Fellow members forgive my earlier pique of jealousy and bring me back a few postcards. We begin in the outer city, visiting the Garden of Gethsemane, the Tomb of Lazarus and the site of the Ascension. Each spot is packed with other tour groups from around the world. Olive-wood geegaws are big here, so I load up on charming carved animals. This is the intersection where God and Mammon ultimately collide, luring rubberneckers like me to the tacky remains.
Hawkers line the narrow streets from one religious landmark to the next.
Bedouin gown for Mom. Return to the Old City with the rest of the tour the next day. Have third religious experience upon discovering that the priest can outshop even me. The tour wraps up back in Jordan with a visit to Petra. A city carved into magnificent many-hued rock, Petra offers little in the way of religious significance.