Schools out 8/17: Bread

Bread is legend over here. Truly lovely, in all shapes and sizes. The biblical quotations are living breathing fact, and bread is piled high in shops, markets, stalls, everywhere, and whether it is white or brown or seeded or plain it is unconsciously revered and a part of everyone's day. The smell of the stuff, along with the smell of fresh fruits and spices, is timeless and runs like a seam through the city.

The adventure continues. Had a bad experience last night involving a rip-off shopkeeper which got me very angry and which I somehow managed to involve five armed police in before getting most (but not all) of the money back. There is a long tradition of seeing tourists as fair game and screwing them over here that a significant proportion of the retail trade still subscribes to. Enough said. A learning experience for some members of our party.

The wailing wall was amazing. A sea of Jewish people of all shapes, sizes, dress and denomination. Number two son touched the wall and was touched in return. Spirituality or vestigia, or just an emotional connection with your origins, who knows? It meant something to him in his Bar Mitzvah year just to be here. Mazaltov.

Took a walk around the top of the city wall today. Quite amazing and very cheap as tourist attractions go. Ended up in the Muslim quarter where I took this picture and where a young Arab boy pointed a gun at us (to be fair it was a toy and he was about five years old; but there was something sinister in the way he held it and looked at us that was worrying for his future).But got very very hot. Now to rest for the afternoon...