birthday in jerusalem

this weekend i took the bus to Jerusalem for my birthday. its only an hour and a half bus ride from where i live, and i am so blessed to live so close to the Holy City. I came here with 3 of my new good friends (we have all become such good friends so quickly) perfect company to walk around Jerusalem and the Old City. We also visited the Wailing Wall to pray... which I had never done before. Last summer when I came on my tour of Israel, I passed by the wall on my way to the temple grounds but did not stop to pray. It was a very spiritual experience. Jerusalem as a whole is a very spiritual/religious place, which much historical and cultural significance throughout. Just being here is a unique priceless experience, and I project that i will return here regularly, since I live so close.

Here in Jerusalem, the area we are staying is just inside the Jaffa gate, closest to the Christian Quarter. the Old City is divided into "quarters" where merchants sell their goods, anything you can think of, they have it. some very good local food at the schwarma stands, and fresh squeezed juice. I'm not missing my juicer in storage in AZ. We went back to the wailing wall this morning, and are taking a short break before venturing over to the Muslim Quarter. The hotel (hostel) we are staying in has a rooftop view of the city, and authentic decor dating back to the Ottoman period. I feel like i am doing research for my classes just being here, as the city is full of rich historical and cultural significance.