Lazarus Tomb in Bethany

25/12/08
This was the last place in Jeruselam we visited before leaving for Eygpt. We drove to Bethany which was where the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary was. It was here that Jesus restored Lazarus to life (John 11 1-44). Here we had the chance to visit the traditional tomb of Lazarus.
We had to climb uphill to reach the tomb and then at the site of the tomb we had to go downwards through a narrow staircase to reach a hole. Oh gosh .... do I feel claustrophobic in that hole!

Dead Sea

25/12/08
On Christmas Day in the afternoon we were at a resort by the Dead Sea. Here is the lowest point on Earth, about 400 m below sea level. Even though it was suppose to be winter time, but the weather here seemed fine enough for some to take a swim, a dip or even a mud rub in the mineral rich waters of the Dead Sea. Many even floated on water without any effort.
Bishop James was all eager and ready to dip, float and rub mud all over in his simple singlet and shorts. Even though he is 82 years old, he is a strong fellow.

Qumran

Thursday 25/12/08
After breakfast we drove through the Jordan Valley to Khirbet Qumran. This is the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. These scrolls include books of the Hebrew Bible, the most famous of which is the Book of Isiah. These documents were found hidden in jars in the caves and preserved in good condition for nearly 2000 years. Near these caves are the ruins of the Essenes Monastery, belonging to a Jewish religious sect, who were responsible for copying the Dead Sea Scrolls.

We however did not visit any caves at the National Park but instead went into the museum to watch a video presentation on the history of the Qumran caves and the Essenes Monks.