Tel Lachish

Welcome to the City Gate at Lachisch.

 The entrance to the fortified city

 from the time of the Kings of Judah

was via an impressive gateway enclosure

consisting of an outer and inner gatehouse.

The gate at Tel Lachish is the largest one

 in Israel dating to the First Temple period. 

It was discovered in 2016 and fully uncovered in 2018.

In between was an open, paved plaza.

The gateway was the beating heart of the city-

the scene of commerce, judgment and punishment, 

and cultic activities. The prophets spoke in the gateways,

kings sat, and elders and judges

 gathered to hear the latest news.

The gate had a primary military function, 

and guards were posted here,

and the doors were locked at night.

The inner gate from the time of King Hezekiah.

The iron works stand out along the hillside 

depicting the great battles fought here.

This row of chairs was very impressive. 

The back of the chairs showed

how long each King reigned.

We know the story of Sennacherib's conquest 

of Tel Lachish in 701 BC  from the archaeological record

 as well as the Bible. 

It was also chronicled in wall reliefs 

in the conqueror's palace in Ninevah. 

We were the only people here on the day we visited. 

A couple came as we were leaving. 

This is off the path of normal visitors to Israel,

 but worth a stop.

A  Canaanite Temple was discovered in Feb. 2020 at Lachish

and was one of the biggest discoveries in Israel in 2020.

When they found the city gate a few years ago,

 they found many cult symbols 

and perhaps some of the desecration

 that was part of Hezekiah's rampage 

against the false gods.

                                Hezekiah was a godly king. 

He saw evil on the way and prepared for it, 

but He trusted God. He got ready and He trusted. 

When it went from bad to worse- he still trusted God.

It is hard to take in everything 

of the implications of discoveries at Lachish, 

but that revelation might be the biggest story-

trust God no matter what.

Petra, Jordan- Part 2

Some of the landscape of Petra.

Fellow trekker Rev. Aaron Bueltmann -

 checking things out.

 It is the people on this journey

 that made it so much fun.

My brother Kim poses 

with the guards for the journey.

A bit challenging to see all the crew.

Brother-in-law Randy is a long way from Indiana.

Lisa Latall is having a bit

 of fun with Aaron's scarf.

My sister Lee Ann and husband Randy

 finishing up the day of walking.

The horse and buggies can take 

walkers back at the end of the day.

A Map of the spread out area to explore in Petra.

We visited the new museum 

right outside the entrance to Petra.

We did not have time to do that the last time.  

The earthquake of 363 destroyed much of Petra.

The city shifts and begins to lose its urban presence 

and most of the residents convert to Christianity.

There is a Byzantine church at Petra.

Head of a Bearded Man- Nabatean late 1st century 

Medusa- Nabatean-early 1st century AD

Intricate carving

Large vessel- amazing to piece these 

pieces together after all of these years.

We found the CAVE BAR 

and enjoyed a bit of time to talk about our day together.

Full of memories. 

Shared with two siblings and their spouses.

What a treasure- our visit to one

 of the New 7 Wonders of the World- Petra.

We stayed at the Petra Moon this trip.

 There is something about this 

other-worldly place that calls me back. 

Petra, Jordan- Part 1

                                                

This is the iconic view of the Treasury in Petra, Jordan. This is the most famous structure in this archeological site. It is the 45M high    Al Khazneh, with its ornate Greek-facade facade. Petra dates to around 300 BC and was the capital of the Nabatean Kingdom.  We visited this site for the second time in January 2020. 

The journey to the Treasury

 begins when you get past these two guards.

The trough on the left is part

 of the ancient water system.

Looking up from the "walkway "

 that is called Al Siq, which is a narrow canyon.

An ancient burial spot.

There are many tombs and temples carved into the 

rose-colored sandstone.

That is why it is called the "Rose City."

Finally, after the .75 mile walk 

there is a glimpse of the surprise ahead. 

The Siq literally means "the Shaft", 

and is the main entrance to the ancient Nabatean city

 of Petra in southern Jordan.

This dim, narrow gorge is 

10 feet wide at its widest points. 

The Nabateans were nomadic Arabs

 that made the most of trade routes to secure their wealth.

The amazing colors of the rock at Petra.

More of the many carved rock spaces. This community flourished in the 1st century AD and they were skillful in harvesting rainwater, agriculture and stone carving. At its peak they believe 20,000 people lived here.

At Petra you will see many donkeys 

and locals ALWAYS wanting to give you a ride.

Places along the way they sell their wares.

One of the things to do after some exploring

 is to sit a bit and have some Arabic coffee.

The view outside the window.

Such a stunning view with this blue sky.

One of the things we did not do

 the last time was a camel ride.

I vowed that if I EVER

 got back to Petra, I would ride a camel.

I laughed for pretty much the whole ride.

The caravan is heading out.

It was a lot of fun.

Even the part when I thought

 I would fall right off.

Dusk comes early to Petra in January

 and the walk back begins

 to cast late afternoon shadows.

It is a rather amazing place.

Even on a second visit.

And yes there are scenes from here

 on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.