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.