We knew there'd be a wait in a long line in the cold....so we were somewhat prepared. I had brought clementines, bottles of juice and ribs for us to eat...an odd combination, but that's what we had.
And we entertained the kids as best we could. There was 20 questions. Jumping jacks. I spy. And a new game: translate this. I was asked to translate something into Spanish, then they'd check my answer by asking Dad the same thing. (I'm happy to say I got them all right.) At some point, we were reduced to the cheek squeezing game.
We lucked out with some chairs when we got to the 'waiting' tent. A little girl was restless behind us, throwing a small fit for her grandma. I offered her a clementine, which she declined, but that little interaction did stop the tantrum. I always love it when someone speaks to me when my kids are acting up instead of ignoring me. It's so uplifting.
On to the city. We had to pay a shekel to enter the gate and were warned not to give it to the beggars before we got there. I think we were all tempted to give them away....
...but the Roman guards were not to be played with about money.
The streets were bustling with vendors that filled the air with the scents and sounds of the ancient town. Fire pits were around every corner to help us stay warm, while we walked around in awe at how realistic everything was.
There were shepherds, animals, wise men,
...and most importantly, a baby born in a manger. Every now and then, one of the actors would sing out a carol...including my favorite, "Mary Did You Know." If there is one thing we did this season that helps us understand the meaning of Christmas, this was it... and worth the simple sacrifices of warmth and patience.
2 comments:
wish we would have gone- looks wonderful!
Hi, Stacey! It was so fun. Something to look forward to for next year already!
Post a Comment