a lesson in {humanity}

its universal...mornings are too early to actually get dressed. especially just to water the cement. people really are the same all over the world. :)

ode to the {nile}

Son of the old Moon-mountains African!
Chief of the Pyramid and Crocodile!
We call thee fruitful, and that very while
A desert fills our seeing's inward span:
Nurse of swart nations since the world began,
Art thou so fruitful? or dost thou beguile
Such men to honour thee, who, worn with toil,
Rest for a space 'twixt Cairo and Decan?
O may dark fancies err! They surely do;
'Tis ignorance that makes a barren waste
Of all beyond itself. Thou dost bedew
Green rushes like our rivers, and dost taste
The pleasant sunrise. Green isles hast thou too,
And to the sea as happily dost haste.

--john keats

pyramids at {giza}

how egyptian is this? it was incredible. we even went inside the pyramid-- which was just like the scene when carpet was trying to escape the sand cave thing in aladin-- rectangular and small! when we got inside we sang i am a child of god. it was great, but the other tourists in the pyramid were a little confused as it echoed all the way up!

reflections in the {desert}

we had some solo time out in the desert to think. i was struck by the juxtaposition of how minutely small i am in this world and how much eternal potential i hold as a child of glory. it's no wonder the 3 major religions of the world were started by men wandering in the desert. it has a way of making your evaluate the eternal perspective.

a {basillica} church in jericho

Wilderness of {Zin}

how long we have wandered as strangers in zin, and cried in the desert for thee. we hiked here in the wilderness of zain, where the children of israel wandered. what an amazing landscape!

{spelunking}

went went spelunking in an old cistern and had to wear regulation hard hats. it was incredible to see how the people of the desert were able to invent ways to save water to survive.

{Zacheus's} Tree

on the way to jericho we stopped by the actual tree that zacheus climbed into to see Jesus since he was short in stature.

dang {paparazzi}

i just {can't} help myself

so i still love conducting

they promoted me to bus conductor. it's almost like my train conductor dreams are coming through!

carved into the {mount}

the alleged burial sight of St. James

garden of gethsemane

hotter than {hades}

the bible fondly names this place the valley of {hell}. it is where the hebrews sacrificed their children to pagan Gods.

heroic {rescue}

with my {anything you can do i can do better} mantra i got stuck on a cliff face. thankfully i was rescued by nick as pictured on absolam's tomb.

audrey hepburn...{almost}

allison and i keeping out of the sun...i mean looking OH so fabulous

first annual double elmination rummikub {invitational}

16 seed. allison and i thought it up. epic!

waxing {poetic}

I've come back to this city where names
are given to distances as if to human beings
and the numbers are not of bus-routes
but 70 after, 1917, 500 B.C., Forty-Eight.
These are the lines you really travel on.
Yehuda Amichai

{gelato}

first time. changed my life. so incredible. sharing with allison-- thanks!

the gold {onion} church

at least that is what the local's call it...its the russian orthodox church of mary magdelene

dome of the {rock}

i loved that he was playing soccer on the temple mount.

traditional location of the temple mount where abraham sacrificed isaac; now the dome of the rock stands as a jewish mosque. definitely a unique spirit there.

{wailing} wall

Last night we went to the Western Wall for the Jewish Shabbot. There were literally 100s of Jewish people there to worship at the place they believe is the closest they can get to the Holy of Hollies from the 2nd Temple. The air was static with excitement and praise as the men came in dozens of rows singing and dancing, praising their God and the city of Jerusalem. I was able to go to the wall and see an arch that was there during the time of the Savior. One of my friends here mentioned that it was incredible how much joy and enthusiasm they shared each week to welcome in the Sabbath and to come within 100 feet of the old temple. I was overwhelmed at that moment with the joy that I feel each and every time I go INTO the temple. What a blessing that is-- to have temples here all over the earth.

{5} days and counting

we go to egypt in 5 days! this camel was hanging out at the five arches...just a preview of what is to come.

this little {light} of mine

we have been encouraged by our leaders to light candles as a sign of respect in the many cathedrals, monasteries, and churches we visit. each candle we light represents a prayer in our hearts.

Not Far Away on Judea's Plain...

We went to the fields of Bethlehem, sang Christmas carols and met a shepherd!

church of the {holy seplechure}

the sound of 6 religons worshiping in 1 church

touching tip of {golgotha} where they believe the cross was dug into the ground

sunrise over jerusalem as we left {6 am}

places and faces

a group shot in front with our {new neighbors}

the {russian orthodox} church

jud demonstrating how to wear the {head thingy} haha I better learn what they are called

ancient columns and an abbey

residential area in the old city

first day {exploring} the old city

one of the {four} sectors of the old town-- the Jewish sector.

food everywhere...shekels. my favorite so far is homemade bread and zyap seasoning

here is an orthodox Jew riding a bike in the old city just before a huge bus pulled by. fascinating to see people who look like they are from the 1800's {texting} here.

we are known around town as the {mormons} not the americans. the owner of this shop was so excited to see us he brought us in for drinks!