The Holy Land

There are some real famous things in Jerusalem. Quite a lot of them are names that are so familiar, I didn't really think they were real. Calvary, Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemanee all places that I probably knew more about as an eight year old. Like Tatooine or Third Earth.

Visited the three biggest sites already.
The Western Wall really wasn't what I was expecting, the large amount of patio furniture meant that this hugely spiritual place felt a bit like an empty cafe, which I guess isn't the feel it was going for.

The Dome of the Rock is impressively shiny. Far and away the prettiest building in the city.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is surprisingly dingy. Plus it had that sombre pilgrim feel that makes you feel as though you're awkwardly intruding on somewhere that you really shouldn't be.

Contrarily my favourite Jerusalem sight so far is not any of those. The City of David, the oldest part of town, is built on a spring, which you can wade through. In a mighty dark tunnel. It was an odd tourist experience, but a nicely cooling one on a forty degree day.

I've been to West Bank today. Did the slightly unusual double bill of Bethlehem and Hebron.

I  didn't love Bethlehem, for a place that pretty much serves as a symbol of peace it is a mighty noisy place. Everyone just seems to like shouting. And tooting their horn. Nowhere more so than in the souk. Angryshoutingtastic.

Hebron on the other hand was like nowhere I've ever been. The whole of the city centre is a dystopian ghost town. Nearly all the shops are closed and the only people you see in the streets are soldiers. You could eat the tension. And in the midst of that you have the Tombs of the Patriarchs, one of the most important - and impressive - religious sites in the world. Weird.