Friday

Guru at Damascus Gate

The car ramming and suicide bomber terorism in Spain is in the news ... but it's not ruffling any feathers. After all this cr-ramming terrorism started here 2 years ago. We've had at times one a week. Then it spread to Europe and strangely it lessened in Israel. What we're dealing with is stabbings ... and with the coming muslim feast of Adha next week, the atmosphere will be tense but no one really expects attacks. The muslims don't want to spoil their holiday with closures and curfews. They'll play by the rules ... at least for 3 days.

I was very very happy last evening to meet my former cameraman and his wife again after a long time. He was very adventurous and would go to all the wartorn areas of the Middle East. Now he's been made the head of the foreign correspondents in Israel. And his wife is expecting their first child ... a girl to be called Sophia. His wife will soon return to Italy to give birth and so they wanted to see me before they left. It was very nice that they remembered me.

2 beggers in their usual places

Yesterday I saw a strange sight ... what appeared to be a Hindu guru meditating on the steps of Damascus Gate. Well he could have belonged to some minor muslim sect, for all I know. But it was nevertheless a strange sight and I quickly took a photo of him. It's not very clear though.

On the other side of the steps, muslim beggars were taking their places. They jealously and aggressively defend their positions and would even fight others off. After a few weeks, you know who is where along Damascus Gate begging for money. Women beggars try to hide their faces by wearing the face-veil ... but we all know who they are. During normal days they don\t cover their faces. Well these are the people who don't want closures and curfews because their livelihood depends on public generosity.

Right now I'm feeling extremely ill. Nausea, dizziness and diarrhoea. Could have been the fish e ate for lunch. Am feeling very weak and need to lie down.