Sonntag, 28. September 2008

Arrived at Jerusalem

I arrived in Jerusalem at around 14:00 , took the bus number 20 from the Central Bus-station and got out too early it seems or walked the wrong way and got lost immediately.
I found myself with the help of a nice Israeli couple to be exactly on Mount Zion.
While they suggested to enter the old city through the nearby Zion Gate i decided to follow the invitation of a Taxi driver named Sharif to drive me to Jaffa Gate.
On the way he offered to drive me to Hebron, Jericho, or anywhere and be my guide etc. Just as i escaped hist car, a man who called himself Abraham approached and wanted to guide me. I declined he still wanted me to show "his brothers" shop ... once there i was invited for cofe which i could not decline then the sales procedures started.
The price for a Magen David in Silver went down from 250 NIS to 70 NIS, i still had to decline and insisted that i have to have at least a shower after all that traveling and got away.
So i entered the old city and yes indeed its overwhelming.
Uncountable small shops selling virtually everything, crowded as hell and because you cannot see the sky and it is all small and narrow there is no real chance to keep orientation.
Guided by my intuition only i made it to "Mikes Place" where i sit now in a small and somehow comfortable Internet cell writing this Post.
The Hebron Hostel should be only a few steps away and this is where James a fellow traveller from Australia that i met in Tel Aviv spent some days for 35 NIS a night.
Sitting here is a relieve after all that crazy fuzz and those masses of people out there.
Since the rest rooms at the Bus Terminal were closed for some reason, i still need to use the toilet badly, but can manage for another half hour or so.