At last!!!

What a day. Went early in the morning 1 km away to get a document to apply for my visa. Got it after 45 mins. Then I couldn't call the visa dept. for an appointment because I had no credit in my phone. All the shops around don't do topups through the internet. So I rushed 1 km up the hill to Arik to get it top-upped. Good to see Arik again ... haven't seen him in 2 weeks. Then in his shop, I got a call to say I must go straight to the visa dept. Though it was closed, they'd informed security to let me in. But I had to go immediately. Ran down the hill 1km to the visa dept. Ran up one floor and went to the counter. The lady said "Too bad. We have no internet line now. You must wait." So I waited. And waited. After 2 hours I was deadly famished so I went down to Meir's Gelateria to eat a waffle. Couldn't get a cappucino because the machine was not working. Set there for another hour. Then went up again to be told the line isn't yet connected. Come back later. So went down to Signora Lelia's photo shop to belly-ache about the system that doesn't work. She fully understood and offered me a cup of coffee to calm me down.

Judas Trees in flower

Decided to go back again to the visa dept. immediately and was told come back later in the afternoon ... no line connection yet. Then rushed home 1km away to use the toilet because my diarrhea wasn't good. There are hardly any public toilets in Jerusalem!!!! Went back to the Visa Dept. 1km away. Finally the computers were connected. Got my visa after a 5 and a half hour wait. Nerve wrecking. And it was freezing cold and raining.

However I snapped a pic of the Judas Trees in front of the Visa Dept. that were flowering. Beautiful sight of violet flowers all over the trees while the branches remained bare of leaves. A small consolation to an otherwise crazy day.

Sushi at Sakura

Later in the evening went out with a friend for dinner at Sakura. Simple meal but it was comforting to be able to relax again. My knees and my feet were painful to say the least after all that running around. A little sushi did alot of good!!! Then we went to Habibi's for a drink and nargile before going home.

It had been a tiring day ... and I'm totally exhausted from the running up and down. Hope this is the last time I have to go through this crazy day again.