Friday adventure

Yesterday was still cold - it fact it felt colder than before. Went off with the Caveros to see a panoramic view of Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives, then went down to the garden of Gethsemani. Fr Gabriel (NO not the one YOU guys are so fond of ...... OUR Fr Gabriel is very kind and gentle and accomodating. he's an italian who previously worked in the Holy Sepulchre). was kind enough to let us enter the sanctuary where the altar and stone is preserved, and we celebrated Mass there since no one booked for that hour. After Mass (and lots and lots of photos!!!!!!!) we went to St. Peter Gallicantu. It has an elevator so it was easier on Daniel. Then they went back to the hotel to rest and we met up again at 7pm for dinner.

Well it was the beginning of Sabbath, so you can imagine how crowded the hotel restaurents were. Mr & Mrs Afifi came all the way from Nazareth for dinner too. They are the owners of Nazarene Tours and Transport, the largest public transport company in Galilee. Being the Sabbath, we had to have the Sabbath menu - which was very nice. I had potato soup (the rest had consomme'), and pate' before a beef steak very nicely done. (The cooks and waiters are arabs so they know we're not jews and cooked our food differently - this is as diplomatic as I can get in this phraseology) And for dessert there was an apple pastry thingo which was on the sweet tangy side. (*Note: Charlyn, "thingo" is not real english but "tangy" is) The Afifis had to leave earlier as they have to drive home (almost 2 hrs), and I wanted to go to sleep - very tired.

And I'm awake now at 4am (slept at 12 midnight) to fix the video conferencing connection with HK. Have been awake since 2am in contact with Nathan and Teresa at our HK centre to co-ordinate our video-conferencing system. Looks like I'm not getting any sleep today! Later I'll bring the Caveros to Bethlehem and Shepherds' Field (most of you guys have never been there! envy envy). And oh, I heard some people have asked to have my room photo taken - well fat chance! Cecilia took many photos inside the churches (not the decorations but of us), but you know our churches are all very dark - and she insisted NOT to use the flash. "It looks better without the flash". And of course each time the photo came out as one black blotch, and she retried and retried taking the same photo till I finally convinced her to use the flash (like 45 minutes of hardsell convincing) - and voila! you could see everything once the flash lit up! The magic is in one tiny bulb! The spirit is willing but the "flash" is weak! Or in this case, the "flash" is willing but the spirit is weak.

The weather should be fine today but cold - so the trip to Bethlehem should be enjoyable (unless the soldiers at the check-point gives us trouble). But I'll really have to sleep early tonight as this early morning work with the video-conferencing is sapping all my energy now. Oops the muzzein is singing now. OK will go off to continue working with the internet line.