day 1 jerusalem

Having properly slept off the jet lag,and showered, we headed down for an amazing breakfast buffet, and then off to the Old city to do some noodling around.

About halfway there a VERY persuasive cabbie offered to drive us up to the Mount of Olives and around the walls of the old city and well, hell, if we had the money he was ready to take us to half a dozen other places. I wasn't sure, thinking this was a good way to get robbed and dumped in the desert, but off we went. Amazing view.Cabbie almost backed over a camel. Lots of bible group tours.

Then a quick zing around the city and he dropped us off at the Jaffa Gate, where we did some shopping at yeah, yeah his friend's shop, classic tourist move but it was ok we got some deals, and then wandered the old city for ages.

Wandered over to the Western Wall, ( there's a cursory security search, basic airport style) which flummoxed R somewhat, and there's more than a few folk toting big rifle gun things which is sort of weird in ways I can't quite explain but it's almost as casual as an ipod. Its weird.

Bought some goodies for friends, and some baked goods. Fed stray cats ( there's TONS here) some of my shwarma plate and R tried to tackle the beast known as a lafa, which is just a massive wrap sandwich.

Tourist wise its mostly wacky bible groups ( and I do mean kind of wacky in a way i can't adequately describe but its like elvis fans at graceland, a handful of teens on birthright trips horsing around, older tourists doing the proper tour thing and then US. We aren't there for any real reason. We're just here.

It should be noted that shopkeepers in the old city are VERY very "come in, let me give you good price" and I've quickly learned to say NO and keep moving. We got "accosted-blessed-panhandled, replete with red string and chants, and a tap on the head with a torah, gimme shekels now..." watch out for that.

Anyway. flattened. Thinking dead sea tomorrow, some continued veg at hotel and then off to Tel Aviv the day after, for 4 days.

We sort of overspent a notch on some silk scarves but dude did show like, 10 ways to wrap the thing, so I can't entirely say its bad, got one for me and one for friend and they're QUITE gorgeous.

Also got a cheaper wrap with skulls and roses, which is so wierd here that for the 15 NIS or whatever, like i was going to leave that? duh, no.

Going to spend some time with postcard writing now. or a nap.

day 1 jerusalem

Having properly slept off the jet lag,and showered, we headed down for an amazing breakfast buffet, and then off to the Old city to do some noodling around.

About halfway there a VERY persuasive cabbie offered to drive us up to the Mount of Olives and around the walls of the old city and well, hell, if we had the money he was ready to take us to half a dozen other places. I wasn't sure, thinking this was a good way to get robbed and dumped in the desert, but off we went. Amazing view.Cabbie almost backed over a camel. Lots of bible group tours.

Then a quick zing around the city and he dropped us off at the Jaffa Gate, where we did some shopping at yeah, yeah his friend's shop, classic tourist move but it was ok we got some deals, and then wandered the old city for ages.

Wandered over to the Western Wall, ( there's a cursory security search, basic airport style) which flummoxed R somewhat, and there's more than a few folk toting big rifle gun things which is sort of weird in ways I can't quite explain but it's almost as casual as an ipod. Its weird.

Bought some goodies for friends, and some baked goods. Fed stray cats ( there's TONS here) some of my shwarma plate and R tried to tackle the beast known as a lafa, which is just a massive wrap sandwich.

Tourist wise its mostly wacky bible groups ( and I do mean kind of wacky in a way i can't adequately describe but its like elvis fans at graceland, a handful of teens on birthright trips horsing around, older tourists doing the proper tour thing and then US. We aren't there for any real reason. We're just here.

It should be noted that shopkeepers in the old city are VERY very "come in, let me give you good price" and I've quickly learned to say NO and keep moving. We got "accosted-blessed-panhandled, replete with red string and chants, and a tap on the head with a torah, gimme shekels now..." watch out for that.

Anyway. flattened. Thinking dead sea tomorrow, some continued veg at hotel and then off to Tel Aviv the day after, for 4 days.

We sort of overspent a notch on some silk scarves but dude did show like, 10 ways to wrap the thing, so I can't entirely say its bad, got one for me and one for friend and they're QUITE gorgeous.

Also got a cheaper wrap with skulls and roses, which is so wierd here that for the 15 NIS or whatever, like i was going to leave that? duh, no.

Going to spend some time with postcard writing now. or a nap.