Day 4 Amman to Jerusalem

A whole hunk o'stuff today, as I can finally catch up a bit now that I'm in Istanbul. Yes, yes, it's lagging behind a bit but the CIEE seminars flog you like a dog. In a good way.

I'll have more reflection later but I wanted to get up some pictures. The  view from the van on our way from Amman was pretty sere and dry. As for the Allenby Crossing--the actual Allenby bridge, um, got blowed up real good it seems in 1967, so the new King Hussein Bridge is what you use to actually cross the Jordan. Which, by the way, is about three feet wide and an inch deep. As the esteemed commentator Dr. Hunt said, "they must have had to roll Jesus in it to baptize him." Indeed. Oh, and no pictures of that because it's all within a military controlled area, and really, you don't want to antagonize people who, on the Jordanian side, have trucks with heavy machineguns roaming about, and on the Israeli side--oops, I mean Palestinian side--have young IDF, police, and contract security people toting rifles and grenade launchers with youthful abandon. 

It's interesting to note that the Allenby crossing is not considered, by Jordan, an international border. After all, it links Jordan with the West Bank, which until 1967 was part of Jordan, essentially. Amman considers you to be going into Palestine, no matter what flag is flying there or who looks at your passport. The Israelis don't seem to care what you call it as long as you pay your 105 shekel exit fee when you leave.

Ok, pictures! From top to bottom (insha'allah):

1. A bedouin encampment, on the West Bank, from the Van. I didn't get a shot of it, but yes, you can see shipping containers used as housing--with satellite dishes.

2. Hebrew University: On Mt. Scopus, this was one of the enclaves after 1948 that the Israelis supplied with weekly convoys. Great views from up there.

3. The Wall: The (in)famous wall/fence the Israelis are construction around Palestinian settlements is ubiquitous on the West Bank. This one is in the area around Jerusalem.

4. View from Mt. Scopus

5. Cemetery on the Mount of Olives: I think; once you've seen one Mount, and attendant grave yard, you've...never mind. Anyhow, this impressive cemetery is chock full of people waiting for (mostly) the first coming--the Judgement is supposed to happen just across the way at the Temple Mount area so getting first in line is a good thing. Muslims and Christians follow a similar tradition, and they are represented as well, but the majority of the graves are Jewish. It's actually quite moving, a testament to a faith that would have people send their remains from all over the world to be interred here.

More later.