WWYWTSJ? (What Would YOU wear to see Jesus?) Day 1 in Israel

This is what I chose to wear: Good ol' Red, White and Blue and be proud of my American Heritage. 

Touring through Jerusalem and Bethlehem was an unbelievable experience! There is SO much history: Religious, Cultural, Political.  Pictured here is the Dome of The Rock (where the Ark of the Covenent once stood. It's a very important Islamic site. AND very pretty.

This is where the manger stood… as in THE manager. Wow

 I'd like to believe that God/Allah/my Guardian Angels were smiling on me today as I toured. This is in the church where the manager stood. Actually, a Christian, Armenian AND Jewish churches now stand in this one spot. (they share)

And this lil window is in the spot where the Last Supper was held. Again, it's shared by Islam, Christian and Jewish faiths.

 Statue of King David. Almost as cute as my own David (you're welcome honey)

 This is where Mary, mother of Jesus has a tomb. Not that she's buried there… I found out today (after 54 years of being a Christian) that it is believed that Mary is "sleeping" in heaven and she didn't die. At least that's what the tour guide told me. And who am I to argue? It's his country!

 At the Wailing Wall, an important site in Jewish history. There's a whole lot that I learned today about this location. As the guide said "it's all we have left" (the Jewish people).

 The 11th station of the Cross where Jesus was nailed to the Cross. The mosaic depicts the event. This is in an amazing place where I finally broke down. Too much history and information to process. I rebounded though.

This is a Christian Franciscan priest (monk?) at the site where Jesus tomb was located. The line to see the actual tomb was three hours long so we walked around the outside. Still, quite overwhelming.

Sitting at the Istanbul Airport…without a beer ;-(

I am in Istanbul after a very long delay in Minneapolis getting to Toronto. We finally landed at 10pm last night giving me 30 minutes to clear customs and find my gate. I made it, but I am sure it was great comic relief watching the old lady huffing and puffing while running, dragging a robins egg blue suitcase.

My first introduction into what kind of adventure I am about to have came when I tried to exchange money for Israeli "shekels". NO WE DO NOT HAVE SHEKELS said the lady behind the currency exchange like I had offended her. Oops--sorry. I hope the nice person at the Tel Aviv airport can help me find money or it's going to be a REALLY interesting trip.

I am sitting in the exact chair I always sit in at the Istanbul airport (okay so I've only been here twice before, but I've always sat in the same chair). I am waiting patiently (since that is my new middle name) for the waiter to come and take my beer order. I figure it would be very rude (Ugly American-eque) to grab the beer from the Frenchman sitting to my left. Not that I NEED a beer, it's just that Turkish beer is very VERY good. I just wanted to experience it again. I even searched my blogfiles to find the picture of the beer I took last time I was here.

Oh well, no beer, no harm, no money spent (there David---aren't you proud of me?!)

Next time I write I'll be in Israel, hopefully safe--and with shekels in hand.

Cheers

AND THE ADVENTURE BEGINS….

See Nadine smiling at the gate of her plane to begin leg #1 on her trip of a lifetime. The route I've chosen (to save money) is Minneapolis-Toronto-Istanbul-Tel Aviv. I was SUPPOSED to leave Minneapolis at 4 pm Wednesday and arrive in Tel Aviv at 830 pm Thursday night.

See Nadine Smiling as she learns that the flight is delayed due to bad weather in the Toronto area. Oh well, it's not delayed too badly. She can still make her dinner plans with friends in the Toronto airport.

See Nadine Smile as she learns that the friends in Canada got stuck in their driveway (which is only 900 feet long) trying to leave for the airport. Sigh! Nadine will not be seeing friends that she hasn't seen in a number of years. Oh well, at least she's going to have lots of time in the airport to have a nice dinner, albeit alone.

See Nadine Smile (less brightly now) as she learns that the flight is delayed for a second time, this time only giving her 1.5 hours to make her next flight. Oh well, fortunately she is optimistic AND an experience traveller AND she knows that things like this are out of her control, so she can just deal with it.

See Nadine get out her credit card and get online because having the computer along is a great babysitter. This will keep Nadine smiling.

Stay tuned for details… the fun has only begun
(Nadine is still smiling….)

PACKING PACKING PACKING
Uffdah… what to put into one suitcase to last one month that includes climates of 68F, 33F, rain, sun and modest coverings?!
I started packing about three days ago and thought I had it covered. But then a last minute panic attack sent me back to the drawing board  (Drawing closet?) and ended with me switching suitcases with my daughter. She's not traveling with me, but I am bringing a full suitcase of her clothes. (SHE has clothes in three different countries, but that's another topic)
A smart person would have just three pairs of pants, 6 shirts, a coat and two pairs of shoes.
What fun is that?!
I'll let you know if I made the right decisions.

Hello? Are you there? It's me... Nadine

Dear Friends, Family and Random Blog readers

YES! I am still alive, and YES! I am enjoying life in Pelican Rapids. I've decided to renew the blog postings as I am preparing to take the trip of a "lifetime" (or at least this lifetime).

I will be gone for three weeks, travelling without David, but not necessarily alone.
My current plans (inshallah) are:
Feb 5 depart Minneapolis, via Toronto, via Istanbul to arrive in Tel Aviv on Feb. 6. Anna Leigh lives there (for a bit more) and I am visiting her (and the country). Unfortunately (OR I guess FORTUNATELY) she will be leaving Israel when I arrive as she's got an interview in North Carolina at Duke University. I'll be doing some site seeing, resting (and re-acclimating to the culture) until she returns. Stay tuned for pictures.
Feb 9 Anna returns to Israel. "HER PLAN" is that we rent a car and drive around areas of Israel that she's not seen. Again, stay tuned for Details.
Feb 10 and 11 I get to be HAPPY MAMMA as I watch Anna perform in the Hebrew University production of AIDA. She plays the role of a slave where she's got "A song AND a death scene".
Feb. 15 We depart Israel for Bremen, Germany, home of Jacobs University. Anna is returning there to finish up her last semester of undergrad.
Feb 16-18 I am hoping to be in Hamburg Germany, visiting Dietmar Bethge, the former 1980 Rotary Exchange student and his lovely wife.
Feb 18-22 I will be between Berlin (visiting German Dennis, Rotary Exchange student Pooja in Berlin) and/or Godsister Marion in Aachen. Details being worked out.
Feb 23-25 Travelling to Amsterdam and taking an opportunity to see her through local eyes.
Feb 25-March 1 Flying to Dublin, Ireland to see Kuwait friends JER and MR. Can't wait to see these fine ladies and explore Ireland through their eyes. JER is Irish and I've been "warned" that it's tough to keep up with her in a pub. We shall see.

Current plans is that it will be a planes, trains and automobiles type of adventure. I'm excited about seeing all of these sites--some of them for the first time, others as a re-visit.

I'll do my best to keep posting pictures and comments.
Thanks for reading and we'll write again next week!
NOW, it's time to pack.....

More fun than is legal

Returned to the Mn State fair with my long time 4H buddies. Pictures are worth many words..especially since I laughed and tAlked so much I am still hoarse!

Crazy two Months

Completely remodeled our first floor floors ( David worked his butt off!)..attended the beautiful wedding of our favorite soccer son...Enjoyed a visit from a dear Kuwait-made friend...Gathered with my beloved Library Ladies...Played piano at the wedding of two delightful soccer family members...Got to play with my oldest sister and 99 1/2 year old Aunti...Relished in the fact that for two weeks both of our children were in the same state...and joyously received all our possessions from Kuwait just after our remodeling was completed. UFFDA, life is good :-)