Muristan Square – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem Knights and Dragons Festival

October 31, 2012rjstreets

A priority for City Hall has been to encourage

visitors to come at night to the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem, Israel.

And the current ‘Festival of Knights in the Old City’ has done the job.

Jaffa Gate is the starting point for the ‘Knights and Dragons’ theme,

where a large map of the Christian Quarter route is displayed

and musicians entertain.

Smart families got a map with the 17 station locations,

but does not include the many moving ‘photo ops’.

Last week I went early,

as good photographs are hard to get at these crowded events.

Near the beginning of the route was this colorful dragon head.

A cardboard castle and its defending knight were ready for photo action,

near the real Knights’ Palace.

One lane was dark,

but most were well-lit and many costumes added color.

Actors were ready for the shows to begin.

A barber shop was open under one of the red festival signs,

which pointed to the actors getting ready in Muristan Square.

As I said, smart people took a map.

This was not the first time I got confused at Muristan Square

and headed in the wrong direction,

but this was the first night of Eid Al-Adha, the Muslim ‘Feast of Sacrifice’.

It was so crowded on the narrow paths

that I did not get a photo of the smelly animal being pushed in a cart.

His sad eyes seemed to know he was going to be the feast.

Following closely to an English-speaking tourist group,

I got only this one picture of a candy store.

Finally,

spotting a sign to the Via Dolorosa, I headed out of the Muslim Quarter.

Retracing some of my route, I noticed these smokers were gone,

the lane was dark and quiet for festival visitors.

The actors were in Muristan Square and so was the “EXIT” sign.

I do not know if the free Jerusalem Knights Festival

brought paying customers to shops, but many more were open

than for the first night of the Festival in October 2010.

Back near Jaffa Gate, large crowds were watching gladiators fight

and dancing-girls.

Hundreds of families, many with young children,

seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Many children were on their parents’ shoulders,

as it was very hard to see the performers.

I found a bench to stand on,

but I think this family had the best view.

And as usual, when tens of thousands of people come,

the Jerusalem streets fill with traffic in all directions.

There are still two more Thursday nights in November to enjoy the festival.

If you cannot come and want to see more:

additional photos on The Real Jerusalem Streets Facebook page.

Light in Jerusalem 2012

June 7, 2012rjstreets

Thousands of people attended the opening of the

Jerusalem Festival of Light in the Old City last night.

It is one of my favorite events to photograph

so I arrived at Jaffa Gate early, before sunset .

There were three colored trails to follow,

I started with the “Orange Trail”

which went past The Tower of David and through

the Armenian Quarter along the Armenian Patriarch Street.

Workers were finishing up the large art piece “Faces of Jerusalem.”

A series of lights called the “Light Line” lined Misgav Ladach Street

and ended at the harp-shaped, “The Visual Piano.”

It was hard to photograph, but impressive to hear and see.

At sunset, both the lights at the Kotel, the Western Wall,

and the views of the area are a favorite even without art light displays.

In the Rova, the plaza of the Jewish Quarter,

there was a fascinating piece called “Meeting Composition.”

It changed with the motion of people under it.

From the Jewish Quarter I picked up the “Blue Trail.”

Last year I was so impressed with performers using fire torches

that I watched for a long time and took dozens of photos.

Last year they were on a small side street,

but this year they were a main attraction in Muristan Square.

Determined to see all the routes, I did not stay to watch,

but started on the “Green Trail.”

There was a light coming from the Mosque of Omar,

but the sign says “For Prayers Only”.

The “Green Trail” went through areas of the Old City

where I usually do not go, certainly not alone at night.

So when the green lights stopped here, I stopped…

until an Israeli woman passed me and said to keep going to Damascus Gate.

Really good advice!

While recently the Damascus Gate has been in the news as a site of protests,

tonight it was lit up as a giant pinball machine.

Along the walls on the way back to Jaffa Gate were “Light Benches”

and this piece which can only appreciated in video.

At the Jaffa Gate the “Cupola” was bright inside and out.

Inside there was a couple dancing to the music,

while people were looking up

and many were taking photos.

Jerusalem, the light of the world.

These are just a few of my favorites from “Light in Jerusalem.”

I have to leave you some surprises, as the event runs until June 14.

If you cannot make it to Jerusalem, Israel this year…

more photos posted on

The Real Jerusalem Streets Facebook page

‘Jerusalem Knights’ First Night

October 10, 2010rjstreets

Who could imagine that the Crusades could be so much fun?

Actors and musicians were dressed in medieval costumes.

The weather was perfect Thursday evening, October 7 in the Old City.

People had gathered in the plaza near Jaffa Gate, the unimaginable happened–

the Jerusalem Knights program started ten minutes early.

A map of 21 street performances in the Christian Quarter

was projected on a large screen near Jaffa Gate.

Visitors received a paper copy of the map with explanations in Hebrew and English.

The first performance, the Royal Reception, took place outside the walls

and just inside the walls, The Leper, was a scary sight.

The Greek Muse, hard to believe she was a real person.

It was hard to see the Fire Knight with such a large crowd around him.

The Wishing Fountain was easy to photograph, as like the Muse, she did not move.

In the Slave Market, even the slaves seemed to be having a good time.

Musicians performed in many locations along the route.

While some of the market was open,

near the end of the route, most of the shops were closed,

providing a perfect setting for peddlers

beggars,

and be careful.. more peddlers and beggars.

At the end, Muristan Square was filled with color and dancers.

Jerusalem Knights was held October 7, 14, 21 & 28.

The Jerusalem Development Authority, along with a list of other groups,

is sponsoring the performances; there is no charge.

It takes about an hour to walk the route.

It is not good for the handicapped or baby strollers.