On Christmas Eve, we rented a van with other couples and went to Bethlehem. We were dropped off at the Separation Wall and we walked into Bethlehem.
We watched a parade pass by on its way to Manger Square.
Then we followed it through the streets until...
...we reached the Christmas tree at Manger Square. We became separated several times, but it all worked out in the end. We waited in line to see the Grotto where Jesus was born. After 30 minutes, we had almost made it to the entrance when a Mass started. That shut down the line for at least 30 minutes. We formed a wall, shoulder to shoulder, so people wouldn't push ahead of us. There really is no one who organizes the pilgrims into the Grotto, so we have found it is best to form a line to maintain our place in line. Seems funny that we have to do that at a religious site.
We left Manger Square and walked and walked and walked and walked to one of several Shepherd's fields, where an angel appeared to shepherds when Jesus was born. We were told it was at the bottom of the hill from Manger Square. So we walked down and down and down and down. After a good hour, we arrived at Shepherds Field, exhausted and cold.
We sang songs near a bathroom as the back drop, visited a chapel that commemorates the event, and relaxed for a while. Then we called the vans to come from Jerusalem to take us home. It was a lot of walking (did I mention it was a LOT of walking?), but we made fun memories.
Hannah slipped on the sidewalk at Shepherds Field and hit hard on her back while holding her camera. We expected her to come up crying or moaning but her first words were "my camera, my camera". The camera was ok, she was ok, and we all learned how much she loves photography.
Relaxing outside the chapel at Shepherds Field
We wanted to remember that both Kevin...
... and Blaine were there
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