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My visit to Bethlehem was incomplete. Since we were on a pilgrimage and had limited time, other than the Church of the Nativity, my experience in the city was mostly walking to and from the bus.
Walking to the Church
Our bus parked in an underground tourist center a few blocks downhill from the Church of the Nativity. We walked from there to the church and had a good laugh at some of the creative businesses along the way.
We also walked past homes with images of St. George above the doors. Our guide told us these indicated Christian homes.
Manger Square
After visiting the Church of the Nativity, I got a quick look at Manger Square. This pedestrianized square is in the heart of Bethlehem and where all Christmas celebrations take place. Other than the Church of the Nativity, the Mosque of Omar sits on the square. We didn’t have a chance to visit but we could see the minaret.
Kings Souvenir
Next, we had some time to kill because the Israelis closed the checkpoint to Jerusalem. Because of this, our guide decided to take us to Kings Souvenir, a huge souvenir shop with overpriced goods. There were some impressive pieces in the collection, including hand-carved nativity scenes made of olive wood. They ranged in price from the hundreds to up to US$40,000!
Rachel’s Tomb
On our way out of Bethlehem, we passed an ugly wall surrounding Rachel’s Tomb. The tomb is sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and considered the third holiest site in Judaism. Rachel is said to have died there during childbirth. The wall was built in 1996, effectively separating it from Bethlehem. Access for visitors is only available if coming from Jerusalem. It’s open daily except Saturdays.
Checkpoint
From there, we passed through the checkpoint into Jerusalem and headed to our hotel for the night. We were left with a great desire to return to Bethlehem and spend enough time to fully appreciate and understand the city.
