Holy Land 2012 - Day 3

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A view down the Mount of Olives.
A vast Jewish cemetary on the Mount of Olives.
The old City Gates of Jerusalem. Apparently Neil Armstrong said it was the most impressive place he'd ever set foot.
A necropolis near the Dominus Flevit. After primary decomposition, the bones of the deceased would be placed in one of these little sarcophagi, which were sized to fit the longest bone of the body.
Carvings on a cactus.
The altar in the Dominus Flevit. The mosaic shows a hen guarding its chicks; this image is used to represent Christ.
The Dominus Flevit was built in the shape of a tear-drop.
Olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane. On the right, by the gate, extreme aggressive salesmen will sell olive branches to visitors.

The Church of All Nations at Gethsemane.

Preces supplicationesque cum clamore valido et lacrymis offerens exauditus est pro sua reverentia
- He offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that heard him because of his fear.

The door of the Church of All Nations.
An alabaster window in the Church of All Nations. These windows are designed to admit a very sepulcral light.

Writing on the wall of a grotto near Gethsemane.

Sustinete hic et vigilate mecum
- Stay here and keep watch with me.

The Tomb of Mary.
Steps down into the Tomb of Mary.
More steps down into the Tomb of Mary.
The Orthodox lanterns apparently use energy-saving bulbs.
A shrine in the Tomb of Mary.
Votive candles.
A shopping street on the outskirts of the Old City.
A shopping street deep in the Old City.

LOCUS IN QUO apprehendit Pilatus Jesum et flagellavit
- "The place in which Pilate arrested Jesus and scourged him.

Et milites flectentes coronam de spinis imposuerunt capiti ejus
- And the soldiers, crafting a crown from thorns, placed it on his head.

An altar on the Lithostratus (Stone Pavement) where Christ was condemned to death.
The site of the Pools of Bethesda, where Christ healed a lame man.
The Church of St Anne. The statue shows St Anne with her daughter, Mary.
Vast queues of traffic bringing Muslims to the Friday evening prayers.
A residential district of Jerusalem.
Still life of Professor Riley-Smith's lemon juice.
A shrine to Mary in the Church of John the Baptist at Ein Karem.
The church of John the Baptist. The Nunc Dimittis is engraved in many languages around the church plaza.
Green lights on the minaret at Abu Ghosh.
An ancient cistern in the crypt at Abu Ghosh.
A fresco dating back to the Crusader days in Abu Ghosh. These frescos would have been (literally) defaced by Muslim armies reclaiming the land. Graham's head appears at the bottom.
Another fresco in Abu Ghosh.
Trees silhouetted against the sunset over Abu Ghosh.
Teresa, Madzia and Sam in the hotel bar.
A family spontaneously started dancing around the hotel lobby.
Still dancing.

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