JERUSALEM (I)

Jerusalem:
is a beautiful city- a landscape of mountains, forests, desert, valleys, and sea. Walking in Jerusalem is like walking in a modern day time warp. It is, at times, surreal. The Wailing Wall is only accessible through metal detectors, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (housing the alleged Golgotha) is full of sweaty, camera-toting tour bus hopping "pilgrims", and the Garden of Gethsamene is adorned with a gaudy, huge, church with gold onions on top.
If you haven't yet been to the Holy Land, my guess is it will defy your expectations as it did mine. The one-time center of the ancient world is now a happening place with religious folks plowing their way into the 21st century and profiting from the tourist buck. Jews with phylacteries, top hats, and long curly sideburns yammer constantly into cell phones, devout Moslems spend their days haggling at the bazaar, smoking shisha, and hawking falafels- stopping only to pray when prompted by the loudspeakers blaring from the minarets of the Moslem Quarter, and the Christian Quarter of the city boasts the highest priced tourist kitsch. One can get an "authentic" crown of thorns or a "Guns 'n' Moses" t-shirt if they are willing to spend the bucks.
Quite a spectacle to behold... and that's just the Old City!
We did spend most of our days in the Old City- ate a fair share of falafels, and had some world-famous (supposably) Jerusalem bagels.
The newer part of the city is great too. There are a ton of hospitals and universities, a big soccer stadium in the center of town, and the Jaffa Street market is always packed with locals buying spices, fish, and whatever else.
Jerusalem is quite a place- if you've been here, I'd love to swap stories. It's one of those places you hear/read so much about, but to get a fuller picture, you really have to come visit. It will be an experience you won't soon forget.