Last day of Hannuka

The enormous Christmas tree
at the La Salle College in the
Old City (New Gate)

It's the last day of Hanukka. Many jews are celebrating with dinners and wine. For christians it's a day before Christmas Eve. The streets in the Christian Quarter are all decked with lights. Shops are blaring carols in arabic. Parties are being held in churches and schools. It's festive and you can feel the people are happier than at previous Christmas when we were clouded by war. The cold weather - today was only 8 degrees during the day - has dissuaded people from violence and anyway the police presence was relatively heavy ... mainly to protect the jews going to the Wailing Wall for Hannuka.

Auntie Yvonne's famous chiffon cake

Today has been very tiring for me. Had been running up and down the Old City to work and then to visit groups that have come to celebrate Christmas here in Bethlehem. So many groups. I've covered almost 10 kms today ... walking so much my poor feet are hurting so bad. The neuroma is killing me. Thank goodness the asthma isn't playing up. But I was mostly breathless due to all the walking up and down the hills that the Old City is built on.

Thanks to everyone for your gifts. Received everything and appreciate it very much. Yvonne's chiffon cake arrived and was finished off within one hour. Tomorrow at midnight I'll be at Shepherds' Field to celebrate Mass. Will remember all of you during Mass.