Shavuot

Empty streets on feast of Shavuot

It's Shavuot today - the jewish Pentecost. The City is deadly quiet. No work is permitted according to the Torah. This becomes very inconvenient because its also Ramadan and all food is forbidden on sale; in fact because muslims are fasting 14 hours a day, many simply don't work. And today being Sunday, christian shops are also closed. So if you need anything, today is a bad day to get it. Almost all Christian, Jewish and Muslim shops are closed.

Tensions continue to be high but no major incidents have occurred. Damascus on the other hand saw an explosion that killed several people. Damascus so far had been relatively peaceful. Has the violence moved from Aleppo to Damascus? Let's hope not. There are many christians there.

Half-finished won
ton noodles

The weather has been fine so far ... warm during the day but not too hot and evenings are cool. Let's hope this does not encourage violence in the streets. People just want to enjoy the holidays. Muslims eat outside their houses after sunset, enjoying the breeze. Jews eat their cheesecakes and cheese products for Shavuot, taking walks in the parks, enjoying nature which is what Shavuot is about.

Tomorrow is the feast of St. Anthony of Padua (or Lisbon if you're portuguese). It's a holiday of us because he's the patron saint of the Holyland. He had always wanted to be a missionary to the Holyland but was not given permission.

Thanks to Dominic Tam, Yvonne, Miriam & family, Cavero family, Rowena, Celina, and many others for your wishes, gifts and kind thoughts.  And the food brought over from HK was great. Finished the won ton noodles within half hour of its arrival!!! Yvonne's chiffon cakes were finished the next day in one sitting.