Tales from Israel, Part 2.

I'm not trying to be dramatic, but THIS WAS THE BEST BREAKFAST I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Roladin Bakery in the Mamilla shopping area

Shaksuka, which has also since become a staple of my vegetarian cooking. 

This little halva cake was so incredibly delicious that we couldn't even stop eating it to take a good picture.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was an interesting experience. The Church contains the official sites of where Jesus was crucified and buried, although this is disputed by some. I'm not a follower of organized religion, but I respect and am always intrigued by the powerful ancient traditions and culture that surrounds them. I believe in Jesus as an enlightened being, much like Buddha and many other great teachers that illuminated the path to unconditional love, trust, and peace. So being able to see these dynamic historical and spiritual sites first-hand made me feel so incredibly lucky and humbled.

However...the Church of the Holy Sepulchre hardly seems like a place that honors the life of Jesus. It's dark and eerie. The priests seemed to hate people and were constantly yelling. You kind of have to sympathize with them though because the tourists in that church are so desperate to kiss the dirt where Jesus was crucified and get their blessing that it runs frighteningly close to mob mentality. I was shoved, hit in the face, and pushed enough times to wonder if some of these people ever actually read anything about Jesus.

This is the Stone of Anointing, where the Church says Jesus' body was prepared for burial. People kiss, cry, and rub articles over it that they want to be blessed. 

The candle I lit here for my mom on her birthday.

A creepy secret room we stumbled upon while trying to escape the yelling and pushing.

Thousands of engravings on the walls done by Roman soldiers.

The site where Jesus was crucified, according to the Church.

A closer look.

I found it to be a strange contrast to other Holy sites. When we visited Muslim and Jewish Holy areas, everyone was silent. The rules to visit were definitely more strict, but they were clearly posted before entering the area. No one yelled. No one pushed. No one was desperate. 

Meanwhile...on the other side of Jerusalem...there is a place called the Garden Tomb. Some Christians believe this is the real site of the crucifixion and burial.

The garden is beaauuuttiful! And peaceful! And the people are friendly!

The uncovered tomb.

Inside the tomb

People think this might be the real site for various reasons, including this rock shaped like a skull which was referenced in the Bible...

...so if that's true, it puts the real site of the crucifixion here---at this bus stop in the Muslim quarter. 

And so the mystery remains. We personally enjoyed the garden a LOT more than the sad old church. 

The Dome of the Rock is a major Holy site for Islam, Jewish and Christian traditions. It is currently maintained by a Ministry in Jordan, and until recently, it was off limits to non-Muslims, though all three religions have historical ties to the area. We passed through security, which included ensuring we were free of any religious symbols or artifacts. 

Richard's shorts were a no-go, so he had to buy a scarf/skirt.

Inside the Dome (which we are not allowed access to) lies the Foundation Stone. According to Judaism, this Stone is the junction between Heaven and Earth, considered to be the place from which Earth was created. It is their most Holy Site. Muslims believe it is the site where Muhammad ascended to Heaven to speak with God. Christians venerate the site due to it's role in Jesus' life. 

Men and women are separated into groups to pray.

For our first night in Jerusalem, we slept in a really crappy hotel on the top of Mt. of Olives...but the second night won the honor of being my First Ever Hostel stay...and it was awesome!!! I would definitely go back for a longer period--they have organized tours, cool people, games at the bar, cooking classes...the night we stayed was trivia night. I thought we had a one-up because trivia was in English and there weren't many other native speakers there...but we got our butts kicked by some Germans. Those Germans never stop winning, do they!?

The hostel was in walking distance from this great secret market for the locals. Richard and Val were in heaven. I guess you could compare their blissful ecstasy while walking through the aisles to how I might feel when shopping for new clothes with free money. Frenchies really love good food!

We hung out all night in the hostel, talking to people, playing games, and drinking Israeli beer. Then we called it a night, because the next morning we were leaving Jerusalem quite early...

........................ and I guess there will be a Part 3! 

Tales from Israel, Part 1.

Every second we spent in Israel was gold.

Richard's sister Valerie and her husband Emeric were there to greet us at the airport with hugs and kisses. We rented an apartment in Tel Aviv through Airbnb for the first two nights and as it was midnight, we drove straight there.

we're apartment 4 :-)

When we got to the room, Val and Emeric surprised us with a bunch of presents--towels engraved with our names in Hebrew, skin care products from the Dead Sea, and just about all the tourist information available in the country.

Tel Aviv apparently is filled only with models. Every single person there was incredibly beautiful. The women were chic and stylish. The men were all tall, dark, handsome, and ripped. There was an entire beach for dogs! I was pretty sure we had entered heaven. Richard agreed--there was a surf spot next to the apartment and a ton of people catching waves early the next morning. He hopped on the first surfboard he found while we lazed around on the beach. I found myself in a conversation with an Israeli national basketball player who had much to tell me about where to eat, what to see, and what life in Israel was like.

Doggie Heaven

Next we went for a stroll through old Jaffa, the port city where Noah is said to have built his arc. 

We settled in for our first real Israeli meal at "Aladin," seated on their cozy terrace overlooking an ominous rock formation in the water. According to Greek mythology, these were the very rocks that Princess Andromeda was chained to, as a sacrifice to the sea monster. Luckily the poor girl was quickly resuced by Perseus. 

I have literally not stopped eating hummus since this day. Now I make my own version every Sunday!

The next day we drove to Jerusalem, where Val and Emeric live. Jerusalem is an incredible mix of culture--like nothing I've ever seen. The languages, religions, history, ideas--the ancient juxtaposed with the modern. Nothing was familiar.

We started at the souk...

And then headed to the City of David, a walled city from the Bronze Age and now a major archaeological site.

We trudged through Hezekiah's Tunnel, thought to be created around the 8th century BCE, which was used as the secret water source for Jerusalem during times of conflict.

The tunnels lead to this pool, where Jesus is said to have healed a blind man.

Our next stop was the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, one of the most sacred sites in the Jewish religion. It dates from the Second Temple Period, around 19 BCE built by Herod the Great. 

Just outside the entrance, after passing through security, we stumbled upon an indoctrination ceremony of new Israeli soldiers. The leaders in the center of the circle put something in the hands of every soldier, and they all held out this mysterious object while singing together. Proud parents snuck in between ranks to take photos of their beloved children. Everyone was smiling and happy.

Before you enter the area, men and women are separated, and someone ensures you are respectfully clothed. Men have an entrance on the left, and women to the right. Some people were touching the wall and praying quite actively, with their whole bodies constantly bowing. Others were sitting in chairs just in front of the wall. Many of the women were crying. Millions and millions of tiny pieces of paper were squeezed in between the bricks on the wall--hopeful prayer requests in languages from all over the world.

I watched this proud dad get his son ready for a very important photo.

It was a very powerful site. Even now as I'm writing and recalling this experience, I can still feel the energy from that place--heavy, serious, profound.

That night, Val and Emeric treated us to a spectacular light show at the Tower of David. Everyone was seated outside, and the walls of the ancient citadel were turned into a projector screen. The sad history of Jerusalem played out in giant shadows, surprisingly elaborate scenes, and classical melodies, ending on a unifying note with a simple plea; to pray for peace in Jerusalem.

For dinner, the island kids ate wasp babies that Richard had packed in his carry-on!! (Only in Reunion...) I stuck with my hummus and falafels.

To be continued.......