 
Light and Jerusalem
An alley in the Jewish Quarter, The old city of Jerusalem, Israel
October 22, 2009 • Taken by Lorien
This is one photo I'd like to see hanging on my wall. I'm gonna print it and see if I like it afterwards *s*. I feel it's one of my best renderings to date. What say you? Critique needed here. Say what you think, please. Would you change anything? Does it talk to you? Thanks *s*.
While I was working on it, all of a sudden this Hebrew song came to mind... "Light and Jerusalem" is its name, and I was shocked to realize how much it described this photo.
Here's an excerpt from the song "Light and Jerusalem" by Yosef Sarig. I tried to translate it the best I can... I think those words are perfect for my photo *s*.
"Light and Jerusalem" / Hebrew words: Yosef Sarig
Quietness falls again from evening skies
Like falcon soaring over the abyss
And red sun kisses, like glowing sword,
The peaks, the towers and the old walls.
I saw a city wrapped in light
She rose, enveloped with rainbow colors
She played within me like an harp
I saw a city embraced with light.
And if you feel like listening to the music, here's Light and Jerusalem on YouTube.
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Uploaded on Nov 11, 2009
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24 comments
Remember them... beyond the tears
Reader Rock Garden, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
July 6, 2009 • Taken by Lorien
For those, who by giving up their lives or well being... allowed us to have and to hold to ours...
THANK YOU
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Uploaded on Nov 11, 2009
23 comments
Religions
A view from The Tower of David citadel towards the Temple Mount and Mount of Olives, The old city of Jerusalem, Israel
October 22, 2009 • Taken by Joe
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The photo today portrays how three monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - exist and entangled in Jerusalem.
The Dome of the Rock (with its brilliant golden color) is located at the center of an ancient man-made platform known as the Temple Mount. The platform is the site of the Second Jewish Temple which was destroyed during the Roman Siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE. In 637 CE, Jerusalem was conquered by the Rashidun Caliphate army during the Islamic invasion of the Byzantine Empire.
The Dome of the Rock, being among a complex of buildings on the Temple Mount, (the other main building being the Al-Aqsa Mosque) is the third holiest site in Islam, following Mecca and Medina. Its significance comes from the religious beliefs regarding the rock at its heart. According to Islamic tradition, the rock is the spot from where Muhammad ascended to Heaven accompanied by the angel Gabriel.
To the Dome's right and further away, on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, you can see the Church of St. Mary Magdalene which was built by Alexander III of Russia. Its s prominence comes from the seven gilded, onion-shaped domes sitting on a monumental body. The church was dedicated in 1888 by the Russian Czar Sergei, who attended the dedication with his wife. Later, he was assassinated in 1905.
At the time of the Russian Revolution Sergei’s widow, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna, was killed by the Bolsheviks. Elizabeth had lived for some time in Jerusalem and been very active in the city. Her body was smuggled to the Holy Land through China in 1919, and she was buried in this church according to the instructions in her will.
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Uploaded on Nov 10, 2009
19 comments
Rainbow trap
Souvenir store in The old city, Jerusalem, Israel
October 21, 2009 • Taken by Lorien
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I don't remember if I mentioned already that this was Joe's first visit to Israel since we met 11 years ago (I probably did *s*). One of the reasons for his reluctant disposition was the unsettled situation in Israel along the years, and how bad it looked to someone from the outside, who had never been/lived there. Best thing for Joe to do was to stay away... and he did.
The situation was quiet there for sometimes, so Joe finally agreed to accompany me. And while there, all went very well. Even in our visit to the old city of Jerusalem (the photo up there was taken at the Shuk/market) we walked the narrow streets and markets of the Muslim quarter, and we felt secure. It wasn't in our plan to begin with, but since Joe was interested to see and walk the Via Dolorosa, we ended up walking there.
Funny part was, we walked the streets of the Jewish quarter as well, and at one point, the street continued into the Muslim quarter without any visible notice or change. Such is the delicate fabric of life in the old city of Jerusalem. Everything and anything is connected and entangled together.
This had all happened on a Wednesday. Few days later, on Monday, while waiting in the Jordanian border on our trip to Petra, we talked to an american couple who was waiting in line too, and they told us they had been in Jerusalem on the weekend, and that there were disturbances there around the Western wall... some rock throwing on the Jewish worshipers by the wall from the Muslim side. Luckily, no one was hurt, but we sure felt good not being there while something like that happened.
On a former occasion, we visited the northern city of Kiryat Shmona on our way to the Manara Cliffs. Few days later we heard on the news a Katyusha rocket fell not that far from there. My mom said not to tell Joe anything about it, but we didn't need to... he read all about it on the net.
So, what's my point with all of this? Shit happens, and there's no way for us to control it. All in all, we didn't feel less safer there than we feel here. And, I must say I was thrilled to see the amount of tourists roaming the streets and roads of Israel. Buses loaded with tourists everywhere, visiting the Holy land and enjoying their visit!
Just imagine if there was peace in the region... sigh...
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Uploaded on Nov 9, 2009
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I'm a stranger in paradise... no more
Tel Dan Nature Reserve, Galilee, Israel
October 13, 2009 • Taken by Joe
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I'm in this mood today... you know, the mood to cling on to the magic and not let it be run over by routine... and clueless people.
See, I bet when you travel, you always love to come home and share your traveling experience with people you know, right? We tried it yesterday, and boy oh boy, did we ever hit a brick wall. They didn't know one thing about Petra, they didn't know shit about Jerusalem, they looked so bored we soon stopped. All they needed from us was to say: "Yeap, we had a great trip". That's it. What the hell ?????!!!!!
That's why we love you, Flickrites!!! One very essential part in experiencing this wonderful world around us is the ability to share it afterwards with people who had/didn't have the same experience, and have the will to listen and share. It's the passion involved in it, it's the re-living the moments, it's the continuation (for months later) of the sensations, sights, sounds and taste in us.
Grrrrrr.... what is Petra my foot!
So, I'm roaming wonderland today, boosting the colors of my world and changing Joe's photo to something I can relax and calm myself with (I hope he's ok with it ;-))... so the paradise of my memories continues on. Feels great!
And just because it's so beautiful, here's Stranger in paradise with the one and only. Check it out!!! And aslco check the comments for the original photo. I didn't butcher it too much *s*.
Oh yea, one more thing... When I searched the net for some info on the Tel Dan nature reserve in English, here's what I've found: "Entering the Tel Dan Reserve is like stepping into a wonderland: scores of bubbling brooks feed into a running river; tall treetops reach for the sky, completely blocking it from view; the ground is always shaded and refreshingly cool, even at noon on a hot summer day. It is no wonder that some 7,000 years ago people chose the small hill above the spring as the spot to make their homes".
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Uploaded on Nov 8, 2009
36 comments
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