west bank wonders II

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie? The birthplace of Jesus, what was once a lowly manger (feeding trough) in a stable has become the Church of the Nativity, a holy site to commemorate this miraculous event. Growing up as a Christian, I've always heard the stories about Jesus being born of a virgin, in the city of Bethlehem. But I never knew where Bethlehem was, or understood the circumstances surrounding His birth. Luke 1-2 give an account of Mary and Joseph's situation (a couple from Nazareth/Galilee area), and how they had to travel south to Judea (Bethlehem, the City of David) when it was time for her to give birth.

I had the opportunity to visit the Holy site in Bethlehem, which is currently a city in the occupied West Bank of Palestine. I took the Arab bus from Damascus gate to the border checkpoint (for 3.5 shekels), passed through the checkpoint and in to "the other side" of the wall. There I was solicited by several taxi drivers just trying to make a living, in the home of this world-renowned tourist attraction. With the help of one (who kept trying to persuade me to incorporate other activities into my mission) I finally reached the Holy place of Jesus' birth for 10 shekels (about $2.50). Largely dominated by Catholicism, the Church of the Nativity was a wonder to behold. see my photo gallery of the Holy site.

After my sacred visit, I decided to walk around Bethlehem a bit. there is a suk (market) nearby, just like the ones in all of the other major arab towns. I took it all in, embracing the wonders of the West Bank, and all of its amazing people, sights, sounds, and smells. I did a bit of shopping, and got an amazing 4 shekel falafel (about a dollar), then made my way back to the bus station. This time I took a "collective taxi" for 2 shekels (about 25 cents) back to the border checkpoint. Despite getting "lost" in the concrete maze they call security, I made it safely back across to Jerusalem, basking in the impact of the amazing experience.