Jericho, Bethlehem, and home – Tuesday 8th November 2016
(Distance walked today: 9.23km)
Photos at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ffnord/albums/72157676432838135
This was my last full day in Israel and it was the day of the optional trip which 90% of the group had booked. As Jericho and Bethlehem are Palestinian settlements it would ordinarily be difficult for us to visit them but Ineke has duel citizenship so was able to take us on her Dutch passport. We got picked up by a new bus and driver and headed back towards the Dead Sea and down to the River Jordan where we would be visiting the site where John the Baptist did his thing.
The road down to the river was guarded by a military checkpoint and dotted along the way are ruins of chapels and monasteries, the reason for these being abandoned became apparent when we noticed the signs warning of land-mines all along the road. This was after all, the border between Israel and Jordan and the site has only been open again for a couple of years.
We were greeted at the entrance by a swarm of identically dressed people heading back to their bus having been baptised in the river. We made our way down to the bank and the river was not what I expected, a slow moving, narrow stretch of brown water with steps leading down from both sides. Guards were station on both banks to stop people crossing over illegally, it may only have been a 10m swim but this is still an international border.
There was something incongruous about this place, it is supposedly the site where John baptised Jesus, and after seeing how every part of Jerusalem was swarming with people I had expected it to be much busier. Everywhere we had been over the last week or so was very well worn and commercialised, but one of the holiest Christian sites had no gift shop, no food vans, just a well maintained deck with plenty of shade for groups to sit under. I only really appreciated this later on, as being the last day of the holiday we were somewhat worn out at this point.
We boarded the bus and drove on to Jericho which was our first real visit to the Palestinian territory, there were no border checks but there were signs up reminding Israeli’s that it is illegal for them to enter.
The modern town of Jericho is a sprawling web of low buildings built in the Arabic style and with surprising amounts of greenery and fields. Having spent the last few days in the metropolis of Jerusalem where everything is built up and very westernised this was almost a flashback to Jordan.
We stopped first at the sycamore tree which Zacchaeus climbed to see Jesus, again it is hard to say for sure that this is definitively the same tree but it’s certainly an old one.
There were a few stallholders nearby selling scarves and fruit but otherwise there wasn’t much in the town to evidence a tourist trade. A large hotel and casino had been built at great expense on the edge of the town but it stands empty now since Israelis were forbidden to enter and Palestinians are forbidden to gamble.
We went up the road to the rather lacklustre archaelogical dig at the old city, there isn’t much to see, a small building with a presentation about the history of the place and the digs over the years. Climbing up to the site we had a look at the few walls that have been uncovered but there really isn’t much to it.
We went from here back up the main road to the hills overlooking Jericho and to a viewing point with an incredible view down the valley and overlooking the Monastery of the Temptation. Tradition has it that this monastery is built in front of the cave where Jesus stayed for the 40 days and nights. It is currently maintained by just three monks and must be one of the most peaceful places to live in the world as they don’t get many visitors.
We headed out through Jerusalem and over to Bethlehem, which was made more challenging again as there are only a couple of ways in and out of the settlement and the main one was closed for renovation. We stopped first at a restaurant built on a hillside styled after a Bedouin tent where we enjoyed a more Jordanian style of lunch. From there it was a short walk to our first stop, the fields said to have been where The Shepherds were visited by the angel.
Ineke took us here first to give us a last moment of peace before we headed in to the chaos of Bethlehem itself. The chapel which is in the field is a lovely little place with a constant trickle of people going to and from it.
After a little time to enjoy the chapel we walked back out of the fields and to a co-operative shop where groups of local merchants had banded together to sell locally produced tourist goods. Amongst the general tat and bling that seems to plague religious tourism sites was some genuinely well crafted goods. Each piece unique as the wood was taken from olive trees grown on the hills nearby and carved by hand.
Suitably loaded up with gifts we boarded the bus and headed in to Bethlehem itself. It should have been a warning that we parked in an actual bus depot which led up in to a shopping mall. Winding up the hill from this we walked up to the Chapel of the Nativity, actually a series of chapels and churches built on and around the manger of Christ.
It was heaving. People crowding every hall and room. We joined the queue in the main chapel and were told that it would be around a three hour wait from that point! This wait was just for tourists, Palestinians and Muslims in general were taken straight in by a back entrance. It was at this point that Ineke decided enough was enough and just bribed a policeman to let our group down this entrance in pairs.
The manger itself was down a small flight of stairs, itself heaving with people and there was little elbow room once down there, we had to get our snaps, see what we could and get back out.
For me, and most of the group, we could not get out of there fast enough. The press of people in a hot, humid, environment for hours did not lend to a feeling of holiness and compassion for ones fellow man. We headed out and went back to our bus where we had a slow trip back to the hotel fighting the traffic to get out of the one open checkpoint back in to Israel.
This was our last night together and we shared a meal and said our thanks and goodbyes to Ineke. Myself and two others were on a morning flight so did not stay out late as we would be picked up at 4am. The flights home were uneventful, all connections were made and I arrived home tired but happy.
A summary
To summarise this holiday I would say that this part of the world is utterly packed with history, both religious and secular. It is an area of conflict and trouble, but ultimately well worth visiting. Arab nations have a reputation in the west for being unsafe, I never once felt this in my time spent in Jordan. Everyone was friendly, welcoming and it has much to see and explore. In contrast, Israel always felt on edge, there were heavily armed soldiers wherever you went and it always felt to me like something was about to kick off. I would definitely endorse a visit to either of these countries but be aware of what to expect, do your own reading on the history and cultures and enjoy them for what they are.
This was my first holiday with http://www.explore.co.uk and my first travelling alone as part of a random group, but I can highly recommend the experience. I’ve already booked my next holiday through them and look forward to seeing what Kiev and Chernobyl has to show me in August.
