The Ancient of Days
The log of a hot hot day in Jerusalem!
Today was the day of old and ancient. I began with a saunter through the Christian and Armenian quarters of the Old City. Then went up onto the Ottoman wall at Jaffa gate (it led to the road to Jaffa, or Joppa, or Tel Aviv now). Fantastic views! You walk along fortifications used by the Jordanians in 1947 - 1967. Snipers used the holes I peered through. I went over Zion gate, which still ahs the bullet marks from
the Jewish fighters in 1947 trying to get into the city, and failing!
I came off the wall just before Dung Gate, and then went into the Archeological Site at the southern end of the Temple Mount. It has been uncovered since 1967. I walked the Herod the Great's main street along the Western Wall of the Temple Mount. I climbed the Crusader (Templar) fortification at the southern end of the Mount. I walked through Early Muslim palaces built on top of Byzantine houses, and then walked through them as well. I walked up to the Hulgah Gates, the main entry into the Temple Compound, on the steps built by Herod. I saw a wall and gate dating
back to the 800's BCE.
After 2 ½ hours I made a wee tactical error of sorts. I wandered down to the Absalom Observation Point, which looks our over the tombs in the Kidron Valley. I then walked down and along the Kidron valley, till I found the Gishon (??) stream and up to the Hezekiah tunnel, built to bring the stream inside the city walls, and the down again to the pool where if came out. But I could not go into any of these
things because I didn't have a ticket. I getting to the tunnel, I discovered later I had climbed most of the way up the hill to the City of David. But in looking for the pool had gone all the way down again. So up I went again, in the heat of the day, to the City for David. I should have gone the other way around, and bought myself a ticket. Anyhow, there I found the 3000 year old remains of the Northern and
Southern Towers of David's City. 3,000 years old!!!!
Now thoroughly hot and tired, I returned through the Armenian Quarter, back to St. Georges, buying a beautiful stole on the way.
Finally, why are their Armenians in Jerusalem? Because around the end of WW1, the Turks with the help of the Kurds, did their level best to exterminate them. Over 2,000,000 died, or 60% of the total population. Many were murdered. Man more died on forced marches. Some of dehydration, some (men mainly) murdered, and many women and girls were taken. Those who survived arrived in Syrian and here, often
penniless, and nearly naked. I read accounts written by Consulate staff last night. The European powers protested, but did nothing. Turkey still denies it happened. I had a long talk with an Armenian about it today. His concern is that the Kurds in Turkey are suffering the same brutal suppression today.
A hot day. A great day of History, some amazing, some sad and brutal.
Tomorrow I hope to retrace the supposed journey of Christ, from the room of the Last Supper, to the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane, and then through the Lions Gate and up the Via Delarosa to Holy Sepulchre.
Shalom.
Today was the day of old and ancient. I began with a saunter through the Christian and Armenian quarters of the Old City. Then went up onto the Ottoman wall at Jaffa gate (it led to the road to Jaffa, or Joppa, or Tel Aviv now). Fantastic views! You walk along fortifications used by the Jordanians in 1947 - 1967. Snipers used the holes I peered through. I went over Zion gate, which still ahs the bullet marks from
the Jewish fighters in 1947 trying to get into the city, and failing!
I came off the wall just before Dung Gate, and then went into the Archeological Site at the southern end of the Temple Mount. It has been uncovered since 1967. I walked the Herod the Great's main street along the Western Wall of the Temple Mount. I climbed the Crusader (Templar) fortification at the southern end of the Mount. I walked through Early Muslim palaces built on top of Byzantine houses, and then walked through them as well. I walked up to the Hulgah Gates, the main entry into the Temple Compound, on the steps built by Herod. I saw a wall and gate dating
back to the 800's BCE.
After 2 ½ hours I made a wee tactical error of sorts. I wandered down to the Absalom Observation Point, which looks our over the tombs in the Kidron Valley. I then walked down and along the Kidron valley, till I found the Gishon (??) stream and up to the Hezekiah tunnel, built to bring the stream inside the city walls, and the down again to the pool where if came out. But I could not go into any of these
things because I didn't have a ticket. I getting to the tunnel, I discovered later I had climbed most of the way up the hill to the City of David. But in looking for the pool had gone all the way down again. So up I went again, in the heat of the day, to the City for David. I should have gone the other way around, and bought myself a ticket. Anyhow, there I found the 3000 year old remains of the Northern and
Southern Towers of David's City. 3,000 years old!!!!
Now thoroughly hot and tired, I returned through the Armenian Quarter, back to St. Georges, buying a beautiful stole on the way.
Finally, why are their Armenians in Jerusalem? Because around the end of WW1, the Turks with the help of the Kurds, did their level best to exterminate them. Over 2,000,000 died, or 60% of the total population. Many were murdered. Man more died on forced marches. Some of dehydration, some (men mainly) murdered, and many women and girls were taken. Those who survived arrived in Syrian and here, often
penniless, and nearly naked. I read accounts written by Consulate staff last night. The European powers protested, but did nothing. Turkey still denies it happened. I had a long talk with an Armenian about it today. His concern is that the Kurds in Turkey are suffering the same brutal suppression today.
A hot day. A great day of History, some amazing, some sad and brutal.
Tomorrow I hope to retrace the supposed journey of Christ, from the room of the Last Supper, to the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane, and then through the Lions Gate and up the Via Delarosa to Holy Sepulchre.
Shalom.
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