On Friday, we returned to Bethlehem to meet a colleague and explore more of the city. During a visit to the Church of the Nativity, we saw stained glass feature that delighted us when were visiting in 2015. It’s one of the most expressive camels we’ve seen outside of the animated film The Star. We were also delighted by the tile mosaic on the steps leading to the Dar Al Majus community center.

One of the realities of life in the area is buildings with older plumbing or septic systems that can’t handle flushed toilet paper. You have to use trash bins instead. So, signs like the one below are not uncommon…if not necessary with the same bilingual vehemence.

On Saturday, we did some impromptu hiking, found some interesting rock formations, as well as a rustic cafe with some cute and cryptic decor (and some great fried zucchini).