The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

these pictures are off the internet and not mine- the internet can't upload them. sorry! you will have to hold your breath in anticipation for my own killa shots!

Today we went on a Christian churches field trip in the old city and I had a blast! I have been to most of these places aleady, but going as a group, with a purpose, with a professor who knows everything really made it worth while. (The church of the holy sepluchre is where all other Christian denominations venerate the crucifition, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.) It is one of my favorite places ON EARTH. Ok imagine a small Hogwarts: super old, kinda creepy, dirty, stone, random doors, balconies, pictures, crazy people, people in all sorts of robes and hats speaking all sorts of languages and words and making interesting sounds. It is dark in there with candles and intense incense smells. Golden things are hanging from the vaulted ceilings and there are random nocks, basements, and crypts. Yes it really is that awesome and exciting! It was originally built by Queen Helena in the 390’s, then destroyed in 1009, then rebuilt in 1049, then changed, added to, partly demolished, etc. aka AAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOMMMMMMEEee.

Then we went to Herodian- Herod’s summer palace near Jerusalem. He literally built a mountain. It looks like a volcano and there are spiraling tunnels and cisterns throughout the coned mountain. There I bought my first magnum bar of Jerusalem(a DELCIOUS European icecream bar treat that everyone always buys here but I haven’t gotten one here yet-too many calories and sheckels!) it was white chocolatre and strawberry icecream. SSSSSSo good. American white chocolate has never quite done it for me, but Euro/ ME white chocolate is a different breed!