In Which I Visit Jerusalem

Today, we hopped on a bus (at 7:59am on the dot) and drove a couple miles down the road to a little place called Jerusalem.

Folks, I think I'll remember today for the rest of my life.

|Jaffa Gate, through which we entered the Old City|

I've been reading about the of city Jerusalem ever since I was old enough to read those storybook Bibles for kids. I knew it was a pretty special place, seeing as King David lived there and Jesus rode through it on a donkey and such. I never realized how significant this city is until today. Like, God chose this city - this real, concrete, actual place - to be the place that Jesus would conquer sin and death. Um, that's sort of cool?

|"Tower of David", a medieval fortress with a great view|

Because our field days are part of our class "The Land and the Bible", our professor, Bill, lectured as we walked through the Old City. He talked about the history of the wall that surrounds the city, and about what the city was like during David, Solomon, and Hezekiah's times...aaand about a million other things that I wish I had a brain big enough to remember. 

There were a lot of great parts about the day. Here's a couple of them.

#1. Jerusalem is like a Cat Utopia. THERE ARE CATS EVERYWHERE. (they are what most people would call "mangy strays" but they are what I call "precious babies")

#2. I got to explore with my friends. Old ones and new ones. We got excited about everything. Mostly food.

#3. Speaking of food! Israeli pizza is a national treasure. 

#4. A lot of the place locations or artifacts that people traditionally believe are the REAL THINGS aren't actually the real thing, but it's still pretty cool. Like, that is NOT actually a stone slab from Jesus' tomb that Mary Magdalene wept on, but it was probably a rock just like that very near this spot, so I dig it.

(if my sentences are not making sense anymore it's because it is very late at night and I should be sleeping right now)

#5. THE MARKETS. Narrow streets filled to the brim with scarves, sandals, pastries, pick-pockets, and yamakas. Goals.

#6. We saw so many things I've heard so much about. It makes it so real to actually see it in person. (that's what everyone says, I know...but it's true)

#7. It rained and I didn't have a rain jacket. That's not a good thing, but I wanted to mention it.


This post is a little crazy and all over the place, and my pictures are completely raw and unedited cuz who has time for that, but I hope you enjoyed this anyway.

Thank you SO much for reading. I think it's pretty cool that there are people who are willing to brave my midnight rambles in order to see what I'm up to.

love,
me