Old City, Jerusalem: Walking the ramparts and more

October 1, 2011

An email message [amended] to Rob after a full day on our own:

We're doing great! And hope you are too.

Walking on the ramparts starting from Jaffa Gate gave us unbelievably wonderful views looking north and east and gave us more "private" views of the city -- schools and school yards, private living quarters, roof top play grounds, clothes lines, and patios. Dad was our guide with me and Evelyn (from NJ) joining in on the adventure. Since it was ticket admission to the ramparts, the area was clean, graffiti-free, and quiet except an occasional meow from one of the very many cats who live all over the Old City.

Exterior, St. Stephen's Gate

Interior

St. Ann and Mary

St. Ann's church

After at least two hours on the ramparts (we descended at St. Stephen's Gate, pictured above) we went underground in caves/grottos to visit what some say is the probable birthplace of Mary (mother of Jesus) in the home of her parents Anne and Joachem. Above ground are the pools of Bethesda and St. Ann's Catholic church wherein the acoustics are exemplary as in the Cathedral in St. Paul MN. Several choirs took turns singing while we were there; one from Africa, another from an Eastern European country. These were wonderful experiences, quiet and contemplative without hordes of people around. Our friend Fr. Tom Garvey had said that the St. Ann Church was one he returned to frequently when he lived in Jerusalem for two weeks years ago.

During the day Dad also led us to the possible Tomb of Jesus, in a beautiful quiet garden -- the Garden Tomb -- a few blocks from a noisy souk and a few more blocks from the very busy Damascus Gate. This too was quite a find and one we had to come back to when it opened at 2:00pm. See also Sacred Destinations: Garden Tomb, Jerusalem.

Once again we walked back to the Damascus gate of the Old City, past the open market with all sorts of food and clothing vendors, smelling ripe guavas as we went. This time we did not enter the gate but instead went looking for a museum inside the thick walls of the Old City at the arch to the right of the main arch of the Damascus Gate. I questioned if this was the right place because we saw no sign and because there was so much trash! But it was the right place; we found a small sign at the bottom of yet another flight of stairs (my legs and feet hurt!). Interesting museum in a space excavated to the level of the Roman period, meaning that it is likely that we were walking on stones that were there in Jesus' time (first century A.D.) Look at Steve's photos (with some cations) in Part 6 of Israel Albums. 

Whew! That's enough writing! I may have one item out of order because we visited this museum and then went back up the Nablus road hill to the Garden Tomb. Then we walked "home" to Harmony Hotel.

Dinner on our own tonight and there's no "happy hour" in the hotel because it's the Sabbath. We might go across to Zuni restaurant that has excellent reviews online. Second choice: Jeanne, Jim, Steve and I ate a good dinner at Restaurant Bolognese, an Italian restaurant at Shamai Street 12 , Jerusalem, only a block from the Harmony. When we returned to Salomon St., stores we had never seen open were open! They had been closed for Rosh Hashana and Shabbat.

Israel time changes to winter time at midnight so we get an extra hour of sleep; Steve wondered if we get an extra day of vacation?! (kidding, of course).

Steve's webshots of our October 1st adventures begin with a view from our starting point above Jaffa Gate.