Also known as the, “Valley of the Shadow of Death,” from Psalm 23, this valley is covered in darkness most of the time due to the narrow opening between two very steep cliffs. I said many quick prayers as several members of our group walked right up to the edge of the cliff to get a closer look at the monastery below. The terrain from our vantage point was composed of loose rock, small pebbles and some larger rocks. In the states, there would be signs posted everywhere for people to watch their step, or caution signs not to venture close to the edge. I kept thinking, “Will our travel insurance pay to airlift someone out of here?” Klutz as I am, I kept my distance from the edge. Continue reading “Wadi Qelt”
Jericho and Mount of Temptation
I know what I was expecting, but this was not it. I thought we might see some ruins of the walls of Jericho. Nope. According to the Bible and the children’s song, the walls, “Came tumbling down.” The stones from those walls were probably used for other purposes later. Continue reading “Jericho and Mount of Temptation”
Jordan River
There are a couple of different sites along the Jordan River that are believed to be the area where John baptized Jesus, Yardenit (Or Bethany beyond the Jordan) in the Galilee region, and Qasr-al-Yahud along the southern portion of the river before it empties into the Dead Sea. This second location is the stop our group made. Continue reading “Jordan River”