Rockefeller Museum, Garden of Gethsemane, & Camel Rides

Rockefeller Archaeological Museum in Jerusalem

We finally made it to the Rockeller Museum, after a couple attempts.

Jayne loved the jewelry section of centuries ago. Of coarse she did. If you know her, of coarse she did.

My memory isn't that good, so there are only certain things I remember about the different sites we went to, but this courtyard is what I remember from 17 years ago. 

Its a pretty impressive court yard.

I love that every wall is made with such intricacy.

And from the steps of the Rockefeller Museum you can look across the the Kidron Valley and see the BYU Jerusalem Center.

This is the Church of All Nations. It was build by the side of the Garden of Gethsemane. After the museum, we went down the hill into the valley to this site.

I took a couple pictures of the inside of the church, it really was breathtaking. 

Not that these guys where impressed.

And this is the Garden of Gethsemane. 

Again, I took too many pictures, so just bare with me, they are for posterity's sake.

The little chocolate-faced homeless kid asked me to take a picture of him. Ellie was escaping the heat of the day in the shade. 

 I remember sitting against the wall as a 20 year old college student and contemplating this place. It is the place where Jesus knelt and prayed, asking to take all of our sins upon Him, to make it possible for us to return to our Heavenly Father. This was the plan. We as mortals would make mistakes. It would not be merciful for us not to be able to be forgiven. I remember feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. Now to return with my family was a great experience. I am not sure how much the kids understood, but it was great to be there. 

It was such a hot day, the kids walked along the wall to stay in the shade. 

Across the valley is the wall of the old city of Jerusalem. 

This is Lion's Gate, the gate thought to be the one that the Savior will reenter into the city of Jerusalem. 

One day these doors will open again for the Messiah.

I am obsessed with the gated doors. They are so lovely and so is the lady in the green shirt.

Here is Sam at the fence overlooking the Kidron Valley and the old cemetery. 

After Gethsemane, I remember that there was an incredible overlook at the Seven Arches Hotel above Bethane. We weaved our way up the back side of the Mount of Olives and miraculous we found the hotel and overlook. 

We had also come here as students and I think we took a self portrait just like this one. :)

But we did not have this guy with us back then. His dirty little face makes me laugh. I hope he will love this picture just as much as I do someday. 

Overlooking the cemetery and Old City. Quite the view.

But then the excitement started. Grandma Janny threw the girls on a camel. Off they went. 

Jack the Camel.

The camel guide took the camera from Grandma Janny and started taking a bunch of pictures. This is one of them.

And since he was taking the pictures, guess who was leading the camel? Grandma Janny!!! She is an expert camel guide.

We kept saying it was one of her daily chores here. Hang the laundry, help with the dishes, and walk the kids and the camel! Jayne kept saying,"I want to walk Jack (the camel)." Like she was just going to go walk the dog. We couldn't stop laughing.

Then Sam hopped on. He was going to ride with Jake but Jake refused. Ellie got to jump on the camel bum. Ride em' Christensens.

Overlooking the Dome of the Rock- on a camel. 

And Janny the camel driver!

 Jake still refused to get on, but he got a little closer. 

And then camel driver took him from my arms and put him on the camel- scared to death, but pretending to be cool.

The final camel picture. 

While overlooking the cemetery, I noticed a road winding down to another little church. I asked someone if we could drive down there and they said yes. So we took the challenge down the narrowest road, past the Tomb of the Prophets, to the church of Dominus Flevit. This was the church where it is believed Christ sat overlooking Jerusalem and wept. We didn't all go in because I was too nervous to leave the car on the two-way (one-way sized) road with no parking. 

This is the window overlooking the city.

Jayne went with Grandma as well. 

It was an unusually long day. We typically can only see one or two sites because the kids attention span is short and every one gets too tired...and our entertainment/popsicle budget is already in the red. But this is how we look after a great day of touring. Jake's head kept bobbing forward and Jayne kept holding it up for him. Poor dude, he is such a good sport.