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When you get out of your car to enter the Holy Land Experience theme park in Orlando Florida you are often met by a person dressed in the costume of ancient Jerusalem. This person will greet you with "Shalom," and you will then pass back in time to what this Holy City would have been like over 2000 years ago, when Jesus walked its streets.

If you enter right at the time the park is opening you will be able to join a guide in the blowing of the shofar, an instrument from ancient Biblical times made from the horn of a ram, and a prayer before going deep into the park. You will be informed that you will be able to walk to any point in the park within one-minute time. This may be a little challenging for everyone, but all of the exhibits and theatres are closer together than you will find at most amusement parks. This park is unlike many parks in more than just the smaller size. The Holy Land Experience is run by Trinity Broadcasting Network, a non profit Christian organization with a goal of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So the park is centered on all things Christian. You will find replicas of Bethlehem, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple. Various shows are going on at different places in the park throughout the day, so it is important to get a schedule and pick the things you want to put on your priority to see list. There are live reenactments of Historical Biblical events as well as plays depicting other Christian themes.

The Scriptorium, a museum where you will learn how the writing and preservation of the Bible has occurred over the centuries, is an important part of a visit. This exhibit takes almost an hour if you follow along with the guided tour, but it is more than worth the time. The information about the integral people and places that have ushered the Bible through history to where it is today is fascinating and humbling. Over the centuries, people have risked and even sacrificed their lives so that the Bible could be written and distributed. For people who read their Bible regularly it will bring a new revelation of magnitude of this act that is often taken for granted.

The children visiting the Holy Land Experience can enjoy shows and crafts gear directly to them. One whole section of the park has been designed with little ones in mind. The shows for children might even be interactive so the children can get involved in portraying Bible characters from well know Bible stories. Some of the crafts include: using stencils to write your name in hieroglyphics or ancient Hebrew or Greek, making a bracelet that will help you remember certain Biblical principles, and dressing up in costumes from the ancient times.

The souvenir shops are filled with items to help you remember your time at the park. You can find a variety of books, knick-knacks for your home, apparel, etc. There are items for those on a tight budget all the way up the scale to those wanting to buy expensive imported items from Israel.

The day that my children and I visited the Holy Land Experience it happened to rain almost the entire day. Many of the shows that were scheduled to be in outdoor theatres were moved inside and getting from place to place was a soggy experience. But even that could not dampen the excitement and awe my kids and I had for this wonderful park. We enjoyed the shows, the exhibits, and shopping. We will go back the next time we visit Orlando.

Learn more about this author, A. Y. Ford.
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