Weather: Low 70’s and really windy as you’ll see by my hair
By now Amy and I are in full ‘convent’ mode. We have gotten accustomed to our very basic accommodations and twin nun beds. It’s amazing how quickly you can adjust when you need to get comfortable and into a routine. Now all of this feels totally normal – sort of – ha, ha. Simple life is also refreshing as it opens your eyes more to appreciation of the little things. The Tower of David Museum is right across from where we are staying and they must have live performances in the evening. Each night we can open the window and hear beautiful orchestra music which is really nice.
Our first tour stop on this day is going to be the Mount of Olives. It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes. The Mount has been used as a Jewish cemetery for over 3,000 years and holds approximately 150,000 graves.
Several key events in the life of Jesus, as related in the Gospels, took place on the Mount of Olives, and in the book of Acts it is described as the place from which Jesus ascended to heaven. Much of the top of the hill is occupied and now a neighborhood with a majority-Arab population. It is so surreal to stand there and take in the view and the history.
From the Mount of Olives we walked down to the Garden of Gethsemane, the site of Jesus’ arrest and betrayal, and it was also the place where he prayed the night before he was arrested and then later crucified. Actual Olive Trees in the garden didn’t exist at the time of Jesus but are said to be from the same root system. The garden is fenced in now and maintained locally. It is most interesting to see this place in the context of the surrounding with the Mount of Olives above on the hill behind you and Jerusalem in front of you before your eyes.
After the Garden we had time for a lunch on our own. We were dropped by the outdoor mall and Amy and I found a place that had been recommended at the front desk called Kaffit. We really liked our lunch there and I enjoyed a cappucino and a macchiato – both delicious and looked and tasted very Italian. My salad was topped with a bed of sweet potato fries. Yum. It was nice to see some of the local culture coming in for lunch as well. Of special interest to me was an Orthodox Jew with the ringlets on the sideburns but not dressed in the traditional black clothing. He had Levis and a plaid shortsleeve shirt on. Maybe he was a modern Orthodox Jew?
After lunch we came back for short naps and then we had a lecture/tour of the museum at the Guest House were we are staying. As it is considered an historic site, the museum was fascinating. My favorite part was the guide showing us a huge model built in the 1800’s of ancient Jerusalem. It was nice to have a visual as so much has changed from then until now. It was also helpful to see sites we had visited so far within that context. To see how small the City of David actually is within the context of all of Jerusalem, was super helpful. The guide kept telling us when we were there, but it didn’t really connect for me until I saw this model.
We eat all of our breakfasts and dinners at the Guest House in the dining area. The food has been plentiful and delicious and it nice not to have to think about where to go. Breakfast here is at 7:30am and dinner is at 6pm, every night.
After dinner, the Director of Shoresh Tours offered a short stroll through old Jerusalem that led to a rooftop panorama of the Old City. From there we could see the Western Wall at night lit up and so very beautiful. Below us we could see a Rabbi copying the Torah, and different men would come up and take a turn to touch the pen. The guide said it is considered an honor to touch the pen and take part of this ceremony to copy the Torah.
Sleeping here is still challenging. I find myself awake at 3:30am each morning and it is hard to go back to sleep. Amy is the same. Our new strategy is to rush upstairs right after dinner (no lingering) and quickly take turns with quick showers so the hot water doesn’t run out. I am becoming most efficient at the quick shower. We try to have lights out by 9pm. I’m telling you – we are in full nun in convent mode!