Bethlehem, Israel

 (Just for the record, I tried updating my blog yesterday but was getting a poor signal and the internet kept disconnecting).  So, Thursday we arrived in Ashdod, Israel and took a trip to Bethlehem in the afternoon.   We first went to a scenic overlook of the old city of Jerusalem an then on to Bethlehem about 10 miles away.  Bethlehem is Palistinian controlled, so right before we entered we had to pick up our tour guide for Bethlehem.  Israeli tour guides are not allowed to work in Bethlehem.  Above Mom is standing in front of the Church of the Nativity, our first stop.

 

 The door to the church is small and most people have to bend down to get through it.  It's probably only about 4 feet high.

 

Once inside the church we waited in line to get into the grotto where the Savior was supposedly born.  Above, Pat is touching the star that sits on the spot of His birth.

 

After the church we went shopping of course.  That is the complete one day tour of Bethlehem.  It's really nice, but I would like to go the the Sheperd's field too!