18th November
Jericho.
Today we have come for a day out to Jericho with the students from the Bethlehem branch of the conservatory. At 260 metres below sea level, it is close to the lowest point on earth and is therefore consistently hotter than up in the hills where Bethlehem and Jerusalem are situated. It is well known for its orange and banana trees, and at this time of year it provides an opportunity to enjoy the summer sun once again – during the real summer, it is better to stay in the hills as temperatures here reach uncomfortable levels. As well as being the lowest city on earth, it is also the oldest continually inhabited.
The drive between Bethlehem and Jericho is quite spectacular as the landscape changes from mountainous to flat desert, and the civilisation changes from urban to Bedouin tent dwellers. In Bethlehem you are never far away from the past, but going down towards Jericho is like stepping back into it.
