This Sweet Life

Israel When we left Jerusalem, we rented a car and headed west (towards the West Bank to be exact).  This part of our 17 day trip was probably my favorite.  There was more nature, activities, and relaxation.   Tyler Jerrell and I hiking in the desert of Israel with Alyssa Jerrell at En Gedi Falls At 4:00am, we hiked to the top of Masada at to watch the sun rise over the Dead Sea.   The top  of Masada is where the siege by the Roman Empire  ended in the mass suicide  of the 960 Jewish rebels on top of the mountain Although Israel wasn't on my bucket list, it did allow for a chance to cross a few things off and made for some great memories. RIDE A CAMEL I think I have my favorite Disney movie, Aladdin, to thank for wanting to put this on my bucket list since I was 5. SWIM IN THE DEAD SEA Ever since I learned in history class that you could float effortlessly... with Alyssa Jerrell Mud Bath before a swim...

Jerusalem is an absolutely amazing and quite powerful place.  It's not typically one of the top things on your list when traveling abroad, and I would have never made Israel a priority when traveling without this opportunity my parents gave me.  It's not for everyone....but the combination of religion & history makes this place so unique, there's not a place like it in the whole world. It is one of the oldest cities in the world...considered holy to the three major religions.  "During it's long history, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times."-(Wikipedia).  Just imagine how much history and passion is embedded within this city.  One thing you must have to get the most out of this fascinating place is...an open mind.  It doesn't matter what you believe in...you just have to respect everything you see in this place and at least try to understand where others come from.  You don...