The Western Wall

Visiting the old city in Jerusalem has always been a dream of mine and one that was long overdue, one year to be exact... thanks KLM! I decided to walk the 3km from Hebron Road to the Old City because I couldn't make head nor tail of the bus schedules (it was my first day there!), absolutely everything is in Hebrew, which, if your a tourist, make it's almost impossible to get around until you figure which bus numbers take you where, the walk was quite enjoyable anyway so I didn't mind. I arrived at the Jaffa Gate at about 2pm and was rather surprised by the small crowd, I had always imagined the old city as a bustling metropolis of traders and religious pilgrims.

Jaffa Gate, Old City, Jerusalem

I made my way through the almost deserted Armenian Quarter towards the Zion Gate heckled occasionally by over enthusiastic traders who hover around the entrance to their souvenir shops. Every corner of the Old City seemed to have security cameras which made me feel a little uneasy and I was glad when I finally started to see crowds of people again.

Cyclist, Armenian Quarter, Old City, Jerusalem

Street trader, King David's Tomb, Jerusalem.

Soldiers resting in Ha-Khurba Square, Old City, Jerusalem.

Soldiers making their way to the Western Wall, Jewish Quarter, Old City, Jerusalem

The closer I got to the Western Wall the more and more soldiers I began to see, there was literally thousands and I thought to myself this couldn't be normal. It wasn't until I entered the main plaza that I realized what was going on, it was a graduation ceremony for the new IDF soldiers, in the centre of the plaza there was a section cordoned off with hundreds of guns laid out on tables. I made my way down through the crowds of soldiers toward the wall and was quickly turn around again by an angry looking women gesturing for me to go around to the other side, a young lady was kind enough to inform me with a slight giggle, that I was in ladies section and men were not aloud to pray here.

IDF soldiers attending a graduation ceremony at the Western Wall, Old City, Jerusalem

IDF soldiers laying out assault rifles during a graduation ceremony at the Western Wall

Worshippers at Western Wall

When I finally made it to the men's section of the wall I felt a little uneasy photographing the worshippers, I wouldn't dare do it in a Roman Catholic church so it just didn't feel right. After observing for a few minute I spotted two Chinese men filming the worshippers and they had no problem getting up close and personal so I decided to hell with it, I here so I may as well just photograph them... what's the worst that can happen!

Western Wall

Palm reader at the entrance to the Western Wall, Jerusalem.

Finding the Western Wall was a lot easier than finding my way back to the Christian Quarter, I wondered down numerous dead ends which led to private dwelling and only for the kindness of an old lady who saw me trying to decipher my map (yes I had a map!), I would have probably spent the entire night roaming around the Jewish and Armenian Quarters.