Jerusalem!

Apologies for the hiatus. We've had long days and I've been  too tired to write anything intelligible. Our trusty, dusty little car has inched up some serious hills so we could traverse the great Ramon crater, see Avdat--a Nabatean/Roman/Ottoman trading town on the spice route from Petra--and experience Masada.

I sorted through photos of the amazing landscapes and ruins and decided that you had to be there to appreciate the dramatic scenery and the ruined ancient splendor. Photos just don't do it. Still, I'll subject you to one shot of the huge wine press at Avdat. Those traders on the spice route arrived thirsty!

Masada just can't be conveyed by photo. Overlooking the Dead Sea, it seems like it's practically in the stratosphere, but is in fact below sea level. It's amazing to see how people lived up there, especially how they managed water.

And, of course, we couldn't leave the area without completing our most important goal: Getting Bob's feet into the Dead Sea. Mission accomplished! He has now stepped into every major body of water in Israel.

The day before yesterday we said goodbye to the herds of ibex roaming around Mitzpe Ramon, though we really wanted to bring one home.

 We arrived in Jerusalem on the Sabbath, so almost no one was driving and all the shops were closed. It was fun to stroll around and see everyone else outside enjoying the beautiful weather, gathering on public benches to chat, and generally hanging out on the quiet streets. We are in the town center, a Jewish neighborhood (as opposed to Arab or Christian) and it's amazing to see how many people here are orthodox or Hasidim. Compared to other places we've been, the religious presence is very dominant. They even have kosher McDonald's!

This morning we stuffed ourselves with shakshuka, a breakfast dish of eggs baked in tomato sauce, served with salad and brown bread. Thus fortified, we make our way to the gigantic central market, where you can go wild buying gorgeous fruit, vegetables, fresh-baked bread, pickles, pastries...everything. And we did. Here is a tempting spice and tea shop.

To make everything even better, we're staying in a 100-year-old stone terraced house down a teeny lane in the town center. It's completely charming and has everything we need to feel at home.

Later today we're going out to meet Bob's second cousin and her husband, who retired here in Jerusalem. The only language they have in common is German, but that doesn't seem to slow down the conversation!