What a Long, Strange Trip it's Been

I just returned from a week long visit to Israel. I had a very clear focus for taking the trip, to visit my ailing Mom. Without going into a lot of specifics, the visit was difficult, useful interesting, stressful and wonderful.

Though I didn't spend a lot of time touring, I managed to spend a day in the old city of Jerusalem. If you ever have the chance to visit the old city, I highly recommend that you take it.

Jerusalem bubbles from history from all religions and walks of life. Throw in the Shouk (the market) and you've got a real life Indiana Jones scenario. The place is surreal. The Kotel (the Western Wall of the Old Temple) almost moved me to tears. A wave of emotion enveloped me as I touched the Wall and whispered a private prayer in my mind.

I also visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Despite the fact that I am not Christian, standing in front of the supposed tomb of Christ inside an incredibly rich architectural building sent a chill down my spine. Being inside the church is like going back through layers of time. It's amazing.

There is really no way to adequately describe the richness of the old city of Jerusalem. I did not have a chance to visit the Bahai temple and the Dome of the Rock, but a person could easily spend a week or two in Jerusalem alone without running out of sites to see. Couple that with the mix of cultures and you've got an amazingly diverse set of diversions.

Take the trip if you can.

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