Petra

On the way to Petra, which is in Jordan.

Camels grazing, as we might see cattle here at home.

A home by the highway, simple and unpretentious.

You can google Petra and, while you're at it, google Nabataeans.

Here we are at Petra. I cannot describe its effect upon me. Perhaps the pictures will show you.

Doesn't look like much from here.

Or here.

We're just getting started.

 But you can see there was some sophisticated society here who knew how to use the rocks that surrounded everything.

More to follow. Maybe tomorrow.

What the shoemaker gave to his wife

It has become clear to me that writing about Petra, our final stop, is daunting.

I don't think it's because that is the last and the all of my trip. But there must be some reason I have not written it.

Whatever. The fact is I have not done it.

So.

Maybe in a day or two I'll post some pictures of the place and let it go at that.

But not now. Not yet.

It is a fabulous place, by the way.

Shopping in Old Jerusalem

You can buy many things here. I think most of them are made in Israel--as opposed to China. I think.
The first three pictures are Brian's.

This is a street with shops on either side.

Yes, it's crowded.

On the street in Old Jerusalem you can buy freshly ground herbs and spices, just like this.

This next picture is mine. 

Take a guess about who is the potential buyer of the kind of stuff displayed in this shop. That's right. The American tourist.

But, as you can see, the shop is closed. Not that it's the only one of its kind in Old Jerusalem. Oh no.

This guy's shop is closed.

On the Mount of Olives

A sacred place for Jews and Christians, here's what it looks like today.

It's the guy's mustache people were photographing. Notice the hose he carries--for beating his donkey.

With Jerusalem in the background. And a whole bunch of other people. We were not alone on the Mount of Olives. Directly below is a cemetery.

Notice the hose in the hands of the camel driver. It's for beating his camel. I quite like the look on this camel's face.

A Muslim village. Bethlehem in the background.

The bottom left corner of the picture shows another cemetery. There are many such cemeteries in Jerusalem. Muslims accuse Jews of placing cemeteries--which Muslims claim are empty--in areas where they don't want Muslims to settle.

I know it says 24 hours, but it was closed.

Okay, so I was a bit disappointed in the Mount of Olives, not the place itself. You know.