Jerusalem

Of course I've heard before that Israel is serious about national security and carefully screens all visitors to the country, so when I experienced it first-hand this morning I considered it more of a cultural experience than an inconvenience. First I was questioned by a Turkish security guard during a layover in Istanbul before boarding my flight to Tel Aviv. Next I was questioned by an immigration officer at the Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel. Finally, as if two security screenings weren't already enough, an Israeli security guard grilled me for a third time right after passing through immigration.

“What is your purpose in visiting Israel?”, she asked me.
“Tourism.”
“How did you pay for your flight to Israel?”
“I saved up at my previous job.”
“What was your job?”
“I worked for two years as an engineer.”
“Where did you work?”
”I worked in the United States for a company called Kimberly-Clark.”
“What did you do for them?”
“I was an electrical engineer.” (Didn't I just say that?)
The lady flipped through my passport as she questioned me, taking note of the countries I've visited... “What did you do in the Emirates?”
“I flew in from Nepal and stopped for two days to see Dubai before continuing on to Ethiopia.”
“Where are you staying in Israel?”
“The Sheraton Hotel in Jerusalem.” (The room was another free night from American Express.)
The lady looked at me awkwardly... “Usually backpackers like you stay in cheap hostels. How did you get a room at the Sheraton!?”

Yet another delayed flight this morning meant that my day of sightseeing in Jerusalem really didn't begin until 3:00 in the afternoon, but given the circumstances, I think I did pretty well for myself. The route 1 bus from the Central Station in the outskirts of Jerusalem dropped me off just outside the Wailing Wall in the Old City, so it only made sense to begin my day there. In 2000 I visited Israel briefly as part of a Mediterannean cruise, but I get a much better feel for places and cultures when I'm traveling independantly rather than with a group, so I was excited today to experience Jerusalem all over again for myself. The Wailing Wall is of huge historical, religious, and cultural significance to people of the Jewish faith, but for tourists it also is great for people watching. A few of the people at the wall were dressed in clothes typical of western culture, but many of them were hasidic Jews wearing black outfits and wide-brimmed black hats sand sporting the beard and curly locks that make them so instantly recognizable to others. Since I still hadn't found a place to drop off my bag I only spent a few minutes at the wall today, but tomorrow I'll be in the area again and will be sure to stop by for a more thorough visit.After dropping off my bag I headed through the maze of souqs in the old city and finally found Jaffa Gate. One thing that caught my eye in my guide book was Jerusalem's “Rampart's Walk”. For only sixteen shekels visitors to Jerusalem can climb the staircase at Jaffa Gate and walk along the top of the ancient city walls surrounding the old city. Even though the ramparts walk was pretty low-key, I really enjoyed it because I felt like I was doing something worthwhile and really experiencing the city, but it was relaxing at the same time. I walked South along the ramparts from Jaffa Gate to Zion Gate and just enjoyed the views and the atmosphere. It felt surreal to me today to really be in Israel. I've felt that way a lot during the last ten weeks, but I really noticed it during the ramparts walk this afternoon. There's so much history but also so much contention and controversy surrounding Israel that it felt strange to be wandering around in the country just like I'd wander around while walking a dog back home. From the top of the ancient walls I had a few good views of nearby churches and mosques, as well as nice views of the city surrounding me.During the quick tour of Jerusalem I took in 2000 I visited a handful of the typical sights, but one place I missed that I really wished I had seen was the Garden Tomb, where some religious scholors think Christ was laid before his resurrection. Since then I've always pictured myself going back to Jerusalem as an old man someday and finally visiting the Garden Tomb that I missed when I was seventeen years old. It's nice that I didn't actually have to wait that long.

A lot of things about The Garden Tomb really surprised me. I had heard before that it was outside the old city and for some reason I always thought that meant it was a long ways away and that I'd have to catch a bus or a taxi to see it. It turns out that the garden is just outside the Damascus gate and it literally took less than ten minutes to walk there. If I had known where it was when I visited in 2000, I easily could have seen it. The grounds that the tomb is on are owned by a British charitable trust that welcomes all visitors to the area free of charge, partly because the trust also promotes a protestant Christian missionary effort at the site. Wandering through the narrow rock pathways in the garden this afternoon was a welcome relief after spending so much time in the crowded souqs of the old city. Palm trees and flowers were everywhere and it was nice just to relax and enjoy the shade and peacefulness of the place. The tomb itself was interesting to me for perspective and for historical value, but as far as spiritual experiences are concerned, my personal opinion is that those happen by living the gospel and treating others as Christ would, not by visiting historical sites. Certain religious scholars suspect that the Garden Tomb may have been where Christ was laid because it fits several of the attributes of the site as described in the New Testament, but nobody knows for sure where it happened. The tomb may or may not be the actual site of Christ's resurrection, but either way, at least it gives visitors a good feel for what the place would have been like.From the Garden Tomb I walked back through Damascus Gate into the old city and visited the Holy Sepulchre, which is the more traditionally accepted place of Christ's death and resurrection. When I walked inside I instantly recognized the church as one of the few places I visited in Jerusalem in 2000. A giant monument made of wood and decorated with gold and colorful jewels sits on the spot where the tomb of Christ is believed to have been. Orthodox priests usher a massive queue of visitors into the monument a few at a time so they can kiss the walls or light candles inside. I saw enough of the monument from the outside and didn't feel any need to wait an hour to get in and participate in religious symbolism that is foreign and irrelevant to me.
At the top of a flight of stairs near the entrance to the church is the site where Christ is believed to have been crucified. An ornate shrine made of gold and silver covers the spot where the cross would have been and more Orthodox priests light candles nearby, pour holy water into cisterns, and encourage visitors to kneel at the shrine to pray. Again, the Holy Sepulchre was interesting for me as a cultural experience and for historical perspective, but I didn't identify with the people kneeling at the golden shrine any more than I identifiy with Buddhist monks in Asia who recite mantras and spin prayer wheels to earn religious merits.I finished up the day by taking a walk down the Via Dolorosa - a narrow alleyway that follows the path Christ is believed to have walked as he carried the cross to Golgotha. I walked the Via Dolorosa in 2000, but I think that at the time I was thinking more about what the buffet would be on the cruise ship that night than what Via Dolorosa must have been like during Jesus' time. Except for the occasional stray thoughts of eating falafal tonight, I was more focused as I walked this time and tried to imagine what the area must have looked like two-thousand years ago. Several “stations” along the route mark different points of significance, such as the spots where Christ fell as he carried the cross or the spot where he saw his mother in the crowd and looked into her eyes.The walk was worthwhile, but again, nobody knows for certain where it really happened. Regardless of whether the Via Dolorosa follows the legitimate path of Jesus though, I got lost enough times today and wandered down enough roads in the old city that I figure I covered most of the path either way.I finally finished my sightseeing for the day just after sunset and ate some falafal at a Palestinian cafe just outside Damascus gate. Jerusalem has more of a Middle-Eastern feel to it than I expected. It is in the Middle East, of course, but for some reason I always pictured the country as a Jewish cultural island in the middle of a sea of Islam. Islam is everywhere in the Middle East, especially in Israel. As the sky grew darker and I ordered a second serving of falafel I heard the call to prayer erupt from the tops of minarets in the distance.The Palestinian cafe is obviously frequented by Palestinians, as I didn't notice any Israelis around as I ate. Israelis and Palestinians mix like water and oil around here. Of course I've read about their differences and disagreements, but actually being in Israel and watching the two groups interact with each other makes the whole situation a little more real to me.