Guided tour part 3

Part 3

Mark told us that it was King Constantine and Queen Elena who decided, after 300 years, that the Christian sites should be located. Jerusalem was a sleepy town at that time and nobody knew for sure what actually happened where. As somebody told me, “It’s not that important.”

image from google

We climbed some old stone stairs and we were on the flats roofs. This was the easiest route for moving around the city and was great for terrorists. The view was magnificent with the Mount of Olives in the distance. The city is surrounded by hills, making it difficult to capture, except to the North where the university lies. It is designed to be converted to military capabilities within hours. 

Mark showed us a hotel that was built with Jewish graves as foundation stones.

“Why don’t you bomb the hotel and reclaim it?” someone asked.

“It’s not our way.”

We navigated our way to arrive at the Temple Mount.

Those of us in shorts had to borrow a long piece of cloth that looked like a dress, nice. Mark and an Arab man had a loud conversation. “We don’t have to ask permission. It’s our right to be here.”

The Dome of the Rock had such beautiful lines and stood proud, as it had done for a thousand years. The 2 Temples were destroyed long ago but are remembered by breaking a glass at every Jewish wedding. 

 

image from google

“Mohammad went to heaven on a white horse from here, according to legend. You can go inside the mosque but you have to pay. All synagogues are free to enter. They have the shirts of those that were shot because they were rioting.” we were told. “I can’t see the point in that.”

After lunch we dropped ‘down the dustpipe’, as I observed, to look at Gethsemane with its massive olive trees. Jesus was arrested here (or one of 3 other places) and marched to his trial. We were also shown one of the two birth places of Mary.

image from google

“Magdalene? She was a ‘mean girl’.” I asked.

“No, the virgin.”

“Joseph had to be a bit stupid to believe it was the Holy Ghost.” chipped in Susie.

Back through the Lion’s Gate where Israeli troops entered in 1967 to capture the Western Wall. My friends from the Wednesday night club were teachers, so reasonably well educated and believed, despite their Catholic upbringing, that the Jews were reclaiming it. I had to point out that it had not been theirs for over 2000 years. They looked surprised.

A few ‘shaloms’ on way took us to the Jewish quarter of the city where we were to spend the most time. We passed an arch, all that was left of a place of worship that was destroyed in 1948. The Jews begged for it not to be attacked but it was.

The Western Wall is often called the ‘wailing wall’ due to the sounds made by the people praying. There were 3 distinct layers of brick work as the mount had been added to over the years. The stones in the wall were pale coloured and the paving reflected the sun uncomfortably. Despite the heat, some men still wore mink hats and heavy black coats. It was a tradition from East Europe, as they gyrated in a rhythmic pattern.

“Looks like they are going to melt like ‘ice in the sun’. I added to the theme.  

“People come from everywhere to worship here.”

“So, they’re ‘rocking all over the world’?” Sarah had joined in neatly, as I grinned supportingly. 

 

image from google

Men had the left of the wall; women had to stand on the right. I saw families at half way so they could pray together. Mark was emotional as he told the story that the workers had built the Western Wall, as well as the other 3 sides. He told us if we wanted to we could place a prayer in the wall, and they supplied a paper kippah to help obey their law. I wrote my wish: I hoped to get laid that evening; I did not.

We finished our visit and stood in the shade.

“It’s a very sexist country, isn’t it?” asked Sarah.

“Look, every Israeli woman has to serve 2 years in the army and the men 3 and then 1 month each year.”

“So, ‘you’re in the army now’?” I continued.

“Every Israeli is a frontline citizen.”

 

google image

He mentioned his kids and how difficult life is for them as he passed round his hat for a contribution. He bid us farewell and we all departed.

“It’s ‘Margareta time’.” was my parting shot.

“By the way Mark.” Susie added, “Why is USA the middle three letters of Jerusalem?”