Working holiday

Tel Aviv alight on the last night
of Pesach

The Orthodox Holy Week has just ended ... and so did the Jewish Passover. Security was very tight. And the Old City was in chaos despite the heavy military presence .... not because of any violence but because of the hundreds of thousands of egyptian copts and ethiopians who came for the Orthodox Easter. All were poor simple folk .... kind-hearted and devout ... but their conduct was not suited for our situation. They stomped into our church at 6am while we were celebrating Mass, talking loudly, eating, drinking, taking photos .... totally oblivious to the 45 priests and nuns inside the church celebrating Mass. It was as if we didn't exist. Finally a couple fo our priests shooed them all out and locked the doors. And it happened not once but everyday of the week. Unruly and chaotic .... that's what everyone says ... from us to muslims to jews. They caused huge traffic jams because they would cross the streets in their hundreds, then linger to chat and eat in the middle of the road .... oblivious to the honking of cares, shouts of drivers and threats by the police. They belong to a totally different world.

Anyway I had a very busy weekend myself and luckily not in Jerusalem. I had Mass with the Konkani community in Herzliya 90 kms away. It was a long driver but jam-free because of the Pesach holiday (no driving allowed). By the time Mass ended and I returned to Jaffa, it was past 10pm. I was exhausted ... but sitting out on the terrace facing the sea, watching the lights of nearby Tel Aviv ... it was very relaxing. The balmy salty breeze from the Mediterranean Sea always gives me an appetite that I lack in Jerusalem.

Miss Bird on holiday

But leaving Jerusalem for over 24 hours always has its problems ... like who will feed the canaries and Buddy and Miss Bird. So Buddy was sent to Bro. Clovis who is his official babysitter when I'm not home. The canaries stay at home and I put in extra food to last 48 hours. And Miss Bird gets to come with me to Jaffa. She hates the long car-ride and made a big fuss screeching at the top of her voice all the way. But once there she enjoyed the terrace, walking on the flower pots and enjoying the breeze and sun.

Saturday evening came and it was time to go home ... exactly 30 hours of break from Jerusalem. That's all the free time I can afford. A working holiday is better than nothing.

Thanks to Rebecca Choy (US$100) for her contribution to the Chinese Sisters' Convent.