Bethlehem Christmas Eve Eve

On the 23rd of December, we all woke up early and packed the car to head to Bethlehem.  Makai was still asleep.  Knowing that he may wake up cranky like his Omes, we packed a bag full of cherrios, croissants, and his favorite little carton of apple juice.  When it was time to go, we picked him up, loaded him into his car seat, shoved the apple juice in his face, and away we went.  And he was happy and content up until a bout of motion sickness hit.  I heard a little screech from Oma in the back and turned around to see a wave of apple juice being hurled back up and all over the poor little guy.  All in total there were three waves.  We had to stop along the side of the road, clean the little guy up and change his clothes as he stood naked on the side of Jerusalem's main street.  The car seat though was done for.  It would require a good wash before being used again.  So for the rest of this Christmas Eve Eve trip to Bethlehem trip, he sat in Ome's lap.  Thank God for the lax safety laws in the Holy Land.  

We decided to stop at Rachel's Tomb on the way to Bethlehem to give the little guy a break from the car.  I didn't know exactly the location of the tomb, but the sign pointed straight ahead and straight ahead we went.  We soon arrived in a prison-like encampment: high concrete walls, guard towers, barb wires, and soldiers, lots of them.  I soon realized this is the main Bethlehem checkpoint.  I had avoided this checkpoint the last trip, choosing instead a less popular and less "securitized" checkpoint.  This checkpoint was almost unreal, and signs pointing to Rachel's Tomb were no where to be found.  We stopped to ask a soldier and were directed to a heavy yellow gated entry guarded by two other soldiers.  Once there, the gate slowly opened, and we drove up to the two soldiers who then asked, "Where are you from?"  "United States...Texas."  "Welcome."  We waved bye and drove down a two lane highway lined with three story high walls.  It was about a half mile drive and we came upon the tomb.  And it turns out, the tomb isn't really a tourist site.  It's an active religious site where the Orthodox Jews come to pray.  I think we were the only non Orthodox there.  Jana and Omes visited the women's side of the tomb, and Makai and I visited the men's side. 

Right outside the entrance to Rachel's tomb.

We didn't stay at the tomb long and decided to check out what's on the other side of the wall.  Crossing the checkpoint was simple.  The soldier simply looked at us and figured some Asians with an old woman and toddler wouldn't be any trouble and waved us through.  Once across the checkpoint, we found Bethlehem was not crowded as we had feared.  Final decorations were being set up for the next day's festivities.  We stopped at the Church of the Nativity, tried to cut the long line to see Jesus's birthplace, got yelled at by the guard, and saw a historically incorrect Nativity scene. 

Makai, me, and Omes in front of the Church of Nativity

We also walked around the old city of Bethlehem which is filled with shops and narrow alley ways.  While exploring one alley way, out from a small door, popped a man carrying a tray of coffee-filled glasses.  He asked us if we wanted some coffee.  I was like "Sure.  We just had lunch so coffee would be great."  The man pulled out three plastic stools into the alley way for us to sit and said, "I'll be right back."  While we waited for our coffee to be made, Makai and I continued exploring the alley way, he being my model and I the photographer.  Before I got carried away, Jana came to tell us our coffee was ready.  We had our coffee and tea, said our goodbyes, and bid farewell to Bethlehem on this Christmas Eve Eve. 

I found this lost Palestinian boy and decided to adopt him.

He now serves all of us Arabic coffee.

And translates for us with the locals.