We spent the weekend in Jerusalem attending a seminar of the Forum for Liberal Thinking with the subject of liberalism in the religions of the Middle East. I hope to find time to say more about the seminar and the other places I have visited, but to start with here are a few photo-shots taken yesterday and today in the streets of Jerusalem.
The welcome sign when entering Jerusalem on Highway 1 has become the spectacular bridge designed by Santiago Calatrava.The photo is taken today, the blue color is not the sky (it was a desert storm day and poor visibility) but the light filter in the windshield of my car 🙂
Jerusalem, the Calatrava bridge
Yesterday we started in the Jabotinsky and HaNasi streets, in the area where the President’s House is located. It’s a mix of old and new buildings, united in style by the Jerusalem stone, until today compulsory on any external walls of the houses built in Jerusalem according to a city regulation dating from the British Mandate period.
Jerusalem, new architecture
Here the blue belongs to the sky, it was a beautiful day yesterday.
Jerusalem, Jabotinski Street
The target of the morning visit was the Museum of Islamic Art, where we wanted to see two exhibitions. They were interesting, I will talk about them separatly.
Jerusalem, Islamic Art Museum
Close by I photographed another beautiful building. It’s the Israeli Bar Association, here is the place for my friend Asher, who is a new immigrant and Hebrew student right now, and will be an Israeli lawyer sometimes soon, I hope.
Jerusalem, lawyers association building
About the Notre Dame Center which hosted us and the seminar I will write separatly. It’s a beautiful building, with a captivating history and present.
Jerusalem, Notre Dame Center
The building is just near the Flowers Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, The Flowers Gate into the Old City
It’s one of the smaller and less spectacular access gates into the Old City of Jerusalem, but it was enough for us to enter and wander through the streets which were getting empty with the sunset.
Jerusalem, Armenian Restaurant in the Old City
Jerusalem, street in the old city
The old city walls area is under permanent construction, the ‘light train’ (tram) line takes forever to build, new underground passages seem to pop up all the time, and there seems to be something new being excavated and build all the time I am there. While during the day traffic is a nightmare, at night the area empties, the construction works are not that visible, and the Old City walls look even more spectacular.
Jerusalem by night, by the Old City
Jerusalem, Old City walls by night