Bethlehem... well it wasn't the same reaction as what i had in Jerusalem. Bethlehem isn't far from Jerusalem although i thought it would be much further than a 15 min ride. Bethlehem is surrounded by enormous walls. It looks like a giant prison. Now we heard jokes from local Pa
lestinians that it was a prison and a modern day holocaust. but I'm not so sure the situation was the same. entering the city we felt a bit uneasy only because we had been surrounded by Jewish people the passed few days and now we were immersed in Muslim religion. who would have thought that the place of Jesus Christ's birth was surrounded by not Christians but rather Jews and Muslims. irony i tell you. but all went well and the Arabs weren't so bad they were friendly and talked about many things, but were alot more pushy when it came to trying to get us to buy stuff out of there shops as compared to the Arabs in the old city of Jerusalem.
lestinians that it was a prison and a modern day holocaust. but I'm not so sure the situation was the same. entering the city we felt a bit uneasy only because we had been surrounded by Jewish people the passed few days and now we were immersed in Muslim religion. who would have thought that the place of Jesus Christ's birth was surrounded by not Christians but rather Jews and Muslims. irony i tell you. but all went well and the Arabs weren't so bad they were friendly and talked about many things, but were alot more pushy when it came to trying to get us to buy stuff out of there shops as compared to the Arabs in the old city of Jerusalem. Walking up the the nativity church it was quite astonishing to see it wasn't some spectacular cathedral the Christians usually build on top of sacred sites. but actually it seemed very appropriate given the nativity story. Jesus was born after all in a manger, in a stable, more like a run down church than some Vatican looking monstrosity (for the site, because the Vatican is beautiful where it is). you walk through the entrance of the church which is a tiny 
hole not even a door, and walk down tiny stairs to a small crypt where the stones remain of the floor. not much else other then pic
tures of the nativity scene and candles. but don't let me drag this down the experience of being with hundreds of people crawling down into the birth place of Christ was pretty intense and amazing.
hole not even a door, and walk down tiny stairs to a small crypt where the stones remain of the floor. not much else other then pic
tures of the nativity scene and candles. but don't let me drag this down the experience of being with hundreds of people crawling down into the birth place of Christ was pretty intense and amazing. Leaving Bethlehem was even an greater adventure. long story short we were told by military police we could not leave Bethlehem on bus. so we had to get a taxi to the border, form there we walked and herded up like cattle through large metal fences and barbed wires. through 2 security check points, with military and cameras every where. it was intense. of course they saw our American passports and smiled and let us through but as for the Palestinians they held them back even mocked some of them. I'm beginning to get a different idea about what is actually going on in Israel between them and Palestine rather then what i normally hear in the news at home. but not to stir trouble here ill mention other instances another time.
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