Day 8

Leisurely start to the day, then caught a couple of buses to the Israel Museum. Although most of the museum is currently being rebuilt, the parts we particularly wanted to see are still open.

The museum houses a huge 1:50 scale model of Jerusalem in its heyday in AD66. This is a picture of the 2nd Temple after Herod had finished his additions to it.

The Shrine of the Book is the centre piece of the Museum. It houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, found at Qumran (where we are going tomorrow). These are 2250-2000 years old and include a complete copy of Isaiah from 200BC as well as many other writings. As Richard spent a year studying these at University, he was particularly keen to see them.

The Shrine was built to look like the lid of one of the jars the scrolls were found in and the contrast between the black wall and white dome symbolises the battle between the Children of Light and Children of Darkness - a mythic battle described in the War Scroll.

Outside the Shrine of the Book is a sculpture garden containing famous pieces from round the world. This is Vertebrae by Moore. He was into bones apparently.

Below the museum is the 11th Century Georgian Monastery of the Cross. It is said to be on the site where the tree grew from which the cross of Christ was made. This is probably pushing it a bit in our opinion.

It looked like a long way down (and back up) in the heat so we settled for this view across the valley.

Back in modern West Jerusalem is the Italian Synagogue on Jaffa Street. It is called Italian because it was near Venice until the 1950's when its medieval interior was packed up and shipped over. It was the first non-Christian religious building we have been able to gain access to in the time we have been here.

Unfortunately photography is not allowed inside and it is hard to see from the road, so you will have to use your imaginations a bit on this one!

Finally we allowed ourselves a touristy site - the Time Elevator. This is a special-effects laden simulator ride through the violent bits of the city's 3000 year Jewish History hosted by Chaim Topol, the star of Fiddler on the Roof. Very cultural.

Quiet night in tonight in preparation for tomorrow's trip to Massada, Qumran, Jericho and the Dead Sea.