"I won't advocate going, but I will go with you if you're determined to do it."
That's what I said to my travel companions who had decided they wanted to venture across the checkpoint into the West Bank to go to Bethlehem.
The "War" had been raging between Hamas and Israel for nearly two weeks. We'd been in Jerusalem three days and were ready to venture beyond the confines of the city and explore a bit more of Israel. Bethlehem is only an hour's bus ride from the city and seemed a good first expedition. Except for the fact of it's location being firmly inside of the West Bank.
The nuns working at the front desk of our convent/guest house shared my hesitation for going to the West Bank, but told us that other guests had been to Bethlehem in the past few days with no problems. We left my cellular number and travel plans at the front desk just in case anything should happen and walked out of Damascus gate for the bus depot.
Soon enough the bus rolled on through the stony hills and pulled up to a curb along side a bland, non-descript street and everyone got off the bus. There was no sign, nothing to tell us where we were, so we sat on the bus a few minutes, looking around in confusion, until a pushy taxi driver popped his head into the bus and declared "This is Bethlehem. You are coming off the bus now." And we knew we were in for a bit of a battle against pushy taxi drivers, then. And that is not uncommon in the Middle East.
Suffice it to say that we offended a few of the nastier taxi drivers in the process (offense is average as well, too), but we finally ended up with a driver who didn't make us want to punch him and gave us a decent price.
Away we shot, our first stop taking us a ways outside the biblical city to a place I'd never heard of before, but holds significant historical importance (if not biblical), Herod's Palace Fortress.
King Herod was a very industrious man. He built palaces all over the region. Herodian, near Bethlehem is quite a sight. Perched high atop a hill in the middle of a valley, it has an amazing view of the region. As we exited the taxi at the site's parking lot, the call to prayer rang out, echoing through the valley from minarets all around, filling the region with waves of sound and life.
A short hike up a steep hill later and we were surrounded by Roman ruins and a part of Herod's legacy.
About Herodion:
Herodium, located south of Jerusalem and east of Bethlehem, on the edge of the Judean Desert, is one of the most fascinating antiquities sites in the country, it was built by King Herod the Great between 23 and 15 BCE, as a combined palace and powerful fortress. The complex was surrounded by a double wall 63 meters in diameter and seven stories high, within which Herod built a palace that included halls, courtyards and opulent bathhouses.
Entrance Fee: 22 NIS (About $7.50 US)
Getting there: Take a cab from Bethlehem.
Plan on: An hour on site, at most.
Fun: There is a tunnel that runs from the base of the hill all the way to the top. Part of the tunnel is open to the public. Our taxi driver said it was possible to hike all the way to the bottom, but we didn't.
Website: http://www.parks.org.il/parks/ParksAndReserves/gerodium/Pages/default.aspx
That's what I said to my travel companions who had decided they wanted to venture across the checkpoint into the West Bank to go to Bethlehem.
The "War" had been raging between Hamas and Israel for nearly two weeks. We'd been in Jerusalem three days and were ready to venture beyond the confines of the city and explore a bit more of Israel. Bethlehem is only an hour's bus ride from the city and seemed a good first expedition. Except for the fact of it's location being firmly inside of the West Bank.
The nuns working at the front desk of our convent/guest house shared my hesitation for going to the West Bank, but told us that other guests had been to Bethlehem in the past few days with no problems. We left my cellular number and travel plans at the front desk just in case anything should happen and walked out of Damascus gate for the bus depot.
Soon enough the bus rolled on through the stony hills and pulled up to a curb along side a bland, non-descript street and everyone got off the bus. There was no sign, nothing to tell us where we were, so we sat on the bus a few minutes, looking around in confusion, until a pushy taxi driver popped his head into the bus and declared "This is Bethlehem. You are coming off the bus now." And we knew we were in for a bit of a battle against pushy taxi drivers, then. And that is not uncommon in the Middle East.
Suffice it to say that we offended a few of the nastier taxi drivers in the process (offense is average as well, too), but we finally ended up with a driver who didn't make us want to punch him and gave us a decent price.
Away we shot, our first stop taking us a ways outside the biblical city to a place I'd never heard of before, but holds significant historical importance (if not biblical), Herod's Palace Fortress.
King Herod was a very industrious man. He built palaces all over the region. Herodian, near Bethlehem is quite a sight. Perched high atop a hill in the middle of a valley, it has an amazing view of the region. As we exited the taxi at the site's parking lot, the call to prayer rang out, echoing through the valley from minarets all around, filling the region with waves of sound and life.
A short hike up a steep hill later and we were surrounded by Roman ruins and a part of Herod's legacy.
About Herodion:
Herodium, located south of Jerusalem and east of Bethlehem, on the edge of the Judean Desert, is one of the most fascinating antiquities sites in the country, it was built by King Herod the Great between 23 and 15 BCE, as a combined palace and powerful fortress. The complex was surrounded by a double wall 63 meters in diameter and seven stories high, within which Herod built a palace that included halls, courtyards and opulent bathhouses.
Earth was heaped up around the walls, which created a cone-shaped
artificial mountain. At its foot, Herod built a kind of royal ‘country
club,’ including a large pool, a bathhouse and a roofed pool.
Despite its desert location, the complex was surrounded by
magnificent gardens irrigated by the pool. A special aqueduct from the
area of Solomon’s Pools near Bethlehem brought water to the palace.
The importance of Herodium to the king is clear from the fact that
it is the only place he constructed to which he gave his name. The
discovery of Herod’s magnificent tomb there after long years of
searching strengthens the understanding that the Judean “builder-king”
had a special attachment to this site. Its special charm is also
revealed in the breathtaking view from the top, which takes in
Jerusalem, Bethlehem and the unspoiled Judean Desert.
During the Great Revolt of the Jews against the Romans the rebels
had a base at Herodium, constructing a synagogue there that can still be
seen. During the Bar Kokhba Revolt, Jewish fighters hewed tunnels
within the artificial mountain, part of which are lit and accessible to
visitors.
(Information from the website listed below)
Entrance Fee: 22 NIS (About $7.50 US)
Getting there: Take a cab from Bethlehem.
Plan on: An hour on site, at most.
Fun: There is a tunnel that runs from the base of the hill all the way to the top. Part of the tunnel is open to the public. Our taxi driver said it was possible to hike all the way to the bottom, but we didn't.
Website: http://www.parks.org.il/parks/ParksAndReserves/gerodium/Pages/default.aspx
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