Vincent Poon :: Jerusalem (31-Aug - 6 Sep)
 
Jerusalem, a name that has constantly appeared in the biblical text, a city that is more than 3000 years old, a place that is sacred to 3 religions and a region that has always been in conflicts. Yet it is this very place that has given us such a rich amount of history and culture. Walking (or getting lost) in there is like reading a living history book where you would see and learn new things at every turn of the corner.
Visits: 614 times
Last changed: Aug 04, 2015
10 items in this album
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www.fotop.netThe good, the bad and the ugly!Israel & Jordan 2008  
       
I was lucky enough to see the ceremony of Bar Mitzvah (I think)
Station XII - Jesus dies on the cross. Now a Greek Orthodox Chapel, is where Jesus was crucified.
Album: The Western Wall (1-Sep & 5-Sep Sabbath)
 
The Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, refers to the last remaining part of the Great Temple that was built by Kind Solomon in the Old Testament and was subsequently destroyed, rebuilt (2nd Temple), expanded (by Herod) and finally destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
 
Nowadays, Jews from all over the world came to mourn and bemoan the destruction of the Temple.
 
I was lucky to witness the Bar Mitzvah and also how they celebrated here on Sabbath


Changed: Jul 26, 2015.
Contains: 24 items.
Album: Mt. Olives (1-sep)
 
Mount Olive is really famous for the place where Jesus was betrayed and arrested after the Last Supper, and also the place where he ascended into Heaven 40 days after resurrection.
 
Unless you are still young and fit and energetic, otherwise plan yourself properly if you want to tread the footsteps of Jesus in this mountain. Trust me.
 
Or unless you have a car........


Changed: Jul 31, 2014.
Contains: 80 items.
Album: Via Dolorosa (1-Sep)
 
Via Dolorosa, "Way of Sorrows", or more commonly known to us Catholics as the "Stations of the Cross". Here I tried to re-live the moments by following the footsteps of Jesus on his last journey before his crucifixion


Changed: Jul 15, 2015.
Contains: 22 items.
Album: Church of the Holy Sepulchre (1-Sep Night & 6-Sep Day)
 
Perhaps the most sacred place for the Christians, the Church was built on the place where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. It was also the last 4 Stations of the Cross (Via Dolorosa). Today the church is jointly administrated by both the Orthodox, the Armenian and the Catholics.
 
To Christians like us, this place is a must-visit as part of our pilgrimage journey in the Holy Land. To non-believers, it is still a worthy place to visit as you could simply feel the sensation when the pilgrims wept, prayed or jointly sang together.


Changed: Jul 26, 2015.
Contains: 12 items.
The golden dome was actually made of solid gold. In 1993, King Hussein of Jordan sold one of his houses to fund the 80 kg of gold required to refurbish the dome
Finally there - The first building was the visitors' centre, the pyramid-like pavilion behind was the Holocaust History Museum
I finally found the Hall of the Last Supper, where Jesus instituted the Eucharist, and also where the apostles received the Holy Spirit in Pentacost
The Citadel and the Tower of David. Inside is a museum where you could see the history of the Jews.
Album: Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock (2-Sep)
 
Haram esh-Sharif, or Temple Mount is the place where the first temple was built by King Solomon and was subsequently torn down by the Romans. Thereafter, Dome of the Rock was built and then became the 3rd most sacred place for the Muslims
 
It is hard to miss the golden dome in the old city of Jerusalem and for non-muslims like me, you are only allowed to enter the plaza and not inside to see the foundation stone ('The Rock')


Changed: Aug 03, 2015.
Contains: 24 items.
Album: Yad VaShem (2-Sep) & the New City
 
Yad VaShem, meaning 'a name and a place' (Isaiah 56:5) is the Jewish people’s living memorial to the Holocaust. The contents in the museum were so intense and powerful that even for an outsider like me felt deeply touched by what has happened to the Jews in WWII. I think anybody should pay a visit to this place to remind themselves the meaning of humanity and that we are all equal in this world.
 
To get to Yad VaShem or other places in Israel, you would need to take the bus at the central bus station. This is where I had the opportunity to walk around the New City of Jerusalem, which is actually quite modern!

 



Changed: Aug 02, 2015.
Contains: 22 items.
Album: Mt. Zion (5-Sep)
 
Mount Zion is the other hill that I visited while in Jerusalem.
 
Holy sites include the Hall of the Last Supper, Peter's denial of Jesus and also the place where Virgin Mary slept eternally.
 
Unfortunately most places were closed by the time I got there (It was a friday!) 


Changed: Aug 03, 2014.
Contains: 24 items.
Album: Christian Quarter (1 to 5-Sep)
 
As the gateway between the Old and the New City, the Christian Quarter is perhaps the most visited part of all quarters.
 
At its heart is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and surrounding it you will find churches and hospices and also stalls and stores for candles and souvenirs for pilgrims. The cafes at the Muristan area will perhaps be a nice place to chill out.


Changed: Aug 02, 2015.
Contains: 23 items.
Walking through one of the streets after dark when I had to change my hostel from the Christian Quarter to the Muslim Quarter. Yes some areas were so dark that people had to use their cellphones as torches
Jews gathering on the street on the day after the Sabbath (ie Saturday)
Album: Muslim Quarter (1 to 5-Sep)
 
As the name implies, the central souq, the hustle and bustle, the Arabic inscriptions, the symbols of the moons and the stars, all these make you think you are in the middle of a Muslim city
 
Yet the Muslim Quarter is not just for mosques or souqs. The Via Dolorosa is here as well as other churches and monasteries. Of course the most famous landmark in the area is still the large golden dome that you just could not miss!


Changed: Aug 03, 2015.
Contains: 30 items.
Album: Jewish Quarter (1 to 5-Sep)
 
The name came when the Jewish community decided to settle here in Jerusalem since the Arab times.
 
If the Muslim Quarter is more like a huge marketplace then this quarter is more like a residential area, with many buildings rebuilt after the conflicts in 1948. The star attraction of the area has to be the Western Wall


Changed: Aug 03, 2015.
Contains: 12 items.
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www.fotop.netThe good, the bad and the ugly!Israel & Jordan 2008  
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