Busy days and a beautiful trip

How fast the days went since Passover! 
Michal, our second daughter graduated from Naval Academy, we had some family outings, Passover seder of course and than back to work. I have been so busy and almost had no time for blogging or scrapping!
Slowly catching up again :)

I have added many of my scrapkits, designs, CT layouts and personal layouts to Pinterest! I would love it if you"d follow me there!

This week we had a trip from work to the Judean Desert.

Below you can see the Dead sea in the distance and the city of Jericho at the left.

We visited first the Samaritan Museum which has a collection of mosaic floors from all kind of ancient churches/synagogues in Israel as well as the Samaritan inn where according to the Gospel the good Samaritan showed mercy to a wounded man laying on the street. 

This is a copy of Mosaic of Shalom Al Yisrael Synagogue, 6th-7th CE. It says "Peace onto Israel"

From there we visited  Muslim pilgrimage site Nabu Moussa and than bypassed Jericho to visit the (Greek orthodox) Monastery of Saint Gerassimos, St. Gerassimos (Deir Hijla), a  monastery on the southern side of the Jordan valley, founded in the 5th C by Abbot Gerassimos. We made a hike into the desert to see the cliff with the holes of the hermit caves and than walked to the Monastery/church. The people who work there are Greek but some speak also English. You can see many photos and read the story of Saint Gerassimos here.

The entrance, with Saint Gerassimos who according to legend pulled a thorn from a lion paw,

after which the lion became his lifelong companion.

We ended the tour with a visit to the Jordan River, to the place where it is believed John the Baptist baptized Jezus.  At the moment a group of Italians I believe they were, were being baptized there. The other side of the River is already Jordan, so at both sides of the place, soldiers of Israel and Jordan are patrolling. I think this is the closest I ever came to Jordan :)

Jordan flag flying at the other bank of the river

Churches at the Jordanian side of the river Jordan

I wish you a wonderful week ahead!