Heart of Jerusalem-The Markets



The markets are really the beating, pulsing heart of Jerusalem. They are places where you can really take a few hours and lose yourself in the culture. If you’re willing to push through the crowds, and be harassed by a few vendors, you just might end up with a lifelong memory.

 

               I love to wander the backstreets of Jerusalem. At first, I wasn’t too excited about going down alleys when there were so many great historical sights nearby. But eventually, I realized that this was a great way to experience Middle Eastern Culture. This is where the real people of Jerusalem live, not just those people that put on a smile every day for tourists. Whether they’re bartering for rugs or buying a video game (yep, they have those too), the markets are the center of daily life in Jerusalem.

 

 

               My favorite part of the any market is the spice shop. The first time I walked into a spice shop, I was amazed. They only sell spices! There were hundreds of varieties. And I had spent my time thinking that spices came in a little red bottle labeled Tabasco! I quite enjoyed wandering my way through the pyramids of oregano, cinnamon, and red peppers, and taking in the rich aroma. And the color! There is an explosion of color such as you have never seen in your life! Reds, yellows, and greens abound everywhere you look.

 

 

               Another great experience I had in the markets was stopping at a local restaurant. But not just any restaurant—a pizza place! Another thing that you wouldn’t expect in the Middle East. Probably not a good idea (because we might have gotten horribly sick), but it ended up okay. It actually wasn’t bad pizza.

 

 

 

That’s why I enjoy the markets of Jerusalem. Here are a few more market pictures.

 

 

Strawberry fields, forever

 

Pork on a hook, anyone?

 A spice Mount, crowned by its own miniature Dome of the Rock

 

 Shops close up like lockers at night

 

Getting your greens

 

Who doesn't like corn on the cob?

              

The Golan Heights

I’m writing about the time I went to the Golan Heights, in Israel. This territory is hotly contested between Israel and Syria, and it used to be a warzone. The Heights are still on the news all the time, as a centerpiece of the Israeli-Arab conflict that has been going on for generations. The reason this place is so valuable is because it can look down into both Israel and Syria, and could be the deciding factor in any future war. I visited the Golan Heights, and I will try to convince you to visit them as well.

The Golan Heights, Israel

Before Going: 5/10

Reason for score: I didn’t think it was worth sacrificing good time that could have been used in Jerusalem or somewhere else.

Why you should go:

There are three reasons why one would consider going to the Golan Heights; to see the place that has been on the news so often, take in the amazing views over Israel and the Sea of Galilee, and to understand the Arab-Israeli wars. First, the Golan Heights, and Syrian pressure to return them, have been on the news for a long time. I liked standing in the place that had been at the center of so much controversy. Second, the Golan really does provide amazing views over Israel. I particularly enjoyed the view of the Sea of Galilee, from a former Syrian bunker on the grounds of Kibbutz Kfar Haruv. Third, I like the Golan Heights because they gave me a better understanding of the Israeli-Arab conflict. Unless you look down into Syria, or sit in one of the bunkers, or see the minefields, you really can’t say you understand the conflict. Don’t pass judgment on one side or the other until you have stood in the Golan Heights.

How:

There is really no way you can come here on your own (unless you’re related to an Israeli), so I suggest going with a tour. The only way do this is to schedule a trip with a tour provider that will take you into the Heights. I know that Isram World will take you, but you should check to make sure your tour does to.

After Going: 8/10

Reason for Score: It gave me a better understanding of the place that had been on the news so often

A terrain model of the Golan Heights, with the Sea of Galilee

The U.N.D.O.F., or U.N. Disengagemant Observer Force zone, to keep peace between Israel and Syria

A former Israeli bunker

Someone forgot their tank

I think this picture speaks for itself

Looking out over the crystal clear Sea of Galilee

Just hanging out in a Syrian bunker

Looking down into Israel

The Mount of Olives

If I use Mount to abbreviate Mount of Olives, please don’t confuse it with the Temple Mount, which I also use Mount for.

This post is going to be about the Mount of Olives, an experience that I think many people miss out on. The Mount of Olives is really just a hill just outside the Old City of Jerusalem. However, it is very important in the Christian Bible, and the hill is covered in churches that commemorate events in Jesus’ final days. I would still encourage you to go even if you aren’t Christian, though, because there are other things that make the hill unique.

Before Going: 6/10

Reason for Score: I thought my time would be better spent in Jerusalem proper, rather than walking through a biblical graveyard

Why you should go:

My three favorite parts about the Mount of Olives are the incredible views, the famous graves, and the Christian sites. The Mount really does have amazing views over the City of Jerusalem. All of the postcard pictures of Jerusalem and the Golden Dome are taken from here. I don’t think there is any better place to see the legendary Temple Mount, on which the Golden Dome sits, than this hill. The second reason to go is to see the well-known Jewish graves on the hill. Famous Jews have been buried here since ancient times. They choose to be buried here, because, according to the Bible, this is where God will come to judge the Earth. The people buried here will therefore be the first to be resurrected. The final reason to go is the plethora of Christian sites from the New Testament. My favorites are the Pater Noster, where Jesus taught his disciples the Our Father, the Dominus Flevit Church, where Jesus wept upon having a vision of Jerusalem burning, and the Basilica of the Agony, where Jesus was betrayed by Judas and taken to be crucified. The Mount of Olives is a great part of any trip to Jerusalem.

How:

It is up to your personal preference whether or not to go with a guide. I did, but only because I didn’t want to waste any time navigating from place to place. If you do want to have a guided tour, I recommend the Mount of Olives Tour from New Jerusalem Tours, at www.newjerusalemtours.com. They will take you to see the graves, the views, and the churches. If you are going alone, I suggest bringing the guidebook Jerusalem, Israel, Petra, and the Sinai, from Eyewitness Books. They have a great section on the Mount, that lists a lot more of the churches than I have here.

When you are seeing the Mount, you should first walk to the top and then visit sights as you walk down. This will allow you to enjoy the magnificent views as you wander among the various churches and graves. The walk isn’t hard, but you should bring a water bottle just in case. You can really spend as long as you want on the hill, but I saw everything I wanted to within two or three hours. If you want to learn a little about the Mount of Olives before you go (like I did), I particularly liked the documentary Jerusalem: Center of the World. They talk extensively about the Mount and its history, as well as Jerusalem in general. I watched it at least eight times in preparation for my trip.

After Going: 9/10

Reason for Score: It was a great part of my Jerusalem experience

The Mosque (?) of the Ascension, where Jesus ascended to heaven

The inside of the Mosque of the Ascension, with a niche in the wall indicating the direction of Mecca for Muslim prayer

The rock that supposedly bears the footprint of Jesus, where he last touched the Earth

The Our Father, in every language you could think of

The Our Father in Icelandic and Latvian

The Church of the Pater Noster, or Our Father

The grotto in the Pater Noster where the prayer was taught in Christian Tradition

A great view of the Temple Mount over the scores of dead people

The Gates of Mercy, where the Messiah is supposed to enter through to save the world, ...curiously bricked up

The Dominus Flevit (the Lord wept), where Jesus wept after he foresaw the destruction of the Temple

Inside the Dominus Flevit, me silhouetted against the Dome of the Rock

The many domed Church of St. Mary Magdalene, owned by Russian nuns

The breathtaking view of the Dome of the Rock

The real Garden of Gethsemane, with those famous Olive trees

The rocky outcrop where Jesus knelt to pray before being betrayed by Judas

The view of St. Mary Magdalene from the Temple Mount

The Mount of Olives. You can see the Pater Noster in the upper right hand corner, and Dominus Flevit on the left. The grey part is the thousands upon thousands of Jewish graves

A close up of the famous graves

The stones on the graves are a symbol of respect

A postcard worthy Jerusalem

Waiting to meet God

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The Holy Sepulcher-Jerusalem

Most people I’ve talked to don’t know that the Church of the Holy Sepulcher exists. It doesn’t look nearly as impressive as St. Peter’s or Westminster’s Abbey. However, this small church inside the Old City of Jerusalem is the holiest location in the world for all Christians, and it is truly an amazing place. The church isn’t owned by any one Christian group, but is shared between six of them. The sharing is not always peaceful, though, and the different sects fight each other for control. In fact, the competition is so fierce that a Muslim has to open the gate every morning to prevent any one faction from possessing the key to the most sacred place in Christendom. The church is fought over in this way for a reason. It is built over the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. I’ve been there, and it was one of the most powerful experiences of my entire life.

Why you should go:

You don’t have to be very religious to be moved by seeing this place. It was only when I was there that I realized that the Bible isn’t just a story. It happened at real places that you can visit. There are three major holy places in the church that I thought were especially meaningful. One of these places was the Stone of Unction, where Jesus was laid to be prepared for burial. It was pretty unbelievable to touch a place where Jesus had been. The second was the Rock of Golgotha, or Calvary, where Jesus was crucified alongside thieves. By far though, the most touching part was when I touched the altar in the Tomb of Jesus Christ. The Tomb is the single most sacred site in all of Christendom. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is over the place where these events really happened. No matter how religious you are, or whether or not you go to church, it will deeply affect you to see where Jesus Christ died and rose again.

How:

You might want to go with a guide, just for a brief explanation of what’s what. If you do, I recommend the Holy City Tour from New Jerusalem, at www.newjerusalem.com. Their tour of the Church is very good, and they’ll show you a lot of things you might otherwise have missed. The best guide New Jerusalem has is Alon, and you would be wise to try to get your tour from him.

I still like to go back after the tour and spend a few quiet hours in this sacred place. There is nothing better than spending an afternoon wandering the maze of holy places in Christianity’s most sacred site. It will be at least an afternoon, though, as it does take a while to see the church in its entirety. The church has an enormous amount of things to see; even more than I’ve described, and it is hard to navigate through. Still, the main reason it takes so long to see is the lines. Devout pilgrims crowd the holy sites at all times of year, and you’ll need to leave extra time to make sure you see everything you want to see. Make sure you have enough time to pay homage to this hallowed place.

My favorite guidebook for all Jerusalem is Jerusalem, Israel, Petra, and the Sinai from Eyewitness Books. The book does a good job explaining the Church and everything within. It also has a great map of the Church that covers two pages. The church is set up on multiple levels (because it is built into the hill of Golgotha/Calvary), and you need something to help you navigate through it. The book helped a lot with my visit to the Holy Sepulcher.

Don’t be afraid to go if you’re not Christian.

In all honesty, there were probably more Jewish people on my tour than Christians. As long as you are respectful of the sanctity of the site, the worshippers really don’t care if you visit. This is a very important place, and it can help you understand the Christian religion and its 2 billion followers.

If you liked this post about Jerusalem, consider reading about the Mount of Olives.

Email me at michaelworldtravel@gmail.com with any questions or comments.

The rather blank exterior of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The entrance to the Church, opened onto by an alleyway

The Stone of Unction, where Jesus was laid after death

Paying my respects to the Stone

The Chapel of St. Helena, where the cross that Jesus was crucified on was supposedly found.

The altar over the Rock of Golgotha, or Calvary, where Jesus was put to death

Me touching the Rock of Golgotha through the small hole under the altar. Strangely enough, this ended up being picture #666.

The small Chapel of Adam, beneath the traditional site of the crucifixion. The crack in the stone is said to have been caused by the earthquake that followed Jesus' death

The dome of the church, centered over the Tomb of Jesus. The Tomb is the structure seen at the bottom of the picture

The front of the small shrine built to house the Tomb of Jesus Christ, the holiest place in the world

Me entering the Tomb

The most sacred site in the world, the Tomb itself

The outer section of the Tomb. The table contains a piece of the Tomb that broke off.

Christians traditionally believed that Jerusalem was at the center of the world. This stone basin marked the exact center of maps.

The mysterious wooden doors in the floor of the church... are they hiding something?