TL-45-485 Update 1
Written by Dianne and Alan
After an exhausting day of travel (an 8-hour flight from Toronto to Frankfurt, a 4-hour flight from Frankfurt to Tel Aviv, an hour-long bus ride from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and busy airports to navigate along the way), we made it to Jerusalem on the evening of Feb. 24th. Two PCR tests and one buffet dinner later, we were all settled down for our best attempt at jetlagged sleep.
The morning saw our first look at Jerusalem in the light – a city that many of us had heard stories about but few of us had visited. And no part of life in Canada could’ve prepared us for the experience.
The history. The Old City, the Cardo, the Western Wall. The Machane Yehuda Market (known as the “shuk”) and its whirlwind of sights, smells, and sounds. The food. So much delicious food. (We are already settling into the familiar refrain of “I’m not sure what this is, but it tastes amazing”.) Even day to day life, from olive trees and bright stone facades to bustling streets and roaming cats, was a wonder to take in.
We spent the day exploring with our guides, our Israeli hosts, and our group, quickly growing from strangers to travel companions. One day down, nine more to go, and a long list of adventures still to come. Apparently today was just the quiet day…
