Wondering around the Old City

Today was a free day, meaning we can go and do anything we want here in Jerusalem. So my friends and I headed out to first get money exchanged at Aladins. When I was at Aladins I found Chelsi Funk’s note she left, and I was so excited to see it and it made me really miss her. Aladin is such a funny guy and really nice to talk with. I hope to get to know him a lot better with all the trips I may make to see him. Then we started our journey to a merchant recommended by the center. I forgot his name right now but will be sure to find it and will most defently be talking about him later on. His shop was a bit hard to find, but we did find it and I was really proud of us for being adventures and using our maps to find his place. The market is huge and packed with all cool stuff with merchants ready to sell it to you for a “very good price” because we are “students and don’t have much money”. Or even “ahh the Mormons, how are you today, come and look at my shop and I give you good price”. It is amazing what they will think of as reasons you should come buy from them.

I did find a lot of really fun stuff I would love to get, and this time I am being responsible and looking at the stuff then writing it down to purchase at a later time hopefully. It was a lot more enjoyable in the market this time because I am feeling a lot better, didn’t have to worry about staying up with my fast teacher and I am less jet lag then before.

We then decided that we wanted to go to the Jewish Quarter because we have spent a lot of time in the Christian quarter and wanted a change. So we just started walking south bound and would take random street alleys, that had a lot going on in them, and found a pathway that lead to the quarter. The Jewish quarter has a lot more space to move around and is a lot cleaner. For they provide lots of trash cans to dispose of trash and there is no sellers along the sides of the streets. We had lunch in front of a big building that I am not sure what it was and then got gelato. It was so good!! I love that stuff and will have to get more for sure. Then we just wanted to explore the city and look for cool stuff to take photos of. On our adventure I found a look out over the Western wall and could see the Dome of the Rock. So we decided to go to the Western wall.

In the western wall, which is the last remaining about of Solomon’s temple, the women and men are separated. As you get closer to the wall you see many women backing up slowly while still facing the wall because you never give your back to it. It was amazing to see the devotion these women have towards the wall and how reverent they were remaining as they were leaving. It made me think how after sacrament meeting, the most important part at church, is followed by socializing and many times I forget about what just happened in the building.

As I got closer to the way, I could see women just crying hard against the wall, hoping that it will support them as they just pour out their soul. Inside the cracks where hundreds of rolled up papers, all with prayer writing. It was amazing to see the women press and try to keep these prayers inside the wall.

After that we toured and got lost and found a school yard of children, but where finally able to find the place where we had gelato. Then we just traveled around and found the Christian quarter and headed back to the Center.

I am so tired, but feel a lot more comfortable in the city and feel like we saw a ton of stuff in one day and I am so excited to go back! Well I am starving so I am headed to dinner.