Jerusalem

Last Wednesday I went to Jerusalem, and it was pretty amazing. Its a major source of conflict among the Israelis and Palestinians - both of whom want to lay claim to it. Right now, Western Jerusalem is inhabited by Jews, and Eastern Jerusalem is inhabited by Palestinians. Called Yerushalayim in Hebrew and Al-Quds in Arabic, Jerusalem houses the intriguing old city. It has a complex history, and holds significance in Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. It was also conquered multiple times and had many rulers - Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Turks to name a few - which was demonstrated by the various influences in different parts of the city. Old City had many nooks and crannies, and I'll probably go back at least one more time so that I can find a few more. Here is a picture of the beautiful Dome of the Rock located in Temple Mount, or Haram es Sharif as the Muslims call it.


We explored the Jewish quarter, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Muslim quarter. You can see more pictures here.

The last few days were spent traveling to the Negev - the desert in southern Isarel, the Dead Sea, Eilat, and a brief jaunt into Jordan. More to come on this!