Old Jerusalem

Old Jerusalem = Stairs
I'm thinking we did about 400 stairs today. Maybe more.
The only flat part of today was the Temple Mount and there were even some stairs up there.

Think airport security. All bags searched and scanned, and walk through the detector. Israeli military police everywhere as well as Muslim.

 We got to the site very early. It opens at 7:30 a.m. and closes by 10:00 a.m. for non Muslims. NO audible praying on the Temple Mount unless you are a Muslim. No laughing, or singing, or disrespectful behaviour. It is also a Holy Site dress code meaning shoulders and knees must be covered

Other than the stairs to get there, the line to get in (that's why our guide wanted us up and running so early), it was completely non eventful.
We saw and learned about all the different areas such as the treasury where Jesus would have turned over the tables, outer courtyard, Gentile area, women's area, men's area, and lots of history.

Because the Temple was built on a large (super large) platform on the top of a mountain. A few football fields if I remember correctly), you can picture that the walls would be both above and below the platform. We got to see both. For those in my Sunday School class - remember we measured those huge stones and went out in the parking lot to show how big they were? We got to see those very stones!

240 ton rock

We walked the entire length of the Western Wall underneath

And of course on top where people go to pray. The holiest site for Jewish people right now as they cannot go where the temple once was (as it is now the Dome of the Rock and overseen by the Muslims.

Overlooking the Western Wall (men's section)

At the wall - women's section

The two of us outside the men's section. Very soon after this it began to rain. It is very strange weather right now.

There is a lot of heaviness in Israel. I had asked for prayer before we left because I was already feeling sorrow. Today there was some lightness as some little Jewish boys played in a park during school time. Laughter and joy.

Outside our guest house here in Old Jerusalem

As a group we walked through the Armenian, Jewish, Christian and very quickly with our tour guide in the lead setting the pace and direction, through the Muslim quarter.

Couldn't resist this one of a parrot at the entrance of one of the Muslim shops

From Anna-Lee
Hi,
Today was a very interesting yet intense day. We did lots of walking and lots of learning.
Today we went to the Temple Mount in old Jerusalem. It was interesting trying to get in with all the security. I felt as if I was back at the airport. When we were there, as we walked around, there were a lot of police and soldiers walking around.
We saw lots of old buildings and learned a lot about the first temple and the second temple built by Herod.
We also learned lots about the Muslims and we saw their shrine the Dome of the Rock. It is truly an amazing building and the colours they used are breathtaking. I always thought that the Dome was a mosque but it is really just a shrine though some Muslims do pray in there.
Next we left the Temple Mount and up a flight of stairs and another and another and another... to get to a delightful coffee place for a snack, I had a lava cake (brownie with chocolate sauce inside) and a hot chocolate, my mom had an apple pie tart (mini apple pie)!

Overlooking Old Jerusalem. We had lunch here too.

Then we walked back down the steps we came up to go to the western wall tunnels. They are mostly high cavernous stone cave like things though at some points you might not want to go if you are claustrophobic. Even I who am not felt like it would be very nice to have some fresh air. Some of the stones were huge and by huge I mean longer then your living room. Don`t forget though that they would have been moved only by animals and people they did not have machines back then.
I don`t really remember much after that, I was very tired and it had started to rain. I was wet, tired, and not feeling very good with all my coughing.
We went to a museum and saw some of the Saducees' houses or villas as they are called. We saw lots of dishes and cups and such. Also something our guide said was that they had mosaic floors because they are on Herod`s side. I had never really thought of it that way!

The remains of a Sadducee's home - very large

Example of the real mosaic flooring of a Sadducee's home

A model of one of the Sadducee's homes

I am going to say goodnight,
Anna-Lee