Jerusalem- Day 2

Temple Mount

We are out of our apartment by 8:15am and head directly to the Temple Mount. This place is significant to Christians, Jews and Muslims. See this link for details.

We line up near the Dung Gate. They call it the Dung Gate because way back then this was the gate where you exited to throw out the dung and garbage. To access the Temple Mount we must go through security and show our passport before walking across an ugly wooden bridge which offers great views of the Wailing Wall.

The Wall is really busy today…or maybe it is like that every day.

Upon entering the Temple Mount Emily and I are both handed shapeless skirts to wear as our skirts are not sufficiently long enough.

The four of us huddle close together and set up the selfie stick for a picture in front of the Dome of the Rock when a guy comes running out of nowhere yelling, “No touching! No touching”. Apparently men and women cannot touch on the Temple Mount. I see him running up to several other tourists who are standing close together for a photo.

We are not permitted inside the gold domed Muslim shrine which is built on top of two Jewish temples. We walk around the grounds and get a great view of the Mount of Olives.

Throughout our visit, I hear the guy yelling at other tourists, “No touching!”.

Em and I return our lovely skirts and we all depart the Temple Mount area. We head out of the city through the Damascus Gate.

Mount of Olives

The bus station is not far from the gate and for 6 shekels (about $2 each) we get on a bus heading to the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane.

Surprisingly we get off at the correct spot, the German run Church of the Ascension which has a bell tower. With over 200 stairs, I stay below but Em and the guys go to the top of the bell tower. We have a tasty lunch in the cafe before continuing our tour of the Mount of Olives.

We tried to get into the Russian church which……. but it closes between noon and 2pm.

We continue to a huge cemetery and climb a pathway down, down and down, passing the gold, onion-domed Orthodox Church (also closed). At the bottom is the garden of Gethsemane where Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss.  We go into the church which is so very peaceful.

We cross the street to the burial place of Mary Magdalene. Unfortunately the church on that site is closed. Nearby are some olive trees that are over 2,000 years old.

Walking Tour

Leaving the Mount of Olives, we head up and up and up back into the Old City. My legs are screaming. John comments on how muscular all our legs are starting to look.

At 2pm we arrive at the Jaffa Gate to meet up with Sandemans Free Walking Tour of the Old City. The tour is a pay what you want at the end tour. We take these tours in most places we visit. They are a great way to get yourself oriented and learn a lot about the city.

The tour takes us through the Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian quarters of the Old City. An excellent tour.

Before heading back, we do some shopping in the Old City market.

By the time we get back, we are all exhausted. John and I go into a mini market and I ask the guy how much for an Asian noodle soup (just add boiling water).  He says “30 shekels” ($12 CAD).

I smile and say, “Nice try”, cross the street to another mini mart and buy the same soup for 6 shekels ($2 Cad).

We stay in and have an early night.