Trip to Jerusalem

No, I'm not talking about the well known pub in Nottingham of the same name. This is our trip to the Holy City of three monotheistic religions. It was Dec. 26, the day after Christmas, and we hired an English speaking Israeli guide so we wouldn't accidentally wander into a dangerous zone. We are certain it was a $140 well spent. It was our only tour guide cost for the whole vacation.

One of the few crosses we saw in Israel. This Catholic church is supposed to be the place where Mary died.

This is King David's tomb -- a very Holy Jewish and Christian monument. Like my fancy yarmulke?

We entered the Old City at Zion Gate shown above. In 1948, all of the old city became Jordan.

The holes are from bullets when they tried to recapture the Jewish quarter in 1948.

In the distance is the Mount of Olives and the old Jewish cemetery -- one of the places we could not visit.

A portion of the Jerusalem wall. Driving around the outside of the wall is also a tour we were not able to do.

This is a picture of Horva, the largest Jewish synagogue which was blown up by Jordan in 1948.

This arch is all that is now left.

Cardo (Quardo) Main Street - the well-guarded heart of the old city.

This shows the two walls that are now visible. The black is the current wall and the red is the old wall - destroyed in 586 BC.

A portion of the old wall - the white-capped tourists are Ethiopian Jews, one of the few tour groups we saw.

These little square enclosures were houses left outside the old wall -- the tour guide referred us to IS 22:10-11.

A display of Magda Watts dolls which were made by a woman who stayed alive making dolls in Auschwitz.

Another doll displayed in the Arab quarter.

This is a Crusader church from the tenth century.

Below, this framed version of Mt. of Olives is dedicated to Bill Kirkoff who likes to take such pictures.

All of us in front of Temple Mount and Wailing Wall.

The ladies side of the wall - the four holes and the white stone above them are from the original temple.

The much more spacious men's part of the wall with Sheldon and Dustan. Due to the unrest, we couldn't visit Temple Mount.

On the way to the Dolorosa (Street of Sorrows) in the Arab quarter, the shops were completely deserted.

But Sheldon managed to get a picture of more activity in a market in the Muslim quarter.

5th station: Cyreneus Simon (from Lybia) carries cross

8th station: Jesus talking to children of Jerusalem.

This is our $140 English speaking tour guide.

We have now entered the Christian quarter, and there are more open shops. Station 10: Jesus undressed.

In the Church of the Holy Sepulcre there are six churches in one. Syrian, Catholic, Copt, Ethiopians, Greek Orthodox, Armenian. Station 11, Nailed (Catholic)

Station 13: Raised cross. (Greek Orthodox.) Here, people put their hand in the very place (!) where the cross rested.

Below is a replica of a 4yh century mosaic map of Jerusalem.

This is the Jerusalem community MeA She'arim .

Station 14 - Burial. Right in front of this mosaic, there was the actual (!) slab where Jesus was laid. True believing Catholics were weeping over it.

This is actually a Lutheran church in the Christian quarter.

It's well known to be the highest concentration of totally orthodox Jews in the world. At Ruth's request, our guide directed us through on the way to a Jerusalem museum.

This is my favorite. Give it time to download. Looking East from Jerusalem, that faint gray line above
the hills are the mountains in Jordan on the other side of the Dead Sea.