Holy Land Tour Sept-Oct 2012

Wow I don't even know where to start or how to express what a great experience it was to go to the Holy Land.  It has been a long time dream of mine to go there.  35 years ago when I was at BYU I was singing in the BYU Acapella choir. Our tour that summer was to go and visit Israel.  I was very excited about it but after meeting the man of my dreams I decided to marry him and give up the opportunity to go on this trip.  (The best decision of my life!) Back in those days you couldn't be in the choir and tour if you were married.  They have now changed that policy.  So my good and wonderful husband had always said we could go someday.  Well.....35 years later, 5 beautiful children, four awesome son-in-laws and 11 in a half delightful grandchildren we fulfilled our dream of going to the Holy Land.  It was a spiritually rewarding trip even though at times exhausting:).  We had an amazing tour guide, John Madsen and he made the scriptures come alive.  We met some of the most wonderful people that I felt like I had known forever.  They were bright, successful, spiritual and positive people that just made you feel good to be around.  They were an inspiration to us. 

 Inside the Citadel

 Looking out over the city of Cairo.

 Close up of the camel

 Ken and I at the pyramids.

 Dad riding on the camel.

      We started out the trip in Cairo, Egypt.  These are pictures of the Citadel one of the largest Mosques in Cairo.  Egypt is 95% Muslim.    Next we headed out to the pyramids.  They were quite an amazing architectual wonder. It seems it would not be that easy to build them in the exact shape and it is sad to think how many people toiled to build tombs for the big ego's of the Pharoahs.

 A cute Egyptian girl dressed up to sell her trinkets.  There are vendors everywhere trying to sell things.  Tourism has been their main source of income and it has been decreasing with all the unrest in the Middle East.

 The sphinx built to "guard" the tomb of the pharoah.