Wong Lou Kat in Jerusalem

Wong Lou Kat in
Jerusalem

It's Friday ... and it's tense around our southern border with Gaza. Newspapers say Hamas, the ruling govt in Gaza, asked the gazans to go to the border and protest. But that's not what I hear from gazans themselves ... they tell me they are forced into buses by the Hamas military and driven to the border to protest ... against their will. Israel today has brought in armoured vehicles to the border. A violent clash is anticipated in a few minutes when noonday prayers are over. And innocent people will suffer while the Hamas leadership stay safe and cosy in their bunkers.

Yesterday's walk from the bus station to home was the first time in 2 months. I have not seen the road and places since the beginning of summer ... and things have changed a lot. At the asian grocery, there is tofu from Singapore on sale, and Hong Kong herbal tea "Wong Lou Kat" in a can. And the shop was full of chinese and koreans who speak hebrew. Down at the re-opened Zion Square which is now totally renovated, the best basker was performing ... a lady violinist who captures everyone's attention with her amazing musical skills. Most of the shops and restaurants are still the same ... but the coming of winter saw less people eating outdoors.

Lady violinist bask-
ing at Zion Square

I was extremely tired last night after the trip to Tel Aviv and had my stitches removed. Slept early and  cancelled an appointment with a student ... my brain was simply too tired to handle thesis writing guidance. But each postponement only means I have more work accumulated at the end of the semester. Still it would not be fair to the student if I were not mentally present for their research.

Well this morning was work as usual ... even though I didn't feel like it. Although the stitches have been removed, my right head, eye and hear are hurting very much. People are telling me to go home and rest but I must settle the visa issue of one of our volunteers, the check on the lawyers regarding the Post Office problem of not sending us our books, then buying some stuff that other people wanted. But now I'm home ... ate some leftover rice and sweet potato ... and I hope to rest for the rest of the day.