Israel – Aidan Doyle Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:46:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 7544570 Slouching Towards Bethlehem /2011/08/01/slouching-towards-bethlehem/ /2011/08/01/slouching-towards-bethlehem/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:39:05 +0000 / Slouching Towards Bethlehem Read More »

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After Jordan, I spent a week in Israel.
Jerusalem is a fascinating city crammed full of too much history for its own good.
You might think you have problems with your neighbours, but at least your disputes don’t have a 2000-year-old history.

The Dome of the Rock.IMG_15425

The Western Wall is a place where people use various methods to try and talk to god.

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Looking for a message from above.IMG_15533

I visited Bethlehem in the Palestinian Territory.  There is a big “peace” wall dividing the Palestinian Territory from the rest of Israel.  It is decorated with graffiti, peace slogans, as well as advertising for nearby restaurants.

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The end times are prophesised when the Antichrist arrives in the Holy Land. I encountered not one, but two devils on the streets of Jerusalem.

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The Devil took time out to get a tattoo.IMG_15524

And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Rolls towards Bethlehem to be born?
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I visited Masada, the Jewish mountain fortress where rather than surrender to the Romans, a group of almost 1000 Jews killed themselves.  Personally I think they made a bad choice.  Let yourself be killed by a bunch of zealots (in the original sense of the word) or join up with the empire famed for its pizza, orgies and The Sopranos.

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I stopped by the Dead Sea for a float.IMG_15584

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I had a look in the Shrine of the Book, which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls.IMG_15598

I also visited Acre, last of the Crusader cities to fall.IMG_15630

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