Geography Field Trip

7/13/07
Today was our first real field trip. Visual Geography. We started at Seven Arches Overlook (just over where Schindler is buried,) went up to the Augusta Victoria Hospital and Church, we ate lunch at another overlook on the other side of the city, went to Nabi Samwil (tomb of the prophet Samuel,) and then went back to the center to look at each of the model cities of Jerusalem during various periods. From 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Sack lunch. Bus ride. Windy. Cloudless Sky. Sunny. Hot (except for early morning when the breeze was brisk and cold—I loved it).

Ate lunch with four returned sister missionaries, all of whom were discussing their missions, how they felt there and coming home, training others, whitewashing, etc. Really cool. One of them wants to be a Midwife. Another of the four has lived outside for 9 months of her life backpacking with troubled youth. They’re all so awesome.

The buses are comfy—for buses. I wore my SPF 50; we’ll see if it works. I love my Indiana Jones hat—it’s brilliant. Especially the fact that the body of the hat is netting—lets the breeze circulate. SO great. We all know why archaeologists wear the darn things, but now I’ve experienced it first hand. I also endorse the “Camelbak.” Best purchase I’ve made for this trip, and the best invention of the latter 20th century. No, really. Brilliant. Stows everything I need easily, has earphone holes for my headset, carries water so I don’t have to and all the while provides easy access to water “without my even having to touch it.” …the pack that is… I do have to bite and suck on the straw-apparatus-thing. Holds all my books, extra batteries, camera, lunch, etc. It’s fabulous.

As for what we did…

SEVEN ARCHES OVERLOOK: Facing the west and the golden gate, looking over the old city, we sat in the shade in a stone amphitheater and discussed the lay of the land. Elevation: 2560 ft (Kidron Valley below sits at 700ft), shaded, brisk breeze, 8:10am, Most of the girls were cold and had goosebumps… I thought it was blissful. Most of the boys did too.

We discussed the fact that all Jerusalem Limestone oxidizes over time—the white stones transform to a golden hue, and when the sunlight hits it, well you can imagine. This is why the city is often called, “Jerusalem of Gold.”

AUGUSTA VICTORIA Complex:

The Augusta Victoria Complex was commissioned by the Kaiser, and named after his wife. There is a hospital, a church, a Lutheran-Arabic kindergarten, and a few other things in the “complex,” one of many church areas commissioned by the Kaiser in the Holy Land. Like the Crusaders, he wanted the Protestant church to have a representation in the Holy Land, but rather than massacring innocents he built hospitals, schools, and churches. Set on Mt. Scopus (directly behind the Jerusalem Center,) the complex has extensive grounds and exquisite architecture.

It is German. Very very German. I thus might have the teensiest bias, but this Church instantly won my heart. Totally and one-hundred percent my favorite place to be in Jerusalem (outside the homey feeling of the center…) (since I’ve been here.) Certainly my favorite cathedral-ish church.

So unlike the Church of the Holy Sepulchure, and in such a good way. It was bright, open, and classic—solid, but with grace. A large organ. Stained glass windows on the sides. Domed sections of roof in cross-shape. Black and white stone floor. Arches everywhere. Mosaics set into the ceiling and upper walls. The architecture, vibrant and contrasting colors of the stone and walls, the mosaics and murals, the intricate carvings of stone archways, the still calm and quite beauty that did not call attention to itself—the building speaks for itself. And unlike the other shrine-like Christian places in the city, the Augusta Victoria felt more like an LDS chapel—centered on worship, not show. High on the walls above the forward apex of the church there are three depicted scenes from Christ’s life—the nativity to the left, the crucifixion to the right, and the ascension in the center (the latter shows him flanked by two angels fashioned to look like Moses and Elijah).

The ceiling is… ohhh. Look at the picture. It’s crooked, faded, and doesn’t do it justice, but I was rushed. I didn’t even take any pictures of the chapel apex—ANY—because we had our tour, and we needed my hymn book for trying out the acoustics, and because I’d already organized a group to go back. Hee hee. A Chur-mahn lady gave us the historical tour, explaining a few details about why the Kaiser took such an interest, how the building came to be, and all about the artwork (not in, but) on the building—including explanations of what artwork was depicted, which apostles are where, where Solomon, Daniel, and Elijah’s representations are, as well as why key figures from the Crusades were present. I was tearing up when she mentioned that the nativity-crucifixion-ascension murals were replicas of the originals in Germany…that are no longer there, having been destroyed in WWII. She described this church as a preservation of German history in addition to its other purposes.

After the tour she told us to sing if we’d like to. And we did. After I Believe in Christ, and I Know that My Redeemer Lives, I made everyone sing Silent Nacht—I mean, night. The familiar German melody carried particular resonance throughout the hall. Next I sang a duet (only two of us knew the tune) of “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” with James Archibald, another good singer here at the center. We selected this piece, as you may have guessed, because it was written by Martin Luther. Very applicable. My family was on my mind as I sang and sang and sang. I cannot wait to sing there again! The lovely place is already a part of my heart. I love it dearly. I cannot wait to return. Luckily a few other singers want to go back with me, including Greg (who did know A Mighty Fortress, but was not present at that time,) James, and Lauran (an alto who was in Women’s Chorus with me).

The Augusta Victoria Bell Tower has an elevation of 2810 ft. About 220ft higher than the ground. Looking out the East Face we saw Jordan and the Dead Sea (a ways off.) Out the other sides we saw the Jordan River and the Separation wall, Jericho, the Judean Plains and more. Up so high there was a breeze swirling around us and the two large bells. Now I wonder if and when they ring them. I should have asked. I’ll be sure to the next time I go. I know it sounds strange that while I’m in a land where the Muslim call to prayer is sung and broadcast over the landscape multiple times a day I wish I could hear bells… but I do. Bells are a balm for the soul. I know too that I should be reveling in the foreign cultures here—lapping up the experience—and I have found a place for me to be. A Niche. And the center is home. No! The center is like a home. The best replacement there is to be had—better than even an apartment building in Provo. And while the great and grand opportunities are here for now, mine for the taking, never to be had again—this place is still another land far away from home.

In the musical Beauty and the Beast, when Belle first realizes that she will be staying with the Beast in his palace, she sings these words:

“Is this home? Is this where I must learn to be happy? Never dreamed that a home could be dark and cold. I was told everyday in my childhood, ‘even as we grow old, home will be where the heart is.’ Never were words more true. My heart’s far far away…home is too.”

And that is quite the way I feel. And like Belle I surmise I shall grow to find this land most pleasant—a joy. To quote another of my favorite movies…”I’m told that in twenty years I’ll look back on these times with fondness and nostalgia. …I hope so. (phrased with bitter sarcasm).” Quite frankly that’s how I feel. I know I’m supposed to desperately love where I am. And I do. Just not enough for me to want to stay. I love the people, but not the land. I want to see more, do more, be more—HERE. And I must. And I will. Cheerfully and without complaint. But I cannot force myself to feel in love with my location. I love it’s history… but “it is not now that strength which in the old days moved earth and heaven,” as Longfellow put it. I find it all every fascinating. But it isn’t what I want it to be. I’ve also found that my old hopes, dreams, and demons have followed me here. Here! Here to a place I am altogether less equipped to deal with them than before. Here where I have no defense, no hope of falsifying happiness.

Oh, blah! Drig, drag, and bellowhurst I’m talking like a nimsy. Goodness knows how bored you must have been with that woe is me tirade. I’m sure you all think I’m pathetic to boot. I just need to pull up my britches, find something to be thankful for, and stop listening to that voice in my head that tells me how I feel. My personal feelings don’t matter anyway, right? Right.

HAAS PROMENADE OVERLOOK:
We ate lunch here. It was sunny and hot. I ate lunch with four returned sister missionaries and they shared with me bits about their experiences…very nice. We had to pay a shequel to use the bathroom—and the doors had giant strawberry stickers on them. One of my friends snidely asked if they were scratch and sniff—and I instantly decided that they were snozberries. And they are. See enclosed picture. It’s a crooked picture. You can take cool pictures when they’re crooked—but not when it’s of a bathroom stall. Bathroom stalls will never be artsy… and I made the picture look retarted. Anyway.

DEIR ELYAS MONASTERY:
We didn’t go inside. It was basically a place close enough to Bethlehem for us to see the lay of the land without actually going someplace dangerous. It was cool. I took some great roadside pictures.

NEBI SAMWIL:
Tomb of the prophet Samuel. Archaeological digs. I took a good picture of the tower—it’s actually a minaret. It’s a tower where Muslims broadcast the “call to prayer.” Anyway, we stood on the roof and looked out over the plains to the separation wall, looked to the south east and saw a large of jewish village. Looking across the other side of the roof we saw hundreds of arab villages. We saw the land where during the battle Joshua prayed and the sun stopped---very cool to see. Oh yeah. Observing the landscape, high ground, etc. Most exciting. We talked to some Israeli’s on the roof—from Romania, Russia, and all around. They were very cordial and talkative. Everyone speaks English here, so it’s easy to talk to just about everyone.

Then we drove home. I fell asleep on the bus. So did a lot of people. We got back to the center at about 3:00pm.

CENTER MAPS:
Outside the seventh floor of the center there are model maps of Jerusalem throughout time. First temple period, Herodian and time of Christ, Roman occupation, Temple destruction/Byzantine, etc. You can see how the city shifts on the landscape, where and how the temple looked and was located, where the city walls were and were built…like that. Bro. Ludlow gave us the run down on the various occupations, how the city and temple changed, etc.

We finished at about 3:40pm. Very fun. And now you know about it. Yay. …Toodles!