My last few days...

Jerusalem (pron. YE-ru-sha-LA-yim)

Hi! I've been in Jerusalem for 3 days now. You can see the old city from my hotel, and the view is dramatic.

Jerusalem is divided into 2 areas, the old city and the new city. The old city is surrounded by a really ancient wall with 11 gates, where 4 are not in use. The gate nearest to my hotel is Herod's gate, but the walk through Damascus Gate is better because it is the shortest distance to all the sites of interest in Jerusalem. To get from the old city to the city center, take Bus No. 35 outside the Dung Gate or Moroccan Gate.

Here are some sites of interest in Jerusalem.

Old City

1. Church of the Holy Sepulchre (where, in Christian tradition, Jesus was crucified)

2. Dome of the Rock (where Jesus was resurrected and where Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven, the place where God took the soil to make Adam, the first human being, and the site of the floating rock) NOTE: You cannot enter the Dome of the Rock unless you are Muslim.

3. The well of souls (again only Muslims are permitted to enter here)

4. Al-Aqsa compound/Temple Mount (you cannot enter here if you are a Jew due to Jewish religious law)

5. The Wailing (Western) Wall

New City

1. Mount of Olives (the view here is fantastic, although the climb is tiring)

2. Mount Zion (another fantastic view)

3. Mount Scopus (a fabulous view...of the university blocking the view)

4. City of David (is not a city actually, it's David's Tomb)

5. Site of the Last Supper

6. Holocaust museum (how cliché)

7. and many many more

I will post photos soon! Meanwhile, I will be on my way to the Dead Sea, so watch out for that post!

(PS. To people who the government does not permit entry to Israel, you are missing out so much!)