Fun before Fast

Dusty gray skies today

The weather is turning cool again. The nights linger around 16 degrees which is quite comfortable, and daytime goes up to 20 degrees. However today the sky is an awful yellow ... a sandstorm from the desert. It's a bit too early for this type of winds called "hamsiin" or 50 (hence the name pentecost) as it should start only after Easter and before Pentecost ... the 50 day period. I had sand in my eyes and mouth as I went out to the New City this morning after Mass at the Armenian parish.

School kids dressed for Carnival

Ash Wednesday is approaching fast, but so is the Lunar New Year. Wednesday will be a full fasting day but Friday we asians will be exempted because of the New Year. Yesterday we saw many school children from our chaotic schools dressed up in costumes for Carnival (carne meaning meat) which takes place before the fast of Ash Wednesday. It's the last days you can eat meat before 40 days of abstinence. The europeans also call it Mardi Gras or Martedi di Grasso (Fat Tuesday) when they stuff themselves with good food and then start the fast on Wednesday. It's the fun before the fast.

Yesterday's bombing of Iranian targets in Syria by Israel as a consequence of Iran's drone flying into Israeli airspace was really a major scare. Even the airport was closed for one hour for fear of syrian missiles might hit commercial airplanes.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/ben-gurion-airport-briefly-halts-flights-due-to-northern-conflagration/

The Israeli Air Defense is geared up for war at the Syrian border.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Preparing-for-war-in-the-north-Israel-boosts-air-defense-542284

Meantime Gaza which supports the Iranians, may also be gearing up for war with Israel. Faced with a north and a south attack, the Israeli army needs clear strategies to stop both prongs.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Hamas-raises-alert-level-following-Syria-confrontation-542270

Well ... a war in Lent. Perfect timing.