THE OLD ARAB MARKET IN THE LABRYNTH OF THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM
Saturday, October 3, 2009
JERUSALEM
THE HOLE IN THE GROUD TOILET IN THE OLD ARAB QUARTER IN JERUSALEM. I WAS DESPARATE. I HAD NO CHOICE.CAIRO, EGYPT
WE DOCKED IN PORT SAID, EGYPT AND PICKED UP OUR PRIVATE TWO-DAY TOUR TO CAIRO AND ALEXANDRIA. WE HAVE AN ARMED GUARD PACKING A HUGH WEAPON WHICH IS LOCKED AND LOADED. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO FEEL SAFE OR SCARED OUT OF MY MIND. ANYWAY, HE STICKS TO US LIKE GLUE. WE DROVE ABOUT TWO HOURS TO CAIRO, PASSING THE SUEZ CANAL. CAIRO IS A HUGE METROPOLIS WITH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AND LOTS OF POLLUTION FROM ALL THE OUTDOOR COOKING FIRES AND MILLIONS OF CARS WITHOUT SMOG PROTECTION. IT IS STRANGE PLACE WITH WAGONS PULLED BY DONKEYS IN THE TRAFFIC LANES NEXT TO LUXURY TOUR BUSES. I STICK OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB BECAUSE I AM NOT WEARING A BURKA AND HAVE NOTHING ON MY BLONDE HEAD. THIS EVENING A KID LOOKED AT ME AND HIS EXPRESSION WAS PRICELESS...OH, SOMEONE FROM MARS!
WE HAD A GREAT DAY. FIRST, THE PYRAMIDS WHICH WERE MAGNIFICENT, THEN THE SPHINX WHICH WAS UNBELIEVABLE AND THEN SAKARA, AND MEMPHIS. I GOT TO GO DOWN INTO A REAL EGYPTIAN TOMB AND THOUGHT I WOULD DIE OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL! I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE ALL THESE SIGHTS. I AM ON SENSORY OVERLOAD! WE HAD A REAL EGYPTIAN LUNCH, WENT TO SEE A HUGE STATUE OF RAMSES II, WHO MAYBE WAS THE PHAROAH OF THE EXODUS. HE WAS MAGNIFICENT.
IT IS VERY HOT HERE AND WE FINALLY GOT TO CHECK INTO THE HOTEL. IT'S A RITZ CARLTON, SO NO COMPLAINTS HERE. I HAVE A 180 DEGREE VIEW OF THE NILE RIVER AND THE WHOLE CITY OF CAIRO. THE POLICE PRESENCE IS QUITE LARGE SO WE TOOK AN EVENING STROLL ALONG THE CORNICHE, NEXT TO THE NILE. I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM DOING THIS. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FASCINATED WITH ANCIENT EGYPT AND HERE I AM RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. THE PYRAMIDS ARE LOCATED RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF CAIRO AND NOT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT AS ONE WOULD THINK. JERRY BOUGHT AN ARAB HEAD DRESS AND WAS WEARING IT ALL DAY. I PRETENDED I DIDN'T KNOW HIM.
TOMORROW IS ANOTHER FULL DAY OF TOURING. WE ARE GOING TO THE CITY OF CLEOPATRA, ALEXANDRIA. IT WAS FOUNDED BY ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND WILL TOUR THAT CITY BEFORE PICKING UP THE SHIP. BUT BEFORE WE LEAVE I WILL DO SOMETHING I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO AND THAT IS VISIT THE EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES MUSEUM IN CAIRO WHICH IS LESS THAN ONE BLOCK FROM OUR HOTEL. I GET TO VISIT MY FRIEND, KING TUT, AND ALL HIS ANCESTORS. I CAN'T WAIT.
WE HAD A GREAT DAY. FIRST, THE PYRAMIDS WHICH WERE MAGNIFICENT, THEN THE SPHINX WHICH WAS UNBELIEVABLE AND THEN SAKARA, AND MEMPHIS. I GOT TO GO DOWN INTO A REAL EGYPTIAN TOMB AND THOUGHT I WOULD DIE OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL! I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE ALL THESE SIGHTS. I AM ON SENSORY OVERLOAD! WE HAD A REAL EGYPTIAN LUNCH, WENT TO SEE A HUGE STATUE OF RAMSES II, WHO MAYBE WAS THE PHAROAH OF THE EXODUS. HE WAS MAGNIFICENT.
IT IS VERY HOT HERE AND WE FINALLY GOT TO CHECK INTO THE HOTEL. IT'S A RITZ CARLTON, SO NO COMPLAINTS HERE. I HAVE A 180 DEGREE VIEW OF THE NILE RIVER AND THE WHOLE CITY OF CAIRO. THE POLICE PRESENCE IS QUITE LARGE SO WE TOOK AN EVENING STROLL ALONG THE CORNICHE, NEXT TO THE NILE. I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM DOING THIS. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FASCINATED WITH ANCIENT EGYPT AND HERE I AM RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. THE PYRAMIDS ARE LOCATED RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF CAIRO AND NOT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT AS ONE WOULD THINK. JERRY BOUGHT AN ARAB HEAD DRESS AND WAS WEARING IT ALL DAY. I PRETENDED I DIDN'T KNOW HIM.
TOMORROW IS ANOTHER FULL DAY OF TOURING. WE ARE GOING TO THE CITY OF CLEOPATRA, ALEXANDRIA. IT WAS FOUNDED BY ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND WILL TOUR THAT CITY BEFORE PICKING UP THE SHIP. BUT BEFORE WE LEAVE I WILL DO SOMETHING I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO AND THAT IS VISIT THE EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES MUSEUM IN CAIRO WHICH IS LESS THAN ONE BLOCK FROM OUR HOTEL. I GET TO VISIT MY FRIEND, KING TUT, AND ALL HIS ANCESTORS. I CAN'T WAIT.
ISRAEL DAY TWO
THIS WAS A DAY SPENT IN THE SOUTH OF ISRAEL. FIRST WE NT TO MASADA WHERE KING HEROD BUILT A PALACE AND WHERE THE INHABITANTS KILLED THEMSELVES RATHER THAN BE ENSLAVED BY THE ROMANS. IT WAS VERY HOT AND WE WERE UP THERE FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE OUR GUIDE FELT THAT WE HAD TO KNOW EVERYTHING. SHE WAS WONDERFUL AND WE LEARNED SO MUCH THAT WE DID NOT MIND THE SCORCHING HEAT. AFTER OUR HISTORY LESSON WE PROCEEDED DOWN TO THE DEAD SEA AT ABOUT 1500 FEET BELOW SEA LEVEL. YOU CANNOT SINK BECAUSE OF ALL THE MINERALS IN THE WATER. WE THEN HEADED TO A PORTION OF THE BEACH WHERE THE MUD WAS AND GAVE OURSELVES MUD TREATMENTS WHICH MADE OUR SKIN FEEL SOFT AND WONDERFUL. IF WE HAD GONE DOWN TO THE SPA WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY HUNDREDS FOR THE SAME MUD. THIS WAS FREE. WE THEN HEADED OVER TO EN GEDI, AN OASIS NEAR THE DEAD SEA WITH BEAUTIFUL GARDENS AND WATERFALLS. WE HAD AN OUTDOOR LUNCH IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. AFTER EXPLORING THE DEAD SEA AREA WHICH IS THE BORDER BETWEEN ISRAEL AND JORDAN, WE HEADED BACK TO THE PORT OF ASHDOD WHERE THE SHIP WAS DOCKED. WE SAW JERICHO AND LOTS OF BEDOUINS IN THEIR BLACK TENTS. JERRY WANTED TO SELL ME TO THE SHEIK FOR THIRTY CAMELS BUT I REFUSED. WE MADE IT BACK TO THE SHIP JUST IN TIME TO SAIL TO OUR NEXT PORT WHICH IS PORT SAID, EGYPT.
HAIFA, ISRAEL
WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST OFF THE SHIP BECAUSE WE HAD A VERY LONG EXCURSION PLANNED. FIRST WE TOOK A TRAIN FROM THE SHIP TO THE BUS STATION. THEN A TWO HOUR BUS RIDE ON A PUBLIC LONG DISTANCE BUS INTO JERUSALEM, THEN WE TOOK A CAB TO THE JAFFA GATE OF THE OLD CITY. THIS WAS QUITE AN EXPERIENCE BECAUSE IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE THE HOLIDAY OF SUCCOT AND ALL THE LOCALS WERE GETTING READY BY BUILDING THEIR LITTLE SUCCAS WHERE THEY WILL EAT THEIR MEALS AND CELEBRATE FOR THE NEXT WEEK. THEY ARE MADE WITH PLYWOOD AND THE ROOFS ARE COVERED WITH PALM FRONDS. THEY LOOK LIKE LITTLE JUNGLE HUTS. WE WENT TO THE WESTERN WALL, OR WAILING WALL WHERE THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CELEBRATING VARIOUS FAMILY EVENTS. THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS WERE INCREDIBLE. I FINALLY GOT UP TO THE WALL, SAID MY LITTLE PRAYERS AND GAVE SOMEONE ELSE A CHANCE TO TOUCH THE WALL. WE THEN TOURED THE OLD JEWISH AND ARAB QUARTERS OF THE OLD CITY, WENT THROUGH THE NEW FANCY MALL, THEN TOOK A BUS TO THE MODERN PART OF JERUSALEM WHICH WAS A VERITABLE BEEHIVE OF ACTIVITY. WE HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. OH, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT WE GOT LOST IN THE LABRYNTH OF THE OLD CITY AND HAD TO ASK ABOUT TEN PEOPLE BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT. OUR LAST STOP WAS THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL, YAD VASHEM. IT WAS VERY UPSETTING TO SAY THE LEAST. WHEN I GOT TO THE ROOM WHERE THEY HAD PART OF AN OLD FREIGHT CAR THAT TRANSPORTED THE JEWS TO THE DEATH CAMPS MY STOMACH ACTUALLY HEAVED AND I THOUGHT I WOULD FAINT. IT CERTAINLY WAS NOT A PLEASANT THING TO DO BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE DID IT. THIS WAS MY SECOND TIME THERE AND IT HAS BEEN GREATLY EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MANY MORE EXHIBITS INCLUDING A CHILDRENS MEMORIAL WHICH WE COULDN’T BRING OURSELVES TO ENTER.
WHAT AMAZED ME ABOUT THIS COUNTRY IS THAT EVERYONE IS IN ONE UNIFORM OR ANOTHER AND MOST ARE CARRYING UZIS. MILITARY SERVICE IS COMPULSORY HERE FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN AND THEY SEEM TO BE JUST BARELY OUT OF CHILDHOOD. I GUESS WHEN YOU ARE CONSTANTLY UNDER ATTACK THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS. AFTER COMPULSORY SERVICE YOU ARE IN THE RESERVES FOREVER AND CAN BE CALLED UP AT ANY TIME. EVERYONE ACCEPTS THIS AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THERE ALSO IS NO JUVENILE DELINQUENCY HERE BECAUSE THE KIDS GO RIGHT FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO THE MILITARY AND THEN TO UNIVERSITY. THEY HAVE NO TIME TO GET INTO TROUBLE. INSTEAD THEY ARE TAUGHT TO GIVE BACK TO THEIR NATION, AND THAT IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
THE PLACE HAS GROWN SO MUCH SINCE I WAS HERE LAST THAT I HARDLY RECOGNIZED IT. IT IS REMARKABLE SEEING THE THINGS THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THIS COUNTRY. YOU HAVE TO BE STRONG TO LIVE HERE. I WAS TRYING TO GET ON THE BUS FOR THE LONG RIDE BACK TO THE SHIP AND A YOUNG MAN IN UNIFORM AND CARRYING AN UZI SAID TO ME THAT I HAVE TO PUSH MY WAY ON IN ORDER TO GET A SEAT. HE WAS TRYING TO BE HELPFUL AND GIVE ME SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO SURVIVE HERE. THEY HAVE TO HAVE AN ATTITUDE AND BE PUSHY OR THE SURROUNDING ARAB NATIONS WOULD SWALLOW THEM UP IN A MINUTE. WE ARE EXHAUSTED AFTER OUR TWELVE-HOUR EXCURSION AND WE HAVE TO GET UP EARLY TOMORR FOR ANOTHER ONE. WE SAILAT 10:30 TONIGHT FOR OUR SECOND PORT IN ISRAEL,ASHDOD. TOMORROW WE HEAD FOR THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY WHICH IS MOSTLY DESERT AND VERY HOT. WE WILL BE GOING TO EIN GEDI, A DESERT OASIS, MASADA AND THE DEAD SEA. WE WILL HAVE A PRIVATE GUIDE FOR THIS PART OF THE TRIP BECAUSE THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS NOT AVAILABLE AND IF I HAD TO GO ON A SHIP TOUR I MIGHT HAVE TO BORROW THAT UZI.
WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST OFF THE SHIP BECAUSE WE HAD A VERY LONG EXCURSION PLANNED. FIRST WE TOOK A TRAIN FROM THE SHIP TO THE BUS STATION. THEN A TWO HOUR BUS RIDE ON A PUBLIC LONG DISTANCE BUS INTO JERUSALEM, THEN WE TOOK A CAB TO THE JAFFA GATE OF THE OLD CITY. THIS WAS QUITE AN EXPERIENCE BECAUSE IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE THE HOLIDAY OF SUCCOT AND ALL THE LOCALS WERE GETTING READY BY BUILDING THEIR LITTLE SUCCAS WHERE THEY WILL EAT THEIR MEALS AND CELEBRATE FOR THE NEXT WEEK. THEY ARE MADE WITH PLYWOOD AND THE ROOFS ARE COVERED WITH PALM FRONDS. THEY LOOK LIKE LITTLE JUNGLE HUTS. WE WENT TO THE WESTERN WALL, OR WAILING WALL WHERE THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CELEBRATING VARIOUS FAMILY EVENTS. THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS WERE INCREDIBLE. I FINALLY GOT UP TO THE WALL, SAID MY LITTLE PRAYERS AND GAVE SOMEONE ELSE A CHANCE TO TOUCH THE WALL. WE THEN TOURED THE OLD JEWISH AND ARAB QUARTERS OF THE OLD CITY, WENT THROUGH THE NEW FANCY MALL, THEN TOOK A BUS TO THE MODERN PART OF JERUSALEM WHICH WAS A VERITABLE BEEHIVE OF ACTIVITY. WE HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. OH, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT WE GOT LOST IN THE LABRYNTH OF THE OLD CITY AND HAD TO ASK ABOUT TEN PEOPLE BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT. OUR LAST STOP WAS THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL, YAD VASHEM. IT WAS VERY UPSETTING TO SAY THE LEAST. WHEN I GOT TO THE ROOM WHERE THEY HAD PART OF AN OLD FREIGHT CAR THAT TRANSPORTED THE JEWS TO THE DEATH CAMPS MY STOMACH ACTUALLY HEAVED AND I THOUGHT I WOULD FAINT. IT CERTAINLY WAS NOT A PLEASANT THING TO DO BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE DID IT. THIS WAS MY SECOND TIME THERE AND IT HAS BEEN GREATLY EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MANY MORE EXHIBITS INCLUDING A CHILDRENS MEMORIAL WHICH WE COULDN’T BRING OURSELVES TO ENTER.
WHAT AMAZED ME ABOUT THIS COUNTRY IS THAT EVERYONE IS IN ONE UNIFORM OR ANOTHER AND MOST ARE CARRYING UZIS. MILITARY SERVICE IS COMPULSORY HERE FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN AND THEY SEEM TO BE JUST BARELY OUT OF CHILDHOOD. I GUESS WHEN YOU ARE CONSTANTLY UNDER ATTACK THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS. AFTER COMPULSORY SERVICE YOU ARE IN THE RESERVES FOREVER AND CAN BE CALLED UP AT ANY TIME. EVERYONE ACCEPTS THIS AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THERE ALSO IS NO JUVENILE DELINQUENCY HERE BECAUSE THE KIDS GO RIGHT FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO THE MILITARY AND THEN TO UNIVERSITY. THEY HAVE NO TIME TO GET INTO TROUBLE. INSTEAD THEY ARE TAUGHT TO GIVE BACK TO THEIR NATION, AND THAT IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
THE PLACE HAS GROWN SO MUCH SINCE I WAS HERE LAST THAT I HARDLY RECOGNIZED IT. IT IS REMARKABLE SEEING THE THINGS THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THIS COUNTRY. YOU HAVE TO BE STRONG TO LIVE HERE. I WAS TRYING TO GET ON THE BUS FOR THE LONG RIDE BACK TO THE SHIP AND A YOUNG MAN IN UNIFORM AND CARRYING AN UZI SAID TO ME THAT I HAVE TO PUSH MY WAY ON IN ORDER TO GET A SEAT. HE WAS TRYING TO BE HELPFUL AND GIVE ME SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO SURVIVE HERE. THEY HAVE TO HAVE AN ATTITUDE AND BE PUSHY OR THE SURROUNDING ARAB NATIONS WOULD SWALLOW THEM UP IN A MINUTE. WE ARE EXHAUSTED AFTER OUR TWELVE-HOUR EXCURSION AND WE HAVE TO GET UP EARLY TOMORR FOR ANOTHER ONE. WE SAILAT 10:30 TONIGHT FOR OUR SECOND PORT IN ISRAEL,ASHDOD. TOMORROW WE HEAD FOR THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY WHICH IS MOSTLY DESERT AND VERY HOT. WE WILL BE GOING TO EIN GEDI, A DESERT OASIS, MASADA AND THE DEAD SEA. WE WILL HAVE A PRIVATE GUIDE FOR THIS PART OF THE TRIP BECAUSE THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS NOT AVAILABLE AND IF I HAD TO GO ON A SHIP TOUR I MIGHT HAVE TO BORROW THAT UZI.
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