Jerusalem - Part I

After a failed attempt the previous day, we finally made it into Israel. The border crossing wasn't as bad as some of the horror stories I had heard (involving extremely long waits, hour long interrogations, etc). Dom and I did, however, each receive a private interrogation from Israeli customs officers due to the fact that we had just visited Syria and Lebanon. The Israeli officials were nice, though, and they understood that we were just simple tourists. Dom kindly requested that the Israelis not stamp his passport, to which they complied. Then they turned to me and said "you as well?" to which I loudly proclaimed "I would be HONOURED to have the stamp of Israel in my passport!!!". This was much to their great enjoyment, as they smiled and giggled, and gave me the stamp.


The Western Wall of the Second Temple.... the holiest site in the Jewish religion. Seeing this in person was undescribable. The site was very crowded this evening as it is the end of the Jewish holiday Sukkoth.


Looking across the Citadel of Old Jerusalem at David's Tower. The Citadel contains structures and cultural relics of many different eras and civilisations from ancient past to present.


A view of the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock (the third holiest site in Islam) from atop the Citadel in Old Jerusalem. In Islam, the Dome of the Rock is said to be the location where Mohammed dreamed of ascending to heaven on a winged horse to take his place alongside Allah.


A shrine inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre... but not just any shrine. Right below it is said to be the spot where Jesus Christ died on the cross. I am not a religious man, but seeing and touching something of such great historical and religious significance was a surreal experience that I will remember forever.


Here, my hands are placed upon the stone where they laid Christ's body and prepared Him for burial, after He was removed from the cross.


This mass of earth and rock sat right below the cross upon which Jesus was crucified. The stains of His blood still remain.


The Holy Sepulchre itself. Inside is said to be the place where Jesus' body was laid to rest after He died, and it is also where He was resurrected.


A view from just inside the Jaffa Gate of Old Jerusalem, near our hostel. Bustling with activity in the early evening.



A view of tonight's full moon from just outside the Old City walls.