Jerusalem is made of stone. It is a limestone sometimes called meleke (which is Arabic for King or Kingly), it is, also, I should point out, similar to the Hebrew word for King (melech). The stone, when it is quarried is soft enough that one can carve at it with a knife. As it exposed to air, it hardens. This makes it ideal for building (apparently). The stone also polishes beautifully, developing a rich sheen very quickly.
Since the British Mandate of Palestine, it has been a Municipal law that all buildings within the Jerusalem city limits be faced in stone. The sidewalks in the city center are also paved in stone. The paving stones are quarried very roughly, leaving many ridges and gouges (for traction). But the tops of the ridges are polished by the thousands of shoes walking upon them, and develop a really smooth finish.
At midday, when the sun is at the top of its arc, the stone is almost blinding. At night, the wind picks up and the temperature drops. The city is lit not just by street lights, but by architectural lighting on many of the buildings. The reflectivity of the stone makes it glow with a beautiful and diffuse light. It's entirely unlike New York, where most of the building and sidewalks suck up the light from the streetlights.
It's time to get ready for Shabbat!
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