Jerusalem II

The new hostel was so much better, I had a nice room, and was able to have a nice shower. I ended up going to the center of the city. Ben YeHuda Street at night is absolutely amazing. I absolutely love it. I went and met some people just on the street and hung out and talked and grabbed some food. After hanging out for awhile, they left to their hostel and I just kept walking around, people watching, watching the shows and music in the street by mainly the Traditionally dressed Jews. It was great. I have to admit that sometimes I had a tear in my eye looking at this. Just to see people so happy was great. Knowing that this is their homeland. It was awesome.

I started looking at buying some souvenirs. I finally bought a kippa which was very nice. The thing is I must send them through the mail. I don't want to cross the Egyptian border with a bunch of Pro-Israeli, Pro-IDF souveniers haha. Anyways, I ended up finally getting back to the hostel and watching some TV and studying, as well as preparing for what I wanted to do the next day. I really want to go to the Holocaust Museum. It's clear across the city, but it seems walkable so I will try it out tomorrow, and if it is just too far, I will just hail a taxi.
Anyways. Have a good day!!
Love,
Matt

Jerusalem

Yesterday,I ended up walking to the Central Bus Station. I had woken up very early, and met Dave and had some coffee, we ended up going to the Bus Station, which was somewhat far away, but very easy to find, it was right on the Main Jaffa Street, just had to walk a ways. We stopped at some stores that were cool and I bought a sim card for my phone so my cell phone will work here. I saw so many cool stores I'm going to go back that way tomorrow on the way to Mount Herzl and the Holocaust Museum.

The Bus station was so cool. It was SO modern, I think I was expecting it to be just like a regular run down type bus station but it was awesome it was like a huge mall inside with all types of stores lights, food, everything. It was also very cool to see so many IDF soldiers walking around with each other and eating as well as some where on patrol. It was cool seeing all the IDF woman soldiers as well. Every soldier had powerful machine guns on their backs, yes even the young women. It seemed most of the soldiers were about 18-22 or so. I was able to get my bus ticket for early Tuesday. So I will have one more full day in Jerusalem. After getting the ticket, we headed back outside the old city walls and ended up going to Mount of Olives.

First we stopped at Mary's Tomb, then walked up to the Mount of Olives, went to the Jewish cemetery, taking tons of pictures all the way. After that we headed down to another gate into the old city, we entered and tried to see Dome of the Rock, but they wouldn't let us in. We went through almost all the entrances and they wouldn't let us in. So finally we just forgot about it and went to the Western Wall. The wall was amazing, I wrote down a little prayer and stuck it into the wall. It was so amazing to see this. After this, we went to the Jewish Quarter, probably the nicest quarter in the old city, although I think it is the smallest. The Jews who live in the Old City make up a very tiny amount of the people who live in it, compared to the Muslims and Christians. I stopped at a great Jewish bookstore which had everything Jewish you could ask for. After that we headed told Mt. Zion, went to ta very nice church and were looking for the grave of Oscar Schindler, but we just couldn't find it. We searched for a long time, but found nothing, finally I was very tired and just told Dave I'm going back, he said he was going to keep looking, so we parted ways and I hadn't seen him since, haha.

I went back to the hostel and checked out and moved into the new Jaffa Gate hostel about 2 minutes away still inside the Old City. It is much nicer and I have a room with only 1 other person. A cool dutch guy named Geert, it wasn't Wilders, didn't have the hair. Anyways I will write more about the day I just need to get some coffee and start today.
Love,
Matt

Day 1 Part II

So after resting for a little bit, resting meant just lying on my mat on top of the roof and talking to another beautiful french girl and two of her german girlfriends, along with this really cool south african guy who volunteers at the hostel and gets free board here. I really connected with the french girl, we talked for about an hour and a half straight, I showed her all my pics of Cairo and Alexandria and she just loved seeing them and talking to me. They just arrived from Tel Aviv that day and were just resting and I guess were going out partying later, which is odd to me, since I've heard Tel Aviv is so much better for that stuff.

Anyways, after that I ended up going out to New Jerusalem and walking the main Jaffa Street and checking out some of the nightlife, and maybe grab some food and drink, and find a sim card so I can call from Israel. It would be nice to have both a sim card from Egypt and Israel, since I will definately return to these places soon in the future. After walking outside for awhile I didn't find anything, I was going to end up going to a restaurant, but I didn't want to spend so much on just one guest. So I walked back to the Old City and asked my friend Dave if he was up to grab some food, but I guess he had aten some cake and was going to get some sleep, although it was only 9:30 haha. So I ended up just going out again and walking around, I bought a telephone card, but it doesn't work, it says my number is invalid, so that was not good. But I ended up walking through the main streets again.

The nightlife is amazing. So many people in the streets so much loud music, dancing in the streets. There was some great Jewish Music and Traditionally dressed Jews dancing in the streets, singing, putting on a show for everyone, I had to get some video it was amazing. We must support Israel, we must support the Jewish state, I literally felt freedom in the air, I felt something magical about this place. I want to live here, I feel like this is my home. This is where western civilization ultimately began, and I believe this is where western civilization will end. I absolutely adore this city and this country. We cannot allow this place to be destroyed. Obama, MOVE the embassy here to Jerusalem NOW. What are you waiting for? Do it, and believe me, I also blame all the previous presidents who did not do this. But Obama show your support for Israel, Move the Embassy here NOW!

I ended up grabbing some food at Mcdonalds and met some cool people on the streets, so many stores, so many kippas. I want to get so many souvenirs but I don't think I will just because I don't want to have any trouble crossing the border into Egypt. Maybe I will buy some stuff and send it back. I love this place. After coming back to the hostel late, I saw the pretty Polish girl at the kitchen and hung out with her and talked. Her father had left the hostel and forbade her to leave. Without telling her where he was going or anything haha. So I asked her if her father had finally returned, and she said "Yeah, but I have no idea where he went, haha". She wasn't very young either she was 18, but it was nice to see someone have such respect for their father even though they didn't want to obey. Isn't that the truth, it's not about whether you want to obey or not want to obey, it's about the actual act of obeying. It's the act that counts. (I know there's some logical flaws in that, but I am generalizing). Anyways, I went to bed late woke up early and will walk with Dave to Central bus station to pick up some bus tickets and then we will go to Mount of Olives, Western Wall, and Dome of the Rock. I also want to see the Knesset and go to the Holocaust Museum and see the Tomb of Begin. (Menachem, spelling). And Definately the Tomb of Theodore Herzl.
Love Matt

Bethlehem and Christs Footsteps

Today was absolutely amazing, I had gone to bed at around 12:30 the night before and woke up at around 8:12am. I had tentatively planned to go to Masada and Ein al-Geni (spelling, sounds) with the two french girls who I met last night, but I didn't see them at the kitchen where we were "planning" to meet. Which was fantastic, I didn't really want to go that much while I waiting there thinking about how I only have 3 days in Jerusalem to do so much. So while I was waiting, I met an American-Asian who went into the medical field like I am hoping to do. He was from NYC and had just graduated some time ago. He had told me he was looking for someone to go to Bethlehem with. I told him I would but I don't want to travel that much, then he showed me on the map where Bethlehem was, so I agreed. Plus I mean come on, it's the birthplace of Jesus, I've got to check it out. Although I heard from many people and articles about it being fairly dangerous now. The two girls last night said they went and had no problem. So I figured it would be fine.

After 3 cups of coffee we headed to the tourist office and I picked up a bus schedule from Jerusalem to Eliat, as well as we found where to catch a bus to Bethlehem. It was amazing right in front of us in line was the Swiss couple who helped me out so much last night!!! What a town and coincidence, they were leaving to Ein al-Geni. So after that we walked outside the Wall and around it to the Damascus Gate. The bus was fairly good, it was better than the bus from Cairo to Taba, and was very cheap, only 6 shekels, about 1.50 cents. When we arrived to Bethlehem, demographically it was much more like Cairo. We ended up walking down these beautiful roads and markets to the Church of the Nativity and walking into the Church and the special area where Jesus was said to have been born, as well as the manger right next to it. It was amazing. We were in the church for a while.

After that we walked back to the bus stop and took the bus back to Jerusalem. On our way to Bethlehem, we did not go through any checkpoints, but coming back we had to go through a checkpoint, which was in no way whatsoever a hassle. Took about 2 minutes, just checking passports and the bus. We got back and it was still very early, so we decided to walk farther around the great stone wall of the old city and go the route that Jesus took on the day he was crucified. It was awesome, Now we just headed back to the hostel and am resting for awhile, not sure what I will do just rest and get some stuff ready for returning to Cairo by bus. Right now, I am eating Hummus with a very pretty Polish girl who offered me some while I was sitting here.
Anyways, I will need to get going, I may go out later after Shabbat and get some restaurant food somewhere, Cairo was so cheap, I can afford to spend 15 dollars on a nice dinner in Jerusalem. I still need to call my parents!
With Love, Matt

Entering Israel from Cairo and First Crazy night in Jerusalem

Yesterday was amazing, I got to the Turkoman Station after taking a taxi ride from the friend's apartment in Dokki. I ended up not sleeping at all, I was so excited to be going to Israel. I stayed up all night getting ready and making sure I had everything I needed. So I arrived at the Station at about 4'30 am. Way to early for my bus ride at 6:00, and I had to wait outside the gates of the station with a couple other people, because the gates didn't even open until 5:30. The station is built
under a huge western style mall, with foodcourts, theaters, shops, everything. Or you could say the mall is built over the bus
station.
While I was in the station, a Japanese man approached me and I realized that this was the same guy whom I helped on the
streets of Cairo about 2 days earlier, him and his two other friends. Two of them spoke perfect english and the other just a
little. It was amazing seeing them again especially in a city of about 17 million people, if you include the outlying areas of
Cairo. They were Christians from a church in Kobe, Japan. So we rode together on the bus, which ended up being late, as
well as breaking down once while we were on our way to Taaba. I heard a one time breakdown is very good, sometimes I
guess they will break down 2-3 times on the way. After about 5 or 6 hours, we reached Taaba. We descended from the bus
and walked the half mile to the border, taking pictures and video along the way. We got our stamp out of Egypt and entered
the neutral zone (I think that is whats it's called), there was a liason between Israel and Egypt in the middle. So we continued
walking and entered the Israeli Building got everything scanned and was questioned. And got our stamps and we were in
Israel!!!!!
I was being questioned by 2 beautiful Israeli border patrol agents my age or a little older. It was funny because they asked me
the same question 4 times each and I gave a different answer four times! I was so excited to just about be in Israel. They
finally ended with a huge smile and told me to pass on through. So I passed on through, and then waited for my Japanese
friends, who came finally and we took a ton of pictures of our first arrival to Israel. Also I had almost forgot how BLUE the
water is around here. I remember it being like this when I took a cruise from and to Greece and Italy. It was beautiful. The
Nile in Cairo was absolutely filthy looking.
Anyways, we ended up walking to one of the hotels outside of Eliat, and got a taxi to Jerusalem (4-5hours) since there was no
Public Buses due to Shabbat. We payed quite a bit, but it was nice that we split it four ways. The Japanese friends were
staying at a Messianic Jew Village. So we went to Jerusalem, having the taxi driver talk to us, and telling us bible stories about
the various citys we had passed. Finally we reached Jerusalem, it was nighttime, and Shabbat!, we entered around Central
Jerusalem or New Jerusalem, I had no idea where anything was so I just told him to stop when I saw a big American flag and
a soldier/worker standing underneath it. We got out, while the taxi driver asked the man about how to get out of Jerusalem!
Then the taxi driver asked where Yad Masada (Don't know the exact name) village was, where my friends were going. The
guy spoke english which was great and said the village is far from here and they need another taxi, he promptly hailed a taxi,
haggled a price about 12 dollars for the 3 of them and helped put their luggage in their new taxi. The Israeli asked me if I
was going I told him No. I asked him if there were any places nearby to get connected to the internet since I was so busy in
Cairo the day before getting the new visa, rentry visa, bus ticket, taxi to the station, cleaning clothes, 4 hours of Arabic classes,
and saying goodbye to friends in Cairo, moving stuff to the new apartment, and moving out of the hostel which I had stayed
at for 6 weeks, booking the hostels in Jerusalem, checking times for buses returning to Cairo, and I know there was many
other things as well. So because of all that, I had forgotten to print out my information about the hostels in Jerusalem. The
only thing I remembered was that both of them were near Jaffa Gate. So I realized I might be wandering around Jerusalem
for awhile, at night, on Shabbat, without a Map, which I had also forgotten! haha.
So firstly I asked him which direction East Jerusalem was, so I would know what direction not to go. He looked at me with
wonder, and just told me straight up, "It's this way, you DON'T want to go that way, the Arabs will probably kill you" I then
asked him where Jaffa Gate, he then preceded to point me to the exact same direction! haha. But he said that its only a little
ways and is very safe. I then asked where there was a internet, maybe a 24 hours mcdonalds with free wireless, he told
me"We don't have that crap in Israel", jokingly haha. Then he showed me where an internet store was and that there was a
mcdonald's near there. He was very funny and friendly!
So I walked the directions he told me and found the internet store, which was closed and ended going to the mcdonalds
which was open and delicious! I heard a girl order in English, so after I ordered I went up to her and awkwardly asked if she
was staying and eating, she said yes, and so I asked if I could join her. She kind of smiled and said loudly, "What?, you mean
with my boyfriend?" haha. I ofcourse said yes ofcourse, I just got here I am just looking for anyone who speaks English. So I
met her boyfriend and her and ate together, they helped me out a lot, got me a map and accompanied me on my walk to jaffa
street and found out the exact directions for me to Jaffa Gate. They even told me if I couldn't find the place to come back to
there hostel and they will let me in and sleep there. By this time I was on 36-45 hours no sleep.
So we stopped at a supermarket, they bought some Israeli beer and we walked and then they went to one of the bars and I
thanked them for everything. It was so dark, and I walked the main street, which was still fairly filled with a few Jews and
tourists, most of whom spoke English, nice change from Cairo. So I walked, taking pictures and video, and ended up along
the wall of the old city. Got to Jaffa gate, walked through and wandered inside, finding what I thought was my hostel,
unfortunately it was locked down, so I had to make a decision, to sleep outside, or just find another hostel. The swedes gave
me a hostel/hotel map, so I just went to another hostel called the Citadel youth Hostel and luckily, that actually was the one
that I reserved for 2 nights. A very nice Palestinian guy, maybe a little older than me, helped me out and showed me my place
to sleep, which was on the rooftop outside haha, with a beautiful view of everything, including Dome of the Rock.
Unfortunately it was where about 15 other people were sleeping too! In a fairly cramped area, but it was still great. I brushed
my teeth and wanted to check my email so I went to a common area and did that. I then met a very pretty french girl and we
talked about everything, then I met her friend, another french girl and we all just sat and talked about our life and experiences
. It was so fun with them, finally I retired for the night! Amazing first night in Jerusalem!!!!

On to the Bus Station in Cairo

It was amazing I had for days been trying to wake up early to go to Mugamma to get a reentry visa and renew the visa I had but was always so tired. Finally yesterday was do or die, I had been toying with the idea of travelling to Israel since I met a girl who will be returning there from Egypt as well as one of the smartest guys I've met who also came from Israel to Cairo.

I waited in line, went back and forth, up and down the stairs in the Mugamma building back and forth for what seemed like forever but was in fact about 3 hours, then I had to come back after another hour to get my passport with a reentry visa. Surprisingly the workers were very friendly although it was very busy. Also I believe they liked that I spoke to them in Arabic. I was told by a British girl there that it normally takes 4 days to get your visa renewed. So when I told her I was going to get it renewed and get a reentry visa in the same day she just laughed. Well I had the last laugh as I left the Mugamma, when I turned away from the window, I saw her sitting, she was still waiting, simply for a stamp from one of the workers!

I then headed after class to the Bus station and was able to buy a ticket to the border.

It is about 2.5 hours until my bus leaves to Nuweiba, I will get off earlier at Taba and will cross into Israel, take a taxi to Eliat and then take a bus to Jerusalem where I have everything booked for 4 days. It will be amazing, I cannot wait!!!!1

Israel is my spiritual home, I feel as if I am spiritually a Jew, although in fact I am a Christian. It may sound stupid, but I would sacrifice my life for Israel, more so than America. There is no other nation that has such a special purpose, such an amazing history, such an amazing people. I mean, a people who were scattered throughout the earth, just as the Bible states will occur, and then they will return to their homeland, a nation born in a day. May 14, 1948. The day God shined a light on the world, returning the valley of dry bones to life.

A people who live in the same land they had lived in 2000 years ago, after being scattered throughout the earth, being persecuted wherever they went, a small people accounting for an absolutely disgusting amount of Nobel Peace Prizes, being a light to all nations even when they didn't have a nation, being a light to the nations wherever they settled, or wandered, Oh How they must have envied their ancestors who wandered in the desert for "only" 40 years. Speaking the same language, worshipping the same God, and living among their enemies, again. It is truly a miracle this state exists. Israel's existence after 1900 years of exile is the closest thing there is to proof in God. It is utterly amazing, now really think about it, read about it, study it, see it for yourself, pickup up a Bible, read Genesis, and read about Israel in the Bible, read the texts yourselves. If thats the only thing you learn about from the Bible, LEARN it. Learn about Israel.

With Love to all,

Matt