Old City adventures and a few million people

So today was the beginning of classes. To start with I am already behind. Well in my defense, everyone is behind because we didn't get our textbook for the class until today and we had reading due today. So it's not my fault. And as soon as I finish this I am off to read until I fall asleep.

Classes went well. I'm not going to lie, it's somewhat (read extremely) difficult to focus when the classroom looks out on a spectacular view of the Old City. But I did. I did well on my first quiz in Emmetts class and didn't fall asleep at all in my other class (which was impressive not because it was lengthy but because of sleep deprival).

Last night I stayed up all night planning what I was going to do today when we were let out. Let me tell you this, it paid off. We weren't allowed to leave until 3 today because of prayer on the temple grounds. We left almost immediatly to run to Alladin's money exchange. He is this adorable old man who lets BYU students cash checks at his shop. As he is doing an exchange he says "I trusts you. You no look like a Jack Mormon." I got 300 sheckles and was off my merry way with about 10 people following me.

My itenerary was as follows. Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Seplechor, and the Western Wall. Check, check, and check.

We got to Damascus gate right as the world's largest human trafffic jam started. Literally hundreds of people were pouring out of the city. My group got split up but 6 of us remained and fought the crowds for a good twenty minutes. It was great people watching,

We got to the beginning of the Via Dolorosa right as they were starting. It's the organized walk that Christ took on his last day. You start at the chamber where Christ was sentenced by Pilot and stop at 14 places over a half a mile where he did other things (for example, started carrying the cross, fell three times, hugged his mother, was hung, and was buried.) All along the way are monks and nuns who chant and pray at each stop. A man who played the role of Jesus picked up at stop 6 so we followed him through the rest of the city.

The last 4 stations are all in the Church of the Holy Seplechor. The last station is supposedly where Christ was buried. We were standing in front of it and my friend Brian pointed to this corner near the tomb and told me we should wait in line to get in. So we waited in line and were actually let into the tomb. As soon as people saw you could go inside hundreds of people lined up to wait.

The tomb was tiny (as could be expected) but it was fascinating to watch the meaning it had to people who beleived it actually was where Jesus died.

The Church is famous for being home to many denominations. Everyone sort of fights over ownership (more like who gets to use which rooms). There were Eastern Orthodox's, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Ethiopians. Everyone. And they all have their own bells. Which meant at 5 we heard about a million bells all ring at once.

Out of the church we wandered our way to the Western Wall of the temple mount. This is where Jews come to stick notes in the crack of the wall as prayers to God. We were getting there right as Shabbat was starting so all the orthodox Jews arrived to bring in the Shabbat Bride. It was beautiful. We watched for 15 minutes or so.

I can't beleive how Jewish I must look. Not only do people at the center ask me if I'm Jewish, a few times people have begun speaking to me in Hebrew on the street. I guess that's fair because Hebrew is their language. But they do it as I stand in a crowd of tourists with blond hair speaking English. It's quite bizzare and I never know what to say.

On the way out of the Western Wall we tried to get onto the Temple Mount. Dumb attempt. Israeli guards stopped us at every possible gate. I will get up there eventually though. Count my word. I will.

Anyway. Tonight we had brownies which was the first American food I've had in a while. They were good, but honestly I would prefer baklava.

I think I'm off to bed. Or more like reading/waiting for the Rammadan parties to be over so I can sleep. Still hoping that all is well in the US. I really hope CA hasn't burned down like how people say it has here.

Much love to all.

PS. Mom I met Marie yesterday. She says hello and sends her love.

Jerusalem or bust.

I’m actually here. As unreal and unbelievable as it often feels, I have to keep reminding myself that I am in Israel. Right now while typing this very sentence I am under an olive tree looking at the Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Holy Sephlicer listening to a call to prayer on one of the minuettes a few blocks away. Yeah…

The flight yesterday was uneventful. We flew from SLC to ATL and then ATL to TLV. Due to the luckiest of scenarios, I was bumped to first class on the 12 hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean. This was a perfect scenario. I got a lazy boy for a seat that converted into a bed as well as three feet of leg room, a comforter, two pillows, travel kit, and a plethora of fine foods (including salmon in a garlic glaze, tomato Florentine soup, shrimp with avacado, fine cheeses, and a design your own ice cream sundae).

Upon arrival into TLV I was the first off the plane, the first through passport control, and the first out of customs. The last first proved to be the most problematic. I do get mistaken for a Jew quite often. Of course arriving into the Tel Aviv airport meant that at any point when I was not surrounded by blonds from Utah I was being bombarted by people assuming I was here with a program called Nativ (essentially an Israeli birth-right program which pays from Jewish kids to come to Israel).

I made it into our bus without being taken home by one of the Nativ programs and we spent an hour on the bus headed to Jerusalem. We passed the old city, Iraeli officers with Uzi’s, wine country, Hebrew University. Finally we got to the center which is absolutely stunning. Imagine a Hawaiin resort mixed with beautiful architecture a mere mile from one of the most influential cities in the world (on a historical aspect). That is where I will be living for 3.5 months. From my apartment I look out on temple groupds, the wailing wall, all that is the old city as well as a beautifully quaint Palestinian village.

After an orientation (and dinner) last night I finally managed to bed. Due to jet lag and just general exhaustion I fell right asleep. At around 4:07 AM this morning I was awoken immediately. A faint sound outside suggested that it was the Islamic call to prayer. Due to a rush of adrenoline I sprinted outside to hear in the distance all these beautiful male voices blending in choir of Rammadan prayers. Almost immediately after getting outside the minoret closest to us began their prayers. With the city all light for prayer hour, I just sat outside soaking in all I could for a few minutes before I tried to bed again. Unsucessful at the least.

This morning we had another orientation, breakfast, and a walk around the old city. We walked through the Palestinian town that the center is located in, past the Northern walls built by Byzantines 1500 years ago, through Jaffa Gate past the temple mound, around the city. All along the way we met Palestinians who are some of the center’s favorite vendors. Jimmy, Saladin, and Ef all seemed somewhat desperate for our business but having not exchanged our money yet, we were all useless to them. We walked under a tunnel that Sharon had used as a launching point for an attack in Jerusalem. Above the tunnel were Israeli flags. Under the tunnel in an apartment were the photos of Palestininans killed in the attacks. We continued through the city smelling saffron, baklava, and pomegranates (it’s their season I learned).

Right as we were crossing from the Palestianian district to the Jewish district we happened upon two men arguing. Each had canes in their hands and seemed very riled up. Our professor told us to walk quickly but as we walked past it turned into an all out brawl. Old med attacking eachother with canes and umbrellas yelling in Arabic, Hebrew, and English. What started as two men quickly escalated to five and I ran. I was running in the direction of Israeli army men headed towards the battle with rifles longer than my arm. I’ll never know how it ended but it was definetly an experience I’ll remember forever.

Speaking of the Israeli army, they are everywhere. I have seen more green combat suits and uzi’s then I can ever remember. And UN peacekeeping trucks. I knew there was a conflict there but I guess I forget that it is still quite relavent. On our way into the Jewish district we saw buildings with holes in them from the was of ’67. Palestinian boys threw pop ‘ems at us as we passed through. Anything we purchased from a Muslim had to eaten elsewhere as not to offend them from their fasting ways for the day. Life here is intense but quite quite beautiful.

I can’t leave the center to explore till I have a security card to use as identifaication for the army here. So I am stuck on my patio looking out on the old city. Since starting this entry the prayers havn’t stopped. It’s as if as soon as one minoret is done another starts a few meters away. It’s beautiful though. Almost enchanting a little.

I’m off to take a nap I think.

Much love to all and hope all is well back in the States.


PS. I biked 12 miles today on a stationary bike. Hopefully this will do two things. First it will encourage my weary body to sleep better tonight. And second I will keep working out every day.