Pictures are worth a thousand words

In a few days, I have a guest coming from Canada, the wife of one of Gerrit's colleagues, and my friend, Sonya. In anticipation of showing her around while she is in Jerusalem, I visited the Tourist office yesterday to get additional info about some of the places I want to take her.

To my delight, I found out that I could visit Temple Mount (the compound around the Dome of the Rock mosque) without a prebooked tour... and so I couldn't resist, I lined up at the time non-Muslims are allowed in the area, went through security and had a wonderful stroll around the mosque. I also climbed the tower of the Church of the Redeemer (the Lutheran Church near the Holy Sepulchre) and had a magnificent view parts of the Old City. I'm so glad I had my camera... the weather was beautiful and the city and people exuded life!

I'm posting a few of my favourite photos, and will just give a brief legend for each one, then I will let the photos do the rest of the talking for themselves.

So, from top to bottom, left to right: 1. view of the Dome of Rock through a broken window in the Tower of the Church of the Redeemer; 2. These two boys helped me when I was lost.. they showed me to a spot I was familiar and earned some of my pocket change in return... here they are pointing out the Dome of the Rock to me; 3. Cat on a hot tin roof.... well actually cat looking for the amused men below to throw her more scraps; 4. View of the Holy Sepulchre on the right, the minaret of the Omar mosque on the left as seem from the Tower of the Church of the Redeemer; 5. The infamous "Wall" in the foreground east of Jerusalem... in the background, that very faint ridge of mountains is in Jordan, on the other side of the Dead Sea; 6. Detail of Mameluke architecture (14th century) with stalacite stone carvings; 7. View of an Area of the Chrisitan Quarter in the Old City known as the Muristan;


8. The Western (wailing) wall Plaza; 9.Palestinian man carrying his prayer carpet towards the Al Aqsa mosque, Temple Mount; 10. The Dome of the Rock, Temple Mount (the "rock" is the supposed rock that Abraham was going to sacrifice his son Isaac on before the angel stopped him); 11. Woman and children relaxing in the Temple Mount compound; 12. Souvenir stall viewed through the doors of the Church of the Redeemer, Omar mosque minaret in the background; 13. Assorted pickled stuff (purple cauliflower?) on sale in the Muslim quarter.
. Enjoy Tereza