I spent a week and a half in Apr 2015 with my 13 year old daughter in Jerusalem and Jordan. Lip smacking fresh food, culture dating back to biblical times and beyond, variety of landscape that covered everything from desert to beaches: For first timers in the middle east, the trip provided us a great cross section of what to expect from this region.

I used to be an avid photographer, but gave away my camera to pick up the brush. Of all the reasons that made the change necessary, none forced it more than a simple fact: The camera kept coming between me and my surroundings more than I like. Since this was the second vacation I have undertaken with a Stillman and Birn instead of a SD Card, I was much better prepared.

The preparation helped me have more fun that I ever had on a cultural trip.

The Western Wall, the Temple Mount and the beautiful Dome of the Rock

Jerusalem is a country the size of a county with all the problems of a continent. This is most apparent at the Western Wall, the holiest site for Judaism within a whistling distance of the Dome of the Rock, the second holiest site for Muslims.

The Dome of the Rock atop the Temple Mount

I managed to gain free access to the Temple Mount only on my third try. And even then I had to stand and sketch as the Uzi-totting, camouflage clad commando would not let me, a non-muslim, sit down with a book open.

The Dome of the Rock atop the Temple Mount

The atmosphere was tense the first two times we visited the Muslim sacred place. Pilgrims in religious frenzy chanted “Allah hu-Akhbar” repeatedly. There was some pushing and scuffles. Rhea was nervous. But surrounded by the most elite commandoes of the IDF, I have never felt more safe.

Rhea browsing an antique shop in the Muslim Quarter

Though most of our other favorite spots were in the Muslim Quarter where the kebabs were fantastic and the antiques plentiful.

A salesman attending to his shop in the Christian Quarter

Our favorite restaurant outside the Church of Holy Sepulcher

Every day in the old city of Jerusalem, we retired to a hole-in-the-wall eatery kitty corner with the Church of Holy Sepulcher to gorge on crunchy falafel, soft pita and fresh Arabic salad

Church of the Redeemer, my favorite sketching spot not too far from our favorite restaurant

Muristan, Muslim Quarters

The Monastery of Flagellation on the Via Delarosa

Artifacts in the Israel Museum

Façade of the Holy Church of Sepulcher

I filled an entire sketch book in our four days in Jerusalem. And here I was worried that I would not have enough to sketch in the entire trip.

The entire Jerusalem Sketchbook preview on Issuu