Last Friday of Ramadan

Last night was the muslim feast Layla el Khader where muslims celebrate with exceptional verve ... much to our dismay because the festivities in the streets continued through the whole night till even at 6.30am when we started Mass this morning. The noise in the streets was so deafening most of us were awake by 3am. I went out to the terrace to have a look at the streets below and it was packed, packed, packed. Tonight we expect an equally sleepless night as it's the last Friday of Ramadan. I begin my teaching tomorrow but I doubt I'll be able to make it to school as the streets will be chocker-bloc. I'll have to skip the first day of school and my students will be very happy. In fact the Way of the Cross is cancelled because of the crowds.

This Saturday night/Sunday will be another sight - It's the Jewish New Year (Rosh HsShana) and also the Muslim Aid-el-Ftri (end of Ramadan). Very rarely do these two feasts coincide. So the Old City will even be more packed and security will be beyond imagination. Somewhow all this is not making me feel safe after what happened 2 nights back. I'm terribly gittery now when I see an arab crowd.

I had put myself on a course of prednesone this week .... without informing my doctor. I know it's not safe but my asthma was killing me and this was my last resort. So anyway I'm weaning off prednesone to 5mg 2 times a day for the next 3 days. Most of the wheezing is gone, as is the fluid in my lungs. But I know my doc will probably fly into a fit when I tell him I'm popping preds without his knowledge.

Anyway I'm reading 3 books at the same time these few days. Must read up as much as possible.
So back to studies.