Once I left the Old City I walked through the Kidron Valley, it separates the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives.  It is through this valley that Jesus walked leading his disciples.  Located on the lower part of the valley is the ancient Mar Saba Monastery and the upper valley holds the largest and holiest cemetery in the Jewish World with seventy-thousand graves.  Menachem Begin among them, the former prime minister, among them.

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‘…this mountain I must climb feels like a world upon my shoulders…’

It was without question the steepest climb I have ever had to do in seventeen years of travel, the walk to the Mount of Olives.  The narrow driveway that barely fit a bus add me and there was no room at all and I am in Doc Martens which added another two pounds to my walk so it really made it an even bigger challenge.  I will never complain about a steep climb ever again.  And I had to stop every few minutes to let a bus pass by.  An entire fleet of cabs at the base but I choose to walk, big loser.  But at last I made it to the summit and after catching my breath I was able to stand in awe of the canvas of history that lay in front of me.

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Utter beauty and worth every step – WOW!!!!!   It was so peaceful standing there, realizing what I was looking out onto.  Jerusalem, Israel is like no other place in the world and despite all that happens it is still a place every single one of us must visit.  Just to stand there, admire and realize all that took place here – its beauty, its importance and one place in the world that every single one of us are a part of.