The Old City

The Old City is. So. Sweet.

Why? You may ask. Let me count the ways...

1) There are so many religious people everywhere, of every religion, that it's totally overwhelming. To the point where I feel obscenely dressed because my skirt/dress only covers about 2 inches below my knees, as opposed to going all the way to the ground.

Kippas and hijabs are for really religious people in America, but in Israel, people go all out. Men have curls in front of each ear, kippas and wide-brimmed black hats, and tassels hanging out from under their shirts. Women are totally covered, floor-length skirts, long-sleeved shirts, hats... Some even tie up their hair in a sort of headscarf. It's crazy.

But seriously, my favorite thing about all of these religiously dressed people is their children.

Honest to God, I cannot think of anything cuter than a 5-year-old boy playing with his tassels in his little suit and curls. It's beyond adorable.

One day I'll be really creepy and take pictures of some, but sadly (and surprisingly) enough, that day has not yet come.

2) There's a really sweet market. I know what you're thinking, seriously, Amanda, more markets? But seriously. It's awesome.

There are these tiny little "roads" (alleys) criss-crossing the entire city, and packed in along both sides of every street are vendors smoking cigarettes, drinking coffee, and yelling at you in Hebrew, Arabic, and English to check out their sweet stuff.

And it is pretty sweet. A lot of it is really meant for tourists (the kind that are here for a week, as opposed to 5 months, thank you very much), but a lot of it is amazing. There were inscence shops, a place that I swear to God looked exactly like the Cave of Wonders and even had a lamp... Thousands of shops selling hamsas (little hand-shaped charms with prayers enscribed on them), jewelry, menorahs...

One of my favorites was a bead shop that had strands of beads hanging everywhere, even the ceiling. It legitimately looked like a sparkly cave, complete with multicolored stalactites. (I won the stalactite/stalagmite battle without Wikipedia. Score: 1-0, Me.)

I know, right?

There are places that sell these really neat-looking oriental-ish placards with blessings for the home, and my favorite one?

"Shalom, Ya'll."

Stucco, get ready for it.

3) HISTORY

I've always known, in an academic sense, that America is a young country, but when you roll up to the Western Wall and realize that the SECOND temple of the Jews was destroyed in 70 A.D.

1776 was a like ten minutes ago.

There's the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock (which technically was a sanctified place since the time of Abraham, but Muhammad also ascended to heaven there during his lifetime, so in the 7th century), the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected; the Church itself was built in the 4th century)...

Seriously. America. Come ON.

Even just walking down the streets the aforementioned markets are on is a history lesson.

I'm not sure how clear it is in this picture, but if you look closely, you can see two narrow ramps in the otherwise stepped walkway. This is so in Ye Olden Days (Y.O.D.), people could drive carts up and down the roads.

Dude. That's awesome.

4) Basically the reason I came here.

All 3 of the Abrahamic religions, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, have essential elements of their faith centered within yards of each other.

YARDS.

In some instances, they're actually the same place, which is mind-blowing.

The Holy of Holies, the place where the Temple was supposed to have stood, is under the Dome of the Rock. It's a room where the Ark of the Covenant was kept (Y.O.D.), along with a pot of manna and Aaron's rod.

Aka the holiest place in the history of Judaism.

And it's under the Dome of the Rock.

Incredible.

It seems, dare I say, divinely inspired, that all of these mega-important sites are so close to each other.

You literally stand in the middle of the Old City, turn in a circle, and see the basis for 3 of the major world religions.

Oh hey.