight.  Then, around a rock crevice, you see it.  A gorgeous façade carved into rose-gold rock. 

Exploring Petra is an all day affair (two or more days if you’re lucky).  Start your days early and enjoy when the crowds disperse after the Treasury.  It’s as if you’re discovering the ancient city on your own!

Our favorite was the hike to the Monastery.  The steep, 45-minute climb was well-worth it!  It is magnificent!

After Petra, we drove to Wadi Rum.  We partnered with Rum Stars and the owner Ahmed treated us more as honored guests than clients!  We explored the desert in the day and hiked, climbed, and even sand boarded through the gorgeous terrain.  We had no idea deserts could be so beautiful, or so fun!

Picture from the top!

Almost made it!

Victory!

After our day exploring, we spent the night at the Rum Stars Bedouin Camp.  We enjoyed a traditional Jordanian feast (where the food is buried with a fire beneath the sand for hours until it is tender and delicious!), we snuggled into one of Ahmed's cozy Bedouin tents for a well-deserved night rest.  Who knew a desert could treat us so well!

Our last night in Jordan, we headed back to visit Chef Odeh in Madaba where we had a couple more things to check off our list.  Not sites this time, these attractions were purely commercial.  By recommendation, we headed to Yosef’s Shop around the corner.  Yosef partners with the women in neighboring villages to produce hand-made textiles in different local styles.  Not only is Yosef fascinating to talk with (our shopping excursion quickly turned into a coffee treat), he provides employment to hundreds of women, and promotes their continued tradition of weaving.

Our time in Jordan was far too short, but Israel was calling!  Next up: Nazareth!