The End

Home at last!  What an incredible trip of a life time.  Thanks to my family, Greg Lewis and Ken Spamer for having this waiting for me on my way home from the airport

of course the best reward...

Thank you to our great leaders and helpers along the way (including bartenders LOL)

Father Peter Vasko

Ahmed 

Ayman (Scots Hotel)

Prince (Christmas Hotel)

Deacon Ken Reisor

Special thanks to my fellow pilgrims:

Deacon Ken Reisor

Chris Reisor

Les and Laurie Clark

James and Kitty Wilson

Tony and Joan Colgin

Ralph and Claire Duesing

John and Stacy Winkler

Ray and Cindy Adams

David and Bonnie Schrader

Barbara Schrader

Gail Mihm

Charles and Pat Savaggio

Sue Ellen

Mary Nawrocki

Jeff Long

Jean

Barbara Wallace

Natalie Saad

Doctor Meg Shaw

HAPPY TRAILS AND GOD BLESS!

Headed Home

That's about "all she wrote"

Airport goodbyes and tight screening

Sammy met us at airport to assist with extensive screening process 

Airborn over the Mediterranean Sea!

Domestic security beat down in Newark-

USA! 

Farewell and Thank You

After our nightly group share and reflection, The Christmas Hotel threw is a happy hour for farewells and thank you to Father Peter, Ahmed and Deacon Ken

Above is Ahmed with his 16 year old daughter

see you again Ahmed my friend

Tattoos in the Old City

DAY 9: STOP 4

Razzouk is a famous tattoo artist family.  They are Coptic Christians and have been in this trade in Jerusalem for 700 years.  

Check out his business card which says "since 1300" WOW!

Coptic Christians tattoo their inner wrist as a mark of their Christianity with a Coptic Cross - our group decided to go with Jerusalem crosses on the wrist - O went with the upper arm / shoulder and a slightly different design

Some of our options

Photo grid of our brave group

My turn

Thank you Razzouk

https://goo.gl/photos/S36u8JETqoUpMfSE8

Damascus Gate

DAY 9: STOP 3

After resting back at the hotel after our 6am mass, we headed back to the Old City on foot.  Chris Reisor found an ancient Coptic Christian tattoo artist and we were going to check it out

Entering through Damascus Gate with heavy security from the prior day's murder of a female police officer

Better Pics from Church of Holy Sepulchre and Calvary

DAY 9: STOP 2

At 5:30am the ability to capture this holy place without tourists is worth updating from our prior visit - steps up to Calvary

Me laying hands on the stone where He was laid after He was taken down from the Cross

Later in the day

ACTUAL TOMB BELOW-THIRD TIME BACK AND I ACTUALLY TALKED MYSELF I TO TAKING A PICTURE

Dead Sea Fun

This Sea is so salty you float without trying

Pic of me wishing I had a drink at The Lowest Bar in the world - almost 500 feet below sea level

Awesome pano - Jordan is across the sea - you can see a resort town on the other side 

Here is a closer look at Jordan

Land mine warning for an area near us that was not cleared after the War of 1967

Jeff is super stoked about his new hookah compliments of Ahmed

I still haven't figured this sign out - WTF

Qumran and The Dead Sea Scrolls

DAY 8: STOP 3

2,000 year-old ruins of Qumran, overlooking the Dead Sea on the edge of the Judean Wilderness - The Dead Sea Scrolls, containing the oldest Bible ever found (sans book of Ezra) were discovered right here. 

Learning about the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran

Lunch in Qumran before we head to the shore of the Dead Sea

Tomb of Lazarus

DAY 8: STOP 2

I think everyone knows this story - descended into the Tomb of Lazarus which was a family burial site - not everyone in the group made the trek because it was a steep descent

Pano in his tomb

Nothing like a selfie down below the earth in the Tomb of Lazarus in Palestine 

Bethany / Church of Lazarus

DAY 8: STOP 1

Into Bethany which is in Palestine on our way to the Church and Tomb of Lazarus

Matching Notre Dames

Scenes from Bethany below

Hanging with my camel and his Arab owner who had remarkable control of him 

Church of Lazarus where we had Mass

Great experience for me as I had a chance to serve as lector for the mass