It was anything but the weekend for the Wildcats on Saturday in Jerusalem, as they spent time in the historic Old City and the Western Wall before getting in a spirited practice to close the afternoon.
After another amazing breakfast at the hotel, the team boarded the busses and made their way over to the Old City of Jerusalem. The history in this area is something that is hard to put into words.
The first stop was the Room of the Last Supper where it is believed that Jesus had his final meal with his disciples. It was a fairly non-descript upper room that had been remodeled over time so it no longer looked as it would have at the time.
From there, the group made its way to the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. It is considered one of, if not the most holy places for the Jewish people. The wall was part of the retaining wall for the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem and it is 160 feed long by 60 feet high. It dates back to the second century and the custom is to leave small pieces of paper in the all with wishes or prayers on them. It was a moving experience for many in the group, regardless of their own religious affiliation.
Following a short walk through the Old City, the group stopped for lunch in the middle the city, enjoying falafel, hummus, rice and chicken at a small restaurant.
Once everyone had a full stomach, they made the short walk to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is the traditional site of Jesus crucifixion and burial. Led by a tour guide, the group saw the area where the crucifixion is believed to have taken place, then where the body was prepared for burial and then finally the tomb where he was buried. The current version of the church dates back to 1810 after previous versions were burned down or destroyed.
After some shopping at some of the many local vendors along the way, the Cats boarded the bus and headed to the Jerusalem YMCA for practice as they continued preparation for Monday's game against the Israel Select team.
The game will be played at Hadar Yosef Arena in Tel Aviv starting at 9:00am Pacific Time (7:00pm local time in Israel). Tickets are free, but are first come, first served and should be requested online at this link.
Be sure to follow the Wildcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or online at arizonawildcats.com/SummerTour for the most up-to-date content from the trip including how to watch each of the three scheduled games.
