Everything we did today was in short driving distances. I never really thought about how many miles apart the stories in the bible are but since the weather here is 1,000 degrees in the shade, it was nice not to have to walk very far in the heat or get into a boiling hot car so many times. I will tell you that at the end of the day today our guide left us indoors and said he would go start the car to cool it off. He must have seen us dragging because he hopped the curb in his Mercedes minivan and met us halfway! I thought that was breaking all kinds of laws but he was good with it and we all were really good with it! Honestly, to tell you the truth our guide asked us at the end of our scheduled day today if we wanted to go into "town" and look at diamonds. The heat must have really gotten to me because my immediate answer without bothering to ask the rest of the family was "no". I went heat crazy I guess. Israel's largest export is diamonds. They are the best diamond cutters in the world. Maybe we will get another chance?
The church that is built on the mountain where Jesus gave us the Beatitudes is octaganal in shape. Eight sides for the eight Beatitudes. The windows in the church are not lovely at all. They are at eye level so you can see the vistas but they are plain glass, quite long and are "Florida rollouts". Not really what you would expect but I had never thought about it. Usually churches have magnificent windows that guides tell you all about. Not this one.
The church is run by Dominican sisters. We met one, Sister Mary Rose. She was lovely. She told us about the church and wished us safe travels. Nick had his picture made with her and told her he had gone to a school at home called Saint Rose, that made her very happy.
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