Another hot day ...

Ice cream cone at
11pm

It's a flaming heatwave ... this morning at 10am it was already 34 degrees. I thought of going to the supermarket but when I reached Damascus Gate I turned back. It is so hot I get a headache when I go out. These few nights I have been working late. Go home around 11pm. I avoid going to work during the day as I would get quite sick from the heat. The other night it was so hot when I returned home, I decided to buy an ice cream cone to cool off. The arab grocery opens till midnight and there were may youths buying ice cream as well. It was nice to eat something cool in this heatwave. However I had to scrap off the nuts at the top first .... don't want to risk an allergic attack. This afternoon for dessert after lunch, we had ice cream too. How nice!

The jewish feast of Lag Ba Omer is causing some confusion. This is a minor jewish feast which celebrates the death of rabbi Bar Yochai in Northern Galilee who imparted many wisdom teachings to the jews. Bonfires are lit to celebrate their "enlightenment" by Bar Yochai ... but personally I think it originated from the burning of the straw and chaff of the wheat harvest in Passover. Families go on outings and barbecues. Well this year it falls on Sunday (today) which means it actually began at sunset yesterday. However yesterday was a Sabbath so there was the fear that some bonfires might be lit a little too early thus breaking the Sabbath Law of not kindling a fire. The ultra-orthodox therefore asked the govt to postpone the feast to Monday so that there would be a 24 hour break between Sabbath and the feast. The govt did so by allowing schools to be closed on Monday ... but then the ultra-orthodox reversed their decision and decided to celebrate the feast on Sunday. Most people are now confused especially parents who are left with kids at home while they go to work.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4961450,00.html

Bedouin women carrying wares on
their heads

I've had another spell of this dizziness and half-sleep sensation again this morning after Mass. It really felt like anaesthesia ... a short space of time between getting the injection and actually losing consciousness ... it's that in-between world. It's so weird. Maybe its the heatwave and exhaustion playing on me. The bedouin women are a lot stronger than I am. Saw a couple of old ladies carrying heavy loads on their heads as they walked down Damascus Gate stairs ... in this heatwave. I wonder what their secret is.