Jerusalem in a Nutshell

I went to Jerusalem to visit three very dear friends. The first on my list was a special friend from Vancouver. We met under the newly constructed light-rail bridge – an impressive structure visible throughout most of the city.

The new light-rail bridge...

We caught up and jabbered while walking the streets of one of the most incredible cities in this world.

Smile!

We eventually made our way to the shuk (market). By the time we got there, it was already towards the end of the day and many of the shops were beginning to close for the evening.

A truck load of meat in the shuk...

While sipping on passion fruit flavoured with goat milk, we went into a cheese shop where the salesman was telling a customer that the particular cheese he was holding was from Japan. We chuckled at the absurdity.

On the way back to her place, I had my first falafel since arriving. This falafel joint was pretty chill, and not particularly concerned with the growingly impatient line-up. Their style was quite hands-on. Instead of stuffing the pita carefully with tongs to preserve the spherical shape of the falafel balls like other places, the sauce was splattered and the balls were squished onto the flat bread by the fingers of a worker who has done this probably one too many times. This nonchalant style was entertaining and certainly added to the experience!

The next day we went to “Bruno Schulz: Wall Painting under Coercion”, an art exhibit at Yad Vashem Museum of Holocaust Art. This wall mural is the last known work of Schulz before he was murdered in 1942. Bruno was forced to draw fairytale characters on the wall of a nursery for SS Landau and his family. What others and myself found so impressive is that Schulz added his own twist to the mural’s characters by changing the mythology to reflect his given reality. Each character took on a double identity: Snow White was Landau’s wife, the dwarves were SS officers, and the horse carriage driver was Schulz himself.

After Yad Vashem, I journeyed over to Mt. Zion (located just outside of the Old City) to visit the second person on my list, a fellow student of my mother’s from Bezalel Art Academy.

This is his house...

He made me shakshuka for lunch!
(poached eggs in a cumin flavoured
tomato & caramelized onion sauce)

These two Arab men offered me tea and told me
that I look like a younger version of one of their wives!


Hands down, the coolest living room ever!


You know, just a pomelo growing in his yard...

This has been my dream house since I was a little girl. The magic in this place is undeniable. Unfortunately, my camera died before I got a chance to take photos from the roof. Imagine looking at the entire southern view of Jerusalem from the Old City!

From there, I ventured out with the third person on my list, another of my mother’s friends from Bezalel. She was more than wonderful in taking me around the outskirts of the city.

Reunion after 2.5 years!

Our first mission was driving through Abu Gosh (an Arab town next to Jerusalem) up into the Polish Memorial Forest to see what happened to my favourite random restaurant located in the middle of a forest. Rumour had it that it was an illegal operation and had to close down!

The entrance to the Polish Memorial Forest.
'Bialystok' is written in Hebrew on the far right.
My grandfather was born in Bialystok.


The road up...


Picnic area...


Believe it or not, this used to be one of the best restaurants!
It was known for using goat milk and
cheese products that they themselves harvested.
Imagine creme brulee made from goat milk!


Oh, hello there!


The source of all the goodness!


3 seriously 'chillaxed' dogs!

After walking around and slightly mourning the fact that the rumour was true, we went on a beautiful drive. These are photos from that drive:

A blooming sabra (cactus plant)...
Native Israelis are knicknamed sabras
- rough on outisde, sweet on the inside


A view of the valley from the road...


Bougainvilleas - orange, pink, magenta, white - you pick!

The drive eventually brought us down to Ein Kerem, believed to be the place where John the Baptist was born. It was originally an Arab village, and is now a popular place frequented by Christians. What I like about this place - though - is the gelato. Looks like the nuns around here like it too!

A mosque built over a spring...


A close-up of the palm tree with bright orange ferns...


A very famous pianist lives in the house to the right
and every month he opens his house up for a performance
where he plays for everyone in his pajamas!


****

Earlier in the day, I came across this sign. Apparently, in order to get back to Jerusalem, you need to take the Ottawa Road. For those of you who are Canadians, you'll get a kick out of that!