the end.

i was going to try and get a few more posts in before the end of the semester finally came, but this looks like it is going to be the last post that i have in jerusalem. this is definitely a bitter-sweet post... for all of the excitement and anticipation i have of coming home, there is a part of me that will stay here in israel. 

so we know that i have a problem with being prompt. you are going to be getting a post from what should have been done a few days ago... and then you'll be getting what should have been done today... eventually. ;)

this was about 8:30 in the morning...

i've never seen this corner so empty.

everrrrr.

this is usually a bustling shopping area that is full of tourists. 

not this early in the morning.

the city is eerily quiet... no calls of "mormons! we love the mormons! we give you good price!!!"

funny story: there is a vendor that sells ceramic dishes, and every time (i kid you not) we walk by his shop, he starts singing (to the tune of oh come all ye faithful)

mormons, we love you

all the way to jerusalem...

then adding, "beautiful virgin mormons!"

...i don't know what to think about that.

today when we walked by, the song changed.

mormons, we'll miss you!

you are leaving jerusalem...

yeah. just rub it in buddy... salt in the wound. salt in the wound.

we got to go inside the holy sepulchre and listen to them while they did the morning mass.

by far the emptiest i had ever seen it. we didn't even have to wait in line to go in the sepulchre...

it is my fondest wish to see them take the scaffolding down.

but i never think that's going to happen.

these crosses cover the walls... 

i know you thought that star wars wasn't real...

sambooki.

best. pastries. ever.

whoever thought of putting chocolate-pudding-amazingness inside of a croissant was a genius. and i kinda hate them for it. but i am glad that i only learned about this a few days ago. earlier in the semester... and it would have been the death of me!

the hurva synagogue.

and weird chips.

i don't know what these are...

and i miss doritos. and cheetos. 

nuf said.

just outside of jaffa gate...

i know you've nevvvvvvvver seen that outfit before either.

the world seems like such a simple place here!

(america is down at the bottom left)

i'll be leaving to go there in approximately 25 hours...

:)

:(

:*(

:O

:D

*sniffle*

i'm good.

but my mom said...

your religious education for the day:

hillel was a pharisee during the first century - he had an "opponent" named shammai.

(most of their teachings differed on what was appropriate to do on the sabbath day)

the story: a man comes to shammai and asks him to explain the whole torah (the law) to him while he stood on one foot.

aka... be quick about it.

shammai throws him out.

the same man approaches hillel and asks him the same question.

hillel answers: do not do unto others what you would not want done to yourself.

sound familiar?

you can tell that we've been getting less and less sleep lately.

dan thought that this looked like a biblical version of superman...

i guess you could call moses that.

i don't know if they had spandex back then or not...

the shuk - this is the jewish open air market in west jerusalem.

two words:

{dried. mangoes.}

and my life is complete.

halva.

spices!

the ethiopian church

i was bored with taking nice, pretty, posed pictures

i think the best part of this whole picture is the chins.

one of my favorite parts about the jc is the view. we look out every day at this: 

you can still see the rug burn on my eye.

this is my wayna.

and even though the pomegranate was a little on the young side... it was still mighty tasty!

we eat pomegranates while we have deep spiritual discussions.

i'm going to miss this.