Friday, July 16, 2010

The Game, Madaba, and Jerusalem

.......................................The Game........................................

يا حرام المانية I was so disappointed in Germany. They played great against Argentina, but were horrible against Spain, and Spain ended up taking the cup. I have to admit, taking part in the "football" (a.k.a. Soccer) fun has been an awesome part of the experience here. Coming from a place where soccer is really not much of a big deal, I was quite surprised to see flags of every nation on earth all over the place. On cars, on windows, outside of shops. We had a good time hanging out at a local Caffee watching Argentina get their butt whooped. Spain vs. Germany was enjoyed on the roof top of a restaurant in the city circle here. They had a tent on the roof with a TV, as well as hookah, refreshments and food. I stayed home for the last and final game because I had a big trip the next morning to Jerusalem.




At the Cafe during the Germany vs. Argentina game.


A view of the circle at night on the roof at the Germany vs. Spain game.


........................................مادبا........................................
Madaba is a town about 45 minutes away from Fuheis. My host Mom's sister Haifa and her family live there. I went there to stay for a couple of days. We had a good time eating chicken mensef, smoking hookah, and hanging out. While I was there Raad, Haifa's son, was nice enough to take me to a local church to see an ancient map, as well as to a place where they make mosaics by hand, and to mount Nebo. Mt. Nebo was the place Moses looked out and saw the promised land before the Israelites went in to possess the land. I thought it was fitting to stand in that same place and look out at Jerusalem before I went there.




This was the place I stayed at in Madaba. As you can see, they were rooting for Germany.


This is , he showed me around Madaba.


This was taken at the mosaic "factory" there. We went there right after we went to the ancient church with an ancient mosaic map on it's floor. In the mosaic factory every thing is made by hand by local workers, and I got a tour and was taught how they make the mosaics step by step. The interesting thing is, once they found out that I spoke German, they wanted to give me the tours in German, both at the church and the factory. I never thought I would be speaking German in the Middle East, but the were very happy to speak it.


This was the look out point on top of mount Nebo, where you can see Jerusalem. I saw a big group of Mexican tourists here.


These are the guys I went up the mountain with.

........................................Jerusalem........................................

The trip to Jerusalem was very interesting and gave me a good perspective on Arabic culture outside of Jordan. Of course the majority there are Jewish, and I did have some good conversations with some very nice Jewish people there, but I also spent hours navigating my way around the old city speaking Arabic. The people there were very nice, but also very determined to make sales. Asking simple directions there could get you invited in for coffee, but beware, they also want to make a deal. Over all, it was a cool trip and I'm glad I got to experience it first hand, and see with my own eyes a little bit of what is going on there.


This is a Jewish girl I met on the bus on the way to Jerusalem. She lives in a town an hour or so south of Jerusalem and was on her way to get her sister. Her name was Noah, and we talk the whole way to the city. (In Hebrew Noach is for boys and Noah is for girls.)


This is a well that was in an Arab man's shop in the old city. He said it was the deepest well in Jerusalem. The guy was very nice. He invited me in for tea and to talk. He was the only Arab man in the old city who invited me in just to talk and did not try to sell me something.


This was another man I met in the old city we talked for a while, and he sold me some traditional Arabic cloths.


The western wall of the Temple Mount, where the Jews mourn the loss of Solomon's temple which once stood atop the mount.


On top of the mount, an up close shot of The Dome of The Rock.


Jaffe Gate, one of the entrances to the old city.

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