Trips

Continuing the fascinating tour of Herodium.

Bathhouse	Bathhouse
Bathhouse	Bathhouse
Herodium	Herodium
Herodium	Fresco in the Bathhouse
	Remains of a tunnel
	Large Cistern
	Tunnel
	Herodium - Location of Herod's Tomb
View from Herodium	Herodium - Scenes from movie
Herodium - Scenes from movie	Herodium - Scenes from movie
Fresco	Graffiti
Fresco	Remains of columns
After the Herodium tour, we stopped for lunch at a Greek Orthodox monastery, Mar Elias. It was built by the Byzantines, destroyed by the Persians, and rebuilt by Crusaders. Supposedly the Prophet Elijah hid here to escape the vengeance of Jezebel. Lunch was in a cafeteria in a large hall.
Mar Elias Monastery	Mar Elias Monastery
Mar Elias Monastery - Lunch	Mar Elias Monastery
Mar Elias Monastery - Lunch	Countryside
After lunch, our mini-bus headed to the last stop of the day in the town of Ein Karem where John the Baptist grew up. On the way to the church, we stopped for a delicious ice cream at Golda which is opening three shops in New York City soon. The Belgium chocolate and pistachio were delicious. Then we went to the Franciscan Church of St. John the Baptist. It is built on the site where it is believed John the Baptist was born. The church courtyard has tiled panels with the Bible verses Luke 1:46-55 - Mary’s Song of Praise (The Magnificat) - in 42 languages. The church is under serious reconstruction but we could see the unusual blue and white tiles.
Construction	Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem - home field for two major Israeli football clubs
Jerusalem - Pais Arena	Jerusalem- light rail
Jerusalem	Jerusalem
Ein Karem - Gelato	Ein Karem - Gelato - as good as it looks!
Ein Karem - Gelato	Moscobia Convent - Russian Orthodox
	Ein Karem - Church of John the Baptist
Ein Karem - Church of John the Baptist	Ein Karem - Church of John the Baptist - entry gate
Inside the Church of John the Baptist	Inside the Church of John the Baptist
Inside the Church of John the Baptist	Inside the Church of John the Baptist

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