All's Fair in Love and War

My first blog from Israel! I have had blog subjects running through my mind since I have boarded the plane in LA! It amazing how much your life and your perspective can change within 4 days. I went from working at one of the most beautiful areas in the world to going through an army check point with boys holding guns on the westbank of Israel.

A story I have decided to blog about is from my trip to the Old City in Jerusalem. It is a brisk walk from where I am staying, about 20 minutes away. I got to the gates of the Old City and right away felt a presence when I walked through. It is an amazing experience! I thought I had my route planned out but my world was turned upside down by the lay out of the city. From what I can compare it to is, when I was a child and went to the fun zone there was a maze you would wonder through and collect stamps and once they were all collected whoever exited first won! That's what it was like, a crazy maze with streets lined with vendors and places I knew I wanted to see. Since I was by myself I didn't want to walk around with a map in front of my face so once I realized I saw the same place 3 times in 2 hours I sat down and tried to figure my route out again.

I was looking for a church and this boy, who was no more than 17, came up to me and asked if I was alone, I told him noooo I am meeting my friends at the Church of the Sepulcher. He then asked if I knew where I was going, I said oh yeah I am fine and walked away. He came up to me again and said, mamm you are not going the right way let me walk you there. I thought "red flag" after I told him I was American and he said his sister lived in Chicago, New York...hmmm really? But we walked quickly through narrow streets and up narrow stairs and ended up on a roof top. I thought right away if anything happens here this guy is going off the roof!

It turns out that it was an amazing view of the city and of the Dome of the Rock that only locals would know. He then showed me the street that I needed to go on. I thanked him for his help and gave him 20 sheckles. He said NO! That's not enough you give me 50! I gave him another 10 sheckles so that he wouldn't harm me and went on my way. I almost said "You can't hussle a hussler homie", but left it as it was.