Another weekend

6am trickle of
muslim pilgrims

Some 30,000 muslims entered the Old City on Friday. Israel had lifted the ban on Palestinians from entering Israel ... taking a big risk at security. In fact Israel had gone quite far to accommodate the palestinians, removing barriers around Damascus Gate and hiring local arab youths to direct traffic inside the Old City.

On Thursday night and Friday early morning, the streets around our house were packed with muslim pilgrims. But after the sunrise prayer (4.30am), everything turned quiet. The streets were empty, families went to sleep (best way to keep the fast). But 6am muslim pilgrims from the Territories began to enter the Olc City, starting with a trickle but by 8am into waves of thousands. Before noon, 30,000 had passed through our streets. There was no way we could get out of our house ... so I didn't go to work.

Chapel of the Convent of D'Ivrea

Which was just as well because I have been extremely sick. A severe allergic reaction to something the docs could not identify. But I recognised the symptoms: it was definitely a food or chemical allergy. Finally I narrowed it down to the yoghurt I ate on Monday and Tuesday at the Convent of D'Ivrea where I had to celebrate Mass last week. The sisters provide a good breakfast after Mass but the yoghurt contains a preservative that I am allergic to. Had been very sick as a result. Now that I have stopped eating it ... 4 days later, I'm feeling a little better.

The heatwave is still hitting us. And plus the great  crowds in the streets, I try not to go out if possible except that I still need to go to work. Must try to work out a route that is in the shade and a time when the streets are quiet in order to get to work.