Baptism of the Lord

It is still Saturday in Israel, shabbat.Things were closed. But we had one more appointment on the way to Jerusalem. We drove through the desert from Jericho to get there.

This is no man's land between Jordan and Israel, the occupied territories.  Israel maintains security for a small swathe.  Along the Jordan River. 

It happened that late Saturday afternoon was a holiday for Ethiopian Christians, the Baptism of the Lord.  We had already celebrated that at home.

Luckily for us, they celebrated a later date because the shrine was open for them and so we were allowed to go to the Jordan River with these pilgrims.

There was much dancing and celebrating this Baptism for this group of people.

Across the river are these churches in Jordan.  There were Jordan security guards with rifles on the other side of the river.

The pilgrims were not there to try to get into Jordan.  They were here for Baptism.

Our guide said that the Jordan River was little more than sewer water and we shouldn't touch it.

These Ethiopians hadn't gotten the word.  They were in it all the way.

There was music and shouting and cheers.  It was a gleeful celebration.

The people  being Baptized wore white.

I wanted a picture of the Jordan River without all the people, I took one looking up river.  There had been a lot of rain recently, so it was higher than it usually is, so I am told.

And soon and very soon, it was time to leave.  We still had to get to our hotel in Jerusalem this evening. We went past signs warning of live landmines. I heard in the news that Israel is working to clear away the mines.  There was evidence that once there were schools and other buildings on the road to the Jordan River, the site near Bethany where John the Baptist is likely to have Baptized Jesus.

I tried to get some photos of Bedouins and sheep.  If you squint, you can see them.  These, however, seem to be goats.

I wonder if they eat goats?  Not all of those could be producing milk.  Goats don't have wool.  But, what must goat meat taste like?

And finally we reached Jerusalem.  These next three pictures may be from the following morning, but they fit better at the end of the shabbat. 

Jerusalem is a city on hills.  All the buildings by law have limestone skins.  That makes the city look light.

As we came into town that Saturday night we  caught a glimpse of the Temple Mount.  It is occupied with mosques these days.  We never got on the Temple Mount.  Israel has ceded it to the Islamic people for peace.