West Nile Fever

West Nile Fever has hit Israel and 2 persons have died so far, 68 hospitalised, 14 critical. It's spread by mosquitoes and we have to take precautions against its bites. The question however on everyone's lips is: how do the mosquitoes breed if we are in a drought? There are hardly any puddles and pools as the heat dries everything up in 10 hours or less. Anyway better safe than sorry, so anti-mosquito cream will come in useful.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/health-ministry-confirms-two-israelis-dead-in-mass-west-nile-fever-outbreak/

Ortus Conclusus convent

The weather continues to be very hot during the day and cool in the nights ... cool enough for you to need a jumper. I've made several visits south of the country ... those never seen sights by tourists such as the Ortus Conclusus convent in the valley near Bethlehem. It's inspired by the Song of Songs chapter 4 and the congregation of nuns is also called Ortus Conclusus sisters. The stunning convent in the middle of the valley looks like a piece of Switzerland.

Crusader ruins of the Holy Family

Further up the hill is the village of Beit Sahour or Shepherds' Field. Instead of visiting the touristy churches there, I went to the little known Well of the Virgin Mary where local muslims and christians swear they still see Mary walking above the waters of the cistern. A trip north of Jerusalem brought me to the village of El Bireh where I revisited the crusader church of the Holy Family. It's a ruin now from the 12th century but it's importance for tourism has made the palestinian authorities to create roads and parking spaces around it, cleaning the site and making it presentable to tourists. The church commemorates the gospel event when Joseph and Mary met to find out they had lost the child Jesus. The site has a spring and was a caravanserai exactly one day's journey from Jerusalem. All in all it was a nice day and it was good to get out of Jerusalem.

The muslim feast will end tomorrow but being Friday the crowds might get too rowdy. I've decided to leave Jerusalem tomorrow as well. I don't need any stress or tension. But with the lull these few days at the borders and internally, there's hope that the rest of summer could pleasantly pass.