Jerusalem Of Gold

By: Andrew Routledge
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:42:22
Print this article | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

As our train rumbles through the Judean hills towards Jerusalem a tremendous sense of anticipation wells up inside of me. After all, it’s not every day that you go to the city which housed the temple of Solomon, in which Christ died and Mohammed ascended to heaven.

At the sides of the tracks the countryside is barely green and the hilltops are covered by small oak and olive trees. Now and then we pass Arabs working the land, using hand tools that probably haven't changed in centuries. Occasionally we pass by a lazy Kibbutz, nestled into the distant landscape.

Names seem to get more biblical as we approach the city, lending to the atmosphere of anticipation. Approaching Jerusalem, I can make out the walls of the old city in the distance and the hills on which the various suburbs of the city are perched. All the buildings are made from the white Jerusalem stone, giving the city a shimmering effect in the intense sun. I think of the garden of Gethsemany and the Mount of Olives.

Would they actually be as I had envisaged them to be from the Gospels? Thoughts move over to the Holocaust Museum at Yad Va Shem, would the sights of torture and suffering be too much for me to bear? I almost dread the Idea of visiting the memorial to the six million Jews who were murdered in Eastern Europe by the Nazis during the second world war.

Eventually the train pulls into the Station and we step out onto the platform. Soldiers, many of them carrying their rifles scurry quickly passed on their way to their army bases. Once through the gates are met by our tour guide. Courteously opening the car door for us we get into the V.I.P. tour Mercedes.

The windows are covered with blinds. I open one of them but am immediately asked by our driver to close them. “It will ruin your surprise”, he explains.

We see nothing of the city as we hurry through it but it doesn't seem to matter because the anticipation of the surprise and the complimentary soft drink keep us going. Climbing a large hill we begin to become aware of a whole range of smells that are new to us. Smells of the orient!

Eventually we pull up and are asked to close our eyes. We comply, now very excited by the prospect of what is to come. We are led carefully from the car to a spot where we feel the warm air whooshing up from the valley below. “Welcome to Mount Scopus” said our guide.

“Please now open your eyes”.

The intense sun blinds the view momentarily but my eyes soon adjust. Sucking in air at the sheer beauty of Jerusalem in all its glory make my eyes well up with tears. The view is absolutely astounding. Nothing had prepared me for it. Nothing could. Four Thousand years of MY history are standing right there before my eyes. A picture with a hundred million words.

I am home!

I'm Andy Routledge. I hope you liked the article. Article writing is a major part of my working life along with copywriting and satirical writing. I would like to invite you to visit my showcase blog where you can see a full cross-range of my work. You will notice my versatility of style which gives me an advantage in adapting myself to the needs of most employers. To See the blog go to http://www.routledge-associates.com

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Travel & Leisure category

  • Gaudi - Barcelona's Most Famous Attraction - By: Michiel Van Kets
    Planning a trip to Spain gives you plenty of options. Spain isn't only about the familiar traditional tourist destinations of Ibiza, Torremolinos and Benidorm, for something a little different then book yourself on a flight to Barcelona. This European city has an abundance of attractions and sights to explore and there are few other cities that can compete with the cultural experiences it has to offer. Art, history, architecture, wine, food and shopping, mix it all up with great weather and a beach on the doorstep and you have all the ingredients needed for a perfect holiday.
  • Barcelona - The Ideal City Short Break - By: Michiel Van Kets
    As finding time to take a break becomes increasingly difficult, whether it's because of family commitments, a hectic work schedule or a tight budget, taking a short city break has become the new mode of travel. Plan a weekend trip, a longer break, or take a few days during the working week, you'll find flights to European cities cheap and frequent, and they don't cost the earth. And with online hotel bookings so simple, the whole planning process has never been easier.
  • James Bond's Prague - By: Stepan Stich
    Hear about some of the most famous films shot on location in Prague and where the actors chose to stay whilst shooting in the Bohemian city.
  • Top 5 Sights of Kafka's Prague - By: Stepan Stich
    Follow in the footsteps of Prague's most famous resident. Go on a 'Kafkaesque' tour of the Czech Republic's capital city.
  • Budapest's Finest Festivals - By: Gergely Garami
    Want to get more out of your holiday in Budapest? Time your trip with one of these fantastic festivals.
  • Koh Samui Hotels - First Class for Accommodation - By: Michiel Van Kets
    Thailand is full of sublime vacation spots - there's the gentle beauty of the northern capital Chiang Mai, the energy and excitement of Bangkok, and the breezy hedonism of the tropical island of Phuket with its beaches, grand hotels and wide array of watersports. But few have the charm and vibrancy of Koh Samui.
  • My Beautiful Memories of the Amazing Stockholm Sights - By: Estanislao Chapel
    Looking back on my vacation in Sweden, I am truly in awe of all the sights and sounds that I experienced when I visited its capital city, Stockholm. A cosmopolitan city that boasts of Old World charm and modern architecture blended perfectly together.
  • Your Stockholm Vacation and How to Make The Most Out of It - By: Estanislao Chapel
    Planned for the longest time for this Swedish vacation? Making the most out of your Stockholm vacation is so fabulously easy! The Land of the Vikings as Sweden is also known for, is a land filled with history, arts, nature and everything else you can imagine.
  • Experience Koh Samui in Thailand for a True Tropical Island Adventure - By: Michiel Van Kets
    Most people visit the Thai island of Koh Samui for the beaches and they're never disappointed. The beaches fulfill all the promise of a tropical island with their expanses of white sand lapped by a crystal clear sea under an endless warm sun.
  • Encounter the best of Morocco with Hotel Amanjena - By: Robert Murgatroyd
    The first time I stayed in Hotel Amanjena on one of my travels in Morocco, it made me think of coming back and staying there the next time I come for a visit. I think this hotel is one of the most exquisite hotels in terms of architecture that I know. It's the first Aman resort in the African continent and it certainly lives up to its name that means "peaceful paradise".