Holy Land Journal, March 11

Herod built the mountain by first erecting a double-walled cylinder with an outer diameter of 200 feet. There were seven stories in the cylinder including two or three at the top which no longer exist.

Another symbol of Herod's extravagance in building, this full-size Roman bathhouse had the typical design of four rooms -changing room, stretching room, steam room and cold bath.

The floor was paved with white and black mosaics and the walls were decorated with frescoes of many colors and geometric designs.

There was also a lower palace at the base of the mountain which included numerous palace annexes for use by the kings family and friends.

Cisterns beneath the fortress, filled with rainwater which was channeled from above, assured its water supply.

In addition, three very large cisterns were cut into the slope outside the fortress (near the entrance to the staircase) and rainwater was channeled into them from the hillside.

Many tunnels exist between the cisterns and some have been opened to the public.

Water was drawn from these cisterns by servants, who carried it to the cistern on the top of the hill, which was probably always kept full.

In the distance the barren mountains can be seen which were the wilderness area.

We then visited the shepherd's cave which is an example of where the shepherds would keep their flock at night.

Many of these caves were deep and would hold a few hundred sheep.

The shepherds could mix the sheep together because they all knew their masters voice which separated them in the morning.

We visited another Christian store owned by the grandson of the man who first bought the dead sea scrolls. This is one of the jars that contained the scrolls.

Here he tells of the time the scrolls were brought to his grandfather, a shoemaker, because the boys that found them thought he might purchase the leather bindings.

This store, like the first we visited today contains many wood carvings.

Other art crafts were also available such as these mother-of-pearl on the upper shelves.

The Church of the Nativity in the heart of Bethlehem marks one of Christianity's most sacred sites - the birthplace of Christ.

It is controlled jointly by three Christian denominations - the Armenian Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church.

The Grotto of the Nativity contains the manger that is believed to be the place where the baby Jesus was laid after he was born. The grotto is encased in white marble.

This is the area believed to be the place where the animals were held.

This other area of the church is much more ornate and newer.

Here is a typical street scene in Bethlehem.

Since June 2002, Israel has been building a wall inside the West Bank citing security reasons. However, because of its location and the impact this structure has on the Palestinian residents of the West Bank, the Wall is a violation of international law and Palestinian human rights.

Traffic can be bad here in Jerusalem as seen in this picture.

This is the view of the old city of Jerusalem as seen from the Mount of Olives.

This 2900-foot hill has served as one of the main burial grounds for the city.

Early Christian pilgrims located the Garden of Gethsemane at the bottom of the slope of the Mt. of Olives opposite the Temple Mount.

Here is a native Arab of the land with his donkey.

The Church of All Nations, officially named the Basilica of the Agony, is located at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem next to the Garden of Gethsemane.

The Catholic church enshrines a section of stone in the Garden of Gethsemane that is believed to be where Jesus prayed on the night of his arrest (Matthew 26:36).

You see some strange things in Jerusalem. Here is a herd of goats being led down one of the busy streets.