Wandering through the Kingdom of Heaven

I am hemorrhaging money. One of the problems of being in a foreign country with a good exchange rate is that you feel like you’re playing with monopoly money (and let’s face it…the bright colors don’t help dispel this notion). I cling to my US dollars, but I may as well be giving shekels away.  

I take back what I said about the non-aggressive market vendors. That only applies to the giant grocery store-type market we visited yesterday.  The souqs in the Old City, however, are just as aggressive as the vendors in Cairo… and in some ways worse. 

We arrived at the Jaffa Gate of the Old City at 10:00 this morning after a lengthy but scenic walk from our hotel. The Christian Quarter hadn’t quite woken up yet, and within a minute we had accidentally stumbled into the winding maze of bazaars that seem to be below ground. Instantly we were circled by the shop keeping vultures…each one waiting for you to make eye contact so they can swoop in and carry you into their shop. And once you’re lured in, you’ve practically already committed yourself to a purchase. If you’re actually interested in something they have, then the benefit is that they’ll rapidly drop the price to make a sale. The bad news is that if you weren’t ever interested, it’s hard for the owners to understand why you want to leave. It’s infuriating and captivating all at the same time. 

"Speak Friend and Enter"

We wandered blindly through the Christian souq until we stumbled upon the Arabic quarter (apparently the souqs connect) and made our way into a small Palestinian jewelry shop. The owner, Jamal, showed his hoards of crosses and religious symbols. After Kevin purchased a charm, Jamal pulled out four cups and asked that we drink a cup of coffee with him and his English wife, Emma, in celebration. “Jerusalem is a city unlike any in the world,” Jamal told us. “God’s blessing is here and his hand touches everything. Even the food and water taste better in Jerusalem, and once you visit here, you’ll have a hard time not coming back.” It’s true. I’ve fallen in love with Jerusalem in a way that I haven’t other cities. Perhaps it’s the mysticism surrounding the presence of every monotheistic religion. Or maybe it’s the fact that the holiest places on earth for those religions are right here. But regardless of the specific reason, being in Old City Jerusalem is like being in another world. You always hear about the turmoil and controversy within these walls, but as a visitor, you don’t see any of it. Emma arrived in Jerusalem in 1973 to study. She never returned home. She met Jamal; they fell in love, got married and had six children. Jamal also told us of his journalism friend from the US who comes back to Jerusalem at least twice a year for a week. He can’t seem to escape the constant quieting feeling you have by being in this place. At the end of our coffee, he asked if I was Kevin’s daughter. When I told him no, he exclaimed, “Ah! So this is why he did not buy you anything! Here. As my gift, you may pick out any silver cross you wish.” I told him I couldn’t possibly, and I’d feel terrible. “Why?” he asked. “You should feel terrible refusing my gift!”  And he pulled down the silver crosses for me to view. 

The Holy Sepulcher

 Our next stop was the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is one of Christianity’s holiest sites. It covers the land where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. I’ve seen many churches during my travels, but I have to say that this was one of the most incredible. Stunning and detailed mosaics depicting Jesus’ life and death are displayed on many of the walls, and all of the final “stations” from the Via Dolorosa (the path Jesus took to the cross) lie in that building. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher belongs to the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Armenian Orthodox Church, and a mixture of architectural styles and designs can be seen throughout. Actually visiting the various sacred stations (namely, the alter of the crucifixion, the Stone of Anointing (where Jesus’ body was prepared for burial by his father), and the Holy Sepulcher (Jesus’ tomb itself), is indescribable. Even with the blur or candles, incense, people and prayers, you still feel a distinct connection to your faith and its roots.

View of the Dome of the Rock with the Western Wall

The Western (Wailing) Wall was the same way. The wall—which is the holiest place in Judaism—separates the men from the women. No one speaks. Everyone just prays. I quietly waited until a spot opened up, stepped in, kissed the wall, and prayed. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so moved by speaking a simple prayer. If only I had thought ahead to write my prayer as a note to leave between the cracks. Following everyone’s examples, I carefully walked backwards, out. 

I’m truly upset we didn’t plan for more time in Jerusalem.  There is so much to see and do. As Jamal told me, “You would have to stay in Jerusalem for three or four months to see everything.” And he is right. We saw the Dome of the Rock from the Western Wall today, but unfortunately it’s heavily guarded, and closed to anyone who is not Muslim. So, we roamed more of the city, ate some amazing (and amazingly overpriced) food, and made our final run through the souq. 

Oh, and for anyone interested, marriage proposals have picked up again. As I was preparing to leave a shop, a 17-year-old boy asked me where I was from.  “Ah, so where is your man?” he asked. “Back home in Texas!” I replied. “Ok, tell him a man offered 500 camels for you in Jerusalem.” FIVE HUNDRED! Wow…that is a lot of camels. Obviously, I had to decline, but I’d like everyone to take a moment to think about the possibilities here. 

Tomorrow we venture to Bethlehem to see more of this Kingdom of Heaven.