| Gilo, a shady forest alongside the residential | | | | Colony neighborhood for nearly a decade, "but we |
| neighborhood of the same name in southern | | | | come a lot. Especially in summer, it`s one of the |
| Jerusalem, Jerusalemites nearly yearround will pack up | | | | shadiest spots around, and my three kids spend hours |
| the kids, break out the portable barbecue grills and | | | | climbing, jumping, swinging and just having a good time. |
| take the opportunity to spend the day outdoors. | | | | Speaking during an easy game of catch with |
| The smells of grilling chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs and | | | | nine-year-old son Aviad, Malkiel said the park is often a |
| the sounds of conversations and children shouting in | | | | destination for family cookouts, picnics or hikes, and |
| Hebrew, English, Yiddish, Arabic and French indicate | | | | said the extended family was only too happy to set |
| just how widely used the park is by Jerusalemites of | | | | out for the park when the early morning fog burned |
| all types. | | | | off Wednesday morning. Aviad was too busy playing |
| Shady wonderland | | | | football to speak to Go Jerusalem. |
| Park Gilo is one of Jerusalem`s lesser known | | | | My five-year-old son, Idan, a native of Jerusalem, gave |
| attractions, mostly due to it`s location off the beaten | | | | a slightly more energetic description of the afternoon`s |
| track, away from the city center. There are separate | | | | activities: "I went on the big slide and climbed up again |
| playgrounds for babies/toddlers and older kids, a | | | | and saw you standing down there kicking the football |
| smooth rollerblade track and a wire climbing structure | | | | with Gilad (his older brother). Then I ran around and |
| unlike anything I`ve seen anyplace else. | | | | around and around and wanted to play with the other |
| There`s also a tennis and basketball court, and a | | | | kids. Can I have a drink, please?" |
| stunning walking track overlooking the Malcha | | | | That about sums it up. |
| neighborhood and the Gilo forest. To the west, the | | | | - Andrew Friedman |
| panoramic view of the Jerusalem hills overlooks the | | | | Directions to Park Gilo: From Pat Junction, travel south |
| Refaim Valley and the Jerusalem-Bet Shemesh train | | | | on Ya`akov Pat St., name will change to Dov Yosef |
| line. | | | | St. after the first traffic light). Continue up hill towards |
| "I can`t say we come here all the time," said Malkiel, a | | | | Gilo neighborhood, then right at top of hill onto |
| transplanted New Yorker who has lived in the German | | | | Haganenet St. Haganenet runs straight into the park. |