Embedded Files
November 24th - Day 12
November 24th - Day 12
The streets were very quiet this morning. No businesses were open, at least where we were. Looking out of the window of our apartment, the market was empty. But fortunately the rain, which was quite fierce during the night, had stopped.
The streets were very quiet this morning. No businesses were open, at least where we were. Looking out of the window of our apartment, the market was empty. But fortunately the rain, which was quite fierce during the night, had stopped.
After a quick breakfast in our apartment, we headed out to the Old City again, to meet a guide at the Jaffa Gate for a short walking tour.
After a quick breakfast in our apartment, we headed out to the Old City again, to meet a guide at the Jaffa Gate for a short walking tour.
Our tour guide, Shir, at the front of the Jaffa Gate we saw yesterday, on Day 11. The walls behind her began to be built by Saliman the Magnificant in 1547, and were completed four years later. We walked on the ramparts of the walls later in the tour.
The Tower of David. Actually, David had nothing to do with the temple, as archaeologists have discovered the true City of David 3000 years ago is located outside the Old City. The moat in front (bottom layer) was built by Crusaders. The tower itself was built by King Herod around 35 BC. The height of the tower was raised above it during the Ottoman empire.
Inside the old city
Part of what was an ancient shopping area, named the "Cardo Market" . It was named using the same root word as the modern term "cardio" because it was located in the heart of the Old City, 1005 years ago. This area is located in the Jewish Quarter, but was handed to Jordan to administer after the British handed over control in 1948. Jews living there were forced to leave the city at the time, after which the area was then used as target practice for the Jordan military. While most of the Jewish Quarter was destroyed, this area was preserved because it was buried underground, and was not discovered until archaeologists uncovered it while the Jewish Quarter was being rebuilt following the six day war in 1967.
We walked through portions of the Cardo that were not open today due to Shabbat, on Day 14.
The Golden Menorah, located in the Jewish quarter on a plaza overlooking the Dome of the Rock, is made of solid gold weighing 45 kg, with a value of over several million dollars. The Menorah is quite controversial. The group that funded it, the Temple Institute, have indicated that they hope to eventually have the Menorah to be housed in a rebuilt holy temple on the Temple Mount. This presents a little bit of a problem. Dome of the Rock is in the way, and the worldwide Muslim community might be a bit upset if someone were to show up with a bulldozer. Let's hope no one takes this idea seriously.
The Western Wall, with the Dome of the Rock in the background.
A closer view of the Western Wall. It is Shabbat today, a special time to be in Jerusalem.
Part of the Arab market
The entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre .
Shir, displaying a copy of an ancient drawing of Europe, Africa and Asia, with Jerusalem at its heart.
After the tour, we paid 18 shekels (approx.6 dollars) for one of the most unusual tours of the old city... along the Rampart wall surrounding much of it today. The photos below show something of what we saw along the way..
Dome of the Rock,seen above the rooftops of the Old City
Damascus Gate, one of eight major gates into the Old City, including Jaffa Gate, where we began our walk along the rampart wall.
On the rampart above the Damascus gate.
A video along the Rampart Wall near the Damascus Gate. The sound you will hear in the video is rising up from the Arab market below, which will come into view approx. 14 seconds into the video.
Click on the "Play" icon to view.
On the way back, we attended a short service marking the close of Shabbat at the Great Synagogue, the largest synagogue in Jerusalem. Much more formal than the one we attended last night... an interesting contrast, considering both are are orthodox synagogues.
Shabbat over, the Mahane Yehuda Market reopened in the evening. However evening there is much different during the day. Gone are the produce and craft vendors. Instead, a much more youthful crowd takes over, filling bars and small restaurants that run well past midnight.
Why fight the noise? Join in!
Actually, we went earlier in the evening, and had a fun time. We even found some folks from Vancouver that Hilary knew, wandering through the market, doing the same.
Hookah (water-pipe) smoking, while it as significant health risks, has become very popular in Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East in recent years, and were available for anyone to use in the market.
Closed shops have colorful murals painted on their doors. Together with music and the young crowd, it was a festive, interesting end to the day.
Return to Hilary and Stan in Israel 2018
Return to Hilary and Stan in Israel 2018
Report abuse