Jordan river, Masada, Dome of the Rock and the Garden of Gethsemane

Continuing on our water theme, we visited the river Jordan, where many were baptised.

We then went past Ein Karem, a pretty little village where John the Baptist was born.  The one who came before.

Visiting Mount Temptation where Jesus was tempted by the devil was full of great irony with temptation gallery just behind us.  It has a monastery on its slopes for the particularly devout or curious.

Then we went through the ruins of Masada, an ancient Jewish fortress where its defenders committed suicide rather than fall into the Roman’s hands, next to where the Dead Sea scrolls were found.  The theme of morbidity continued with a sobering visit to the Holocaust museum.

Onward we went towards a place of happier memories, the Dome of the Rock and a survey of the walls of Jerusalem.  Before ending the day on a solemn note in the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus sweated blood in the hours before he was betrayed by a kiss.