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People and Places:

Just as I am starting to warm up to this place, it’s time to leave. Jerusalem felt harsh at first, but it helps to stay in one place for three days at least (in general when traveling) in order to find the hidden generosity, kindness and soul. Tourist activities reveal little about the real daily life of a city and its people. Trekking from one holy spot to another left this visitor feeling tired, confused and frustrated at times…but when we left the old walled city and casually wandered into quieter nooks and crannies, we found parks, grass, Burger Bars (?), a thrift store (!), art schools and my people (nice ones).

Made it to the top!

My favorite moment yesterday found us after a longhotsweaty climb to the top of The Mount of Olives. The ground was so slippery that we literally watched a man slide down like a skier just on his sandals! He looked so serious doing it too…sometimes I wonder if there is a no-humor-allowed law here. But my favorite moment actually happened inside the Mosque of the Ascension, a dinky little courtyard (5NIS to enter felt like a real scam) and a tiny room where the rock sits that supposedly was the last spot Jesus stood before rising up to heaven. Ok, nice rock, I was ready to leave after seeing it…and then in walked a man…perhaps the missing member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo…perhaps just a vision manifested by hours of walking uphill in the biblical heat. He was decked out in I<3 Jerusalem gear, from hat to backpack (with an embroidered Rooster to represent St Peter’s denial of Christ). He carried a bright blue tamborine in the shape of the Star of David, and a staff with a cross, ribbons and a maraca attached. Ignoring us he came straight in and stood confidently on the sacred rock and began to pray. His voice echoed throughout the building, deep and throaty and tremulous. He seriously could have been singing backup to Paul Simon. He sang about Jesus and acted as if these two sweaty Americans were just stones in the crumbling wall. His Air Jordans were shiny and his emotion was rich and intoxicating. I would have liked to sing along, but I don’t remember hearing that one in Sunday School…

Oh, and then we met Kojak the Camel:

These people blocked the road for a while, we couldn’t figure out why…

I was a little bit afraid to walk under this installation…dead crow and all:

Today we pick up a rental car and head to Tel Aviv, where we will hopefully relax on the beach and meet up with Eric’s frind Lee who lives here. She has promised some tips on where we can go next week.

Thanks for reading, check out more pictures on Flickr if you so desire (see link below).

Love!