Today was a half day tour which started off at Mount if Olives with a photo opportunity. I took a selfie not very well. Then we went on to Jericho. There were six of us from all over the world and we had a good time together. We felt it was good to be travelling together because the Arabs are a bit enthusiastic with sales and so it was good not having to feel pressured. First stop was just to swap cars because the guides are not allowed to drive their cars into Jericho and vice versa. Their number plates are very distinctive and there's lots of rules with a checkpoint . We didn't have to stop at the checkpoint and I'm not sure why but maybe because the guides go in and out all the time. The next stop was the sycamore tree where Jesus talked to the Zachaeus when he climbed the tree. We were told after that the tree was only 300 years old so it had to be the great granddaughter of the original tree. Then we went to Elisha's spring. It's not the actual source but water from the spring. The guide was serious and intense. We saw the spring twice I think he forgot he told us before lunch. Then we went on to the dig. We had to walk a bit and people were really generous wanting to carry my chair. The first archaeologist in the area decided the traditional site was too old...10,000 years old. Then the next one I think was also older and then there was another one that was perhaps too young. So I'm not sure I think I'm going to have to Google that one.
Then we went up to the mountain of the temptation and we had lunch....we went by cable car and it was quite an experience. Again there was lots of shopping and photo opportunities and this time someone took my photo. I didn't have to try and take a selfie. So then we came on back to Jerusalem and a couple of us were dropped off at our hotels and the others went on to Bethlehem. A good day It's nice to say that I've been to Jericho and Bethlehem now shalom.
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