It is now. The long summer holiday has sadly ended and the kids have gone back to school today. There's finally going to be time for a little more craftwork from me. But, before I show you a few of the cards I created over the summer, I have several more photos from our last two glorious day trips around Israel that I would like you to see.Jerusalem of Gold. The capital city of Israel. A city that I lived in for several years before I married, yet a city that never fails to excite me each and every time I visit. This time we took the kids to the City of David National Park, the actual location of the biblical City of Jerusalem captured by King David over 3,000 years ago. The tour of the City of David began at the breathtaking observation point overlooking biblical Jerusalem, then quickly headed underground to some of the newest archaeological excavations at the site and onto the most exciting part of the tour for my boys, a wade through the spring in King Hezekiah's 2,700 year old water tunnel. Not for the faint-hearted, we took our torches and water shoes with us, and enjoyed the darkness and icy spring water.
Emerging into the daylight, we took a short walk into the Old City and the boys posted wish notes into the crevices of the Western Wall, or Kotel. We then enjoyed a little people watching and devoured a pizza in one of the old city pizza parlour's, before it was time to go home and return to the 21st century after an incredible day out.
The following day we were off again! This time we went for a fun morning out at nearby Kibbutz Sha'alavim. There the boys picked grapes, then crushed them by foot on an original wine press found in the fields of the kibbutz, to make grape juice for our Friday night kiddush (blessing to sanctify the Shabbat). They then moulded dough to make pittot, which were baked and smothered with olive oil, butter and herbs, before being quickly gobbled up! We toured a kibbutz field and tasted some amazing fruits and herbs, built mud bricks for an ecological structure, made tea with the herbs that we had picked in the field, then finished the day shaping clay models and weaving. I am not sure who had more fun - the boys or me!
6 comments:
It sounds amazing, and from here in the UK, very exotic. How wonderful to be surrounded by such history.
Oh, Lisa, that all sounds so wonderful. It sounds like exactly what I'd like to do if I were to visit that great city. Someday...
Oh my gosh, What experiences. I've always wanted to visit that area and maybe someday will. Sounds wonderful.
What a wonderful trips with your boys. I'm definitely coming to visit, hopefully someday soon. Well, need to pay for my son's college for the next 4 years - at least I hope it only takes 4 yrs. lol
Love the hands-on experience at the kibbutz, and the tremendous history of the old city.
Someday, I'll get to Israel. Appreciate your sharing the terrific day with your boys.
Linda
I just found your blog and started looking around and when I found this post it brought back so many wonderful memories. I was a teenager when I walked through the water tunnel and and was so scared. It opened into such a beautiful place. I have been blessed to visit Israel 5 times and spend a total of 10 weeks there. I look forward to bringing my children there one day. My parents will be back there in June. I wish I was able to tag along.
Post a Comment