Eid el Fitr

Ramadan has finally ended. Yesterday the streets were packed with people for the morning prayers at Al Aqsa mosque but by afternoon only a trickle remained. All the temporary stalls at Damascus Gate and the surrounding streets packed up and left. In the afternoon, young muslims were packing the jewish shops buying new clothes and shoes. But by sunset, everyone was going for the Eid el Fitr banquet back home. The canon fired 7 times to announce the end of Ramadan. And then silence in the muslim quarter and east Jerusalem.

Ginko and chinese dates 

I had a tiring day yesterday as 3 teams of workers came at the same time, working in 3 different places in the library. Was rushing from 3rd floor to 5th floor for over an hour to make sure everything was done without mistakes. baby bulbul needed feeding every 15 mins. I didn't have the time so this morning I found him weak ... actually almost dead. Forced fed it with 2 spoons of handrearing mixture, left it in the sun ... and it bounced back to life. It recognises me now .. and often jumps out of its nest to be near me. Problem is I get asthma attacks with baby bulbul around. But no one will take care of it so I just have to wear a mask and prepare my ventolin all the time.

Ah Ling at Mandarin's has been doing abit of cooking lately and I've been there several times these few weeks. She boiled gingko nuts with chinese dates in rock sugar ... something I haven't had for decades. It was delicious.

On the homefront, israel is slapping Europe in the face for having issued guidelines against goods made made by Israeli firms in jewish settlements that occupy Palestine land. Israel's answer? - build 1000 more settlement houses in Palestine. On a another strange note - the news of beef grown from stem cells in a petri dish is getting excited reception in israel because it is not considered real meat or dairy. Cheeseburgers made form this meat would now be kosher!!!  http://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-Features/Has-the-era-of-the-kosher-cheeseburger-arrived-322419