Day 13 Saturday - written on Sunday

Saturday's adventures began with a meeting to talk about next week's trip to Galilee. If you are interested in where it is we will be staying , here is a website to check out.... http://www.heilig-land-verein.de/engl/html/pilgerhaus_tabgha.html

It looks fantastic ... very relaxing and with trips to Nazerath, Capernaum, the Mount of the Beatitudes, the Ancient city of Dan ( which Dan you may ask - I'll find out next week) , Caesarea Philippi and Mount Tabhor all part of the trip it promises to be very exciting. We have planned a boat trip into the centre of the Sea of Galilee on the Wednesday from which, as one of our funnier pilgrims suggested, "You can walk back." ( ala The apostle Peter .... Get it. )

We were meant to have some time of reflection after that  - which I began to do on the iPad in my room  - but when an offer to go with a group of pilgrims to discover the "upper room " in the yet unexplored Armenian Quarter arose , I abandoned attempts at writing - after all , this blog is a daily reflection - and headed outside for more adventure.

 A statue of King David ... And me ... My girls said on Skype today that in all my photos I am standing as straight as a surf board ... So ... No more ordinary poses from me I am afraid.

We weren't able to get into the room of the last supper unfortunately - Yom Kippur I presume - but we did find the church where Mary died was buried and rose up to heaven too, I assume ( another subtle joke ... To subtle to explain to the unlearned). So here are some pictures of the church of the day. 

Mary's tomb ... I think this is meant to be Mary ... A little creepy I know.

In the late afternoon ... I am ignoring the fact that Carlton lost the semi in Sydney, which I may have listened to in my room as I was doing my reading ... The famous Dr Frans Bouwen  - heard of him? Don't worry neither had I -  spoke to us for a couple of hours about the spirituality of Islam. Informative yet hard to get a good grasp of this religion in such a short period of time.

We then made a quick dash to the Western Wall where it was all happening... The end of Yom Kippur meant many Jews were assembled at the wall rocking backwards and forwards praying and singing, skull caps flying off the top of people's heads .... they forgot the scotch tape ...and shofurs - goat horns - blowing. It was exciting I must admit. The closer we came to the appearance of the first star, the more frantic it became. When the horns blew it seemed to be over as people started to leave , collecting food along the way after their 25 hour fast.

You weren't supposed to take photos but when it was over the cameras seemed to come out. So you know what they say ... When in Jerusalem do as the Jewish people do... You can only say that in certain quarters of course.

After tea , I finally discovered the Austrian Hospice... I already knew where it was of course but I had been avoiding it... I heard it was like a touch of home  in the middle of Jerusalem... Where you could get a normal cup of coffee or have a wine in the pleasant surrounds of trees and luxury. I haven't felt the need to be in such comfort so far on the trip but last night... It was heavenly.