July 14-15 2010
Our journey continues on July 14th. After an especially lengthy bus ride (the bus engine only overheated twice), we arrived at a forest outside of Jerusalem where we were each given a tree to plant. Everyone was able to plant their tree, and many of us chose to name our trees. From “Rodney” all the way to “Cadillac”, the trees were given some pretty creative names.
After a wonderful experience at the forest, our group headed within the ancient walls of the Old City of Jerusalem for the first time. After walking through the Christian and Jewish quarters of the old city, we finally made our way to arguably the most holy place that a Jew can possibly visit: the Western Wall. We took a few pictures outside of the wall, then made our way to the Kotel Tunnels, which are a series of underground tunnels running parallel to the Western Wall. As we walked along the Western Wall, the normal laughter and loud chatter that dominates the group subsided, as we were all in awe of the atmosphere of spirituality. We stopped at one point to look at a rock that weighs approximately as much as 8.5 tanks. Cranes even in today’s modern times can’t lift rocks that big. However, the ancient Israelis were somehow able to do it. We finished the tour in a pool that was once one of only two water sources in the entire city.
We woke up the next day well rested with smiles on our faces, ready to take on another fun filled day. After eating a delicious breakfast, we made our way to the Davidson Center, an interactive museum that gave us an amazing look at what the Second Temple probably looked like before it was destroyed in the year 70. The Davidson Center had a virtual display of the Old City of Jerusalem, and our guide was able to give us an in-depth view of what a typical day at the Second Temple was like.
Afterwards, we were able to enjoy a delicious lunch in the Old City. From Schnitzel to Falafel, there was plenty of delicious food to choose from. Immediately following our lunch in the Old City, we made our way south to the City of David, which was in essence the original city of Jerusalem. We started on top of a tower where we were explained the topography of the surrounding lands. Meanwhile, in the background, one could hear the beautiful sounding call to worship for Muslims, coming from the minaret of every nearby mosque. We then started descending down stairs, passing what archeologists believe might actually have been King David’s palace. Next, we walked underground into a water tunnel which was originally used to transport water from the pool that held the water supply to wherever the water was needed. We entered a tiny cavern that was completely dark, and water was occasionally up higher than our knees. Luckily, we had a dozen or so flashlights and a brilliant tour guide in the front, so we were able to have an amazing time in an ancient tunnel that you wouldn’t be able to see anywhere else in the world.
After 3 days here, we’ve already had more fun than we can even put in words. And the best part is that it’s only going to get better.