Welcome to Jerusalem!

Well, we made it!  I honestly cannot believe we have not even been here one week with all that we have done/seen so far.  It is hard to imagine a city being so packed with history, but it feels like everywhere we turn there is something significant to take note of.  Eric starts school next week, so we are trying to pack in as much sight-seeing as possible into these first few days so that he can concentrate on painting once classes start.

Some observations from the past few days:

• Jerusalem is a very mono-toned city, with all of the buildings having a similar white/tan stone facade.  This is not to say that it is boring; in fact, all of the light colors seem to make the city glisten when the sun hits the buildings in just the right way.
• There are cats everywhere!  Just like Tijuana has dogs roaming the streets, Jerusalem has street cats.  We will be in some very important place (like, say, the room where Jesus and his disciples had the Last Supper), and there will just be skinny cats hanging out in the sun.  No big deal.
• The people of this city are overwhelmingly friendly and nice, but they also do not have the passive nature that Americans (or maybe just Seattle-ites) do.  If you are being dumb, they call you out on it, but if you are lost, they do not hesitate to help you find your way.
• The main area of the city is fairly small, and we have been walking non-stop.  There are buses that go through town, but so far, walking has always seemed like the best option.  We can get from one end of town to the other in about 45 minutes, so as long as we are not in a hurry, it is great to be able to explore the city on foot.

 In the Old City there are little shops lining the streets, and you can find everything from cheap tourist trinkets, to antiques, to hardwares, to groceries.  The most interesting part of the Old City is that people actually live there, even though it seems like a huge tourist attraction (almost on the same level as a theme park).  I keep thinking we have to pay an entrance fee at the gate.

 There are stands everywhere selling freshly squeezed juices, and it seems the most popular variety is pomegranate.

 Small side street in the old city-- most likely a residential street.

 Overview of just inside the Jaffa Gate entrance to the Old City.

 More and more Old City-- it really never gets old how gorgeous the old stone walls and pavement are.  It is also breathtaking to think about the events that have passed on these roads.

 The Old City is divided into "Quarters," with each having a distinct personality.  This is the beginning of the Jewish Quarter, but there are also Muslim, Christian, and Armenian quarters.

 Just a couple of cats chillin' at the tomb of King David.

 View from the Eastern corner of the city, looking out into the surrounding hills.

 Excavation work being done near the Western Wall to recover stones from an ancient building that used to stand there.

We miss you all and will post more photos soon!

Devyn and Eric