The Old City of Jerusalem - Mom's Favorite

Imagine living and working in a city where the streets and walls are all made of stone. No grass, no trees. Just lots of stone. That's the Old City of Jerusalem.

I'm not sure how I got so many photos of the streets being empty, as much of the time they're crowded.

Laundry hanging from windows inside the Old City of Jerusalem.

Notice how not one street here is flat. They're all hills, steps...

...or a combination of steps with ramps so people with cargo carts can traverse these hills.

Damascas Gate, the one closest to Amy's bus stop, and the fanciest gate of them all.   

Mom loves the long, narrow, stone streets of the Old City.  Some are covered and some are open to the hot sun.

Cute little Arab men playing a game.

Look at all that candy.  My favorite is the one on the right (top) - sesame seeds with honey.

This man won the "most pushy salesman award."  He coaxed us in to look at his nativities, which we told him we already bought those, then showed us only jewelry. He put a shimmery blue necklace on mom's neck and said, "You can't take it off, only I can take it off."  He said since business is slow today, for Americans, $120, then when Mom gasped, he said, "But for Mormons only $80."  Not sure how he knew we were Mormons, maybe we told him we were from Utah. He said, "Mormons don't drink coffee, tea.  But orange.  Do they drink water?"  We laughed.  Every time we tried to say "No, we are cheap, we don't buy real stones," he would throw out a lower price.  He ended around $40 with us hurrying out the store.  So funny.

This man may have won second place.  We got to "wheel and deal" with him twice because Mom accidentally lost the bag with the shirt I bought from him, so we went back the next day for a replacement.  He said about us asking for a deal again, "Oh you are breaking my heart again."  As we left he said, "Don't lose it again!" Then he turned around and saw that Mom had left her water bottle in his store.  We all got a good laugh out of that.

Shaban, our favorite Arab shop owner.  He loves the Mormons and has great deals on his souvenirs.  Mom is buying a widow's mite coin for Dad. He has an amazing memory for recognizing lots of types of coins.  He used the book to show us how they matched.

Mom's a thrifty Scottish gal, but at only $5 for a fun skirt at Shaban's shop, I finally talked her into buying one.

Mom got a kick out of this shop owner.  He invited us inside saying he wouldn't be pushy.  I said, "If this is his version of not pushy..."  After a while he said, "Sorry I talk so much, but I have to try."

The carts people push down the narrow stone streets, using a flat tire as a break they step on.

Garbage truck (I think) with a man sitting on top.