once upon a tourguide.

The crew.

me+jamie+elise+brittany. (jee-hee was taking the pic)

 

the exciting discovery.

 how could i resist some "normal" food?

after eating random sorts of middle eastern food--fries and hot fudge sundaes can do a girl good.

not to mention the perks of getting a balloon on a stick.

 i've never lived in a city that was SO overpopulated with tourists.

Every public area of the streets of jerusalem is chuck packed full of tour groups from all over the world.

 I often poke fun at the tour groups (as i consider myself a regular ol' local around these parts... kidding, but i do know my way around better than most tour guides i have found) which is where this story takes place. Once upon a time i got a balloon on a stick from McDonald's and guided my crew around Jerusalem! it was great fun, i held it up in the sky and said things like "come, come, we need to fill in the blanks and get to our next destination."

That was all fun and games until the unthinkable...

the cheapo balloon on the stick failed me. it began to gradually lose air somewhere between West Jerusalem and the Old City and by the time i stepped inside Jaffa gate, it was no more.

i was left with a piece of shriveled plastic and the memories.

Being a tour guide has it's perks, but make sure you have a better ballon on a stick for the next encounter  with the tourism industry. McDonald's french fries taste identical to the one's in the states (which i never thought i'd be so grateful for). embrace the city you call home.

-it is written.