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<\/a>\nWe entered the Garden of Gethsemane and admired the ancient olive trees. Gethsemane<\/em>\u00a0means “oil press” in Hebrew. \u00a0This is one of four locations claiming to be the biblical place where Jesus prayed before the crucifixion.\u00a0
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Basilica is also known as the Church of All Nations because it was completed in 1924 with donations from different countries. \u00a0It was built on the foundations of two earlier churches from the 12th and 4th centuries. \u00a0The current church is known for its magnificent mosaic on the facade above the pillars.<\/p>\n
The interior was awash in soft lavender light from stained glass windows. \u00a0A large rock in front of the altar is preserved as the place where Jesus prayed. \u00a0Arrangements of stones under an olive tree in the garden:<\/p>\n We drove out of Jerusalem and it was amazing how quickly the terrain changed from green trees to dry desert.<\/p>\n On our way south along the Jordan Valley, we stopped at a shop called Ahava<\/em>, to stock up on lotions and other cosmetic products made of minerals from the Dead Sea.<\/p>\n We continued driving south to Masada. \u00a0This is the ancient fortification located on top of an isolated rock plateau, overlooking the Dead Sea. \u00a0In my photo below, which I took from the bus, you can see the zigzag walking trail (known as “the Snake Path”) on the side of the mountain.<\/p>\n There’s a cable car system which runs from ground level all the way up to the top providing spectacular views of the surrounding region. \u00a0We looked down on people walking up on the path.<\/p>\n The view is breathtaking across the Dead Sea and the mountains of Jordan on the other side.<\/p>\n We ascended and walked among the ruins of the hilltop fortress which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. \u00a0King Herod the Great built the palace for himself on the mountain and fortified Masada in about 35 BC. \u00a0The model below shows what historians believe Masada was like during this period.<\/p>\n After the destruction of the Second temple in 70 AD, a group of Jewish rebels, called Sicarii, settled on the mountaintop. \u00a0Three years later, the Roman legion surrounded Masada. \u00a0They built a siege ramp against the western side of the plateau. \u00a0The Romans breached the wall of the fortress to find all the food storerooms set on fire and 960 dead people. \u00a0They had committed mass suicide or killed each other as a better alternative to being captured and enslaved by the Romans.<\/p>\n The Masada site is huge and it was very helpful to have Rafi describe and interpret the historical ruins. \u00a0Among the many buildings, there were two palaces, a swimming pool, bath houses, barracks, many storerooms, water cisterns, and residential areas.<\/p>\n We descended via the cable car and had lunch in the cafeteria at the tourist center at the base of Masada. \u00a0We drove to the Spa Club Dead Sea Hotel for the evening.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n