June 18 - Today we started off the day by visiting the City of David where we saw ruins of homes built at the time of David.  They way they terraced the houses with the palace at the top it was easy to see how David could see everything below that was going on.  Especially, a woman bathing on her roof

.  We then walked through Hezekiah's Tunnel.  The water was knee deep in only a few places. 

After drying off we visited the Davidson Center where we walked on the same paths that Jesus walked.  One of my favorite spots is the steps that lead up to the Temple Mount, also known as the "Teaching Steps" since the Rabbi's would sit here and teach.  This site is definitely an area that Jesus walked on and probably taught on.  It is so neat to sit there and think about the teachings he did.

We then loaded up on the bus and headed for Jericho.  We visited the store that has Hebron Glass where we gave everyone a chance to spend some money.  After this we stopped for lunch  and then drove up to the Mount of Temptation that commemorates the temptation of Christ.  This area is really wilderness and I can't imagine spending any time there let alone 40 days.

We stopped for a photo op at the sycamore tree that they say is 2000 years old and reminds us of the event when Zachias climbed the tree to see the Lord.

On the way to the next site we spotted and actual Caravan of Camels. Doron said this is very unusual to see this and we were so glad that we had this opportunity.

Doron surprised us again with a new site to see. This time we went to the site on the Jordan River that is the historical site of the baptism of Jesus.  Right across the border is Jordan.  They just opened this site about a year ago.  I gathered Jordan River water for future baptisms in our family and all I have to do now is remember that I have it.  I accidentally took a swig of it when I thought I grabbed my other water bottle and it was nasty.

We ended the tour today with the Valley of the Shadow and the 23rd Psalm.

Then it was back to the kibbutz and an early dinner, several glassis of wine and to bed.