Today was a bit lower-key than yesterday. Hard to measure up to Petra in terms of scope, so we might as well just hang out in the arid desert for the day.
We drove up from Elat through the lands of Abraham. We arrived at Tel Arad, a fortress atop a hill that overlooked a sweeping valley. The mountains of Edom in one direction, Jerusalem in another.
the town below the fortress...not much is known about this one
the altar (this was bad - no altars but the one in Jerusalem were permitted)
and to get really serious, their Holy of Holies
about when Uri's phone kept going off to "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones
the old town
goats! sheep!
well, well, well
group hug!
We drove some more, overwhelmed a poor deli guy with our busload for lunch, and some of us even went for dessert. Shawarma and gelato...when in Israel!
Drove north, heading for Jerusalem, when we stopped to look out over a nondescript valley.
THIS IS WHERE DAVID FOUGHT GOLIATH.
It's a story everyone knows, but as Uri stood up on a stone embankment and acted it all out with passionate intensity, we were enthralled. The Israelite army lined up on that hill, the Philistines lined up on the hill where we stood, and their champions met in the middle.
Fantastic. Incredible. Humbling. Awe-inspiring.
What a sight.
Back on the bus, we headed to Jerusalem. We're staying in a REALLY NICE hotel, which is such a pleasant place to find ourselves on the last leg of this journey. A hot dinner, a Jerusalem 101 talk from Christine Palmer, and off to bed we go.
Jerusalem...is there any more special city in the world?
(Also, we're going to Masada!)
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