4 Views

Yes there are multiple "views" in this city, considering the number of religious groups fighting for this the Holy Land, but today...we saw some VIEWS...for our field trip (every Monday), we had lectures from our Old Testament professor (Dr. Muhelstein) as well as our Ancient Near Eastern Studies professor (Dr. Chadwick) on what we saw. It was an 8 hour ordeal to several sites.

First, we went to a NORTHEASTERN view over the city. This was at the Augusta Victoria Lutheran hospital/church/hospice. Everything was in German so that was fun.

Our next stop was to the Seven Arches Hotel viewpoint. We all have headsets with a radio transmission from our professors so we just listen with headsets. It was SUPER HOT. Muhelstein mentioned something that really got me thinking--Abraham and Isaac traveled to Jerusalem, and probably came over this very mountain we were standing on. This would have been the first moment in his trek that the city of Jerusalem would be visible. Imagine how his heart would sink...knowing he was so close to having to sacrifice his son.

This was the EASTERN view over the city:

Then to this Crusader's church north of the city. We stood on the roof for a long long time in the sun talking about the cities to the north. I didn't take a photo of the view because it was SO HAZY! We don't know why!! They think it is just moisture/fog.

And then this is the view from the West:

We walked through this dirt field...there are these olive trees. Chadwick told us how this is called a garden, and this isn't necessarily how we would picture a garden. So when we think of what the Garden of Gestnemne looked like, it is probably more similar to this. Crazy huh?

Also, note to Mom- up there in the distance on the right is where the BYU Jerusalem kids came before the center was built. Chadwick went in 1980.

We hiked up a little MOUNTAIN after this and came up on this hill where we could see over into Bethlehem!! It was a super hazy day (the worst they said they've seen in 20 years), so we actually couldn't see TOO well..but we got the idea. We stood out there in the 2:30 heat for 45 minutes talking about Rachel dying on the road between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and the hills they would have had to travel up and down. That is not an easy trip!! We pictured the shepherds tending their sheep and seeing the star over Jerusalem behind us. CRAZY. 

Bethlehem is behind me on the right in this photo: