This morning I got up and it is hard to believe that we have been here five days; and it is time to go home. It has been a wonderful trip and has been a very enriching experience. This has truly been one of the best trips of the summer semester.

After getting ready for the day I finished packing up my bags and then headed down stairs to check out of the hotel in Jerusalem.

The first stop that we made was to drive through the administrative area of the capital of Israel in Jerusalem. We saw all the fairly new buildings and talked about some of the aspects of the architecture that were chosen. The next stop was the large minora that is located out side one of these admin buildings.    Here we got out and looked at the history behind the menora and why it is the national symbol today. Once we had finished talking about this we walked up and took a closer look at several of the bronze reliefs that have been done at different locations depicting Bible, history, and other books that they hold dear.

Once we had completed at this site we drove on to the site where they are building condominiums today which is also the location of the model of the city of Jerusalem which is on a scale of 1 to 10 rasheal. One of the things that I was so suprized about in regard to this model was it sheer size. I had expected to see it in side a building and much smaller and not something that you could stand next to and it be large enough to walk around with it coming up to your nees and waist in some places. This site was definately one of the highlights of today. It was very helpful in putting the city and all the places that we had traveled to all in perspective of exactly where we had been in the city. The detail of the model was amazing and helped put may things together for me. We walked around the model here with Teeto talking to us about the history, events and other information that happened at the different places here. After our tour around the exterior of the model we had some free time to look at it more on our own, go up to the over look over the tip of the model and to do some shopping at the gift ship here.

Once we had completed here at the model we went back to the bus to travel to the national museum here to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. This was a wonderfully done museum. The architect did a marvelous job in using the design to bring across the meaning of the Semitic people and the meanings surrounding the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The building had fountains flowing on to the roof to symbolize the two bathes that this people did each day to keep them selves pure and clean. The top of the building was shaped like the lid of the jar that held the scrolls in it. The four lights one each corner were to represent the four corners and the idea of being hole complete.   The architects entrance was not obvious. The idea here was you had to search out to find the hidden truth. Off to the right was a huge black stone wall that came out of the ground and this represented the idea of going from the world to being pure and separated from the world. When you found the stairs leading down underground you passed through different stratas that were defined by the bricks protruding from the wall in different depths. As you descended you went through the same number of strata to the time period of the scrolls  like you were on a dig site. When you entered the building we were hit with a blast of cold air; and there was a room about the history of the finding of the scrolls and all about the discover. Then we entered the cave. There was a dark area with windows off to the sides that had artifacts from where the scrolls were found. One of these was a calendar shaped like a circle. Each of the walls in this cave were rounded and as you went deeper and deeper you would have different odd shaped openings that were somewhat staggared. At the end it became more light like the light at the end of a tunel. Off to each side were the original stone jars that held the scrolls.   Then we entered out into a large room that was round like the stone jar. At this point we were under the light that I mentioned before that had water flowing on it. At the center of the room was an area with a raised platform and had round tub in the middle. All around this tube was replica off the entire Isaiah scroll found here better know as the Dead Sea Scrolls.   At the top of this round tube was a handle like you would see on wooden scrolls  that are unrolled. Under  this center area was a basement with more artifacts from the scrolls that were the oldest prior to the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Out side this center are of the exposition was other scrolls found at the site that depicted the Essenes life and other details in round circle aruond the cirucumfrence of the building. One of the scrolls around this area was a segment of the original dead sea scrolls. It was really amazing to see one of the most important documents we have today in person after hearing so much about it over my life.   When we had completed we exited the building from the oppposite side that we had entered. Then we went on to the gift ship were many people bought things to remember there time here.

When we had completed here we got back on the bus and drove to the Holocaust Museum. Here we walked around and saw many of the outside memorial dedicated to help the world never forget what happened.  Some of these memorials are:  Trees planted to those who helped save so many of the Jews, An eternal flame in a building that was completelydark and was a place of silence to reflect and remember, and the childrens’  museum. The most dramatic was this museum. You entered as a group and slowly were weeded out till it was one by one entering. Then it slowly got darker and darker till it was almost pitch black. Then you entered a room where there were a several candles spaced out vertically over a couple of stories and you walked through on a path that meandered around through this room. These candles had different pieces  of glass at different angles and then mirrors placed all around to give the illusion of millions of candles going off in all directions all around you. This was to represent all the children who died in the slaughter houses. As we had gotten narrower at the beginning it was to represent a large group of people being lead into the unknown and slowly  being weeded out as they went to the slaughter. In the room with all the candles there was a voice that was reading all the age, name and place of origin of  all who died;  and there was also music being played in the background.

Once we had went through this memorial,  we walked on to the main building. Here we originally had most of our orientation about the site and events surrounding the holicaust.  Down stairs here we had our lunch for the day. When lunch was over David Baird and I carried Michael  Smelser up the stairs on our shoulders with his arms on our shoulders and dangling in between. Then we went through the revolving doors and outside.

Our next planned stop is at Tell Bethshemesh, where Dr. Manor the archeologist that I took a class with last fall in Biblical World and Archaeology; had his dig site.   Along the way to this site we ended up stopping at a scenic overlook where you could see the city of Bethlehem.   Also, off in the distance was the man made mountain that had another place of saftey for Herod to escape to in time of war or seige. This was really meaningful to be able to look out over the hill side where the place that Jesus was born.

Once we had spent some time reflecting and Bruce and Teeto doing some description of the places surrounding those that got off the bus headed back to continue our journey south to Tel Bethshemesh. Some other places of interest that we passed the valley where David and Galioth had their battle. We drove right down the middle of this valley and the drove out on to our final destination.

Once we arived at Tel Bethshemesh, Dr. Manor drove up in a car with the rest of his colleagues and we met by a field under a tree by the excavation site. The first thing that we did was for the group to come and meet Dr. Manor. Mr. Myhan went out and met him and our guide Teeto. It reminded me of a diplomatic conference with everyone shaking hands and meeting one another. After they all had been introduced to one another Dr. Manor came on to our bus and those who had not met him before were introduced to him. The next thing was for us to all get off the bus and we followed Manor to the top of the hill that over looks the excavation sight. From here he gave us some background information regarding the sight and things that went on around this area. We all then followed him down to the big black tent were thay eat and is main place for all the workings of the excavation. Here we met the locals that help him and make sure no one trespasses on the sight during the time that they are not there like at night.

Next we went to the area where there was a stair case leading down into a cistern for the sight. We all climbed in after Dr. Manor and those who had flashlights spaced them selves out so that every one would be able to see as thay went down. Once we all had gotten down and our eyes had become aclimated to the darkness Dr. Manor told us about what they knew about the cistern. One of the things that he pointed out was the shards of thick plaster that was on the walls to help keep in the water. These sheets of plaster were around 3 to 4 inches in with and were very smooth. It was amazing to see how good shape they are in after all this time. While much of it does not exist today the parts that are remaining are well preserved. In the center was a hole where water buckets could have been lowered into the cistern. This is how it originally was discovered after some one found the hole and then lowered a camera down into the hole with a light on it so that they could see what was down there. After doing this they were able to detect that it was a cistern and later excavation of this area was started.

Once we had finished down in the cool cistern we went back up top where the sand was blowing in the wind. We saw the newest excavation that had been done this summer. The day before they had just swept it all out to make it look nice so that tomorrow when the crane comes in they can have it photographed. Then they will put barbed wire over the top to try to keep people out of it.

Then we went over to an area where they have found metal remains and is ieto have been some type of metalworking shop. We also talked about all over the sight the idea behind the pig bones stopping. The importance behind this is that when the Israelites would have come and took over they would have not eaten pig so thare would not be any bones and this would help in the dating of when the Israelites would have entered this area.

Then we went to the final place at the dig sight where the old city gates would have been. Here we talked about the significance of the gates and some of what would have gone on before here. On the way over to this part our guide had done some fiddling in the ground with some of the rock sand then picked up a coin and showed it to Dr. Manoer. He said emotionally that it looks like a fake. It really was real but one that Teeto had collected and put there. haha. Dr. Manor then go into the excavation to help those who were having trouble seeing were the city gate would have been. He then walked around on the walls showing where  the different areas would have been.

After this our time here was over.   Tomorrow Dr. Manor will prepare to leave and return to the states and we leave this wonderful country of Israel tonight. By this time it was around 4:30 in the afternoon and was time for us to get going. We said our good-byes as we walked back to the bus to Dr. Manor and then made our way back on to the bus.

Then we had a short ride to the airport about 20 min or so.   Once we arrived we all started picking up our things and getting it all ready for departure.

Once in the airport we went through the first part of security. I was the first one to go through after getting my plane  ticket from Mr. Myhan. Then I went up to the start of the line and a lady asked us some question about where we had went and our luggage etc. Then our baggage was placed through a scanner machine . Following this I went and waited in line with Jessica, Dale and Benet to get our ticket and to have our baggage checked. Once this was completed it was just a matter of walking through into the terminal where we could get some food for supper. I ended up gettting some Chicken nuggets at the McDonalds there. I also won a free small soda and I gave this away to someone who could use it in our group. Once we had eaten then we all walked through baggage securtiy for carry-ons and then through the mall thay had at the air port and then on to our terminal. Here Benet and I walked on the auto experss walking paths or blets where there was on one on it to get some exersize and to stretch our legs out befor getting on the plane. I then wrote some more in my journal and waited to board our flight.

We ended up having a smaller plane comming back and there were a lot of younger childern on this flight which made it more livley and active. I ended up writing in my journal all the way home. Once we arived in Athens we got off the plane and walked through passport security to be stamped by immigration. Then it was off to the bus to head back to campus. Once at campust it was around 12:00 in the morning. Mr. Myham extended our curfew to 1:00 am for the night so that people could writ,e or call parents to let them know were back. I went right up stairs and got the lab open and back up and running and then did some more home work and journal writing before heading to bed for the night.

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