19 June 2011

My bones are aching; my eyelids are drooping; my feet are protesting. But I could not be happier. It was an amazing day. There is nothing better than spending the entire day in the city of Jerusalem exploring its wonders, wandering its streets, and meeting its peoples. Though it was hot, though it was sticky, we pressed on and made the best of our day. It all began with Justin Heninger, Andrew Null, Julie Rencher, Jarom Smith, Megan Nuttall, and me, Michelle Olson.

The Tomb of the Kings was our first stop (after a quick jaunt to the Aladdin’s and Omar’s, that is). It may or may not have been my third visit, but I stuck through it with a smile. We climbed through the tombs; we got covered in muck and goop; we sang hymns in the deep rooms. It was fun. You can’t go wrong at the Tomb of the Kings. However, I am secretly hoping that I don’t go back in the next two months. It’s cool, but it’s not that cool. If it weren’t for cameras and candles, it would just be another mildewing hole in the ground.

We wandered away from East Jerusalem and into West Jerusalem as we began our long walk to the Knesset, the Parliament of the State of Israel. The Knesset is the heart of the Israeli democracy. It gave us an insider’s view of the inner workings of the State of Israel on the basis of government and legislation. The name “Knesset” was adopted from the Great Assembly that convened in Jerusalem following the return of Jews to Eretz Yisrael from Babylon in the fifth century B.C.E. The number of Knesset members – 120 – was actually determined based on the number of members of the Great Assembly. The first general elections in the State of Israel took place on January 25, 1949 – eight months after the proclamation of Israel as a state. The first sitting of the Constituent Assembly took place in the Jewish Agency building in Jerusalem. It wasn’t until 1966 that a new residence at Giv’at Ram was inaugurated. The following day the Knesset held its first sitting in the new building. During our tour, we were taken into the main legislative room of the building, shown different tapestries and mosaics, and introduced to the democracy of the State of Israel. The situation itself greatly reminded me of a similar tour I took with my family in Washington, D.C. a couple of summers ago. It was a really good experience, and I am glad that I chose to go.

From the Knesset, we wandered back toward West Jerusalem in search for food. This is where our little group met its end. Andrew, Julie, and Jarom went one way; Justin, Megan, and I went another. It was difficult at first to readjust to the change, but the fun did not stop. We ended up at Burgers Bar for lunch. I hate to say that it was the best burger I have ever eaten, but it was the best burger I have ever eaten and I doubt that any burger will ever change my mind on that. It was juicy; it was flavorful. It was also huge, but we’ll ignore that small characteristic. It was amazing and just what I needed to keep me going. We decided to head down the artist colony, Yemin Moshe, after a quick shopping excursion. I ended up purchasing a cute blue skirt and a pair of earrings. Would you expect anything different?

I had heard many stories about the boring atmosphere of the artist colonies and the lack of things to do. I am not sure where these people are getting their information from or what artist colonies they are visiting, but this was one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful area of Jerusalem I have seen this far. It was nice to walk its cobblestone streets and truly appreciate its gardens. At the top of the colony is a windmill. History holds that the windmill was constructed by someone to help the poor inhabitants of the colony grind their wheat. Whether this is true or not is unknown to me, but it doesn’t matter because the windmill never worked; there was never enough wind to turn the blades. But it is beautiful, and the view from the top square near it was beautiful.

Due to the throbbing pain of my toe, we left the artist colony to catch a taxi back to the J.C. It was so nice to sit in an air-conditioned car after walking around in the sweltering sun all day long. The heat is very difficult to escape in Jerusalem. Back at the J.C., I was able to finish up some homework, write a quick letter to Mike, and watch She’s the Man. It has been quite some time since I have seen that movie (quite some time being six months or so). I had almost forgotten how funny it is! It was a nice and relaxing evening. We walked everywhere today. It was fun, but it was rough. We walked at least ten miles today. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was closer to fifteen!

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, we will be leaving for Jordan. I apologize for this inconvenience, but I will not be bringing my computer for obvious reasons. I will update as soon as I can after returning from the wonderful land of Jordan. Until then…