Feeling the Jerusalem vibe

I know this is annoying but I always have to repeat it: There is so much I want to tell you and simply don't have the time, energy and patience for.

I feel like I've been here in Jerusalem for ages, because there is so many impressions everywhere I look in the three hours I spend outside daily (for the rest I'm drinking tea in the lobby and hope that the pain goes away, which finally is almost the case today). Some experiences you can't show in videos or pictures, and some things you can't even express in writing, but you can only absorbe it like a sponge and become a different person with every minute and every step you take.

sunrise over the Temple Mount, Dome of the Rocks to the left

To write down all the thoughts I have, all the crazy stories I heard from even crazier people (in a bad way), would probably already take me the 3 weeks I have left in this beautiful, marvellous country. (As you can see above, I got up to see a SUNRISE - something I have never done before in my life.) Jerusalem indeed has a mesmerizing effect on everyone who comes here, and I feel like I could spend two more weeks just wandering around the Old City. This is what I have done for the last 3 days, but the Old City is just the tiny center of it all, and by far not the only thing you can and should see of Jerusalem.

the "look" - I already got compliments on my way of binding the headscarf, haha

I will see how far I get with all the sightseeing, but definately won't do too much. The Tonsillitis obviously was a sign (of the LOOOORD, as my crazy American missionaries would add) for me to go slower than planned and maybe skip some things also. Indeed I realized that I planned to see some cities or places that are written in big letters in my guidebook, but don't actually interest me too much - so why go there? Anyway, thanks to Lonely Planet I woke up early today, to get to the Temple Mount as one of the first when it opens at 7:30, and what do I have to hear? It's closed on saturdays. Sooooo~


I will now give you some impressions, but don't feel like they represent anything. I made some videos that show the atmosphere way better, but you will have to wait for those :)

I'm thinking of buying this one

an interesting combination I must say

I want this, but it's in baby size

the alleys can get very crowded, especially in the Arab quarter

..and those are people waiting to crawl into something where Jesus is supposed to be buried

Suq El Qatanin, at the end you can see the Muslim entrance to the Temple Mount

the same street, 7am

..good for me, as I was allowed to walk up the stairs and get this picture

hilly Jerusalem

sunset over the Mount of Olives and the Temple Mount

taken from the rooftop of the great hostel I stay in: the New Petra Hostel

around 10pm

and you can never get enough of this view

As you may have seen on facebook, you could hear music, singing and praying all over the city all through the night. I think that the main source was the green-glowing minarett to the left. For me it was the most beautiful sounds, but I sleep in a room with two elderly divas (a story I again don't have the time for), so the windows stayed closed. I still could hear it a little bit though.

Because of the sickness I did not sleep much, so I noticed that the sounds stopped just when the first sunray appeared on the sky. Luckily I was awake just at that time, had the power to get up, and dragged myself to the rooftop.

And now I finally can understand why people get up so ridiculously early to see what, as I used to say, they can see in the evening on the other side of the sky.

the lifeline of the Arabic quarter slowly getting quiet on friday evening

you can't imagine this when you see it during the daytime

Israeli soldiers chilling at 7am  kindly allowed to take me this picture

I know that I will probably leave Jerusalem tomorrow, but I don't know when and to which direction - probably to somewhere the Westbank. I will now take another nap and then try my luck with the mount of Olives.

Kisses to everyone who reads this!