Day 2: The Holy City

~ Highlight of the Day: Walking through the Old City ~

It's killing me that I can't post pictures. There is so much to see, and so much to show! Today we went on a quick tour of Jerusalem. We walked up the . . . north wall I believe, and entered through Damascus gate. After that I couldn't tell you where we went - I got terribly turned around, and if I hadn't been with a group I'd have been lost for hours! We did go up to the roof of the Austrian Hospice and look out over the city at one point, and we got to briefly stick our heads into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  That was probably my favorite site. To witness the people, some of which you could tell had traveled much farther than yourself, so humbly worshiping there was simply moving.

I can already tell I'll be spending as much of my free time as possible there. I can't wait till I become familiar with the city and know my way around. . . and I did find some stringed insterments, so you know I'll be back :)

I'm also in heaven with all the different plant life here. I have a pomegranet tree right outside my room. And there are olive trees everywhere! It's interesting to see what kinds of indoor (at least what people in Utah/Washington consider 'indoor') plants the shop owners decorate their store fronts with. They're planting things like ponytail palm and Norfolk island pine. At the Austrian Hospice I saw Plumbago auriculata, which I had worked with for most of the summer up in the Estate Houses at Longwood. And of course there are just a slew of plants I've never seen before. I will probably invest in a Native Plants of Israel book . . . if I can find one.

I have my sights set on the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens. It's only 17 minutes away from the Jerusalem Center, and I think if I can convince two other people to go with me, and figure out how to take a taxi, I'll be set!

Well, believe it or not I'm already swimming up to my eyeballs in homework, and it's all due tomorrow morning! So here's to blogging in English and being in Jerusalem!