Day 9 - Jerusalem: Outside the old city wall, on a rainy day (one of only a few each year!)

Day 9 - Jerusalem. View of the Western Wall and Dome of the Rock.

Day 10 - Jerusalem: The Dome of the Rock. This is the holiest site in Judaism, which was converted to a mosque in the 7th century AD. Believed to be the location of the Foundation Stone where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac and the location of first and second temples. Muslims believe this is where Muhammad ascended to visit heaven.

Day 10 - Jerusalem: Tour of the ruins below the Western Wall. The Western Wall is a massive wall that is part of the Temple Mount. Many Jews pray at this wall because non-Muslims are forbidden from praying on the Temple Mount, and also because the Orthodox Jews believe the Temple Mount is too holy to ascend.

Day 10 - Jerusalem: Bar Mitzvah at the western wall. Men and women are restricted to separate sections, so during events like this women hang over the divider and throw candy to the men's side.

Day 10 - Jerusalem: Orthodox Jews praying at the Western Wall.

Day 10 - Jerusalem: The letters in the wall's cracks are letters to God, which the city collects each year and buries near the Mount of Olives.

Day 10 - Jerusalem: Israel Museum: Outside the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are kept. The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of ancient scrolls that include one of the oldest and most complete copies of the Hebrew bible.

Day 10 - Jerusalem: Israel Museum: Ancient engraved Aramaic stone from 9th century BCE, referencing the House of David.

Day 11 - Jerusalem: City of David ruins. This is believed to be the location of the pool where Jesus cured the blind man. The ruins here are part of the "City of David", which is where King David (from the Hebrew bible) established the capital for the 12 tribes.

Day 11 - Jerusalem: Bar Mitzvah celebration marching towards the Western Wall.

Day 12 - Jerusalem: Holocaust Museum.

Day 12 - Jerusalem: Holocaust memorial, listing the names of the concentration camps.

Day 12 - Jerusalem: Rock orchestra performing on the street in Jerusalem, with a projector light show. Part of a street music festival that was going on.

Day 13 Jerusalem: Orthodox Jewish bakery.

Day 13 - Jerusalem. Tram providing easy transportation around town.

Day 13 - Jerusalem: Church of the Holy Sepulchre, believed to encompass the locations where Jesus was crucified and buried. Pilgrims wait to touch the stone on which Jesus was nailed to the cross.

Day 13 - Jerusalem: Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Jesus's tomb. While we were there, the tomb had just been opened for 60 hours for archaelogical excavation for the first time since the 16th century. Read more about it here.

Day 13 - Jerusalem: Pilgrims (not sure which demonination) walk the Via Dolorosa ("Way of Sorrows") which approximates the path Jesus took leading up to the Crucification and contains marked Stations of the Cross.

Day 13 - Jerusalem: Armed guards are a common sight in the Old City.

Day 13 - Jerusalem: Franciscan monks gather at the first Station of the Cross (now inside an Arab school) each Friday to walk the Via Dolorosa.

Day 13 - Jerusalem: Friday evening the town completely shuts down for Shabbat. Well-dressed Jews make their way to the Western Wall.

Day 13 - Jerusalem: Shabbat shalom! Shabbat dinner at our hostel.