Community Garden

If I walk down the Ettinger steps -- about 50 of them in threes and fours between long landings, to Rav Berlin Street then up Brody, I reach the community garden in sbout five minutes. Amenities inclode a large, waterproof, glass-doored bookcase full of books in four or mor languages(take one, leave one, just like the Little Free Libraries), three groups of benches, a picnic table, and a compost heap. More people bring the makings for compost than work the garden.

Copyright 2016 Jane Fox

Monster

• HaMifletzet in Kiryat Hayovel (http://www.israelfamily.org/photogallery/Israel6-7-8/slides/HaMifletzet-The%20Monster.html ) is a nonarchitectural monster, well enough known to be featured in the small, excellent, and rarely-seen pamphlet published by the Jerusalem Municipality Tourist Division.
• In a shady park (a project of the Jerusalem Foundation.), HaMifletset is a tall, piebald monster, whose three tongues are slides.
• The 18, 20, and 24Alef (from the Israel and Biblelands Museums) bus stop nearby. Ask a fellow-passenger where to get off for hah-meef-let-set. In your question, use as few words as possible. When you get off the 18, go right. It is about a block from the bus stop. You can ask anyone "HaMeeletst?"and get directions.
• If you walk back to the bus stop, continue a block, cross at the T-junction, and turn right, you will see to your left a good, kid-friendly, little restaurant with tables outside and inside. Childrens will notice the dancing cows on the pillar outside. The restaurabt will also package for you you a freshly-cooked take-out meal (the common Hebrew expression sounds very like take out, and the owner and staff speak enough English to explain what's available) for a very reasonable price. You can get shawarma or regular food.
• Farther along the street, next to the supermarket (Hebrew: "soopehr") is a pizzaria.

Copyright 2007 Jane S. Fox

Sidewalks End

• Outside the City wall (http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/on-walls.html ), from the Dung Gate to the Jaffa Gate is a beautiful walk. To your left, far across the valley, are the Talpiot promenades (http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/sherover-promenade.html and http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/haas-and-goldman-promenades.html ). To the east is the cemetary-covered side of the Mount of Olives. To the southeast, the City of David (http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/city-of-david.html and http://www.cityofdavid.org.il/index.html ) stretches down to the Siloam pool ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pool_of_Siloam ).
• You are in watershed of the Dead Sea (http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/watershed.html ) beyond the mounded hills to the east.
• As you walk towards the Jaffa Gate, to your right is the strip of park outside the rampart. Near the Dung Gate, the ground between the sidewalk and the wall is honeycombed with caves and what seem to be the remains of ancient cellars.
• At this point there is sidewalk (British: pavement) on both sides of the road.
• The distance between the road and the wall widens. When you reach the sign pointing up the road to "Mount Zion"( http://www.crystalinks.com/zion.html and http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/05/jerusalem-cable-car.html ), follow its arrow to your right, or walk a little farther until you see aparking lot for "Mount Zion," and turn in there, for if you continue along the main road beyond this point, you will soon reach the end of the sidewalks. You could then cross the street and walk on the low wall bordering the steep valley, or you could walk in the road facing traffic, but either requires strong nerves (and foolhardiness).
• If you follow the sign to "Mount Zion," which is outside the Zion Gate, you can continue to the Jaffa Gate through a landscaped park, or walk down Benny's stairs to cross the street to the Sultan's Pool (http://www.wcities.com/en/record/,259901/409/record.html ) -- now an outdoor venue for concerts.
• "Mount Zion" (misnamed) is itself is worth a visit or more.

Copyright 2007 Jane S. Fox

Landing Strip

• During the siege of Jerusalem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jerusalem_(1948) ) SacherPark (Gahn Sahker), or perhaps what is now the road next to it, was an air strip.
• One of the pilots was Zohara Levyatov (http://www.ybz.org.il/?ArticleID=1215). A Zohara Lane between HaPalmach (in which she served) and HaTayassim ("the pilots") is named for her.

Copyright 2006 Jane S. Fox

Rose Gardens

• Three "Rose Gardens" appear on Jerusalem maps.
• The Wohl Rose Garden, Gan HaVeredim (http://www.jerusalemshots.com/Jerusalem_en78-4226.html), next to the Knesset, is a favorite for camp-out demonstrations. Demonstrators will be happy to tell you whether they want a larger budget for housing or for adding medicines covered by mandatory health insurance. -- or if they are deemonstrating to convince "the government to go home" -- which is the Israeli way of saying, "Throw the rascals out."
• Gan HaShoshanim in Talbiyeh, the second "rose" garden, is an expanse of lawns, trees, and playgrounds. The British set the site apart as a park. (In lands once held by the French, cities have boulevards; those once held by the British are graced by parks.) Now redesigned and landscaped, Gan HaShoshanim offers lovely views, shady benches in summer, sunny ones between winter rains, a water fountain, and well-maintained restrooms. For all this, I am told thanks go to the Bronfman family.
• The third is the Billy Rose Sculpture Garden (http://www.imj.org.il/eng/art/garden/index.html ).

Copyright 2006 Jane S. Fox

Fantastic Animals

• Fantastic animals have emerged from rock in Jerusalem parks, the art of one sculptor or more, paid or not – a mystery. One is in Independence Park, very close to Agron St. Another is in the park on Elazar HaModai, next to Beit Elisheva. (http://www.e-map.co.il/eng_index.asp will help you find these.)
• http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/frogs.html and http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/two-horses.html and http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/gazelles.html have more about Jerusalem animals live and fantastic.
• (As I write, an expert on the radio is talking about the danger of a large earthquake. Generally, he says, there is a major earthwuake in the area abiout every 90 years. See http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/05/water.html about the advice I am following.)

Copyright 2006 Jane S. Fox

Fountains

• Like everyone respectful of dry air, I carry a water bottle. ( See also http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/05/water.html and http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/05/water-on-jerusalem-day.html ) I’ve learned the location of drinking fountains where I can refill it: the playground at Kikar Magnes, the small plaza at the corner of Ussishkin (http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/jerusalem-street-poetry.html ) and Narkis, the shaded park on HaGdud HaIvri, the landscaped expanse between the King David and the Lion Fountain.
• The Lion Fountain itself is dry. A guide said that a taxpayer sued the city, complaining that water in that fountan, across from the Bell Park and the Scottish Church, was being used improperly for laundry. He took it to the Supreme Court. And won.
• Children used to splash in its beauty. Now it is just undistinguished sculpture.

Copyright 2006 Jane S. Fox