So... No blog, but more pictures!

So this really has no historical, geographical, or Biblical significance whatsoever. However, for those of you who know of my interest in Starbucks, I am happy to declare to you that I have discovered the Starbucks of Israel! I proudly display to you my first iced soy latte purchased from Aroma...the Hebrew Starbucks (except they give you a piece of chocolate with every drink you purchase- way to one up Starbucks eh?) I had been craving an iced soy latte since my experience at the Arabic Starbucks in Jordan. It was pretty hilarious. We were leaving Tel Be'er Sheva and traveling to Tel Arad, when lo and behold in the middle of the desert was ... get this ... a Hebrew McDonalds (completely kosher) and an Aroma. You can imagine my delight. Let's just say out of all the pictures that I have taken, this one is probably my favorite. Pathetic, I know.



This was inside the Bell Caves. Dr. Steve, our awesome tour guide (really, he is awesome... a humble, genius, man of God) read to us a passage from one of Josephus' writings. Josephus describes to his readers the use of these Bell Caves during early church history. He tells us that many Christians sought refuge in these caves during times of persecution under emperors such as Nero or Trajan or Hadrian. Also, those seeking to live an ascetic life would often flee to caves such as these. They were truly a sight to see.






This is one of the three largest blocks built into the Western Wall of the Temple. One of these blocks weighs 600 tons! Imagine how Herod the Great was able to transport these massive things. One theory, which our tour guide Dave said was absolutely ridiculous, is that they (meaning the builders of the temple) rolled large cylinders (roughly about 900 tons in weight) from the north into the area of Mt. Moriah (the second temple mount) and cut the blocks out of the cylinders. Dave didn't like this theory because he wondered if those who came up with it thought of how one would successfully stop a 900 ton cylinder rolling down a hill. He was a very comical individual.