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Published: June 16th 2017
Geo: 31.0461, 34.8516
I got up early and headed out. I am literally across the street from the Old City. I headed to the Jaffa Gate which is the main entrance to the Christian Quarter and where the free walking tour begins. I had some time before the tour so I wandered over to the Western Wall. The Bar Mitzvah ceremonies were already underway with many, many lined up. It was interesting to observe - proud fathers and shy, uncomfortable looking boys and watching from a closed off area, very, very proud mothers. I then wandered around some more and met up with the tour. It is a good introduction to the Old City and the guide was a combination of history professor, aspiring archaeologist and cautious theologian. We covered the top line of each of the quarters.
I left the tour back at the Western Wall to go see the Kotel Tunnels. Excavations that started in 1968 and continue today show the layers of the Old City. The tunnels open to tourists follow the Western Wall all the way to the "lake" which is a huge cistern that was the main water source for the city when Herod was King.
I exited
Doorway in Armenian Quarter
Jewish homes are found throughout the Old City.the tunnels into the Muslim Quarter and once again wandered around. Found the Via Delarosa and walked 8 of the stations of the cross, got lost, decided to have lunch, got lost again and miraculously ended back at the Jaffa Gate!!!
Chatting with a Danish couple at lunch I learned that there were more stabbings just inside the Damascus Gate yesterday. So sad. There were Israeli police at all of the gates and at several other places but I assumed that was normal.
The city is very clean and I thought everyone was very friendly and welcoming.
I am going back tomorrow for a few hours before heading to Tel Aviv to join my tour.
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Barbara
non-member comment
Happy Birthday! Love and hugs, Barbara