Last day in Israel

It was a disappointing last day in Israel, but not atypical for Israel.... here's the run down:

Our tour driver was 15 minutes late.  Drove from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (there are 7 of us).  switched drivers.  Drove toward West Bank, held 'hostage' by a souvenir store owner for a half hour, most of us bought something from his over-priced shop, but then he came out after us and berated us for not buying olive wood carvings.  We were driven to an ugly church full of dark painted icons. switched vans, switched drivers.  Drove into the West Bank - Bethlehem. 

Note: No Isralies are allowed in the West Bank.  Similarly, no West Bank residents are permitted entry to Israel.  To leave the country, they must go through Jordan.  They have Jordanian passports even though they aren't Jordanians, but Israelis won't recognize them as Israelis.  Perhaps the Palestinians in Jerusalem are lucky, their id says Jerusalem resident.  they however, are not allowed to vote in Israel, nor in Palestine.  It's ridiculous.

So we were taken to the Shepard's field.  Big surprise, there is an ornate church on the site. 

I took a photo of the neighboring hill, which probably looks like it did 2000 years ago.

 Then were driven to the site where Jesus was born.  big surprise - 3 churches on the site.  All iconic and ornate and irritating. The door was deliberately made small that you would have to duck your head in a bowing position to enter the chruch.

 there was a crazy long line to see the "spot" where Jesus was born.  I would have skipped this, but it was part of our Tour.  We were "fast tracked" with our guide towards the front of the line, but still waited perhaps a half hour.  Here's the "spot".   Some people were touching it and kissing it.  I was really annoyed by this point.

then we drove to a grotto where Mary dripped some milk when she was nursing Jesus.  (seriously, I could roll my eyes).  it has a fitting name "milk grotto".

Then we waited 45 minutes in a line to get out of the west bank and back into Israel.  some man joined us in our van, i think he was like our benefactor to get us through the border, but he didn't do or say anything.  after the border we switched vehicles, switched driver.

 Palestinian license plate

Our driver stopped at this building for us to photograph.  It's the location of the Good Samaritan, which is funny because that was a parable, not recorded as an actually event!

drove to Jericho.  the oldest city on earth, 10,000 years old. 

 

 This is supposed to be Elijah's spring.  this spring flows constantly, providing mineral water for the region.

 jericho has 25 cities built on top of each other.  hmmm.  At least it's not a church.

 This is the spot of the Temptation of Christ

 This is supposed to be the tree Zacchaeus was in.  It's a 2000 year old sycamore tree.

the high light of my day, because it was what it looks like - real life.  A bedouin home in the Judean desert.  tell me you have a good life!  

these are shacks put together by left over wood and material and metal.  it's desert, barren, no trees, no grass.  In summer it's 54 degrees.

Drove back to Jerusalem, switched drivers.  Drove to Tel Aviv.  would have been better to lay on the beach and swim in the Mediterranean sea today.