A Tour of Jerusalem
Josef and I decide to join one of the popular “free” walking tours of Jerusalem. The tour itself is technically free, but of course you are expected to tip the guide at the end.
During the tour we also meet a German girl from our Florentine hostel, although she is staying at a different hostel here in Jerusalem.
Walking through the narrow streets of Jerusalem’s Old City, we see the constant flow of people—pilgrims, tourists, locals, and religious visitors from around the world.
One of the most important stops on the tour is the Western Wall (Wailing Wall). Here, Jews mourn the destruction of their most important temple, which the Romans destroyed in 70 AD. Today, visitors place written prayers into the cracks of the ancient stones.
Another interesting aspect of Israeli society that becomes very visible in Jerusalem is the presence of young soldiers everywhere. In Israel, all men must serve three years in the military and women two years, so it is very common to see soldiers walking around the city even when they are off duty.
The tour also takes us to the Mount of Olives, from where there is a beautiful view over the city of Jerusalem. The slopes of the mountain are covered by a vast ancient cemetery that has been in use for about 3,000 years, making it one of the oldest continuously used burial grounds in the world.
Finally, we visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which according to Christian tradition was built over the cave where Jesus was buried and later resurrected.
Later in the evening we head to a party at her hostel, which turns out to be a nice way to end a long day of exploring the city.
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