Electrolytes, Istanbul, and the first glimpse the Holy Land

The past couple days have not been quite as exciting as the others. I got a severe case of food poisoning on Friday. Actually over the course of the weekend, every person in our group was affected by it, including the Turkish tour guide, so it was definitely something that we ate together. Some of us were hit worse than others and, unfortunately, I was one of the worst. To make a long story short and spare the gross details, I had to stay in the hotel for 3 days and miss the sites. We called a doctor, who had to see me twice to give me iv fluids to re-hydrate me and prescribe lots of medicine. The humorous part was that to hang the iv bag in the hotel room, he took the painting off of the wall and hung it on the nail! But for those of you who know how much I hate needles, the actual iv was really not humorous. After fluids, medicine and lots and lots of electrolytes, I finally started feeling stronger. The grace in the situation was the love and care the people in the program showed for each other. They nursed us, checked in on us, kept our spirits up, bought us little gifts from the sites we missed. I was really overwhelmed with how giving everyone was. Anyway, I felt better to go out for our last day in Istanbul.

Istanbul is a really neat city, with so much history. But it is very touristy, very expensive and very busy. I had been really wanting to see Hagia Sophia, but it was closed for the national holiday on Monday. At least the outside is still impressive! We did get to go in the Blue Mosque across from it though, which was really impressive. We went to a different church though, in which most of the mosaics have been preserved. It was beautiful. I felt like I was stepping into my art history books. After our tours, Lori, Rick and I went to every market and bazaar possible because we needed to spend all of our Turkish Lira since it was our last day in Turkey. I think we did our part to stimulate the Turkish economy. The best souvenir EVER is pictured below: sparkly pink pom pom shoes…. it totally made my day, and the day of the man selling them to me.

One of the mosaic domes in the Chora church

Hagia Sophia

The Blue Mosque

Buying my Turkish slippers...I felt like Cinderella!!

This morning we left at 5 am for the airport for Israel. I had some trouble with my ticket and checking in, and four of us were running for the airplane at the last minute, but we made it on! Then upon arriving in Israel, we had some trouble with the border patrol who didn’t quite understand what we were going to be doing in the country for 6 weeks. But eventually it all worked out, and we were greeted at the convent by happy loving sisters, and personal bedrooms with several hours for a nice long nap :) The drive from the airport to the convent was beautiful. The land here is amazing, just like what you imagine Jesus walking through. We got to catch a glimpse of the old city and the Dome of the Rock, which was so exciting. Our professor here, Laurie, said that view will soon become old news to us. I hope not. We are staying on the Mount of Olives, in the area where Mary and Martha would have lived, and near Lazarus’ tomb. It is beautiful. Tomorrow we take our first walk to the city to learn our way around. I was so blown away by being in the places where Paul walked and preached, I cant even imagine walking in Jesus’ footsteps now… Laurie read us this psalm as we made our way through the country:

"I rejoiced when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord.' And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem. Jerusalem, built as a city, walled round about. Here the tribes have come, the tribes of the Lord. As it was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. Here are the thrones of justice, the thrones of the house of David. For the peace of Jerusalem pray: 'May those who love you prosper! May peace be within your ramparts, prosperity within your towers.' For family and friends I say, 'May peace be yours.' For the house of the Lord, our God, I pray, 'May blessings be yours.'"

The first view of the wall of the old city and the Dome of the Rock