After the winter rains, when the skies clear over Jerusalem, Israel,
open spaces like this one under the Israel Museum turn green.
Instead of driving south to see the kalaniot, the red poppies, popping up,
I love to walk through the paths in the Valley of the Cross,
to see the wonders of nature right here in Jerusalem,
and see those red flowers that open up in the sunshine.
As the wild flowers peek through the rocks and weeds, often I am alone walking up the hill towards the Israel Museum and the Knesset.
However, last Friday morning, nursery children were having a pre-Shabbat party with their parents.
School children were also appreciating the wonders of spring.
Not all were walking, this man was running down the path that leads to
this new walking and cycling path that will lead to the Jerusalem Marathon finish line.
The Jerusalem Winner Marathon to be held on March 15, 2019 was launched last night by new Mayor Moshe Lion.
The full marathon runners, with the Knesset in the not so far distance, at this point will be near the finish line.
The new path is ready for the full Jerusalem Marathon runners before they enter the Gan Sacher, Sacher Park.
There will be many more vantage points this year, as old and burnt areas have been cleared.
New benches have been placed along the cycling, walking and running path for spectators.
After months of work, Gan Sacher looks like it will be ready before the start countdown.
Posted across from Gan Sacher, is this large ad for the ice skating rink and food in Mitchell Park.
The Jerusalem Marathon is in its ninth year, but there is a new location for the ice skating rink.
There have been previous ice skating rinks in Jerusalem, but this one seems to be the largest, with a new concept of ice and eat in Mitchell Park, which is near the Artists’ Colony.
Not many people were eating or skating last night.
No one was smoking last night when we went to check it out.
And finally cycling. GFNY is set for May 3, 2019, and the registration sale ends at the end of February, but these cyclists were out training already. Another chance for amateur cyclists to ride with the pros.
Jerusalem is not usually associated with sports, but walk, run, ride, or skate, or sit and eat.
Always something new happening on these Jerusalem streets.
More photos of marathon launch HERE
