20180603 Jerusalem: A very long day from 8:00-5:00 and all in Old City and City of David. Exhausting and exhilarating. Yael and her father (who is also a guide) picked us up. They had parked one of their cars in a lot by the Old City since spaces are hard to get. So he drove us up there, parked, and took their car home.
Tough to even outline all that we did. Yael’s father first had driven us totally around the Old City to see all the walls and all the gates. We entered the Zion Gate into the Jewish Quarter and walked to the Roman Cardo (old main street that ran the length of the city) where Yael gave us an overview using a map depicting Roman times. We then spent a good amount of time in the Jewish Archeological Park outside the walls. Got a full history of Jerusalem from the beginning to now … all the epochs and rulers, when the First and Second Temples were built and by whom and when destroyed, etc.
All through the walk, we got good views of the Dome of the Rock and the El Aqsa Mosque. The Old City is on Mt. Moriah and the Dome of the Rock is the place where the world was created … where Heaven touches the Earth, and is the place where Abraham bound Isaac. Both the Dome of the Rock and the mosque are on the Temple Mount, and not really accessible by non-Moslems except in specific times. And we saw a movie (the first of many of the day) about the history of Jerusalem.
In the park, we went to the where the steps to the Temple are and could see the arches for where Jews entered and exited from the Temple. All the arches are sealed with rocks, but their outlines are clearly visible. The stairs are broad with many steps taking one up to the walls.
And we went to a place where the Southern Wall meets the Western Wall. It’s not the area where people pray since it’s at the other end away from where the Dome of the Rock is above. When the Romans conquered Jerusalem, they wanted to tear down not only the Temple, but also all the walls. However, the stones of the walls were so huge that all they could do was throw down much smaller rocks and boulders, which are at the base of this section of the Western Wall.
After a break for iced coffee (our first of a few), we went to the Western Wall where Andy and I split off from Yael, Marian, Tracy, and Anna since there are separate sections for men and women. We had all made prayers on scraps of paper which we put into the Wall as we prayed there. It is a very emotional experience for me. I was here in 1970 and am blessed to be here today. Tough to know exactly what my feelings were, but touching the wall (and when we first saw Jerusalem from Mt. Scopus) brought tears to my eyes.
After the Wall, we all went on a tour of the tunnels below and parallel to the Western Wall all the way to an ancient aqueduct and cistern. This is a guided tour and takes a bit of time (and more movies). What we can see on the surface of the Wall is only part of it. Much is underground all the way to bedrock. Emerging, we got a brief introduction to the Stations of the Cross and then went to the Austrian Hostel for another iced coffee and a rest in their garden.
We walked the route of the Stations of the Cross and Yael told us about each one. It’s all in the Chistian Quarter. You end up at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site of where Jesus was crucified, prepared for burial, and buried. It’s a church that belongs both to the Catholic Church and Greek Orthodox Church. Beautiful inside and very meaningful for the faithful.
We walked through the the Moslem Quarter back to the Jewish Quarter and had lunch (bagel, cream cheese, salmon!). Finally, we did some shopping in the Jewish Cardo and left the Old City and walked down to the City of David, the oldest Jewish settlement that pre-dates the Old City.
Saw a 3D movie about the City of David and then toured a bit. We were all flagging from all the walking, so did not go down to the aqueduct or the tunnel there, but walked way uphill back to the car park and headed back to the hotel for a rest.
About 8:00, we went out to dinner at Olive and Fish down the street. As with about everything we’ve eaten here, was very good.
So tomorrow we leave here at 8:15 for another full day.
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