...a sumptuous lunch in Ramat Rachel Kibbuts Hotel

We had a delicious lunch in Ramat Rachel Hotel, the only Kibbutz Hotel in Jerusalem. Even for a vegetarian like me, there was a variety of food that was temptingly spread in the tables. There were just so many choices around that Im afraid I over-ate.

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...haggling in the fascinating market

We simply lost our minds haggling with the dealers in the busy market where stalls and stores had a wide array of displays: antiques, pottery, jewelry, carved olive wood objects, embroideries and many, many more.

What's more, the prices are much more cheaper, in fact, one third of the prices in Nazareth. Shirley, Joke, Mr, Kien, and Besy had  been able to buy t-shirts for 15 shekels per piece, and Portia even managed to bring the price of her shirts to 11 shekels by haggling so persistently. Compared to the T-shirts I bought for 45 shekels and 35 shekels per piece in Nazareth, they really had a bargain. Being my roommate, Ms. Shirley knew the price I paid for the shirts I intended to give  to my mother and father, and she kept teasing me about it in the bus during our journey back to MCTC much to my dismay.

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While we were hurriedly walking back to the MCTC after our dinner at the Mc Donalds because of the freezing cold, Mr. Kien asked us if we were happy that day, and I realized that being a Buddhist, the places we had been to were not as significant to him as it was to us.

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The MASHAV - MCTC Experience
Old Jerusalem
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Let's retrace our tour of the Old City of Jerusalem.

...an unforgettable experience

Nothing would ever compare to visiting the old City of Jerusalem. The places we've been on March 13, 2004 are so awesome and somewhat special, there are places that really makes me close to tears just by being there, of course, being an stoic person, I hate scnes in public so I found myself feeling a hot stinging in my eyes and a little constriction in my chest a few times during the day.

Jerusalem has always been of great symbolic importance because it is recognized by all three religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam as a holy city.

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We've stopped on the spot where Abraham first saw the Mount of  Moriah, where he was supposed to sacrifice his own son Isaac. It must be very hard for him as a father to do that because although my siblings and I dont always agree with each other I love them to pieces and I got  upset when something bad happen to them.

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From Mount Olives, on the spot where Jesus was supposed to stand before he approached the city of Jerusalem atop an old donkey, we looked at the Dome of the Rock, the site where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son, Isaac, the place where Solomon built the first temple, also the same place where the second temple was erected, the accepted place where Mohamed ascended to heaven.

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As we passed the Jaffa gate, I understood why the people living inside the city felt safe from the enemy even in the early times, once you close the gate no one can enter. Boaz, our tour guide had shown us the mark in the entrance that once more the Jews had came back to the city.

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We visited the Church of all Nations, as well as the spot where Jesus was believed to wept for Jerusalem.

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...wishes, wishes, and wishes

We wrote our wishes and insert them along the crevices on the wall in the Wailing Wall.

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We also visited the Resurrection rotunda . We had to lined up to see the inside of Church of the Holy Sepulchre which was believed to house Christ's tomb.
 
Besy lined up again in the upper level found near the right side of  the entrance because she wanted to kneel inside the small enclosure under the altar.  There is so much to see in that place, too many nook and crannies to explore upstairs and down in the basements that the class had to wait for us a bit.

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We've seen King David's tomb in the Jewish Quarter as well as the Goldern Menorah that the Jewish people make to replace the original menora that they've lost during the Romans destruction of the city.

I was amazed at the size of King Davids tomb however, it was so enormous. I wondered if King David was a big man when Ive seen it. 
 
I could not help but see the contrast between the ornate designs of the place where Jesus tomb was suppose to be found and the austere simplicity of King Davids tomb. The enclosure that led to what is believed as Jesus tomb had a dramatic effect, because of the hanging lights and the beautiful designs while the room leading to King David's tomb is quite bare. There are rows of pews in the church opposite the edifice that houses the tomb of Jesus while there is only a line of chairs against the wall opposite King Davids tomb. It had drawn my attention to the buildings under Christians and Jewish care I think. It seems that Christians had beautifully designed churches while Jewish people had simple places related to their faith.

In the crypt of the Dormition Church weve seen a wood and ivory effigy of Mary on her deathbed because it was believed that Mary died as well as spent her last days there after the death of Jesus in the cross.