Israel 2019

January 17, 2019 Gloria Hotel to Ben Gurion Airport, Munich, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Birmingham We got up at 12:30 am (went to bed at 8:30 pm) to get ready for our 1:45 am departure from the Hotel Gloria lobby to board the bus for the one hour ride to the Ben Gurion Airport.   When we walked outside we saw that snow had fallen in Jerusalem during the night.   Snow had accumulated on the grassy areas and some on the sidewalks and stairs.   The bus drive drove very slowly for the first 15 minutes as we left Jerusalem and surrounding Judean Hills in a very dense fog.   We arrived at the airport by 3:00 am and did the usual check-in/security procedures for an on-time departure for Munich.   As we flew across southern Germany and toward Munich, we saw beautiful snow-covered mountains.   Arrival in Munich was a few minutes early.   With a 3-hour layover, we had plenty of time to navigate several security areas.   The flight departed at 12:15 ...

January 16, 2019 Hotel Gloria to Temple Mount, Mount of Olives, and St. Peter in Gallicantu and back to Hotel Gloria Today is our last day in Jerusalem and of our trip to Israel.   We started by being transported to the security area of the Temple Mount entrance ramp.   After going through security we walked up the covered wooden ramp past the Western Wall kotel and through the entrance onto the Temple Mount.  Ramp to Temple Mount The Kotel It is huge flat area called Haram esh-Sharif with trees and two major structures – the Dome of the Rock and El Aqsa Mosque.      The El Aqsa Mosque was built 20 years (early 8 th century) after the completion of the Dome of the Rock and has undergo many renovations and changes.   The present structure dates from the early 11 th century CE, but has additions with columns donated by Mussolini and an elaborate ceiling paid for by King Farouk of Egypt.   It dominates the southern e...

January 15, 2019 Free Day Walking and Exploring the Old City We had our free day without any schedule to adhere to from dawn until dusk.   After breakfast we walked past the Citadel and down the Armenian Patriarchate Rd. to an Armenian Ceramic shop where we purchased two unique ceramic Christmas Ornaments.   Today was a cloudless day and somewhat moderate temperatures.   Having forgot my iPhone/camera, we walked back to the hotel to retrieve that and drop off the ornaments.   Retracing out walk, we turned onto St. James street and continued to the Cordo where we did some shopping.   We continued walking through the market streets and across an Alabama Heart of Dixie shop.   The owner was from Huntsville and his brother is at the University of Alabama.   So, he brought Alabama to Jerusalem with a shop of Alabama and Roll Tide items.   Along the way we saw everything imaginable for sale – slaughtered animals hanging, candies, fruits,...

January 14, 2019 Gloria Hotel to the Tower of David Museum of the History of Jerusalem, Herodian Quarter – Wohl Museum, Tunnel to Walls of Temple Mount, and Holocaust Museum and back to the Gloria Hotel After gathering in the lobby of the Gloria Hotel at 8:45 am, we had a short walk to the Citadel (Tower of David) and visited the Museum of the History of Jerusalem.   This museum presented a pictorial/model history of Jerusalem through the many periods we explored in the archeological park yesterday.   First, we went to the top of the tower for a panoramic view of Jerusalem that involved both the old and new cities.     Citadel at David's Gate Inside the museum there was an excellent model of the topography of Jerusalem as it was pre-Temple Mount with Mt. Moriah and Mt. Zion prominent.     The exhibits start with the Canaanite Period and go forward to the Ottoman Period.   There was a good map showing the historical location of ...