Jerusalem, Israel- Part 2

Another stunning museum (see part 1 for the first one) includes the Dead Sea Scrolls! We highly recommend the Israel Museum for its comprehensive sections of Judaica, art, special displays (in this case, a history of clothing in Israel), and sculpture gardens. It was amazing to see fragments of the book of Isaiah! Please note that the Sabbath is taken very seriously in Jerusalem. While the museum was open on Saturday, several restaurants within the museum were closed. The remaining open snack bar had a minimal selection of pre-packaged foods and the small space was stuffed full of hungry museum goers.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is ostentatious and crowded. In the lower sub-basement, a calm and simple Chapel is a relief. In contrast, another possible location of the burial and resurrection is “The Garden Tomb” outside the Damascus gate. No admission is charged to this serene location with volunteer guides.

The Mount of Olives provides an amazing view over Jerusalem. We went through several massive stone gates to enter and exit the city: Jaffa, Zion, Damascus, and Dung.

Please beware of restaurants that don’t include prices on the menu. Do NOT think, “well, how bad can it be?” The answer is: really bad. All other dining experiences were great. The fresh hummus, pita bread and falafel were fantastic, as well as salads, seafood, pasta, and risotto at various restaurants.

We did not have the opportunity to bargain at the huge market, Mahane Yehuda, because SOMEONE immediately agreed to pay the quoted price for some delicious scoops of granola and tea. So don't take it from me, but it may be possible to negotiate down a bit. Thankfully, our tour guide said he pays the same amount, so we didn't feel too ripped off after that! Where is your favorite place in Israel?