Jerusalem is situated in the mountains. It's cooler and dryer here. Old buildings and narrow, stony streets made the city of Old Jerusalem immediately recognizable. We went to the wailing wall and shopped in the cavernous markets where, the smell of spices filled the air. Little school children all dressed in their uniforms were just leaving school and the streets were crammed with moms picking up their little ones.
Moshe' (Moses in English) our driver had dropped us off at the front gate of an exquisite old chapel converted into a hotel named St. Georges Cathedral. Although it's very old, they've converted it into a luxury hotel with Mediterranean stone floors, spacious hallways with ancient artifacts and modern upgrades. We were served a buffet dinner of various vegetables, spiced rice and meats, a variety of olives and oils, pita bread and honey cakes in the huge dining hall on the first floor which, looked like it could be in the movies. Whomever said France has memorable food never, ever visited the middle east!!!! The basic sandwich is a falafel which is a pita pocket filled with hummus (so much better than any hummus in the states) and various fresh or cooked vegetables. Yummm! Breakfast here is often hummus, eggs, salad with delicious vinegarette dressing, melon smoothies, an assortment of cheeses and sauces that would knock your socks off. Everyone agreed it's the best food they've ever eaten.
There's an open courtyard garden situated in the center of our hotel with pathways, lemon, lime and orange trees, hollyhocks and lavender, along with tables and chairs to just sit and read or take in the sun.
Speaking of sun, it's very cool and breezy, so we all bundled up to be outside.
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