We arrived safely in Tel Aviv this (Monday) morning. We then drove to Jerusalem and saw the city from scenic overlooks before venturing into its ancient heart. Bordered by the Mount of Olives, Arabic East Jerusalem and modern West Jerusalem, sits the Temple Mount, on which stands the iconic Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. This sight was immediately visible to us, though we were shocked at how clear it became upon arrival to our accommodations. The view from the convent's roof is nothing short of astounding in its proximity to the site.
After lunch, Bob led us around the old city. We passed through all four of its quarters (Christian, Armenian, Muslin and Jewish), saw many business stalls and open-air markets and visited the Western Wall. There, the males donned the kipa skull cap (ours were made of cardboard) and approached the retaining wall built by Herod, the last remaining structure from the Second Temple. We prayed at the Wall and then continued our walk.
This evening we had dinner at the convent and then all turned in for an early night, as we have had little sleep since leaving Williamstown.
(Picture: Dome of the Rock and minaret from the roof of our accommodations at Ecce Homo Convent)
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