Angie Clark: My week this week:

Okay. I have decided to do one big compressed blog about this week.

There are two days in particular that I would like to focus on: Wednesday and Thursday.

We had classes in the mornings on both of these days, and then we went into the City!

Wednesday first. I really wanted to go to the Israeli Museum, but I didn't know what group I should get together. Kathryn wanted to go with me, but we needed a third person. So, we kind of hooked up with a group who was going to the Israeli museum but in a different way than we initially intended to do. We walked to the Temple Treasures Museum, which I had been to on Sunday. They wanted to go to this, and so I decided to pay again to go see it, since the Israeli Museum was free with our museum cards (go go Jerusalem Center!) and because it only costs five dollars. So, I went again, and that was great, cause I learned a little more and got a little more of a cultural experience together. There was also a group of southern Christians from the states that was in our group. Their take of Mormons seemed to be not so favorable. It was interesting. Although they were perfectly nice to us, the leader of their group said that he had a view of Mormons and said we were very pretty, and that he "would leave it at that." So there you go. We're used to people loving us here, and we got both sides, as we usually do.

After that we decided to walk to the Israeli Museum. It's way out in West Jerusalem. I had intended to take a cab, but it wasn't that bad of a walk. It only took 30 minutes or so, and it was kind of a fun adventure to get back that way. So we went there, and we wandered around and looked at different exhibits. They had a huge model of Jerusalem during the second temple period. It was so sweet! I loved it. We also got free headsets to listen to as we walked around. I liked it a lot.

Me, Kathryn, Tessa, and Amanda. Alyssa was taking the picture, too :)

Me with my little headset :)

The model of the temple!

View from the South of Jerusalem during the second temple period.

Also there was a huge exhibit of dead sea scrolls there, which was sweet! The Isaiah scroll was there, although they have stopped displaying the whole thing because it is so intact and so marvelous that they want to preserve it. So, they have a replica up. It's so so long! Maybe 3 meters long? Maybe more? It's sweet! It's the book of Isaiah in its fullness. It was incredible!

This is the roof of the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. It's a big fountain! We couldn't take pictures inside.

After that we saw a youth display / traveling displays that change a lot, and there were a bunch of African masks that I thought were pretty cool. All in all, I was really excited about it. I want to go back, since it's free and everything. Maybe I'll get to, but if push comes to shove, it wont' be on my top list of things I HAVE to do before I go, just because I've been. It was great!

The next day, on Thursday, I went with a group that had planned to go to the Israeli Supreme Court and the Knesset, which is the Israeli Legislature. First we went to the Supreme Court.

There were a lot of neat things about the building. First, the same architect that designed the Jerusalem Center designed the Supreme Court building. He used a lot of symbolism tying in the ancient roots of Israel and the city of Jerusalem and everything. It was really cool. I learned that there are 14 justices, and that they never meet all at the same time, and the most that have ever gathered at once is nine justices. So there you go. Here are some pictures from that :)

This is what you see when you first walk in. It's symbolic of a street in the Old City. (the wall on the right) And then modern Israel comes in in the wall on the left.

This is one of the courtrooms! We actually got to sit in on a case. It was a crimminal case, but it was all in Hebrew, so we couldn't understand a thing.

This courtyard goes out in a path that leads directly to the Knesset, symbolizing their link. Kind of sweet :).

Fountain symbolic of...I think the Israelites crossing the desert ? Can't remember. Whoops! That's Lexi though :)

This is me and the fountain :)

The next thing we did was the Knesset. That was kind of cool because it is the Legislature, and we had to take our passports and check all our stuff, no cameras were allowed, etc. It was really cool. They first had us watch a movie that was very patriotic and etc, and then we went into the actual room where they meet, and they explained all the symbolism. Their chairs are set up in the shape of a Menorah...that's kind of cool. Oh and they are also a unicameral legislature.

My favorite part was what they call "The Chagall Hall." Yep! I got to see more of Chagall's works! I couldn't sneak pictures this time cause they didn't even let me have my camera. I guess they knew that if I had it, I'd sneak pictures. I wouldn't have been able to resist. All of you should google "The Chagall Hall - Knesset" though, and see some images. They are beautiful. There are three huge tapestries that look painted, but really he drew them and then 100 artists or weavers or something hand-wove them! They were incredible! There are 12 mosaics on the floors for the 12 sons of Abraham, and then a huge mural on one wall that is a War Memorial! The colors and everything are incredible. It's gorgeous work. I think he might be one of my favorite artists.

This is all of us outside the Knesset. You can see it in the background :) Starting in the back: Lexi, Emily, Nathan, Matt, then me, Tonya, and Kathleen.

This is me with my official sticker from the Knesset on :)

After that we went wandering about west Jerusalem, which was really fun cause I don't get to do that very often. We found this amazing walking bridge that they have constructed. It's famous, I guess, and very urban looking. It was fun!

Me and the bridge! It's like a big sail from far away, with all the suspension wires and stuff.

After that we went through the Suuk, which is an open marketplace. I'd never been before and it was amazing! There were people everywhere, selling everything! I bought a pastry, and it was sooo good. I want to go back there. After that we split up and I went to Ben-Yehuda street, which was super fun, and I bought a skirt :) and then I went and got soft-serve at McDonald's because that is where the Center sends us taxis to pick us up if we call for one.