What a difference

Did quite a bit of walking around the new city today.  First walked down to the Lion Gate.  As usual there were cars and rubbish everywhere, cars park on the footpath meaning that pedestrians walk on the road amid all the screaming tooting swerving cars.  Shame that I am near shitting myself and little old ladies in their hijab walk arm in arm down the road without a worry.

Found my way from the Lion Gate down the Via Dolorosa, past all the shops with vendors out front, tour groups and processions of singing pilgrims.  Found the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by myself.  Then went in to look around.  Went fairly easily up to the site of the crucifixion which is quite moving.  Then down the stairs and out the back to where the cross was discovered, then past various chapels to the queue to see the Holy Sepulchre.  Couldn't go all that way and not see it.  It is hard in all the noise and bussle to think of what it means to so many people.  The very affordability and accessibility that enables me to see these places turns them in to side shows - where the tomb of Christ, a modernist architectural delight in Barcelona and the Melbourne Aquarium all have nearly the same atmosphere.
I am forcing myself to slow down and think where I am and what I am doing more, instead of racing to beat the big tour group to the next sight, and taking so many photos I don't look.

                                                   6th     station of the cross

This resolution was going well until I got stuck between two Russian groups in the queue to see the Sepulchre.  Bastards behind me trying to pass on both sides, big mongrels in front who wouldn't move forward.  I was trying really hard to have charitable thoughts while queuing to see the burial place of Jesus of Nazareth, but I had really twitchy elbows.

Then found my own way to the Jaffa Gate and walked up Jaffa Road and through the main part of the Jewish section of the new city.  It is all clean and under good repair, rubbish is picked up and cars are parked on the road.  Even old little alleys are clean and neat

Went to the market and bought some fruit and this little tart with cherries and cherry jam and nuts.  It was beautiful and I want another one.  Just had it with a cup of tea back at hotel.
On the way back I walked through a Palestinian area shopping street which was very atmospheric and crowded and noisy.  Then back to the Hotel along a main street choc a block with cars.  I have to walk this road at least twice a day.