Tuesday 1 November 2011

Jerusalem


We’ve just spent a week in Jerusalem. I was dubious about going. I’m not a great traveller but there were several reasons why I forced encouraged myself to go.

1.  I’d never been to Israel before.
2.  Everyone kept telling me that I had to go at least once in my life.
3.  When my Dad was very ill [he died in 1977] he said how he wished he'd gone to Israel.

So I went. This was my first view of the Old City. It didn’t fill me with awe but with trepidation...
A view of the outer wall from Jaffa Gate.

...because this was how we got lost in the Old City.
Don't know where we were, but it was somewhere in the Old City!

 This was the start of our second day and the moment I fell in love with Jerusalem

View from our hotel window as the sun rose over Jerusalem.
I don’t know how it happened but the rest of the week flew by in an emotional whirlwind. We went to Masada and floated in the Dead Sea.

Cable car about to take us up Masada.

A view of the Dead Sea from the top of Masada.

We walked right down to the Western Wall.
Men's section of the Western Wall.

And I was sad when it was time to come home.
El Al Departure Lounge and, yes, that clock does say 4.40 am!
I have a feeling that we’ll be going back sometime soon to see a bit more of that amazing country but first I have to get my head out of the El Al clouds and back into doing some writing. This isn’t going to be easy.