Trip planning

So, I bought my plane tickets and am now getting really excited about the trip! I have spent some of this morning looking for restaurants, wireless access and some things to do in the Old City (where I am staying). This is the "down time" stuff, not the big landmarks/churches, I'll leave that to Ted. I found a wiki devoted to the Old City http://wikitravel.org/en/Jerusalem/Old_City. Here are a few things on my list:

-A Walk on the Roofs. It is possible to walk above the central souk along the rooftops of the city. Visitors can climb up to the rooftops via a small staircase at the corner of St Mark's Road and Khabad Street. A second set of stairs leads up from Muristan Road and visitors can exit into the courtyard of Khan el-Sultan, which allows exit onto Chain Street. The view from the rooftops offers delightful views of the bustling streets below, as well as unusual views of the Church of the Holy Sepulcre and the Dome of the Rock.

-Ramparts Walk - visitors can walk along two sections of the Old City wall, from Jaffa Gate clockwise to St Stephen's Gate, and counter-clockwise from Jaffa Gate to the Dung Gate. Access to the ramparts is only possible at Jaffa and Damascus gates, although walkers can descend at any gate.

-Muristan. Just south of the Church of the Holy Sepulcre, this area was once a hospice for pilgrims from Latin-speaking countries. Today it serves as a quiet area of outdoor cafes and small shops centered around an atmospheric central fountain.

-The Cardo. Once running nearly the entire length of the Old City from north to south, the Cardo is an excavated and partially reconstructed section of the Jerusalem's main thoroughfare in the Byzantine era. Visitors can get a good idea of how the whole once looked by descending to the 200 m (650 ft) section alongside the Jewish Quarter. The central roadway was 12.5 m (41 ft) wide and lined with shops. The pillars from that time still stand. Today in part, the Cardo contains an exclusive, covered shopping arcade.

- Hurva Square. In a maze of narrow and winding streets, Hurva Square is the heart and social center of the Jewish Quarter. Its open areas offer cafes, souvenir shops, and snack bars with outdoor seating. On the west side of the square is the site of the Huvra Synogogue (Hurva means "ruins"). Burnt down by its creditors in the 18th century, the synagogue was rebuilt in 1864 only to be destroyed during the fighting that took place in 1948 between the Arab and Jewish armies. After the Israeli assumption of control in 1967, a lone arch was reconstructed from the remaining shell, making it a popular photographic attraction. As of 2006, however, the arch has been removed and construction has begun on rebuilding the synagogue which is scheduled for completion in mid 2008.

-Warren’s Shaft. 9 AM–5 PM Sunday through Thursday and 9 AM–1 PM on Fridays. This tunnel is located about 100 m (330 ft) from the City of David excavations. Named after Charles Warren, its 19th-century discoverer, the sloping tunnel leads to a pool fed by the Gihon Spring. The system was built by the Jebusites to ensure a water supply during sieges. In the 10th century BC a tunnel was dug to take water from the Gihon Spring to the fields of the kidron valley. King Hezekiah had a new tunnel built to bring the spring water right into the city. Hezekiah's Tunnel ran 533 m (1,750 ft) from the spring to the Pool of Siloam in the south end of the city. Visitors can wade through the tunnel in thigh-deep water. It takes about half an hour to pass through, and the ceiling is high in most places. It's a good idea to take a flashlight. Before entering the tunnel, you can also visit the various tombs you will see in the valley. (NB: Women should not go here alone.) There is an admission fee.

Suq El Attaria is the primary shopping area in the Arab quarters of the Old City. You will find shops ranging from souvenirs to greengrocers to traditional clothing.
(I really want to be able to say that I shopped in a Suq-- I always read about "suqs" in books...

And, thankfully, it looks like there are plenty of places that I will be able to eat even in the Old City. I was getting worried. I keep reading about all these bagel shops...