Journey to myself (mentally) - Jerusalem

Jerusalem. This was the best that could happen to me after the days in the Negev. Okay. The places are crowded but you get so many impressions - from ancient to modern times. The days made me think about myself, the world and the past and the future. It was different from the days in the desert. Maybe the combination was the key.
This suite is located in the Hagia Maria Sion Abbey or Dormitio Abbey on mount Sion in Jerusalem. It is an abbey of benedictine monks. I was lucky to spend about three days with those monks and participate in their daily life.
I arrived on friday and the first night in Jerusalem I spent in a hostel: Jaffa Gate Hostel. Really nice hostel. I had a double bed room so I was able to clean my equipment easily. I had to take three showers in succession to get clean.
That´s the view from the hostel over Jerusalem´s Old City.
The market.
After the days in the desert you have to get used to the people. Because it was friday (shabbat) it was really crowded.
View from the Church of the Redeemer.
To the New City.
To Mount Sion.
To the Palistanian border and the Mount of Olives.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Living on the roofs.
Dome of the Rock and Mount of Olives.
Dome of the Rock.
Church of th Redeemer.
Damascus Gate - one of the nine gates to the Old City of Jerusalem.
A chapel at the Via Dolorosa.
Tower of the Dormitio Church.
Dormitio Abbey Church.
Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall on a friday night.
A closer look.
The Dome of Rock in the sunlight.
At Jaffa Gate.
My room in the abbey. Perfect to relax.
Looking east from Mt Sion.
Russian Maria Magdalena Church on Mount of Olives.
The bazar.
Mount of Olives at sunset.
Sunset. Dormitio Abbey...
... on Mount Sion.
Details from the facade.
In the crypt.
The ceiling in the crypt.
In the inner courtyard of the Abbey. A nice place to relax.
Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Golgatha. Thanks to Father Jakobus for the tour. Guided by him I saw a lot of details I would not have recognized without him.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
The King David Hotel.
The city wall with different kinds of stones representing different ages.
David Tower and...
... Jaffa Gate at night.
The tower of Dormitio Abbey seen from the New City.
This day it rained for the first time since march. The pictures were taken in the alleys where the bazar is during the day.
Closed Bazar.
An entrance to a home.
The Western Wall.
Empty alley in the Old City (Armenian Quarter).
Tower of Dormitio Abbey at night.
Sunrise over the Old City seen from Mount of Olives.
Close to the jewish cemetery on Mount of Olives I found a hole in the walls.
You can see the abbey from here.


The closed Golden Gate.
The city wall of the Old City and Dormitio Abbey.
City wall and Mount of Olives.
Golgatha.
The stone Jesus was said to be anointed on.
Inside the tomb of Jesus is presented. Palmers waiting infront the entrance.
The ceiling above the tomb.
Crosses by the crusaders.
The devided rock under Golgatha.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
On top of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre live monchs.
Stones from the first city wall of Jerusalem.
Remains of the old city gate where the Romans came probably into the city and conquered it.
Last Supper room on Mount Sion.
Dormitio Abbey seen from the roof of the Last Supper Room.
Tower of the Abbey ...
... seen from the garden of the Abeey.
The cemetery.

Snapshot.
On the way to Temple Mount. The place in front of the Western Wall.
The Western Wall.
Temple Mount.
Al-Aqsa Mosque.Dome of the Rock.
Details of the pillars.
Mosaic.
Dome of the Rock.
A Mosque.
Dome of the Rock and a gate.
The New City.