Jerusalem photos – Page 143 – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem Formula One – Peace Road Show Photos

June 16, 2013rjstreets

Jerusalem came to a stop for two days,

as thousands upon thousands of people came to see,

this Ferrari Formula One race car.

Some people paid a fee and sat in the stands constructed for

the Jerusalem Formula One Peace Road Show.

Special video cameras recorded the event,

which was projected on screens at several locations along the track.

Several Ferrari GT Challenge

sports

cars

and a black Lotus LMPZ zoomed around the track.

Each lap took these cars around two minutes,

but this was a show, not a race.

Many residents were furious that so many streets were closed,

but people came early and from all over to find a good spot.

Large crowds could be found

at every one of the free vantage points,

from high on top of walls of The Old City

to along the street across from the Liberty Bell Park.

Huge crowds lined the track both days.

Remember that guy on top of the bus stop?

The only “action” from the sports cars,

a deliberate smoke producing spin took place in front of us.

He had the front row seat and got the shot

and it was so loud, I still do not have normal hearing in one ear.

The Formula Peace Road show was promoted for the racing cars,

but there were also motorcycles,

and by all accounts the show stopping favorite

was the dare-devil stunt routine of Chris Pfeiffer on a BMW 6800R.

And as always, I thought that the police horses were beautiful.

Was this Jerusalem Formula Peace Road Show

worth all the inconvenience?

Getting stuck on the inside of the track,

it took me over an hour to walk what is normally a ten minute distance.

One girl I saw was literally in tears trying to get to her destination.

Some loved it, some thought it was a total waste of time.

I do know, it was a very diverse crowd and there was no violence.

And Italian race car drivers,

Ragazzi Riccardo (left) who drove a Ferrari GT Challenge 430

and Daniel Mancinelle who drove a Ferrari GT Challenge 458

were very excited and happy to be in Jerusalem for the first time.

And I know a lot more about race cars.

Who would have thought that would happen in Jerusalem, Israel !

More photos on The Real Jerusalem Streets Facebook page, HERE.

And Ferrari video from on the car, and more see HERE.

Things Mainstream Media Won’t Tell You

June 11, 2013rjstreets

It is that time of year.

All over Israel there are end of school year celebrations.

These events start soon after the Shavuot holiday ends

and go until the end of June when school is out for the summer.

Most performances are put on for families and friends and become

true extravaganzas that rival the Israel Festival Jerusalem programs.

The Jerusalem Theater hosts many of the musical programs

of this May-June annual cultural festival.

This year new venues were added to the program.

Though the English on this sign is a bit curious,

I was anxious to see the results of the extensive renovations

to the old Hansen Hospital.

People were lined up early at the main entrance,

which went through the gardens.

However, this is as close as I could get.

The guard would not let me in to take even one photo.

But I had no time to stay and argue.

I was on my way to opening of the Jerusalem Light Festival

and the Hebrew Book Week in Liberty Bell Park.

And there is more.

Signs are all over for special sporting events.

The European Soccer Under-21 Championship is being held in Israel.

And Formula One sports cars are on display.

The cars are to run on the Jerusalem streets from the new First Station

on a route near the Old City on Thursday afternoon and Friday.

Preparations are well under way for next week’s huge

Israeli Presidential Conference at the Jerusalem Conference Center.

There is so much happening in Jerusalem this time of year.

So it’s no surprise that in May tourism in Jerusalem hit an all time high.

However, the mainstream media continues to ignore the good stuff.

When it Gets Hot in Jerusalem

June 4, 2013rjstreets

It was hard to do much this week, it was too darn hot.

Temperatures in Jerusalem are usually several degrees cooler

than the rest of Israel, and most of the Middle East.

Birds always know where to always find a cool drink of water in Jerusalem.

But what about the regular folks on the real streets?

A street cafe is a common sight in Jerusalem, Israel.

Office space is expensive and hard to find.

So outside cafes are a great spot to work alone,

or to have a business meeting any time of year.

Cafe de Paris is the newest restaurant on this site

near the Prime Minister’s residence.

The previous restaurant was not kosher and was open on Shabbat.

There were protests when it closed.

It is no longer open on Shabbat and it is now kosher.

But the clientele looks the same, and the only visible difference

other than the name change is that it smells

so much better from the street and the kitchen looks a lot cleaner.

Even when it gets too hot to sit outside,

and everything during the day slows down,

a favorite sight, no matter the what the weather, are the early deliveries

that are left outside the door on the streets,

that may go untouched for hours.

It felt as hot as the desert for the last few days.

Now it has cooled,

and everyone is looking forward to Shavuah Hasefer, Book Week,

and the amazing Jerusalem of Light Festival

which begins tomorrow night.

Last year’s was such a winner can’t wait to see what happens this year.