Far from the maddening crowd

View from my window

Been away for a couple of days ... away from the crazy situation that Jerusalem is. Needed a rest from the tensions, noise, sickness, madness alla round me. Enough is enough.  So I was away in the Judean wilderness ... not too isolated - just near Bethlehem. Rolling mountains, birds of all kinds, fruit trees and vines in abundance. The scenery is so like the Umbrian hills of Italy - with italian cottages dotting the vineyards hugging the steep mountain slopes.

The weather was hot in the day but cool in the nights. The valley was swathed in fog in the early morning. Birds were chirping.

The vineyards were flourishing in this weather. Many already have fruit in its early stages. Most of the grapes will go to make wine. Simple peasants work the slopes, clearing weeds and tying up loose vine branches. There is a silence that you cannot experience in Jerusalem. And no muezzin calls at 3.30am, no vendors shouting, no smog, no honking of cars, no wifi, no computers .... it's rustic.

Apricots in abundance

Fruit trees especially apricots and peaches weigh heavily down on trees throughout the orchards. It's amazing. And they're very sweet and juicy.

Well it was a good break. And being accompanied by 10 of my students, it was perfect. We had lots of time to chat. I'm very proud of them ... they'll soon graduate and move to their own missions somewhere around the world.

Well all good things must end and I had to come back to the reality of Jerusalem.