Day 12: Jerusalem, Israel - Oy!

Israeli border

What's the best way to enter Israel? Walk. Apparently that was the only way for me to go into Israel from Jordan. I guess it makes sense, since public transportation services obviously can't cross secure national borders. I took a taxi from Aqaba to the border, then literally walked across the border from Jordan to Israel. It was a fairly quick and painless process, with expected Israeli efficiency. It was also the first time I've seen women's hair for about two weeks. On the Israeli side of the divide, a security guard called a taxi for me which transported me to the port city of Eilat.

Since I've had my fair share of Red Sea port cities, I decided there was no need to stay in Eilat and simply took a bus to Jerusalem. Along the way I was reminded of exactly which country I was in. Barbed wire fences were common, as well as missiles just sitting on the side of the road, presumably aimed at would-be jaywalkers. The route did take us past the Dead Sea, which was eerily still.

Dead Sea

Also on my bus was Danish David from Petra fame. He had the stupendous idea of lugging himself and two large suitcases to Masada, a historical site a kilometer or so off the coast of the dead sea. He said he wasn't sure if he would stay there that night or go to Jerusalem. I was more concerned about how he was going to walk around the desert with two large suitcases.

I arrived in Jerusalem late afternoon. Did you know that there are lots of Jews in Jerusalem? I remembered all the Jewish jokes I had made in college, and made a point not to make them here. Jerusalem is divided into the Old City, literally walled in with medieval mazes of roads and lots of holy sites, and the New City, which is very contemporary and European. My hostel is located right outside the walls of the Old City, which affords a rather nice view of Damascus Gate, leading into the Old City. Also, Danish David showed up in my dorm room that night, looking like he survived a war.

Damascus Gate

Old City