The Holy Land

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Given my friends' thorough mental preparation about Israel, I was not surprised with the tight security and fully clad soldiers. I have to say that I was taken back by the relaxation and safety I felt in Tel Aviv. Maybe its all because of the warm Mediterranean breeze. With the never ending beaches and sun, it truly is a sun city. Another fact that my friends didn't tell me is that Tel Aviv is also the sin city of the middle east, just like Vegas...maybe its because of the neighborhood I stayed at.

Moments after I walked into Old Jerusalem, the aforementioned safety was peeled away a thin layer. I am staying at a hostel right outside the Damascus gate, in the Arab district. I got lost for a moment after entering the Old City and wondered in the back streets of the Muslim Quarter. Soon I found two 5-7 year olds yelling "shalom!" and throwing rocks at me. Not sure if that's the typical games they play in the backyard, but from their smiles seemed like they were having fun.

Old Jerusalem is a city of sense. The smells of exotic spices, raw meat, fresh produce, cheap perfume, and human sweat mingle into a unique odor that requires sometime to get used to, but after a while becomes quite endearing. The sound of Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, and English in pretty much every quarter made the place transcend above the political tension people view in TV. The sense of danger and political maelstrom here is not what people envision back in the states. Most of what people see on news are singular events that do not represent the general life style. With that said, beneath the seemingly calm surface I definitely sense certain level of uneasy, which could without a doubt translate to more dramatic events.

It still amazes me that this small area (it took me 4 hours to walk throughout the city, granted very little time is spent learning the sites) holds so much significance to human civilization. To list the holiest places, the Church of Sepulchre (where Jesus was crucified and tombed), Dome of the Rock (where Muhammad ascended to heaven), and Temple Mount (foundation of God's creation of the world according to Judaism). Old Jerusalem is a spiritually dense and mentally heavy place, no matter which cup of tea you prefer.

Sneak peak about the next blog: West Bank. Got back from there today, and will write about it in the coming days.

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