Feeling like your wings have been clipped? Travel vicariously with me. No passport or vaccination required.
JERUSALEM
In Jerusalem’s city center, Ben Yehuda, a pedestrian street, and Jaffa, with its light rail tracks come together at Zion Square.
Beautiful Israeli women skillfully create yummy crepes on Ben Yehuda St.
In neighboring Nachlaot, this narrow street below my balcony was a main thoroughfare to the shuk.
Hustling and bustling, shopping in the open air Mahane Yehuda (shuk) is a contact sport.
Jump on the light rail train just outside the shuk or walk a short distance along Jaffa St. to the Old City.
Enter the Christian quarter through popular and busy Jaffa gate.
The coffee shop next to Christ Church serves the best coffee and pastries in the world.
Outside the towering stone walls of the Old City, Jerusalem sprawls in every direction.
Continuing counter-clockwise past Zion gate, we enter the Jewish quarter through the Dung gate.
I once left my laptop on the low wall here at Dung Gate. When I retraced my steps 2 hours later, it had been turned in at the white soldiers’ kiosk!
It’s a rare opportunity to photograph the Orthodox Jews and their wives- especially smoking, smiling, and cutting up!
Outside the Temple Institute, Western Wall Plaza spreads out before me.
Beneath its waxy patina the wall is warm, and I envision all the hands and foreheads that have touched it.
Notes and prayers are placed in the wall’s crevices. Biannually they are collected, bagged and buried on the Mount of Olives.
At the southeast corner of the old city, I tagged along with some people heading up to the Mount of Olives to see the sun set.
In the Kidron Valley is Zechariah’s tomb (right). Tomb of Absalom is below.
An ordinary street, except for the Garden of Gethsemane beyond the wall on the right.
As the soldiers apprehended Jesus, the apostles fled here.
It is easy for us to overestimate our own faithfulness. Will we will be ready to stand for Christ in the day of trial?
The double Golden Gate has been sealed for 600 years. Jesus made His triumphal entry here. A week later they killed Him.
Across the Kidron Valley, the Golden Gate directly faces the Mount of Olives. The Bible says it is here Jesus will make His second appearance on earth. (Zechariah 14:4 KJV)
Read earlier posts Tomb-Much Information and Risen for the full stories and photographs.
Thank you Marie for the photos of Israel. It is so beautiful and the food so so good. I needed these today. Stay well and stay warm. Sending love. Val
Absolutely beautiful
Thanks for the memories. Enjoyed