The Old City

Last weekend, Brian and I took the kids to visit the Old City. It is an amazing place and I can't believe I'm in the middle of all this history. The night before we went, we were getting Julia excited about going and told her we were going to something that looked like a castle. The made the conversation move onto princesses and then to Cinderella and then to Disney World and maybe going to Cinderella's castle, etc. Needless to say, when we got the the Old City, Julia asked where Cinderella was. Oops. I can see the confusion.

We started at Jaffa Gate which is about a 35 minute walk from our apartment. It was warm and just outside we got a glass of fresh pomegranate juice. Then we walked into the Old City in the Armenian quarter and then into the Jewish quarter. It was Saturday (shabbat) so everything was closed but we made it to the Western Wall - the remaining wall of the second temple. Just next to it is the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. At some point, I'll get a more official tour of the places but it was nice to see some of Jerusalem's amazing and oldest sites. Next, we wove in and out of the streets in the Muslim quarter. This is a little tricky going up and down stairs with a little umbrella stroller. By this time, the kids had had enough and we figured out how to get back to Jaffa gate.

It wasn't a trip where I learned a lot of details of all the sights - mostly just taking in the views and letting it sink in that I am now living here so close to some of the most important religious sites.