Jerusalem! Sunday

Sunday was a perfect day. I wanted to see the Mount of Olives and as much of the Old City of Jerusalem as possible. I think I walked for about nine hours! 

I started at Damascus Gate and wended my way through the Old City to exit at Lions' Gate. From there I headed down the Kidron Valley and over to the traditional site of the Garden of Gethsemane. 

From the Garden there's either a steep road or a staircase with what must be one thousand steps to the summit of the Mount of Olives. Here's the view of the Old City, with a Jewish cemetery in the foreground.

I really wanted to see the Pater Noster chuch, but it was closed this day.

 

On the way back down the Mount of Olives, I stopped at the church Domus Flevit (Latin for "the Lord wept"). This is the traditional site where Jesus looked over the city and wept.

 

Returning to the Old City, I was curious about a sign that read, "Austrian Hospice" and ascended the staircase to find this lovely view and a beautiful old Austrian hotel and cafe. It was the perfect place for a little break.

Scenes from the Old City.
 

In the afternoon luckily the line was short to see the staggeringly beautiful Dome of the Rock, also called al-Haram al-Sharif. 

This is the third holiest site in Islam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My shorts were deemed inappropriate and I was given a long skirt for modesty's sake. 

I was excited to see the inside, which I remembered from years earlier is covered in gorgeous Arabic calligraphy. 

So I nonchalantly started sauntering in, only to quickly be rebuffed by a guard-bouncer. It used to be open to tourists but now is only accessible for Muslim worshipers and I didn't exactly look the part.

Understandable enough, but hopefully next time!