One last blast from Jerusalem

I've been sidelined for a couple of days by stomach flu, so I haven't done as much as I hoped here in Jerusalem. But Bob has had time to hang out with his family and buy so much wonderful bread at the local market that they gave him a regular customer card.

Still, here are some odds and ends from earlier days.

We spent some time just exploring the quaint little lanes around the apartment where we're staying. This is considered the 'new' city, but the houses are at least 100 years old. Our apartment is at the far end of this lane.

Note how the luminous the buildings look where the sun hits them. Most of the buildings here, simple or grand, are built out of local "Jerusalem stone," a limestone that glows magically in the sun.

This area is also known for its wide assortment of synagogues--one for every flavor of Judaism, it seems. Here's one of the more prosperous-looking, with a bronze door depicting the twelve tribes of Israel.

And here's a typical Jerusalem car, parked around the corner from our apartment. It explains why I'm so grateful that we got rid of the rental car once we reached Jerusalem.

And we did the regulation tourist sites, too, though not as many as I'd hoped. The Western Wall remains a powerful place, despite the masses of tourists gawking at the people praying there. This shot is from the women's side, as men and women have to pray separately

And, of course, we got to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which was packed.

Inside, it was a bit overwhelming, with gloomy gothic corridors and alcoves, but still plenty to see. Here people are gathering to touch the Stone of Anointing, located where Jesus's body was said to be prepared for burial.

It's hard to realize that we have to leave already. Tomorrow we take an Arab-run minibus service to the airport, because every other form of pubic transport will be shut down for the Sabbath. I guess the silver lining of having so many things yet to see is that we'll have to come back someday.