"I have kube in my underpants:" Jerusalem Day Two

I'm not going to explain that title, I just didn't want to call this plain old "Jerusalem Day Two." Someone did say that today, but there was no kube in the underpants.

Today was another amazing day in Jerusalem. This time, just photos:

p.s. photo credits to Libby for a couple of these, the ones that are artsy and good :)

Dome in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre


Calvary (Golgotha): In the middle is an altar of the spot where Jesus was crucified, and on either side the rock of Calvary can be seen through glass


Lighting candles at the shrine on Calvary


People wait in line to pray at the foot of the shrine to the crucifixion. It was incredible to see so many different people from around the world so moved by this spot


Lunch (and dinner, since as you can see this was quite the feast)


Kube (pronounced like koo-buh)


The local shuk (market)


Dried fruit and nuts in the shuk


Spices spices spices


***

On a completely unrelated note, remember that semi-angsty post I wrote awhile back about technology? This gives me hope.

Hope everyone had a happy hump day!

Love,
Jess

I am not a frier!

No, I don't mean something that makes crispy, delicious fatty food.

Frier is the hebrew word for "sucker," and today I became one.

But don't worry, this story has a happy ending.

I'm going to try to keep this post light on words and heavy on pictures, and let the beauty of Jerusalem speak for itself.

But a few highlights from today:

1) Libby had to work this afternoon, so I explored the Old City area solo. After being suckered into paying 40 shekels (about $10) for falafel and a Diet Coke at lunch, I was resolved never to be a frier again. I triumphed twice, first when a man in the market tried to sell me a framed photo he claimed his grandfather took in 1890 (there was a neon sign in it), and then when I successfully bargained down a bracelet I was eyeing to less than half the asking price. After I nearly walked away, the jeweler looked at his friend and said, "She may be pretty, but she's not easy." This confirms my thought that my decidedly non-local (not necessarily pretty) appearance puts me at even greater risk of becoming a frier.

I should note that the guy who tried to sell me the photo also said that Condoleezza Rice is among his customers. This may or may not be true. He also said he had the deepest well in Jerusalem. I saw it, and it did look pretty deep.

2) There are cats EVERYWHERE. Libby said the British brought them in to get rid of the mice. Now they have a cat problem. I want to pet them all, but Libby assures me Israeli cats are not as cuddly. This was reinforced by an epic cat battle I saw while on a guided walking tour. The cats are just as scrappy as the people who live here.

(n.b. There are also guns everywhere, since Israeli soldiers have very strict rules about where and when they can leave their rifles unattended. Therefore, they carry M-16s pretty much anywhere they go. Some of you may think this is scary, but actually it wasn't long before I didn't even notice anymore)

3) While waiting for the guided walking tour to start, I was approached by a mute tour guide who told me he offered a better tour. I was skeptical until we managed to have a 45 minute conversation in impromptu sign language. Unfortunately this tour included the West Bank, so I politely declined.

4) People continue to be unbelievably hospitable and unbelievably frank. For example, I was asked if I am married four times, and asked whether I am a Christian several times too. When it got chilly two people offered me a jacket, and while I was waiting for Libby a really nice Palestinian man sat and chatted with me and gave me free snacks from his food cart. Another Israeli offered me a seat near a small fire he'd made and also gave me food. I am well fed :)

And now, I will let the photos do most of the talking:

Libby and I at Jaffa Gate, an entrance into the Old City


Mosaic in the Jewish quarter (the Old City is divided into the Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Armenian quarters)


One of many markets, this one in the Armenian quarter


Blackhawk fans so far from home!


Sunny square in the Arab quarter where I ate lunch


Courtyard in the Jewish quarter


Walking through a Roman aqueduct beneath the city. When the Roman emperor Hadrian conquered Jerusalem he wanted to build a flat city on top of the old one, so the Temple Mount in the center of the Old City actually sits several stories above the ground.


Dome of the Rock, a shrine to where the Muslim prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven


Dome of the Rock with the Mount of Olives in the background. Depending on your definition (and like many things here it's disputed), the area in the distance could be considered part of the West Bank


A corner of the Western Wall (the egde of the Temple Mount) and al-Asqa Mosque, the third most important mosque in Islam after Mecca and Medina


Men praying at the inner portion of the Western Wall. This is the closest you can get to the Holy of Holies, the most sacred place in Judaism. People bring prayers written on little notes and place them in the wall. When the wall gets too full, they take all the notes out and bury them. We had to view this through one-way glass, because women are not allowed in that particular area near the wall.


Via Dolorosa, the street where Jesus carried the cross on the way to his crucifixion


Station #9. On the crucifixion walk there are 14 stations, each where something pivotal happened on Jesus' walk to Calvary. Station 9 is where he fell for the third time.


Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on Calvary where Jesus was crucified


The Rotunda, where Jesus' tomb was held and he was resurrected.


Jerusalem is an incredible place, and I can't believe how much I've already seen and learned in just one day. Libby is an unbeatable tour guide and I have met some wonderful people! I am so, so lucky.

I hope everyone's well!

Love,
Jess

Hello from Israel!

I'm here! After a fairly smooth flight (as smooth as EasyJet gets), I arrived in Tel Aviv to the welcoming arms of Libby and her fantastic parents.

I have only been here a few hours, but so far:

1) I ate life-changing falafel, smothered in tahini and pickled vegetables. It was heaven, and was, according to Libby, just the first of many earth-shattering culinary experiences I'm to have this week.

2) Israel is beautiful. I've only seen it at night, but it's a fascinating mish-mash of cultures and people. That's true of most cities, but it seems even more pronounced here.

3) All of the street signs are written in English, Hebrew and Arabic.

4) Here in Jerusalem all of the buildings have to be built with Jerusalem stone. It's a lot like limestone, and it cools the homes and gives the whole city a serene, white blanket-y look at night.

5) I have already learned a few words in Hebrew, and have attempted (rather sheepishly) to use them. My favorite, and the most commonly used, is "beseder." It's pronounced more like bessedo, and it just means "okay." But it's used in a reassuring tone, and the pronunciation is really comforting, like someone putting an arm around your shoulder.

6) The Israelis are very aggressive. Not in a scary way. The way Libby describes it is that all Israelis treat each other like family, good or bad. That means they will shower you with warmth and hospitality (definitely my experience so far), but they also don't feel the need for polite pretense. They also don't really use lines. If you want something (whether it's falafel or getting off a plane), you just have to push forward and get it for yourself. I'm putting my game face on for the week ahead!

Libby is shaping up to be the tour guide to beat all tour guides, and tomorrow we have a jam-packed day planned, starting with Indiana Jones-esque exploration of the Old City, including the Wailing Wall.

It's going to be an amazing week!

Hope your week's off to a good start, too!

Love,
Jess