On the Walls

• If you have a head for heights, a walk on the City wall (http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/even-licensed-guides.html ) provides excellent views of the City, the new city, and the hills beyond. Acrophobes beware.
• From the park above Gehenna we entered the City through a postern on the north side of the Citadel (which king did not build David's Tower?) and paused in an irregular plaza to examine the foundations. Then up fieldstone stairs to the top of the City wall. Here, on the west side of Sulieman’s (http://www.answers.com/topic/suleiman-the-magnificent ) fortification, the Jordanians (who held the City from the departure of the British in 1948 to 1967) added a wall on the City side. Beneath our feet the old stones were uneven, but the double wall assured security. Up steps, along the wall, down steps, up steps – and now nothing but open view to my left. Rational folks know a sturdy new railing protects them. Acrophobes are irrational.
• We passed "Mount Zion" (who isn't buried in "David's Tomb"?) (see also http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/05/jerusalem-cable-car.html ) and paused by a vacant field, not too far below us in the Armenian Quarter. Once again forward over uneven stones. Beyond the Zion gate, the ground dropped off again.
• The woman ahead of me turned into a narrow opening in a tower at the edge of the Armenian Quarter. I followed.
• The staircase twisted down into windwless black. Over the echo of her footsteps she called back, "Do you want to share a taxi (http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/taxis.html )? Where do you want to go?"
• "To the ground."
• A scrape and squeak as she pushed the rusted turnstile. Now I could see it and the street where children played.
• On the drive from the Armenian Quarter to the Dung Gate, you get a great view of the City wall. High, high it flows around stony ground where wild flowers and thistles grow.

Copyright 2006 Jane S. Fox