Friday

Bedouin women
hawking veggies
at El Wad street

Friday passed with no violence but the atmosphere was very tense in the Muslim Quarter and all over East Jerusalem. Military presence was heavy. Even 2 police were despatched to guard our Way of the Cross at 4pm today. In the morning there was a marked drop in tourists and locals walking down the street. But in the afternoon crowds of muslims came to pray in the Al Aqsa Mosque, Catholics made the Way of the Cross and Jews began to gather towards the Wailing Wall. For 3 hours El Wad street, shared by all 3 religions, was packed and police were at every angle ... then it was all over and the street was silent again. Only the soldiers remained.

Bedouin women continue to sell veggies along El Wad street although occasionally soldiers chase them away. They sit on both sides and the middle of the street and thus impede the soldiers from running when chasing suspects. And in case of a riot or stampede, these women will be trampled. However its their livelihood to sell the few shekels of veggies each day otherwise their families will have no food. Most of their menfolk work in the fields to plant the veggies and their wives bring them into the city for sale.

Wild chamomile

My heart is still very weak and I tire easily. Today I had to work in our university library and then i had to walk to school to return the exam results. It's 2 kms away uphill and I was very tired when I reached it. I had to make 2 stops along the way in the park. At the Park there were huge masses of wild chamomille. Imagine having to pay US$3 for a pack of chamomile to boil tea when here you can pick the flowers, dry them and make tea ... all free of charge. On the way home I stopped at the Salesian chapel and joined the Ethiopic Catholics make the Way of the Cross. They sing very well. It was beautiful.

Tomorrow I have class but also work in the library. I'll have to juggle the hours ... this is one of the main causes of my ill health: I have some many things happening at the same time and need run from one to another and back. It's physically and psychologically exhausting. Unfortunately there are people who think I have nothing to do everyday ... just waiting by the computer, drinking coffee and chitchatting. Get real people. You won't want to share one hour of my life.