and crossing the bridge.

Travelling days are always quite adventurous (and if some stomach problems are involved even more). Putting our trust in Immodium akut and you know whom... we hit the road to cross the Jordan (the tiny want-to-be-river that's left of it).
Most of the day we spent at the border (considering our travel route not very surprisingly). The "we just need to do some security checks" turned out to last for 4 hours, enough time to study the stylish girls working at the counters, proudly wearing their uniforms like some kind of latest hang-out fashion. I voted for the one with the blonded afro... What a culture shock it must be for all those jordanian men crossing!
Everything went alright (immodium inclusive) and we found a new home for the coming days, a hostel right at the edge of the old city - the view from the rooftop is great...
Let's hope we won't catch the "Jerusalem Syndrome" as it happened to other travellers before; Although Hajo would make a quite nice new Elijah or Moses, wouldn't he?

Being late today for the Temple Mount we decided to go and see Yad VaShem, the huge Holocaust commemoration complex. Being german does feel awkward in such a place especially being able to understand the video speaches of the weird guy does not add to feeling comfortable. The museum is really well done, with lots of interviews of survivors giving the victims back their faces and individual stories.
What left the biggest impression on me was walking around the trees planted for the "Righteous Among The Nations", those who risked their own life in order to help jewish people during the Holocaust.
In the end it doesn't matter which nationality or background I have - it's the everyday decisions I face that count... There's enough insanity going on of which "we didn't know of" to be blamed for. And enough occasions where we can really make a difference without even risking our lives. And some lesser situations where the cost might be higher.