Learning New Ways Around Jerusalem

After years of traveling weekly from Shiloh to Matan by public transportation, tremps, walking etc at dawn, schlepping my breakfast and a thermos of delicious perked coffee,  plus books etc I now have a new way. A neighbor is studying once a week, davka the same day, in Malcha and has to be there just before I do.  So instead of waking at 4am and leaving home just after 6am hoping for a ride before the 6:35 bus, I get up at 4:30 with time to eat a warm breakfast at home and leave with him at 7am.

By the time we leave the sun is shining, and I'm not stressed out wondering how and when I'll arrive.  A small disadvantage or a "good news-bad news" is that I don't have the time I used to for a long fitness walk before class. The advantage is that I'm much more awake during class with the extra sleep and relaxing ride.

The only difficulty was figuring out the best bus route from where he drops me off to Matan.  Suddenly I have to travel via the San Martin-Pat area, which I never knew at all before.

At Malcha I catch the #6 bus and take it about three stops to Golomb, if I got that right.  I just know that it's the first stop after some very impressive tunnel.  Last week when I did it for the first time, I  asked absolutely everyone I could find what they recommended from the minute I got to the Malcha bus stop until I got off the #6A.  And from the same place I can catch the #18 which goes pretty close to Matan or the #4 which requires a good five or more minute walk.

The only real quirk about this is that the #18, which I rushed to beat to the stop, first takes a long "ride around the block" before stopping to take me to Matan.

Last week I spotted it after its little detour.  But at least I had time to photograph the view from the bus stop.

After I got off, I decided to walk through the gorgeous alley ways to Matan. They are among the hidden beauties of Jerusalem.