Bethlehem: O Holy Night! The celebration in Nativity Square was remarkable. Met some friends on the bus, Ross and Pamela. Numerous local and international choirs sang songs while people danced and ate food, as we lit Chinese lanterns and launched them into the night sky. Arriving shortly after us was a special visit to the manger site by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Found a near-American version of Starbucks (look closely at the sign). To finish the night, after pleading with local security personnel for 1.5 hours, we were able to bypass five security checkpoints, sneak into St. Catherine's Church of the Nativity, and witness midnight mass in six languages.
