Up before Dawn…for some Peace !

We were up at 4-30 a.m. and having met in the foyer of the Hotel at 5 a.m., a small group of us set off on foot, across the Road and into the deserted streets of Jerusalem… it was like a different place, so peaceful, and you really got the feeling of what we had come to Jerusalem for, peaceful serenity. We returned to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre…to find it almost deserted, although there were already Church services taking place…Latin mass by the Franciscans at Christs tomb, Greek Orthodox at the rear of the tomb, and several differring language masses taking place in the various Chapels.I was able to say quiet prayers,alone, at the spot where Christ was crucified,and touch the rock beneath…and then able to attend Sunday mass (although it was in German!).

Then it was back to the Hotel for breakfast,vacate our rooms, and start the day proper !

Firstly we again walked into the old city of Jerusalem, and up on to the Temple Mount, now ,curiously…a Moslem Holy Site, guarded by Israeli Soldiers/security,and visited by Christians also – a site viewed as sacred by all faiths http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/jerusalem-temple-mount, it was wild,windy…and eventually rainy !

Then it was across the city to join with the Anglican community at St Georges Cathedral, for their Sunday services,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George's_Cathedral,_Jerusalem stopping here for lunch at the Guest House.

Then it was farewell to Jerusalem, as we travelled out of the City towards Galilee, stopping at the ancient city of Bet-she’an http://www.bibleplaces.com/bethshean.htm  a phenominal place, full of ancient ruins,temples,and History..read all about it…

and we continued then to our Hotel on the Sea of Galilee http://www.ronbeachhotel.com/, our base for the next few days..