| Not yet on local time, we woke at about 3:45 am with the full moon still clearly visible from our hotel window. | |
After a classic Israeli breakfast in the hotel we drove to the Old City of Jerusalem to visit the Western Wall and the "Rabbi's" Tunnel.
We parked outside the Zion Gate and entered from the south. The walls are pocked with shells exploded during the 48 and 67 wars.
Just inside we met Mel Reisfield who we had tried to contact to guide the tour.
Our walk to the Kotel Plaza led us along a road that gave us unusual sites and a commanding view of the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock.
The amount of the western retaining wall of Herod's Temple now visible is a small portion. The excavations underneath the Moslem Quarter illustrate how awesome the structure must have been in its day.
 | This is the Plaza of the Kotel (the Western [retaining] Wall of Herod's Temple in Jerusalem). Behind the photographer is the Kotel itself. A web camera (aimed from the tallest building visible on the left) displays this area continuously. |
Off to the right (north) of this view is the entrance to the Tunnel.
We got out of the tunnel at the Via Dolorosa and explored more of the Old City, especially the Cardo.
We had lunch at a little spot just outside the Zion gate where the Gilmores went on a quick camel ride.
In the afternoon, we explored Machane Yehuda. Then welcomed Shabbat at the Western Wall and returned to our hotel for dinner and overnight, Jerusalem.
This later part I'll prepare for uploading later.
Acknowledgments:
 | Back to Israel Tour | Yesterday | Tomorrow |
© MemHeh Productions Last updated: October 28, 1997.