attractive tourist destination – Page 141 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem: Parades, Runners and New High Flyers

May 21, 2014rjstreets

Many were worried that the three-day (Saturday night through Monday)

Lag B’Omer celebrations with their smoky medurot, large bonfires,

would cause worse air quality than the usual holiday pollution.

But thanks to Israeli basketball team Maccabi Tel Aviv

playing in the Euroleague Championship basketball final,

so many people came inside to watch the exciting game

that there seemed to be a lot less smoke this year.

Maccabi Tel Aviv won in overtime!

The team has already been to the Prime Minister’s office

and is invited for a special reception today in the President’s House.

Lag B’Omer and International Museum Day were celebrated on Monday.

Thousands of school children on school holiday filled museums

which had no entrance fees in honor of Museum Day.

We had a great time in the Bloomfield Science Museum as always,

with lots of new exhibits and activities.

Lag B’Omer gatherings and parades Sunday in the Rechavia neighborhood

and Monday in Teddy Park near the Old City were just two of many events.

There was one unique event on Monday afternoon.

In a first-ever Run for Peace,

Australian ultra-marathon runner Pat Farmer (in the blue shirt)

and a few of his supporters arrived at the end of his 1500-kilometer run from Lebanon.

After running around 80 kilometers a day,

athlete Pat Farmer’s advice was to “put one foot in front of the other.”

Following a small press conference at Jaffa Gate,

Australian Ambassador Dave Sharma told another gathering in honor

of Farmer at the King David Hotel how proud Australia is

to support sports and all efforts for peace.

All was not sports and parades.

The week-long International Writers Festival opened in Mishkenot Sha’ananim.

But the real action was found outside,

just down the road from these two venues.

People were in the air, flying high

after Mayor Nir Barkat cut the ribbon of the new Skate Park Jerusalem.

The large rink is located in a section of the Liberty Bell Park.

Though some may not think of this as popular sport,

hundreds of people from all over Israel came for the opening,

children with skate boards tucked under their arms,

and others watched as the best riders from all over Israeli showed their moves.

While the runners raced along the Jerusalem streets without getting a second glance,

and the parades stopped traffic for a bit,

this Skate Rink is really something!

Additional photos: Peace Run and Skate Park

Shabbat Shalom

May 16, 2014rjstreets

The Walls of the Old City,

a view of Jerusalem, Israel that you do not see often,

from the roof of the St. Louis Hospital.

Much more on that later, but for now,

Shabbat Shalom!

Waldorf – Astoria in Jerusalem

May 15, 2014rjstreets

While most media attention was focused on Holyland this week,

I would like to share some photos from a different major building project.

The new Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Jerusalem, Israel, has opened its doors.

Since Passover time, a doorman in a top hat has been on duty.

I have been fascinated by the progress of its construction,

from a shell in November 2010,

February 2011,

and April 2011.

Not only by day, but when it was lit up at night,

as in September 2010,

January 2011,

and as recently as in January 2014, I had to stop.

For years one had to walk in the street as in April 2011,

on or on the other side of Agron Street.

Once they built a cement wall, but then quickly removed it.

So much work and so many workers,

on scaffolding and in windows.

Sometimes I’d wonder what they were thinking,

and what they were doing.

Since the summer of 2010, the residential apartment building

and the adjacent hotel structure,

have slowly risen (September 2011)

and slowly progressed (May 2012).

The decades-old original facade was cleaned up and remains,

while the inside of the atrium and other details have been upgraded to the max.

Twice I have gone inside and have had a hard time

just getting past the beautiful flowers displayed near the entrance.

People are wandering in to look, to sit and have a drink.

Weddings are scheduled,

and conferences are being held in the Waldorf-Astoria luxury hotel.

Other Jerusalem, Israel, hotels have started upgrading their facilities,

as everyone has to go up a notch now.

FYI, Top hats and wonderful service yes,

but NO buses allowed in front of hotel.

If you have a few spare million dollars lying around,

there are still flats for sale in the building next door,

just across from the Mamila Mall and minutes from the Old City.