|
 |
| Sunday, February 11, 2007 |
| Ah... Break finally. :) |
Finals are out of the way - more or less. So now it is that wonderful period between semesters where everyone sleeps in, stays in pj's all day, and generally does not know what to do with themselves. Occasionally, we'll hit up the library for some research or wander around downtown. Today I went to the shuk (shook? shuq? However it's transliterated!), the outdoor market. I got some amazing oranges and a rug. It was a beautiful day, perfect for browsing the stalls, eating falafel, chatting with Jen. I have been able to do some sightseeing this break though I have spent most of my time hanging out with friends. I even *drumroll* cooked dinner! I introduced them to the joys of Friday night (even though it was Wednesday or something) Taco night. Dad, your fried shells were the hit of the party! I never found cheddar or jack cheese and all the avocados in the store were hard so it wasn't quite the same (Lygon, your queso was missed!) but still delicious!
A couple weeks ago, I walked the ramparts of the Old City. Though you cannot walk the whole loop, you can still go most of the way around. Starting at Jaffa Gate, first you take the short walk south to the Zion Gate, then walk back to  Jaffa Gate (cut through the Armenian Quarter or walk along the outside of the wall) and go up the other side and walk along the northern wall all the way to the Lion Gate. The whole walk takes a couple hours (we walked slow though!) and you get to see Jerusalem from a whole new perspective.
I spent the next afternoon in Tel-Aviv. I went with a friend who was picking someone up from the airport so we went early and wandered around Old Jaffa. It and the water were beautiful. The tourist parts of the city were well-kept and clean, elsewhere was a different story. I did not see much of Tel-Aviv though. 
And of course, you have to stop at the Wishing Bridge! 
The next bit of "touring" was to following the Franciscan monks along the Via Dolorosa to the fourteen stations of the cross. The walk was very interesting, such a contrast of time periods. A group of tourists (cameras, Hawaiian t-shirts, bad sun visors, and all) following sixteenth century dressed monks along a narrow two thousand year old route surrounded by Arab-owned stalls of food and trinkets. Though rehearsed and probably very humdrum for the monks, it was still powerful and moving. Between the stations, the monks did some sort of prayers or chanting in Latin. Then at each station, first in Latin, then Hebrew, then English, the monks would recite a passage and the significance of each place. The windy walk ended in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
 .JPG) .JPG)
   |
posted by Unknown @ 5:28 PM   |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
.JPG)
.JPG)
