Eating our Way through Jerusalem

Our happy group at the Rockefeller Museum

Who knew it could rain so much in Jerusalem? Today it was, in fact, supposed to snow, but unfortunately, it didn't make it down this far south (unfortunately because I'd take snow over rain any day). We got the rain. So much of it, in fact, that it drove a few people back inside. But my group perservered, determined to find something satisfactory to do indoors or else get soaked trying. We started at the Rockefeller Museum (colder inside than outside), a building that houses artifacts that aren't part of the Israel National Museum collections.
From there we went to the Jewish Quarter to get some hot donuts.

Becca loved her Sambooki Donut. Can you tell?

They were not hot, but boy were they delicious. At this point, it was nearing lunch, so we went out in search of real food. Holy Bagel was suggested, and Loie decided she wanted to split a bagel, so we shared a zatar bagel sandwich topped with garlic cream cheese, mushrooms, onions, and cucumbers. It was perhaps the most delicious thing I've eated in recent memory. It was exactly what I was craving, and I didn't even know it.

This photo bomb brought to you by Dylan Bates

Then we stopped in at Awad's for shwarma for everyone, and I was peer pressured into getting a falafel pita sandwich, which I never regret. Awad is great - makes especially delicious shwarma for us, gives us stuff for cheaper than normal, and always brings us falafel balls and sauce for free when we come and he has fresh falafel.

Schwarma and a hookah bar. Excellent combination

From there we went to the Austrian Hospice to warm up, since we were all soaked and freezing. It's a good thing they're used to weary and bizarre travelers, because I'm sure that 6 sopping college students plus bags and discarded shoes scrunched onto two couches for warmth must have been a strange sight indeed.

"I can make myself really, really small when I want to." - Madison

Once everyone was sufficiently thawed, we set out for the light rail line, hoping to get some good views of the city while staying dry, not to mention getting off our feet. Dylan was really impressed with this form of public transportation. Amusing.

Our last stop was the Hurva (Hebrew for "ruins") Synagogue. Synagogues built on this site have been the center of the Jewish community in Jerusalem since the 13th century, and have been destroyed and rebuilt three times, most recently rebuilt a year ago. It is a symbol of Jewish presence in the Holy Land, and of continuing the Jewish history of Jerusalem and building upon the past (and has a gorgeous view from the top).

Sometimes these boys pose well. I swear.

At that point I made my way home, only to find that my roommates, Trace, Cassidee and Amy were about to go out to dinner in the Mamilla. So I joined them in hitting up West J for the evening, starting with Spaghettis for dinner,

crepes for dessert.

Huge, delicious, and shared by Amy Penn. Gracias.

And shopping in between We finished at the McDonalds, where Trace grabbed ice cream and Sarah and Claire got an approximation of hot chocolate, and we were picked up to head home. All in all, quite satisfying, and much too full of food (if possible). But at least it was Jeru food.