The Temple Mount--by far my most significant experience in Jerusalem yet. You can't look at the skyline of Jerusalem without noticing its most dominating structure, the Dome of the Rock. Sadly, it has been increasingly more difficult of people to visit the site. There are very few times that it is open to outsiders (non-Muslims).

We were able to get in yesterday though. I felt chills as my feet left the ramparts that led up to Temple Mount and stepped on the plaza. Perhaps it is because it is the site of the ancient Israeli temple, or perhaps it is simply because so many people for other religions consider the site sacred, but there was a definite feeling of holiness there. I felt sort of small standing at such a historically and religiously significant site.

It is a huge area, probably about three times the size of Temple Square. The Dome of the Rock is an incredibly beautiful building that only becomes more striking as you near it. They wouldn't let us in--not really surprising. What was surprising, was that as stood next the walls I noticed a tremendous amount of graffiti. It seemed that everyone felt a sudden need to etch their initials into the wall or other messages as inane as where they were from and the like. I really didn't know what to think about that at all. I guess everyone doesn't feel the same about the things they see.

In retrospect, it is one of the strange ironies of history that so many religions converged in the same place. I know that some might say that it is less ironic than tragic, but either way i suppose that much of it points in the same direction.