People jam

My escape route: the
upper City alley

The muezzin had started singing long and loud this morning and I thought it was Friday. Later in the morning I had to go to the bank only to find it closed. It then struck me that today is the birthday of Mohammed and all muslim institutions are shut. And the worse was yet to come ... when I tried to go home from Damascus Gate, it was literally filled with thousands and thousands of muslims coming from all over the country to pray at the Al Aqsa mosque. And police presence was very high ... since last night I recall when I was coming home from work at 10.30pm.

Anyway to avoid a half hour jam at the narrow El Wad street, I quickly took the first right alley leading to the highest point of the Old City in order to get home. It's a long and tiring detour but it's definitely better than getting stuck with thousands of people. I was exhausted when I got home but it was just time to eat a piece of bread before rushing off to the other library for work. And that means going out through the alleys again to avoid the crowd. Had a meeting, then class, then rushing off for a meeting with the archbishop. Got a call from M. Teresa's sisters that I was late for adoration and confessions ... so left the patriarchate back to my office to grab my bag and rushing to their convent downhill. After all that, I had to battle the crowds (yes it's 9 hours later and the crowds are still there ... it's human jam) to get out of the Old City and buy myself dinner ... my first real meal of the day. It's 7pm.

Dove dead from the cold

Weather has been at a constant low of between 7 degrees to 14 degrees. Well to show you how cold it is, this morning there was a dead dove in the sisters' courtyard. Dead from the cold.

I'm going to bed and keeping warm. The fever is gone but I still queasy and constantly forgetting things. Not getting enough oxygen to the brains I guess.

Getting better

Lighted reindeers
for sale

My fever has subsided to a slight fever but I still have stomach cramps. And I now found out that there are several other people about town who has the same symptoms. Must be some virus. Anyway I started work yesterday evening with a whole series of meetings that ended till 9pm. Then today another meeting at 9am and class at 1.30pm. Tonight another meeting at 8.15pm. I dread it but I mist work.

The thermometer reads 10 degrees now but it feels like 4 degrees. Our library was heated up to 27 degrees to keep the students warm. Tonight it will get to 7 degrees again. Must keep warm.

Christian shops are already selling Christmas stuff ... and one annual feature is the lighted reindeer that moves it's head left and right. Pretty kitsch. But local people like it ... I guess. Now let's see if the all powerful ultra-orthodox jews will protest and stop us from putting up lighted reindeers because they are idols. They've stopped us 2 years ago from putting up Christmas trees and banners.

New fountains

And yesterday they organised a huge protest at the Military conscription centre. And the Education Minister resigned in protest that railway works took place on Sabbath in Tel Aviv. If the coalition govt. falls because of this, it's the ultra-orthodox who stand to lose because the non-religious Zionist parties are gathering more support against the daily disruptions caused by the ultra-orthodox. A snap election will mean the ultra-orthodox losing their seats in parliament. So if the rabbis don't stop this public disruption, it's they who stand to lose, and they congregations.

Well it's time I went to the meeting. Hope I'll survive the walk in this cold.

Sick

Our indian sisters in the kitchen

Yesterday evening after class at 5pm I was walking back to my office when I began to shiver. I felt extremely cold and the shivers got more violent. I wore 3 jackets and barely dragged myself home 1km away. I felt really sick ... dizzy, stomach cramps ,,, and the sisters at home said I had a very high fever. I went straight to bed, covering myself in layers of blankets to sweat the fever off. And it was hot. At 10pm I woke up and felt a little better. At 2pm I woke again and the fever had subsided a little. I was feeling very weak and dizzy so I went down to make a cup of coffee. It was hot and gave me a little strength. Our sisters prepared some rice later in the morning but my nausea and cramps isn't helping my appetite.

Now I have cramps in my stomach and there's still a fever. I thought it's because it was cold yesterday and I was exhausted from work ... Mondays begin at 3am and there's no break till 5pm if I'm lucky. So probably a combination of cold, hunger and exhaustion took its toll. I'm totally out of action today. Staying in bed as my library colleagues told me not to come to work.

Christ the King solemnity

Just half an hour ago, a thief came from behind me and opened my backpack. I felt something and turned around and he fled ... in broad daylight, on a main road filled with lots of people. And I had just come out from the bank. The bag pack was opened but luckily in that section there were only keys. But that's how it is here in East Jerusalem .... ruthless petty thieves with no conscience whatsoever while professing to be devout muslims.

The King of Hearts

Yesterday was Christ the King solemnity. I did a series of photos from the 3 sites what recall Christ being crowned with thorns and Pilate declaring him King of the Jews while Jesus responded that his kingdom is not of this world. Not many people, in fact I think everyone, doesn't know that these sites are the sanctuaries of this feast. First there is the Flagellation Monastery where the  Crown of Thorns features in every feature of the church ... from chandeliers to dome. On the tabernacle door is a bejewelled Crown of Thorns and the words "Rex Cordium" meaning "King of Hearts". Then there is the Ecce Homo arch where tradition says Jesus was brought up to the top and displayed as king of the jews, wearing the crown of thorns and purple cloak. Third is the ruins of an ancient church commemorating the Crowning of Thorns. Today it is part of a muslim school.

Ecce Homo Arch
inside the modern
basilica

After solemn Mass in the morning, I had a whole series of errands to do. Walked almost 5km to do this and that, from the Old to the New cities. First it was going to buy a purple cloth and Advent wreath for next week for our chapel. The one we had is missing. Then it was going to the supermarket to get toiletries etc. I sat for lunch but had nothing to eat as everything contained nuts or pork ... the former I'm allergic to and the latter I don't eat. It happens every Sunday. Well I was so busy after lunch I couldn't go out to buy something to eat. In fact I only managed to do it at 7pm after 2 doctors' appointments. By that time I was so died I didn't even feel hungry.

While on my way to the 2nd doctor at 4pm, I noticed agitated crowds waiting at the Light Rail stations. Found out later than all traffic had stopped for 4 hours because the ultra-orthodox jews have blockaded the main roads. And there were thousands and thousands of them. Well everyone is saying how can the police allow them to do this day after day, disrupting people's lives. If they were leftist groups, the police would have stopped them immediately; and if they were arabs .... how much more. But because they are ultra-orthodox jews who hold a lot of power in govt. though they are a minority, the govt. is afraid to offend them. They're demonstrating against compulsory military service.  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5048146,00.html  and  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.825097

Today at 3.30pm the ultra-orthodox are calling for another massive disruption. I think this implosion is distracting Israel from more urgent issues on the Golan and Sinai borders. If the Israeli army is not able to defend Israel in a sudden case of conflict with the Syrians or Lebanese or ISIS in the Sinai, then it is the ultra-orthodox who are to blame because they are causing too much chaos internally.

Eve of Christ the King

Poinsettia in bloom

The Black Friday sale is on ... and our students are busy trying to buy Bible programmes and computer products as much as possible, to take advantage of the 20% discount. Yes Bible study can be expensive. To speed up research and get more accurate information, specialised programmes are available but for quite a hefty price. I think all our students and profs. are using these programmes ... except me. I'm still in the Stone Age ... using catalogue cards, writing down bibliographies, searching page by page. Now several profs. are encouraging me and teaching me to use some of the basic programmes. But I'll have to eventual buy them and install them into my computer ... and I dread it.

Today was so much colder than yesterday ... against the weather forecast. Everyone felt it. Most of our students are hiding in their rooms to stay warm. I would too if not for the fact that I had to go out after lunch to buy some things for our sisters ... well actually for our church. Since our Polish sisters left, no one knows where they kept the Advent wreath. We searched everywhere and cannot find it. So I had to go and buy one. Too bad we can't sue our live poinsettia that are flowering now. They die once they are cut. Not useless at all for indoor decoration.

My student

Before going to buy the Advent wreath, I had to stop by St. Anne's Church down the road to see a seminarian student. He's writing his thesis with me so I had to go give him some instructions on how to get started. He looked very solemn in his habit.

Tomorrow is Christ the King and it's our chapel's feast as it was here Jesus was crowned with thorns, mocked as a king and began to carry his Cross to Calvary about 800 meters away. Will remember you all at Mass tomorrow.

Rain over

Sunset after the rain

This morning was awfully cold ... more than yesterday. The highest temp. at noon was 12 degrees. And it drizzled all morning. I had to wear 2 hoodies to stay warm while working in the library. Our 2 librarians are still sick and I have to take their place ... but at 10.30am I had class so I had to find someone else to substitute me. It's all getting so complicated. Anyway it was a whole morning of work. Then immediately after lunch (which was lentil broth because Fridays are penance days) I had to rush off to the other library for work, then meet the Chinese sisters to discuss some things, then meet a chinese pilgrim group, then walk 1.5km to a hotel to meet another group. It was awfully dark in the street by7pm and the hotel was in a very rough neighbourhood of East Jerusalem. Walking there was abit harrowing. Walking back home at 8pm was even worse. Well good thing I wasn't mugged or killed.

Blossoming wild violets

Well the rain stopped by lunch time and the sun came up but it remained very cold. I think the only things that are enjoying this cold are the plants. The wild violets are flowering profusely. And some narcissus are also blossoming. It's amazing how a little cold could do to plants. And the sunset in the crisp clean air is always astoundingly beautiful.

Yesterday's newspapers report that medical marijuana would soon be available in pharmacies. That would be a great help to people with muscular diseases, or pains and cramps, or a host of other maladies. Medical marijuana has been proven to be effective on all these illness. And Israel is leading in this field.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.824517

Hackers!!!!

Tourists in the rain

Someone has hacked into my facebook account again ... the 2nd time in a year. I was locked out of my page and had to reset and verify my account again. This is very terrible. I wonder if I can complain about this.

Meantime the temp. was down to 8 degrees all morning and heavy drizzle. Everyone was out with umbrellas (foreigners) and thick winter clothes. But still I saw a few tourists in shorts and summer clothes ... shivering in the rain. Shop owners suddenly start selling umbrellas and making quick money.

By lunch time it was 13 degrees and stopped raining but the sky remains very dark and threatening. I would love to hear some thunder and see some lightening. I miss that very much. And to think Singapore is the capital of lightening ... there are more lightening strikes in Singapore than any other city in the world.

Locals in the rain

I was suffering from diarrhea all night and morning because I ate some leftover macaroni from fridge without warming it last night. I then decided to go for Mass with the community, thinking I would be ok ... or at least I'd hold out till the end of Mass. Just my luck ... Sr. Gabriella from the 3rd Station fainted after the 1st reading and the Mass was held up for 15 mins while everyone was running around to help her. Luckily a visiting group of spanish pilgrims had a doctor among them and she came into the church to help. And Sr. Jeannie who is here to help in our kitchen these 3 days is also a trained nurse. Apparently Gabriella's sugar level dropped ... probably because of diabetes. Anyway she was carried home and Mass continued. But by that time my tummy was really bad and I had to hang on for another 20 minutes before Mass ended. Now I'm feeling queasy all day. Still with diarrhea.

And because 2 of our librarians are sick and not at work I have to stay and work till noon when another came to takeover. Then I walked up to the other library to start work there till 2.30pm when I have class till 4.30pm. After that it's a big rush to M. Teresa's convent for adoration, bible conference and confessions till 7pm. I hate Thursdays as much as Mondays. Thursday I work 17 hours and Mondays it's 18 hours. And now I have to deal with hackers.

More rain

Rain in Jerusalem today

Yesterday's drizzle turned into rain this morning ... relatively heavy at times. I say "relatively" because for you guys in the tropics, it's just a heavy drizzle ... but for us with only 2 days of rain a year, it's "heavy". The ground is wet and slippery but it's no longer parched, dry and cracked. School is open as usual ... meaning the rain isn't as heavy as warranting closure. And it doesn't feel very cold although it's only 12 degrees now. The sun is shining now as the rain clouds disperse. But we hope it'll continue to at least drizzle for the rest of the day as we really need the rain. I realised that this rain is blown in from Greece that had caused havoc and flooding in many cities. Well it's lost most of its force by now. In fact there is no news about the rain in local newspapers here ... which means it has no impact.

Meantime the bulbs are enjoying this wet cold spell. Most have sprouted green shoots in the last 48 hours. We can expect beautiful flowers in Spring. It will be nice if Christmas will be cold. It suits the atmosphere.

My new hair trimmer

Yesterday I went off in the drizzle to buy something I really needed and had been saving up for : a hair trimmer. I cut my own hair and my old electric trimmer was already over 10 years and quite broken. The trimming attachments were broken, as also the catch on the razor, so it gives a crooked edge. I had to cut my hair several times over so I don't end up with hair one side long and the other short. Laughable. But yesterday I saved enough money to buy one from the local Electrical Appliance shop. It has a one year guarantee. I also managed to buy a cheap radiator (made in China) for 60 shekels. That should keep my room warm the next few days.

And the usual ultra-orthodox jewish demonstrations and violence continue; and the tensions in our northern border as well. Let's see what'll develope once the rains stop.

Rain

Rain at sunrise today

It's raining as forecast!!! Well in Jerusalem it's more like a heavy drizzle. Rains have not come for the past 10 years. But last night the sky was orange and the wind was quite strong. I could smell the dampness in the air ... the pungent smell of wet walls ... something we have not experienced for many years. It was so exciting. Buddy was also very excited. It was something new for him. He kept flying around the room all night. During the night the temp. fell to below 10 degrees. Buddy came to hide under the blanket to stay warm. My one small radiator is not enough to keep the room warm so today I hope to buy another one.

Catholic Scouts' christmas shop

This morning the drizzle continued and the air was clean from dust and the ground was cool. After 10 years of drought, this is so refreshing and happy. I was so excited I think I went out into the courtyard 4 times to be under the drizzle. The dry hard ground was softened by the constant drizzle. Within 48 hours many wild grasses and flowers will sprout. The Mt. of Olives will be green again. I think the northern parts of Israel is having heavier rain than us. Maybe the Sea of Galilee will have its water level rise again to above the red mark.

Tensions at our northern border are escalating as Lebanon today called for its troops to be on the alert for war with Israel. This dreadful conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran is pulling everyone in the region to become pawns and proxies. Why can't they fight their own wars and leave us little countries alone? Yemen is on the brink of starvation, Syria is almost totally demolished, Iraq is equally collapsing, Lebanon is in chaos. http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Lebanon-army-chief-asks-troops-for-readiness-at-Israel-border-514782

As part of security, Israel is now employing cheap drones with cameras to survey sites instead of sending out scouts. https://www.timesofisrael.com/low-tech-drones-give-every-idf-commander-an-eye-in-the-sky/

Hopefully this cheap hi-tech will be able to help the financial situation of the military. The Defense Ministry today has declared that the present budget (US$16 billion) is no longer able to finance the security needs of Israel. It's demanding millions more. I'm just thinking of how many poor people we can feed and house with that money.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.823958

Getting colder

Christmas decora-
tions on sale

It's Monday ... another dreaded day which begins at 3am. I hope I don't have to finish at 10pm tonight. I'm feeling very tired and weak today. The weather change is upsetting many people's health ... including mine. It's very cloudy yet it's hot and humid outdoors. Indoors it feels like freezing. I'm feeling sick but it's not the flu as my inoculation is very effective ... fingers crossed.

Yesterday I spent the whole day from 6am cleaning up my room. Re-arranged furniture, moved the plants to other places, removed unread books into boxes. It's only half done ... I still have next weekend to finish the job ... before Advent begins. I want the new liturgical season to be new in every sense.

More fun stuff

In the afternoon, a friend asked me out for a cup of coffee. I've known him some 6 years now and he just got married a couple of months ago. Anyway he wanted to know more about books especially on pilgrimages as he's doing a write-up. We had a nice chat and we went to a nearby bookshop to get one book that I particularly recommended. I'm sure he'll find it useful. On the way back I passed by a christian shop ... we're in East Jerusalem outside the Old City which is predominantly muslim; so to find a christian shop is quite a surprise. The family that runs the shop is Greek Orthodox. I bought some gifts for the chinese religious who'll be meeting up in a couple of weeks' time.

We're bracing for the cold spell that will hit us in a couple of days. Tomorrow's forecast is rain and then the temp will drop to 12 degrees or less. Right now it's 18 degrees. The lowest temp forecast for Thursday is 7 degrees. I really must get another heater as the cold last night kept me awake.

Tensions are rising on our northern border with Syria as for the 2nd time in as many days, Israeli Defense Forces fired at Syrian Forces that breached the cease-fire line on the Golan Heights. It's not good news.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.823709

And today 2000 plus ultra-orthodox jews blocked the main artery of Tel Aviv. More violence as they protest compulsory drafting to military service. I guess the rain tomorrow and the cold will stop them ... as the police and govt are unable to.  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5045519,00.html

Last Sunday

Today is the last Sunday of the liturgical year before Advent begins. Next Sunday is Christ the King feast which signals the transition between the old year to the new Christmas. A couple of shops have already opened selling Christmas stuff. I think I have to buy some stuff as gifts to the chinese religious nuns and priests studying here in Jerusalem. As I'm the oldest in terms of age and residency in the Holy Land and also in profession of vows, I have to be the big brother of this community. That means organising monthly gatherings, retreats, activities ... and giving them presents on Christmas and the Chinese New Year. That's a tough job adding to my already tight schedule of work and classes. Still it must be done ... to encourage these younger religious to persevere in a culture totally different from Asia.

Durian candies

One of our former students, Sr. Nimfa from the Philippines, brought a group of pilgrims to the Holy Land last week. It was good to see her again. And yes I have to be big brother to her too ... helping her organise lodging, celebrating Masses, applying for her license to guide/animate pilgrims (quite a bureaucratic process). Anyway she brought some durian candies for me. Nice of her. It's an alternative to having the real thing itself. I shared them with the MC sisters.

The skies are overcast all day. I had to go out and buy some spices for our Indian sisters working in our kitchen. It was a good 5 km walk there and back ... there meaning the asian grocery. It was very hot and I wore only a T-shirt. But indoors it feels chilly. I've warned our students that on Wednesday the temp will fall to 7 degrees. Everyone is now bringing out their winter clothes and bedding.

Well the new week begins and we'll see what it'll bring in terms of war and peace. Everyone here is glittery over the situation in Lebanon.

Of tombs and trains and temperature

Night market

It's Saturday ... and still a series of events have been planned, clashing with each other. All the past 3 3 weeks we've been struggling to keep pace with lectures, conferences, exhibitions organised on the same day or within 24 hours of each other. I think it shows a very bad communication process. The secretariat should have co-ordinated all these events but of course it all depended on the event organisers to first inform the secretariat. So today we were supposed to have our monthly retreat ... except that the retreat centre in Gethsemani is under renovation. So the retreat was made at home here. But at the same time an excursion to the fortress of Alexandrion built by King Herod the Great in the Jericho desert. Most students decided to go to the excursion ... which is a pretty rare visit since the Alexandrion is not open to the public and special must be gotten from the Israeli army for such a visit. Others I guess stayed for the retreat. I could do neither as I had to work in the library. Our workers' contracts are such that no one works on Saturdays. That's the problem when people who have authority to make contracts have not a single clue how the library works or what it needs. Utter incompetence.

The temperatures have reached its peak today at 28 degrees during the day and from tonight it'll start to drop. In fact by coming Wednesday the highest will be only 13 degrees and the lowest will be 7 degrees. I guess I'll have to buy another heater as one is not enough in 7 degree weather. My left ankle has been playing up yesterday, I guess because of the cold. Walking is painful. But the cold is doing great things for the plants. Spring bulbs are all sprouting, including a vase of tulips I found in a corner of our garden. And cyclamen are everywhere. I fact Sr. Gabriella gave me a pot for my feast day.

Israeli development was again put on the brink of stagnation because the ultra-orthodox jews have protested against railway works on the Sabbath. The ultra-orthodox Helath Minister threatened to resign if railway works begin. Most people see economic progress being stifled by these rigid laws held by a minority in Israel but has a powerful lobby in govt. Railway works on the Sabbath is logical because traffic will be at a minimal, no traffic jams will because when large machines and structures are transported.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.823360

Kitten encounters guy

Another amazing news we read yesterday was the huge underground cemetery the jews have built ... under a jewish cemetery. It's one km long. But it's exact location is a secret still. Well work on that project goes ahead because the ultra-orthodox rabbis are in favour of it.  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5044269,00.html

Well just to end off on a happy note for the weekend ... I noticed an amusing encounter at Damascus Gate several mornings ago. A tourist was writing his journal when a stray kitten came up at tried to attract his attention. It jumped onto the seat and sat there watching him write. Nothing happened, he never looked up. So the kitten jumped onto the back rest and walked toward the tourist ... the tourist was equally amused as I.

Weekend begins

Sunrise today

I guess I'm not fully recovered yet from the hectic week. This morning I had severe stupid cramps and nausea. I went down for Mass but before it started I decided to go back to my room. Was really sick. But later by 8am I felt better and went to work. It was unusual hot today ... 28 degrees ... at 2pm. That made me feel better.

Being Friday I try to avoid Damascus Gate as thousands of muslims are entering the City to pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque. But I still had to go to works I went through the alleys in order to avoid the crowds.

Vintage cars at Piazza Roma

Then it was meeting up with a student, getting book orders done up and outstanding work cleared. Later I went up to the New City to chat with a student facing study problems. First timers always face difficulties with ancient language courses ... and they need a lot of encouragement otherwise they give up. Ancient languages are never easy to learn. Along our walk in the New City, we saw a group of vintage cars parked at Piazza Roma near the Italian Synagogue. The owners were on a parade to show off their cars.

Yesterday saw a shocking bomb blast in the Tel Aviv Highway. A car was blown up and killed the passengers. Police said it was crime related and not a terrorist attack. Early this morning a terrorist rammed whisker into 2 people and tried to stab a soldier just south of Jerusalem. He was shot and seriously wounded. Looks like tensions are rising as it always does in winter.  http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Two-morning-terror-attacks-in-West-Bank-leave-three-wounded-514496

Meantime Israel's largest air force drill with an international participation of foreign air forces just ended. It's a timely warning to the north in Lebanon and the south in Gaza not to mess around. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-wraps-up-its-largest-ever-air-force-drill/

And there're many many sharks flocking around Haifa beach. Scary. We're still not sure what species they are but a drone film over the beach shows quick a pack. They're drawn to Haifa's electric plant that spew warm water into the Haifa Bay ... now that winter is bringing in cold water.  http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Watch-Sharks-sighted-near-Hadera-514446

And the weekly struggle between ultra-orthodox jews and other jews of different confessions clashed at the Wailing Wall this morning. The ultra-orthodox hold the monopoly over the Wall and determine who and how a jew can pray there. Other jews feel the Wall is the property of all jews and jews from all confessions should be able to pray there. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.823122

Another day of conferences

Dominican Fr Radcliffe at talk

Yesterday was another day of conferences. The morning was the Dies Academicus that our school shares with the Dominican Ecole Biblique. We used to have our own separate events but since it's only 1 week apart - we have it on the feast of Duns Scotus on Nov.8 while the dominicans have theirs on the feast of St. Albert the Great on Nov.15 - so we decided to do it together. That way the usual VIPs such as the bishops and nuncio need not have to come twice in a week.

The talk was given by Timothy Radcliffe, the former Master General of the Dominican Order. His talk was very amusing, with lots of funny anecdotes ... but within a very relevant and insightful topic on the importance of biblical scholarship. Immediately after that I had to rush off to do some errands ... which includes settling a problem in the bank. You guys are lucky you never ever have to experience local service at the bank. Here you wait from half an hour to 3 hours not knowing if you ever will be served. Then they send you form one counter to another. Then they stop to chat with each other, file their nails, drink coffee, go out for a smoke ... all totally unregulated ... and you never know if it's your turn. Then they start to serve their friends first even though they're 50 people behind the line from you.

Illuminated buildings on Jaffa Street

After that at 2.30pm there was a lecture at our school by Dr. Vorros, archeologist at King Herod's Palace called Macheronte in Jordan. I couldn't go as I had class from 1.30pm to 4pm. After that there was another lecture by Dr. Sheridan on Coptic exegesis as used in the egyptian fathers of the Church. That lasted from 5pm to 6.30pm. In between these talks I had to watch the maingate because we close at 5pm but there were participants of the talk coming late ... till 5.20pm. Then in between Sheridan's talk, a student and I had to rush about preparing the refreshments.

By 7pm I was so utterly exhausted I just to bed and slept. Before that the sisters made me eat something as I was dead hungry. It was plain rice with spinach ... which I like.I hadn't eaten anything all day.

There is this awful and distressing news about how much food is being wasted in America everyday while people are dying of starvation in Yemen. It's a crime.  https://www.ted.com/talks/tristram_stuart_the_global_food_waste_scandal

Another terrible news is that the Israeli A.G. has supported Israel's right to annex Palestinian private land in Palestine. It's like me a foreigner living in Israel and claiming land for myself. Unbelievable.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.823001

Earthquake

6am in the Old City

The earthquake in Iran 36 hours ago is rattling us all here. Literally. Israel felt the tremors and people living in the higher floors panicked. We're now afraid the tectonic shifts in Iran ... 7.2 on the Richter scale ... might have moved our tectonic plates, triggering an earthquake in the near future in Israel. I must recheck my survival pack. Put in new medicine and water and dry food. Must do it by tomorrow just to be safe.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-rattled-as-7-2-magnitude-earthquake-strikes-northeast-iraq/  and  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5041928,00.html

The Maronite Patriarch's visit to Saudi Arabia right now is causing nervousness among christians in the Middle East. Lebanon is being drawn into a proxy with between Saudi and Iran ... and things will not be good for christians caught in between. As it is, the wars and Syria and Iraq and Yemen are between the Sunnis and the Shiites ... and christians are being killed in between for no reason. Pray.   http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Lebanese-patriarch-makes-historic-visit-to-Saudi-Arabia-514164

Egret at the beach

It's been a busy day today but I feel a little stronger after having slept last night. yesterday I worked 18 hours flat ... from 3am to 9pm without any rest, food or water. I was going to faint when I reached home and our indian sisters quickly warmed up some food to feed me. Then I went to sleep immediately.

Well it is winter. We're getting electric blackouts almost everyday. It's usual ... but it hasn't been raining so I'm not sure what's causing the blackouts. Maybe it's overload when everyone turns on the heating. How awful to live in the Old City in winter.

Day of rest

Sunset in Jaffa

A couple of my students forced me to take a break yesterday. I've reached the end of my mental strength last week with so many events and meetings and work ... I was near a mental breakdown. There were moments when I was just numb, unable to think or do anything. The brain was not registering what people was saying. I was just hearing noise, floating from one meeting to another. So finally 3 students told me they'll bring me to Jaffa on Sunday to rest. No plans ... just playing by ear, doing whatever I want or feel. Nothing fixed except the time to depart. No pressure.

In the Old City

So we agreed to leave at 5.15am in order to avoid the traffic ... and there was already quite a traffic along the highway to Jaffa. We arrived at 6.30am and celebrated Sunday Mass in the small Crusader Chapel which St. Louis built during the 2nd Crusade. Then I cleaned up the aquarium and we just stayed and chatted in the monastery till about 10am when we went down to the old Port to take a walk. It was still quiet and tourists had not yet arrived. We watched the fishermen angling for fish at the pier. Then we walked all along the beach till Allenby Road in Tel Aviv ... one of the main arteries of the city. That's 4km. Then after a stroll along Rothschild Boulevard, we stopped for some croissants before more walking till we reached Bograshov street and had lunch at Peking Duck restaurant. It was nice to have some warm food in the stomach.

Then we went back to the beach and rested for an hour before walking back to the monastery to collect our belongings. The sun sets at 4pm so we wanted to get home before it was too dark. All in all it was relaxing and was grateful I have students who care.

Last week while running through the Latin Patriarchate neighbourhood to get some things done, I saw this painted on a door: Santa's House. It was next to the Patriarchate cathedral. What a laugh. I'm surprised no one noticed it before.

Holy Sepulchre Mass

Mass inside the Empty Tomb today

Weather forecast : colder and colder. Even when the sun is shining we have to wear jackets and hoodies and scarves. It's been hovering around 15 degrees today. What we really need is the rain. Let's hope all the forecast for dry weather will change suddenly. The earth here is parched and plants are barely surviving.

I had another early day today. Up at 4am to prepare to go to the Holy Sepulchre at 5am for Mass. Remembered you all during Mass. I was dead tired as I came home from work last night at about 10pm. This week has been unbelievably exhausting with exhibitions, conferences, meetings after meetings, and of course normal work. I've slept about 3 hours a day for the past 7 days. Well I told the superior that I can't continue like this anymore and need to rest. So he said I could go to Jaffa to rest tomorrow. That means 12 hours of sleep undisturbed ... I hope. I'll have to wake up at 3am in order to prepare to leave at 4.45am by bus in order to avoid the legendary traffic jam of Tel Aviv.

Cyclamen from
Sr. Gabriela

After early Mass today I had a short lesson with the filipinos from our Jaffa parish who came to Jerusalem. Then immediately it was a 3 hour meeting before a short lunch break. I tried t rest when I got home but only half an hour the phone rang and rang. People wanting this and that. 4pm I had another meeting 1 km uphill and then another meeting. Now it's almost 8pm and I'm finished with it. I want to sleep. Tomorrow I need to wake up early to rest. What an irony.

Yesterday Sr. Gabriela, our neighbour at the 3rd station, gave me a pot of cyclamen for my feast day. How thoughtful. The sudden cold has made the cyclamen blossom and poinsettias turn red. Even the tulips are sprouting leaves. Christmas will definitely be cold this year ... but like I said earlier, what we really need is the rain. That would be the best Christmas present we could have.

Feast of St. Leo

Card made by the students

Temperatures continue to fall ... at night it gets down to 9 degrees now and evenings are 13 degrees. No sign of rain. You can tell tourists and locals very quickly in the street ... locals are wrapped up in jackets and hoodies and caps while tourists walk around in T-shirts and shorts ... shivering in the cold because they didn't expect it to be so cold in November.

It's the Feast of St. Leo the Great ... my feast day. I wasn't in for dinner last night because the exhibition had ended and we had to keep the manuscripts back in the library and clean up the hall, so I missed the customary feast day greetings at dinner. This morning they wanted me to preside at Mass but I was too tired. The community did pray for me during Mass though. Then immediately after Mass I had to help Mother Teresa's sisters with over 40 pots of plants that we gave to them ... de-potting the rose bushes and putting them into bags so the nuns can bring them to their convents in Gaza and Nablus to plant. Then it was a quick rush to the Dominican priory for a meeting. The  back again for lunch where the community celebrated the feast and the greetings were made.

The exhibition team at dinner

The students at our school made a card and posted it on the school notice board. I didn't know about it but students were wishing me happy feast day and I was wondering how they knew. Later they pointed the card to me. It was hilarious. The reference to papa pig is because I don't eat pork but 2 weeks back I ate one thinking it was chicken. Since then everyone at home makes fun of me about pork in all our food.

I brought the team that helped organise and run the exhibition to dinner last night after we finished storing up the exhibits. Most will leave tomorrow for Italy. We had a nice chins dinner at Mandarin. Haven't been there for a long time because I didn't have time or money. It's quite expensive there now. Last night's dinner was paid by the library.

Well I'm pretty exhausted now tonight and will sleep early. Tomorrow morning I have to go to the Holy Sepulchre for Mass at 6am, then class at 8am, then meeting at 9am to 11am. I hope I can get to rest in the afternoon. This week has been too eventful.

Day of Conferences

Dr. Tsafra from the National library

Temperature has been dropping steadily. Yesterday night it fell to 9 degrees. Winter is in ... but we still lack rain. The skies are quite cloudy but the wind blows the clouds into the east ... into Jordan where it rains. Here we still receive not one drop. There missy be some way to stop the clouds above us and let it rain in our very parched land.

Yesterday was crazy. Running parallel to the exhibition which we organized, we also had a conference from 2pm to 5pm on ancient books and digital libraries. We had 2 guests from Athens who flew in for the colloquium, as well as a director from the Israel National Library, the director of the Ecole Biblique library and the administrator of the digital library from the Milan University. The audience was small ... but no wonder as the topic was very specialized. The Greek Consul General came, and the Italian Consulate sent a representative. It was a colloquium and we learned quite a lot. Dr. Tselikes from the Onassis Foundation presented some very rare books in the Greek Patriarchate library never seen before by outsiders.

Talk on Coptic manuscripts

Immediately after this conference I had to run 1km down to our university where another conference was organized. It was a talk by Dr. Sheridan who presented the Coptic libraries and manuscripts in Egypt. A bishop from the local Coptic Church also came. By 9.30pm I was utterly exhausted and during dinner ate something I was allergic to. Throat and eyes began to swell so I had to run off to my room to get an ejection. Fell asleep almost immediately till this morning.

After weeks of ultra-orthodox Jews demonstrating ... at times violently ... in the streets disrupting traffic and daily life, the secular Jews are now retaliating by declaring a Day of Rage against the ultra-orthodox. It will be held on Nov. 17th ... and let's hope there'll be no clashes with the ultra-orthodox as it will get very ugly.  http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Liberal-Jerusalem-group-plans-secular-day-of-rage-513182

Exhibition begins

Crowd at the exhibition

The 3 day exhibition was inaugurated this morning at 10am. A nice crowd showed up ... students,  professors, library specialists and bibliophiles. About 25 books from the 13th to 17th centuries are on display. The theme is on St. Francis of Assisi ... how he was remembered by the early friars through the books they made or kept. The 1st section of the exhibition is on illuminations, drawings and wood prints of St. Francis; the 2nd section is on writings about St. Francis. And we do have quite a large collection of these, to my surprise. I myself don't know what books and manuscripts we hold in our library. Too many. And the background of Giotto's paintings on the Upper Basilica in Assisi suited perfectly into the theme of our exhibition.

Journalist photographing a
manuscript

I helped around ... but after 48 hours with only 6 hours of sleep, everyone told me to go home and sleep. I can't, of course. Just stayed in my office for a while to sleep for a few minutes before going out to greet VIP visitors. We have Consul Generals from several countries coming, professors and other experts in ancient books, jews and muslims ... so I have to be around to greet them and do some explanation before passing them over to our 2 assistants flown in from Italy to be the real guides of the exhibition.

Tomorrow afternoon we'll have an international conference on the digital library. We have speakers from Athens, Italy and a few other local institutes. I'm stressed as I have to deliver the conclusion of this 3 hour conference. I don't have the contents of the talks so I must listen carefully to each one and evaluate one against another to come up with a conclusion ... and it's done then and there. So I mustn't fall asleep. Ambassadors and other VIP reps will be coming as well.

Drama

Full moon

Yesterday was unbelievably tiring as I started the day at 3am and finished at 11.30pm ... a total of 20 hours non-stop work. I had to give a conference on a church document ... which I know nothing about, so I had to wake up early to read up on it and write some points. At 5am I had to go off to say Mass for the filipino group that has no priest ... on the convent chapel where they're staying. It's not too far from my house ... about 10 mins walk. But after that I had to rush home and prepare to leave for the retreat house where I had to present the conference. It's 2 kms south of Jerusalem ... right in the heart of the violent village of Ras al Amud. There, a rich jewish foundation bought over several lots of arab homes and built a huge complex of jewish residences. Arabs every Friday protest and demonstrate against this and police come to fire tear gas. Well I had to walk there which took me over an hour.

Mass at the
Holy Sepulcher

Then after my talk I had to rush home by 1.20pm when I had to start cooking dinner for the chinese religious who came at 4pm to celebrate Mass for their departed families, friends and benefactors. I had exactly 2 and a half hours to steam meat with salted eggs/century eggs/mui choy, cook the rice, roast the char siu (which I managed to learn to do despite the lack of many ingredients). cook the chinese sausages. Then rushed down to prepare the church for the Mass. Almost all managed to come except for 2. It's a good size ... chinese speaking priests and nuns living in the Jerusalem area. Almost all are students in various institutes in the City. Among them are a spaniard and a filipino. After the dinner and washing up, I had to rush off for a meeting with some italian professors who had come to evaluate our libraries. They were set to leave today so I had to see them to thank them, get their report, hear their observations and suggestions. It all ended with pizza at an East Jerusalem pizzeria called Zahara - once a very famous hotel and restaurant but now reduced to a pizzeria due to the Intifada.

With barely 3 hours of sleep, I had to be up again at 3am to prepare this morning for Mass at the Holy Sepulcher at 5am. Then back to open one library by 7.30am. Then off to the other library by 10am to prepare for the exhibition and conference that celebrates the 800th anniversary of Franciscan Presence in Holy Land. There's so much carrying and arranging of display tables, contacting the VIP guests and keynote speakers, last minute arrangements, practice runs. It's 6.41pm now, exactly 24 hours since my last meal. Dead tired. Dead hungry. All I want is to eat something hot and go to sleep. But I am still in my office working. My only companion is the full moon shining outside my window.

Full moon

Full moon between
street lights

It has gotten very cold today. I don't think it went above 20 degrees. I had to wear my woollen beanie to keep warm. And my heater was on even during the day. And poor Buddy tries to hide under my pillow in the night in order to stay warm.

And it's a full moon again. Awfully bright but not as gigantic as in previous months. The chilly weather and full moon gives the night an eerie atmosphere. As we're back in solar time, the mornings get sunlight by 6am ... but till then, it's pitch dark. I had to celebrate an early Mass for a group of filipinos on a pilgrimage here. They have no priest in the group so their guide, Sr. Nimfa our former student, asked me celebrate Mass for them for the next 4 days. Tomorrow after that Mass at 6am I must go to preach a retreat to the anglophone sisters of Judea ... which is about some 40-50 of them, finishing off with a Mass at 12pm. Then I must rush back to my house because the chinese priests and nuns are coming for a Chinese Mass to commemorate our families, friends and benefactors, finishing with dinner. I have to cook. And I only have 2 and a half hours to cook. I have a good mind to buy some Arab Fried Chicken to solve end my stress ... but I have no money to buy it for 10 people. And not everyone likes it. So looks like I have to rush a 2 and a half hour cooking spree in order to make it for Mass at 4pm and serve dinner immediately after that. yes it's an early dinner, but 2 of them live far away and buses stop running at 7pm.

A funny (well depends on how you see it) video on the Internet ... a hippo from the Ramat Gan Safari (suburb of Tel Aviv) escaped when the Safari main gate was left open in the night. But it came straight back to the Safari probably because the traffic is so bad in Tel Aviv there was no where for the animal to go.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.820703?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Tsunami sign

And a Tel Avivian posted a picture of a Tsunami escape route ... something I nor anyone else ever observed. So it's real ... tsunamis do hit Israel and there's an escape route. At least in Tel Aviv which is along the coast. No tsunami will reach Jerusalem ... we're far too inland and 470m above sea level. If a tsunami does ever reach here, it will be a blessing because the land is so parched from a 10 year drought. Any drop of water will help.

Sabbath begins

Sunset as Sabbath begins

The weather is once again growing cold despite the sun in the afternoon. We had to wear jackets and sweaters to stay warm. I had planned to go to the cemetery this morning but all was cancelled because some important profs from Italy arrived and wanted to see me. Spent the whole morning on meetings. In the afternoon I did a little work but needed to rest because of my back. So the rest of the day was burnt. My planned vacation on All Saints Day and All Souls Day were also burnt. This is getting so depressing. One day I'll just walk away ... enough is enough.

Pre-Sabbath scene this morning at
Jaffa Street

The Sabbath has started ... the weather is cold and the sun sets at 4.30pm. It gets dark so quickly. This weekend I will be so busy: Tomorrow Saturday I must work in the library all morning then class in the afternoon, and Sunday I have 3 masses to celebrate and one conference to deliver. As busy as a weekday. Next week there's a 3 day exhibition that I am in charge plus an international conference that I must chair. Enough is enough. When can I rest? I need a Sabbath.

A recent poll has shown that one fifth of millennial jews actually believe jesus as the messiah. Signs of the times.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/jews-for-jesus-poll-15-of-jewish-millennials-believe-christ-was-god/

Tensions on our northern and southern borders. Israel blew up a Hamas tunnel in Gaza killing several activists ... drawing the ire of Hamas which vowed revenge. Up in the north, syrian rebels sent a car suicide bomber into a druze village next to the Israeli border, killing 9 druze and 22 injured. Druze from the neighbouring israeli college of Magdel Shams crossed the border to aid their relatives but Israeli soldiers extracted them, providing medical aid to the injured and vowing to protect the syrian village of druze even though it's outside of Israel's borders.  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5038041,00.html
and  http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Israeli-resident-wounded-after-being-shot-from-Syrian-spillover-fire-513260

Meantime we hear Trump has bypassed the UN and is offering direct aid to christians in the Middle East. Well let's hope it's not just words. https://www.newsmax.com/lelagilbert/christians-aid-usaid-mike-pence/2017/10/25/id/822136/

And a few days back the protestants, especially the Lutherans, celebrated the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's nailing of the 95 theses starting the Reformation. In Israel it was very muted ... in fact I think there was no such celebration. Jews have been attacking all week Luther for his anti-semitism and influence on the Holocaust. Definitely not a nice reception for the Lutherans. I met a jewish friend who's first reaction to the celebration was .. "why celebrate an anti-semite?"  http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/martin-luther-paved-the-way-for-the-holocaust/

All Souls Day

Palms at Palm Plaza
get flannel bedding
for winter

And it's All Souls Day today. We had 2 Masses in the morning, one following the other. I remembered all relatives, family, friends and benefactors during the Masses. And this coming Sunday the chinese priests and religious will gather to celebrate a Mass for our families and benefactors ... that means you. Thanks for your support all these years. We are very grateful. There's a 3rd Mass tonight but I'm not going. My back is killing me.

In the parish there was a procession to the 3 cemeteries and blessing of tombs and niches. I couldn't go because I had to clean the courtyard. And it was awful because yesterday I possibly bulged a disc while moving those enormous pots (actually they're urns ... enormous urns). Some are over a meter tall and weigh over 100 kg. The pain is so bad and now I cannot walk even a few steps. If I keep standing and walking, it's less painful. But when I sit and try to stand again ... the pain is excruciating.

Police stop-and-
search at Damascus
Gate

Tension in the city as more stop-and-search have been executed by police and soldiers. It's an awful procedure; humiliating and degrading when in front of crowds ... in public. I've been through it myself so I know. yes me .. a foreigner ... was stopped and searched like an arab. And was almost shot dead as well by a soldier. I still get nervous when I see approaching soldiers ... sometimes it's panic. These experiences scar people for life.

The Health Ministry has issued a warning regarding frozen salmon ... a batch was tested with Listeria and all packs are recalled. Those sold, purchasers have been warned not to eat them. Well ... a little too late for us as we had salmon yesterday. I'm not dead yet so I guess there was no listeria in it.

Ultra-orthodox jewish ministers of parliament compared reformed, liberal jews and women to dogs. The war between the ultra-orthodox jews and the rest of jewry is deepening into the political sphere. bad sign.  http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Shas-MK-compares-non-Orthodox-Jews-to-dogs-512074

One worrying news is the escalation of tensions between Syria and Israel. Their aircrafts exchanged fire over the syrian city of Homs. That's bad.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Report-Israel-attacks-Syrian-weapons-depot-Arab-media-claims-512102