Yaruuuushalem

Today we took a tour with a tour group to Jerusalem. We didn't actually make reservations with the tour group beforehand, we just showed up on their bus and asked them if we could come along. And they let us, after paying of course. The tour was once again in both English and French. We went to the western wall--the most holy spot for the Jewish community and we wrote our "wish list" as our tourguide called it and stuck it in the crack. Thursday is barmitzfah (sp?) day, so there were parties and music going on. The women had to stand on the women's side of the wall, but they looked over at their sons. So we looked over too, and saw little boys with boxes tied to their heads with the ten commandments in them or something, and they were reading with adult men. When they finished, the women started cheering and singing and throwing something like candy or confetti at them. It was pretty cool. Maybe it's weird that we are watching their religious rituals as entertainment and taking pictures. . . maybe they like it.

We walked the "last steps of Jesus" on the Via Dolorosa. There are stations from the point where Jesus was judged to his supposed spot of crucifixion and burial in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.There was one part of the path that looked like what the movies depicted. I guess the center of the world is in this church. We took pictures of us touching it. Who knew that it was in Jerusalem? Not I. Who knows what is the right space or not, it's good to remember that it happened. The place designated as Christ's place of crucifixion and resurrection is a shrine full of gold, lanterns, and gaudy artwork.

We went through the underground market, called the Cardo. Jerusalem is a city built on a city (and built on another city? Who knows?). So there is the new market above ground, and then new stores in the place of the ancient marked down below. Pretty cool, I must say. My favorite part was seeing a Spurs uniform in blue and gold colors. I'm still looking for the Ohio State National Championship tshirts . . . I'll find em one day.

We ate lunch at a cafe on the mountain south of the city, where we had a lovely view. There was one point where the wind caught the umbrellas at our neighboring table and launched them in our direction, but there are no puncture wounds to be reported.

We left the tour group and went on our own to go shopping, and of course Brooke's money just melted out of her wallet, and it wasn't due to the heat. Stacy of course was conservative and laughed at me being my father's daughter. There are several vendors who stock their shelves with mormon merchandise. They love mormons here. They probably love anyone who will give them money. They did say they loved how clean we are in our religion. They talked about how family values and such are eroding in the world.

We made it home, having to go the entire way on our own with public transport. We only lost our way in the bus stations, a couple times. I guess the person in charge of making signs legible to non-Hebrew readers got laid off when the stations were built--there are some words we can read, but they didn't mention anything with what we needed. It's a pity, really. He probably had a family.

PS -- I know yall like my hat. I've almost thrown it away on several occasions as it serves double time as a sail. We need to get one of Stacy's hat photos on here asap.