LAST DAY IN JERUSALEM

On Saturday night, January 17, we bid goodbye to the last of our group of Pilgrims as they departed for the airport.  I had booked our flights separately from the tour company and, since it was MUCH less expensive to stay a couple of days, we were staying on until Monday night.  At the time I booked the flights, it seemed like a great idea.  We could take a day to see more of Jerusalem, then go on to Tel Aviv to stay at the beach.

On Sunday, January 18, we planned to get up and attend service at the Lutheran church in the Old City.  Although we got up in time, we were moving slowly, and did not get out of the hotel until it was too late.  Instead, we opted to "walk the wall" of the Old City of Jerusalem.

View from the rampart wall.  The gold dome is the Temple Mount.
High on the hill to the right is the Mount of Olives.
The unvegetated area in the upper right is the most coveted Jewish Cemetery.
On the other side of the ruins to the right of the wall are the Teaching Steps.

Damascus Gate into the Old City

We took in some views that we did not see before, then walked through the market.

When I booked the flights thinking it would be nice to have an extra couple of days on our own, I didn't take into account that we would be TIRED.  It had been 10 days of getting up early and seeing so many sites that they are now running together.  Did we get the Hebron Glass at the Sea of Galilee, or was it in Jerusalem?  (We finally determined it was at Jericho).  We needed some downtime.

Strolling through the market, we noticed the weather was getting colder, clouds were coming in, and we realized we were done.  All ruined out.  My mind could not absorb any more biblical and historical information/sites/experiences.  So, we went back to the hotel, got our bags, and boarded a taxi for Tel Aviv.

Sunset from our Tel Aviv hotel room

Our hotel was a pleasant surprise.  Next to the Mediterranean Sea, it is a small, but elegant hotel.  Our room overlooked the sea and was a fantastic place to enjoy a glass of wine while we watched the sun set into the ocean.







Buffeted out, we craved a restaurant with fresh fish....and someone to serve it.  The hotel desk attendant suggested Jessica, a quaint restaurant just a block from the hotel.  We got a bottle of wine and sea bass.  Fabulous.  The sign above the front window had some reflections that seemed appropriate for the moment.

Back to our room by 8 PM, and I was out.  Exhausted.  Finished.