Nothing like the aroma from a melee of fresh spices in the market!

I never did figure out what these were. Fennel bulbs, maybe?

At the end of the Carmel market in Tel Aviv was the lovely Carmella Bistro in a historic restored building. They offered a "Business Lunch," allowing an otherwise unaffordable splurge fit into my budget.

Chicken liver pate' served over arugula and roasted pear salad left a mouth-watering impression as my first course.

Next stop is Jerusalem, just an hour's drive away from Tel Aviv by sherut, or shared taxi. This is a view from my hotel of the "rooftop promenade."

The Orthodox often use the rooftop promenade to bypass the Muslim Quarter on their way to the Western Wall. The Old City of Jerusalem is made up of four quarters in order of size; Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Armenian.

The Israeli Defense Forces, or IDF, differs from other country's military due to it's high concentration of women. Service is compulsory for all 18 year olds, male and female.

The young members of the IDF appeared way too cavalier with their weapons for my comfort. After this photo shoot, one of these rifle-toting women slipped and fell down the concrete slope, causing all of us tourists to flinch.

The Cardo Maximus, or reconstruction of a street representative of the Roman and Byzantine era.

Approaching the Western Wall with the Temple Mount / Dome of the Rock in view.

Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is the mosque on the Temple Mount complex. The name means "farthest mosque" referenced in the tale of the prophet Mohammad's journey to heaven.

The Western Wall, aka the "Wailing Wall," built 2000 years ago as retaining wall for the Temple Mount where the second temple stood, the most holy of all Jewish sites. Divided into men's and women's sections.