Friday, November 18, 2016 Sunny day
After waking up in the morning, I ran to the beach to photograph the Dead Sea in the morning sun. I happened to meet several female tourists from Xi'an, and after talking, we learned that we arrived in Israel on the same flight, and the itinerary was basically the same. Today, they will also leave Jordan for Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is the last stop on our covenant journey and the culmination of our pilgrimage. Everyone has been waiting for a long time, and the dream is about to come true. It can be seen that everyone has a tap in their hearts that they can't resist.
At 8 o'clock in the morning, we took a car from the hotel, drove for about ten minutes, arrived at the border gate in central Jordan, passed through customs (out of Jordan), entered customs (into Israel), and entered Israel again. Our guide was already waiting for us at the Israeli customs. Before heading for Jerusalem, the bus goes to Israel's famous Dead Sea cosmetics store. It is said that the cosmetics in this shop are refined and processed from the seawater of the Dead Sea, and contain many elements that the skin needs. It has always been favored by ladies and tourists from all over the world. Tourists who come to Israel generally visit here. And I'm not interested in that. After a few casual glances in the store, I walked out to chat with other group members and wait. Hopefully we can end shopping early and arrive in Jerusalem.
As the saying goes, good food is not afraid of being late, and it is said that the good show is ahead. In the ardent anticipation of the group, the bus began to drive to a city that haunted countless people's souls, a place closest to God, and a holy place of "three religions" Jerusalem.
After lunch, the coach traveled for about an hour, and at 3pm local time we finally arrived in Jerusalem and ascended the famous Mount of Olives. From the observation deck here you can enjoy a panoramic view of Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives, located east of Jerusalem at an altitude of 808 meters, is surrounded by olive trees and is often documented in the Bible and other religious texts. The hillside is considered a sacred mountain for Judaism and Christianity. Opposite it is the famous Temple Mount (also known as Mount Zion).
When we stood on the Mount of Olives and saw the familiar and unfamiliar landscapes such as the Wailing Wall symbolizing Jerusalem and the Golden Dome Mosque standing opposite, everyone was overwhelmed with excitement. I saw that everyone looked flustered, acted quickly, and pressed the shutter in constantly changing angles and changing positions to retain the moment. They all seemed a little nervous and hectic, and felt that there was not enough time. Never in my travel career have I been so excited. I was also excited to visit Jerash, Petra, and Wadirun in Jordan, but none of them could compare to the excitement of seeing Jerusalem, a breathless, overwhelming excitement that I had never had in more than 30 countries I had traveled to.
God has given us good luck. Today's weather is so nice and the visibility is high, providing ideal conditions for making good films. After a period of hectic work, everyone gradually returned to calm and order. On the Mount of Olives, we met several heavily armed Israeli soldiers and invited them to take a group photo. To be honest, when a soldier in uniform appeared in front of us, I realized in an instant that under our feet was the powder keg of the Middle East, a place where explosions could occur at any time. I am proud of the determination and courage of myself and my fellow tourists.
Jerusalem seen from the Mount of Olives is only macroscopic and external, and it is only at the Temple Mount that you can get an up-close and in-depth understanding of Jerusalem. in order to truly perceive its soul. On the Temple Mount, there are too many religious relics. Such as the Wailing Wall, the Tomb of David, the Marco House, the Church of Our Lady and the Great Mosque of the Golden Dome. For me, what attracted me most about the Temple Mount was the Wailing Wall, which is considered the first holy site by Judaism.
For thousands of years, when Jews from all over the world returned to the holy city of Jerusalem, they would come to this stone wall to pray quietly and cry about the sorrows of exile. The Wailing Wall has undoubtedly become the spiritual home and soul destination of the Jews. When we arrived at the Wailing Wall, it was four o'clock in the afternoon, and the guide pointed to a section of wall about 50 meters long and 18 meters high, made of granite stones, and told us that it was the "Wailing Wall". Everyone looked in the direction of his finger and saw many prayerful believers standing in front of the tall wailing wall. Strong curiosity prompted me to look closer, and I saw Jews in black top hats, black suits, and beards, holding the Old Testament, facing the wailing wall, constantly bending over and bowing, and chanting words in their mouths. Moreover, similar crowds come and go, coming and going, in an endless stream. According to the rules, anyone who enters the Wailing Wall must wear a small white hat to show respect for their ancestors.
Do as the Romans do. Wearing white hats, we entered the wailing wall area with solemn expressions, and silently watched everything in front of us, and we couldn't help but sigh with emotion. I deeply feel that the Jewish nation is a nation of many calamities, but at the same time a strong and great nation, they have not changed their original intention through hardships, and they have endured storms but their will is stronger. Thousands of years of wandering and migration, countless destruction and massacres, have not caused this nation to sink and disappear, but have further stimulated their unprecedented cohesion, centripetal force and tenacious combat effectiveness. Today, Israel's strength and level in terms of economy, science and technology, education and national defense are among the highest in the world. This cannot but be said to be a miracle. In front of the Wailing Wall, when you see solemn and even slightly melancholy Jews praying there, you will completely understand the real reason why the Jewish nation can be reborn again and again to the phoenix nirvana, reborn from the ashes, and create today's glory. I bless them deeply!
Saying goodbye to the Wailing Wall, we went to see the tomb of King David, the room of Jesus' Last Supper, and the Church of the Virgin Mary. These are famous religious sites in Jerusalem and are very famous sites in the world. It is also full of tourists (tourists are mostly Europeans). Standing in the hall of Jesus' Last Supper, think of a scene that happened in history (is it real?). ), as in a dream. When I saw the steady stream of people flocking to this small room and staring around, with a slightly awe and puzzled look, I finally understood why this was called the closest place to God.
At about 5 p.m., we drove to the Great Hall of Judaism. It happens that the whole day from tonight to tomorrow is the Sabbath. I saw that the cathedral, which could accommodate two or three hundred people, was already full, and it was black. People holding thick scriptures and guided by a pastor in the center of the church, sang a gentle, low, and somewhat mournful tune, which was very beautiful and shocking. Because photography and video recording are not allowed, it is impossible to record and present this solemn and holy scene. Here, once again, I felt the power of religion.
【Visit in November 2016】