HaKotel

On our journey through Jerusalem apart from just viewing the city and experiencing the culture and architecture, we had to choose a topic of interest and redesign it or explore the area or the site more in depth. My choice is what we know as the Western Wall (HaKotel for the Jews) the wall where the Jews go and chant, pray and lament to. What a fansinating place to explore and write about!

BYU and Mt. of Olives

Mount of olives - looking out at Temple Mount.

8th level entrance to BYU.
Everywhere you walk you are able to see the old city, this is how David Resnick brought the City into BYU!!!!

Large Organ, sounds great throught the entire floor, muy peaceful!
Dorms are actually great, they have 4 beds, privacy and fantastic bathroom and a great view of the Old City from their balcony.

Brigham Young University located in Jerusalem, Israel was designed by David Resnick. Which we had the honor to meet a few weeks back before we visited the area. David mentioned how pleased he was and still is of the Univeristy. When he sat with us he walked us through the entire university, about the 18meter modules that the entire school is based on, and the every arch is the exact same size, there are over 120 arches throughout the entire building. David also mentioned that the school was like music to him. The materials are quiet basic: Jeruslame stone of course, wood (Maple and Cherry [?]). Once we had the chance to walk through the space and was luckuly able to walk into one of the dorms you can really see what David has spoken about - he mentioned that the idea was to Bring Jerusalem into the building - and that he did!!! BYU is a facinating building, the proportions are great, the spaces are very intimate, you are able to see the Old City from everywhere in the building. We also got a chance to sit in the auditorium and hear the grand organ being played - that is very nice speacially when you can hear it when entering the building, very beautiful and peaceful.

Petra, Jordan

Petra also known as the Red Rock. Our Journey began early in the morning 8am where we caught a shuttle to the Jordan/Israel Border so that we would have our passports stamped. Then we took another bus with our tour guy that by the way - was great! The bus trip took about 2 hours from the border to Petra. Here we began our journey down through narrow passages awing and wowing every piece of ancient rock, carving that we found along the way. After 30+- minutes we came to a stop where Julie said to me "are you ready for this?" - I was not sure what to expect until I saw it - The Carved Red Rock in front of me - slowly appearing before my eyes - it was amazing. To just think that the Nabataeans built what we saw at around 7,500 BC. WOW!!!! is correct! Can you imaging what someone will find 7,500AD about us.

This sweet young boy [i think :( ] gave me a rock from petra colored purple and red and he wanted to take a picture with me. I thought that that was the sweetest! Unfortuntely I had no cash to hand him - to think that these kids are out in the burning sun every day trying to make a living to help the family - makes me really sad. These kids have to work to live! :( I ask myself, what can we do to help emilinate child-labor in foreign countries or at least minimize it so that children can get some education?

Trip down south to Eilat

First stop was Masada. Masada is located at the top of a plateau next to the Dead Sea. The Top of Masada is about 1,300 feet above sea level As far as we know Herod the Great fortified Masada around 37BC. A lot of the area has been restored enough to understand its content; you will be able to see from the pictures above that there is a black line indicating what was restored (above). There is still existing plaster on the walls dating back to Herod the Great - which is pretty inpressive. :)

Then we made it to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is about 1,378 feet under sea level, it is the lowest shore on earth. So, we stayed here for 2+- hours and got the chance to float on the water. The water is so rich and it has soo much salt that no fish/animals can live in it nor can boats sail. Because of the amount of salt in the water and all of the minerals, the water has a unique texture - slimy, thick, saltie of course. All of the minerals and salt that it contains make it possible for anyone to float without even wanting to - I got into the water and layed on my back and just began floating without any effort (keeping in mind that i do not know how to swim very much).

This was one of the most unusual and unique experience ever. While walking in the water you can feel chunks of salt balls in the water, they range from very small to golf size balls. If you are ever in Israel i would highly recommend taking a trip to the Dead Sea to experience the water.

(Pictures will be arriving soon)

The Big Dig at Bet Guvtin-Masesha

So, here is the day when we make History (yes, History with a capital H). We head to a archeological Dig at Bet Guvtin-Masesha where we get a bucket and a pick to dig up some dirt and see if we can find some remains or any artifacts. Well David, Patrick and Myself start digging on the side of the wall and we just started finding some ancient pottery from the Hellenistic time. There is this huge rock under me and I am trying to get it out of the way with David and it turns out to be some large old bricks. David says there is some space here without any dirt so he tries to take some rocks out of the space and while is is doing this I am removing the mountain of dirt that was accumulating. And all I hear is OMG!!!!!!!!! and what do you know - not in a million years would we have known that digging that that exact location we would find an intact, one entire piece of pottery. A Pot that was mostly used for water, intact, Had not been broken. Amazing an incredible find, we were just too excited, happy, nervous and completly blown out of our minds. Here is the cave we cralled into.....

This is David's and Patrick's unbelievable moment.
Here we are holding on to dear life that this pot does not fall and break. Showing everyone around us what we (the Catholic University School of Architecture Student) found.

And Again here we are admiring our find!

This is by far one of the best experiences being able to find some ancient pottery. Unfortunetly, we were not able to keep it, everything in the dig belonged to Israel but, if we wanted in about 3 months we can find out exactly in what time period the pot was from and if we wanted the school to have it, we can request it. (well, i am not sure if they would give it to the school or just let us borrow it for a couple of months and keep it on display). But, indeed an experience like no other.

As I mentioned before in a previous blog. We always seem to find ourselves getting into tiny holes.

Mount of Olives and surroundings.....

On Sunday morning, we (Theresa, Davidal, Julius and myself) got ready and went to Mount of Olives. From here we were able to see the entire Old City and beyond. Mount of Olives below is known as the Jewish Cemetery where many Jews have been buried waiting for the Messiah to come. Since, it is said that the Messiah will come or return from the East and will resurrect the dead. There are said to be at least 150,00o graves here.
Below is The Church of all Nations as known as the Church or Basilica of the Agony that is next to Gethsemane which is believed to be the place where Jesus and his disciples prayed the night before the crucifixion.
These Olives trees at Gethsemane are at least 2000 years old or more.


The Mosaic painting below of La Inmaculada conception (Mary) is located at a church up in Mount Zion that is said to be the place where Mary fell asleep and Angels took her up to the heavens.