Here We Say Goodbye

I write this from the States. Back to the gray cold of Massachusetts. It feels surreal that we were in Israel only yesterday. So here I'll tell you about our last day together...

We had a late breakfast. No hot food because it was the Sabbath. Ah well, they still had those magical persimmons.

Our only planned destination for the day was the Israel Museum. Where they have the greatest model replica I've ever laid eyes on.

those tall towers are the Antonia Fortress

the temple

So, wow. It's a staggering achievement. Kind of makes you want to get a bunch of little Biblical figurines and go play in it.

Soon enough we headed into the INDOOR part of the museum. There's a lot to see there. A lot. I'm not going to create a virtual museum here by posting pictures of all the things, but here are two items discovered by Gordon Conwell's own Dr. Cooley!

After regrouping in the gift shop (where else, honestly) we split off for some free time in the afternoon. Some went shopping in the Old City, some ventured to the Garden Tomb, and some headed back to the hotel for a bit of respite. This blogger grabbed some pizza with Uri and chatted about all things Israel. I've learned a metric ton on this trip.

There was still enough light left to take advantage of the day. We took a cab down to see the Garden Tomb, just before closing. Now, to clear up any confusion...the Garden Tomb is a place that some contest is the tomb of Jesus. It's carved into a hill that happens to resemble a skull. Since the word for 'skull' in Aramaic is 'Golgotha' (this is the place referenced as the site of Jesus' crucifixion) many believe this tomb to be his.

It couldn't be more different than the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Regardless of who's got the actual place right, there is something about the serenity and preservation of the Garden Tomb that's deeply affecting. It looks like the tomb would have looked. You can step inside and see where a body was laid. I only took one photo there. But I did add something to my to-do list: go to the Easter sunrise service in the Garden Tomb.

We walked home through the Old City Arab quarter, a bustling marketplace. Cities have such a different rhythm at night, don't they? We emerged from the Jaffa Gate at dusk.

photo of a monk taking a photo...

be honest, how touristy do we look?

some people get to see this every night!

Our last dinner at the hotel was bittersweet. We all had things we were looking forward to at home (like washing machines), but there was so much more to do and see in Israel! High spirits prevailed, nonetheless, as we enjoyed each others' company.

When it was finally time, we loaded up everything and drove to Tel Aviv, where Uri guided us into the airport and bid farewell. Man, we're gonna MISS that guy. That Tel Aviv airport is painless and efficient. Customs wasn't bad, nor was the long flight to Philadelphia. There, we went our separate ways - this time, for good. Parting is such sweet sorrow. Anticipating serious withdrawals, planning reunions already, we say goodbye to the group that shared this astonishing experience with us.

In closing, I just want to say that this was a trip of a lifetime. With the teaching of Tom Petter and Christine Palmer, the planning of Rhonda Gibson, the entertainment of Dave Horn, the guidance of Uri, and the excellent care of our tour agency, On Eagle's Wings, we were blessed. It's a special land, this Israel place. You have to visit to really get it. I hope you all have the opportunity to do so one day, and that you seize that opportunity with both hands. And then write your own blog.