This afternoon, I walked from the hotel to the Jaffa Gate and went into the Christian Quarter of the Old City. The first thing I encountered after passing through the gate was a man trying to sell me a camel ride, along with a kid looking pretty enthusiastic about riding around the square on a camel. Even though a second man walked up and told me I would look very sexy riding on the camel, I ultimately declined.
Walking down from the hill, I had a nice view of the St. Andrew's Church and adjoining hotel. My hotel is the highest buildling in the photo (click to enlarge). The white rail across the top (to the right of the white dome) is the site of all the other pictures with the view of Jerusalem. The flag-bedecked building just below is the Menachem Begin Center.
The Old City, just inside Jaffa Gate.
Inside the Old City, I walked through a crowded (and seemingly endless) alley of shops, where I was (also seemingly endlessly) invited to have tea with shopkeepers. One jewelry stall owner invited me to tea and made me a ring on the spot with a lovely green bead. I had already told him I didn't have my wallet with me (I forgot to bring it), so I thought this was a pretty nice gesture. Once I finally navigated through the market area, I arrived at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This is a pretty fascinating church where I had the opportunity to touch a piece of Golgotha and also the slab on which Jesus was (purportedly) laid to be buried. The building is divided into six parts because it is claimed by Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syriac Orthodox churches simultaneously. The Catholics, Greeks, and Armenians are in charge most of the time. It's kind of chaotic since different groups are in charge of separate parts at different times, so if you're in line for the sepulchre when it changes from Greek to Armenian, everything might stop for some kind of procession with incense and candles and you'll lose your place in line while they put a new person in charge. The groups don't seem to share the space well at all. I met up with three nice Mormon guys from Utah, one of whom had been to the church seven times and was a font of knowledge about its history. I tagged along with them and learned a lot as we saw the rock of Golgotha, the sepulchre, the slab where Jesus was (supposedly) anointed for burial, and two original Jewish tombs, the best archaeological evidence that this spot is the actual location of the Holy Sepulchre.
The rock of Golgotha, the mountain where Jesus was said to be crucified. You can actually reach down through a hole and touch the stone. The church was built around this rock outcropping.
The entrance to the Holy Sepulchre.
Jesus' burial slab.
Ancient Jewish burial sites.
My Mormon friends: Ace, Jason, and Robby.
