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| A lovely fishpond in the Russian Monastery |
The weather has been as unrelentingly hot as before. It drains the energy ... just a walk up the road not only saps the life out of you, the very thought of walking out weakens the knees. And I'm not the only one who is saying this. Just about everyone else says so.
Nevertheless yesterday my prof and I went to visit the famous Russian Orthodox Monastery and Compound just outside the Old City. The State of Israel had expropriated the entire neighbourhood during the war of 1968 but now it is slowly returning the various buildings back to the Russian Orthodox Church ... thanks to the intervention of Putin. Inside the rather drab and characterless facades of these square buildings are surprising oases of serenity and beauty. Sr Ekatarina who's our student, invited us to visit the cathedral and the Russian Orthodox Mission in the Holyland. The chapels and churches were nice but the courtyards inside the monasteries - hidden from public eyes - are really the great surprise. Beautifully kept, with ponds and fish, shady trees, a patio ... it was absolutely incredible. These russian monks and nuns sure know how to create a spiritual oasis in the dead centre of the city surrounded by the city jail, criminal court, municipality admin centre.
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| Sr. Ekatarina and prof. in the patio |
Big excitement tonight as the Perseid meteor shower will be falling over South Israel. Many people will be heading to the Negev desert for this spectacular show. I think I'll pass. My stomach has not been too good, as usual ... and the general fatigue of daily 8 hr work is draining me. Need to sleep. But if I do wake up at midnight because of the unbearable heat, I'll be looking out for the meteors ... and make a wish upon a falling star ...
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