Today is basically a free day until 1:30 PM. We were bussed down to Ben Yehuda and King George streets at 9 AM. This is the pedestrian mall shopping area in the downtown business district and is the area where a lot of the bombings occurred. We walked around the center of the city with Allan and Anita, the couple from Toronto. We visited the King David and Citadel Hotels (two of the nicest in the city), Across from the King David hotel is the YMCA building. We took the elevator to the top of the YMCA tower (which was just big enough for 4 and cost us each 10 NIS) to view the great paroramas of the city. We then walked through Independence Park, passed a craft market on the way to the Machaneh Yehuda produce market area. It was a nice 3 hour walking tour of the city. After we got back to the hotel we sat near the pool to eat our lunch (made at breakfast). At 1:30 we drove back to the Western Wall via Mea She'arim the Ultra Orthodox area of the city (indescribable) to witness the ushering in of the Sabbath. Personally, it wasn't much different than the visit the day before. Our guide tried to get us close to the Dome of the Rock by going through the Muslim quarter, but the Israeli soldiers wouldn't allow us to go past the end of the tunnel into the grounds around the Muslim controlled Dome. We did get a few close up pictures. On the drive back to the hotel, it was amazing to see how little traffic there is as the city begins to shut down for the Sabbath. Our Shabbat dinner at the hotel left a little to be desired since they are short staff and things are prepared ahead of time.
Jerusalem, Free time and ushering in the Sabbath
Friday, October 29, 2010
Jerusalem, Israel
Other Entries
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1Israel Itinerary
Oct 1811 days priorLas Vegas, United Statesphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0 -
2Early Departure to JFK and beyond
Oct 1910 days priorLas Vegas, United Statesphoto_camera1videocam 0comment 0 -
3Arrival in a New Country
Oct 209 days priorTel Aviv, Israelphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0 -
4Touring Tel Aviv and Old Jaffa
Oct 218 days priorTel Aviv, Israelphoto_camera7videocam 0comment 0 -
5To Haifa via Caesarea and Atlit
Oct 227 days priorHaifa, Israelphoto_camera6videocam 0comment 0 -
6Haifa & Tel Megiddo/Druze Village Tour
Oct 236 days priorHaifa, Israelphoto_camera7videocam 0comment 0 -
7To the Galilee via Akko & Safed
Oct 245 days priorKinneret, Israelphoto_camera9videocam 0comment 0 -
8Galilee including Golan Heights and Katzrin
Oct 254 days priorKinneret, Israelphoto_camera8videocam 0comment 0 -
9To Jerusalem via Beit Shean, Bet Alpha, and Qumran
Oct 263 days priorJerusalem, Israelphoto_camera10videocam 0comment 0 -
10Jerusalem, A day of contrasts
Oct 272 days priorJerusalem, Israelphoto_camera9videocam 0comment 0 -
11Jerusalem, Old City
Oct 281 day priorJerusalem, Israelphoto_camera17videocam 0comment 0 -
12Jerusalem, Free time and ushering in the Sabbath
Oct 29Jerusalem, Israelphoto_camera10videocam 0comment 0 -
13Shabbat at Leisure, Israel Museum, Christian Tour
Oct 301 day laterJerusalem, Israelphoto_camera12videocam 0comment 0 -
14To Eilat via Dead Sea & Massada
Oct 312 days laterEilat, Israelphoto_camera13videocam 0comment 0 -
15Petra
Nov 013 days laterPetra, Jordanphoto_camera10videocam 0comment 0 -
16To airport via Mitzpe Ramon and other Negev Sights
Nov 024 days laterTel Aviv, Israelphoto_camera11videocam 0comment 0 -
17The Long Flight Home, 1st Leg
Nov 035 days laterNew York City, United Statesphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0 -
18The Flight to Las Vegas and Final Thoughts
Nov 035 days laterLas Vegas, United Statesphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0
2025-02-06