Our first group field trip! Hooray! We just went around Jerusalem area in two big, nice buses for the day. We went to five different sites and a couple of our professors guided this Geography Field Trip and told us more than I can fit in my brain right now. But it was soooooo interesting and fabulous field tripping it up. And as interesting as the Pratt Museum is year after year throughout elementary, this field trip was still pretty cool to the max.
Site #1: Seven Arches Hotel OverlookThere was a camel just chillin’ in the parking lot here with some guy. It was cooooool. I love camels. They are one of the most interesting looking creatures and I’m so excited to ride on in Egypt! So this overlook we were at has biblical and historical significance I’m sure, but I don’t really remember what it is. But form the Center, we have a view of Jerusalem from the east side and this overlook showed us the city from the south side. And it was right next to a Jewish or Muslim memorial that covered the hillside. And while we were there, one of my professors, Brother Skinner, was our field trip guide, and he was telling us so so so much. Whoa. Genius man. But we had our first experience
with out sweet field trip headsets, which will definitely come in handy in Egypto.
The View. Wow.
Site #2: St. Augusta Victoria Tower
This is a very beautiful church that is kind of a refuge for many Palestinian Christians. There is such beautiful artwork in there. And there is this huge bell tower that you had to climb up 500 million stairs to get to. And when we got to the top… preeettttyyy beautiful, and also pretty windy. I was a bit chilly willy up there. But it was beautiful and fun taking pictures. Then before we left, I bought one of my new
most favorite possessions: a little camel pin, handmade out of olive wood in Bethlehem. I love it.
Site #3: Deir Elyas Monestary
This place was a windy little hill in the middle of more hills and surrounded by city and also….SHEEP!
There actually arent that many sheep there, but while we were there
learning all the Bro. Skinner was telling us, this herd of sheep comes along. So
fun! And we all tried to take pictures, but the woman shepherd had her little son and daughter with her and they were telling us not to take pictures unless we pay. I had to shekels, so I don’t really have any pictures. But one of my friends paid the little boy and girl a shekel each and they posed with this little lambie and my friend. Cute cute. I also had a sweet photoshoot with my new olive wood Bethlehem camel pin at this site, but I’m having trouble putting all these pictures on here, so you can just see the one picture with my camel.
Site #4: Haas Promenade Overlook
We ate lunch here! Yay! We picked up sack lunches that the kitchen put together for us. The significance of this place is that this is the same hill where Abraham was probably standing when he looked out, a far off, and saw the hill on which he was to sacrifice his son. It’s either in Genesis or Abraham of both where he says how he looked out and saw Mt. Moriah. It’s so interesting with this program because what we learn in our classes, and our Bible classes, and on our field trips all goes together. It’s soo good.
Site #5: Nebi Samwill
Our last stop for the day was more like a Jewish sanctuary. They think it is where the prophet Samuel was buried, though it’s probably not. And that spot is also as far as King Richard made
it during the Crusades. But after that Crusader church was there, and Byzantine church was built over it. This history here is so old and crazy. This building was cool though. And we went to the top, where it was very windy, and we learned about the prophet Samuel some. And…. we also took some cooool pictures on the domed roof. I love all the domed roofs around here, although, I’m really loving everything.
So field trip day was cool beans of course! And good news… I didn’t even get motion sick on the bus. Woo hoo! To sum it up, I love field trips.
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