9/10 | Exploring the Non-Jewish Parts of the Old City of Jerusalem

Photographs are much more interesting than plain text, so I have decided to do another picture/caption reflection post.  Today, my friends Alison and Rachel decided to come with me to explore the non-Jewish parts of the Old City of Jerusalem.  Since it is still shabbat, most all of Jewish Jerusalem is shut down and there is not much to do except pray or, in our case, explore the Armenian, Christian, and Muslim quarters.  In contrast to the Jewish quarter, the other three areas are full of life on Friday nights and Saturdays.  Here is quick tour of our adventures today:

We started our tour through Damascus Gate, or Sha'ar Shechem in Hebrew, which ranks among the most ornate and decorated entranceways to the Old City.  Damascus Gate leads straight into the Muslim quarter, adjacent to the Arab bazaar.

Right before you get inside the Old City, there is a market with all types of items ranging from fruit to shoes.  Jews and Muslims pass each other here, but rarely interact.

The beginning of our adventures in the non-Jewish parts of the Old City!

Many would assume there would be no graffiti in what is potentially the holiest space on Earth.  WRONG!  The Muslim quarter is covered in interesting artwork that depicts, among other things, the Dome of the Rock and the Kaaba in Mecca.

Like the shuk, the Arab bazaar in the Old City features a number of different shops.  This one sold almost every spice imaginable.  You can imagine the smell!

Not a clue in the world what this stuff is!  Again, you can probably imagine the smell.

The stores in the Old City are packed with different kinds of items.  This particular store looked like it had been built into a cave covered in tapestries.

After spending about an hour in the Muslim quarter, we headed into the Christian quarter for lunch.  I ordered a falafel plate, which turned out to be teva'im me'od, or really good in English.  I didn't take a picture of it, but I was also given a Diet Coke in an Arabic can.

The central area of the Christian quarter is called the Muristan.  From the central fountain, which can be seen in the picture above, roads with restaurants and shops lead out from every direction.

We made a point to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Jesus, or Yeshua in Hebrew, was supposedly crucified and buried.  It is an interesting building with a troubled history.  The church is shared by a number of different Christian denominations that do not get along.  The most poignant example of their contempt for each other can be seen in the ladder under the top right window.  Because nobody would ever agree to change the status quo, the wall and the ledge that the ladder rests on are "owned" by two different groups that refuse the other to touch their space.  It has remained in the same position since 1854.

This is inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.  I'm not sure what these two women were touching.

Again, I'm not sure what all of these places represent.  The place was packed, though, and this was one of the few empty areas.

University of Maryland and Duke.  Ohio State University and Michigan.  American University and George Washington.  Hebrew University and Al-Quds?  (Al-Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem).

Today, I woke up with nothing to do except sit in my apartment.  It is really awesome how in five minutes, I was able to call up some friends and head to the Old City of Jerusalem.  I have been to the Old City two times before, with my family and with Birthright, but this was my first time on my own without any sort of schedule.  I look forward to exploring more of the Old City in the coming months!