Summertime

Summer weather at Jaffa Gate

Yes I feel today is the 1st day of summer.  The sun was beating down like an August day ... though it was only 17 degrees. Many people were only in T-shirts and shorts. And being Purim, many others were in costumes. It's all part of the fun feast. And of course there's the ubiquitous Hamantaschen or "Haman's ears" ... the iconic cookie for Purim.

Haman's Ears cookies

There 's still alot of tourists ... this morning the Old City was packed with visitors from a cruise ship. And there was one guy who was sick and leaning against the wall, coughing, wheezing, vomiting, spitting .... he was sick ... and he didn't have the responsibility to go see a doctor or stay in the cruise; and the tour guide should have called him out instead of bringing him around the Old City ... it was so disgusting and terrifying. Other tourists and shopkeepers called the police and ambulance. It's disgusting how tour agencies disregard all health laws just in order to lose business. The govt should come down hard on these agencies and guides. All our lives are endangered by this one reckless act.

Ice cream time

Anyway this afternoon a good friend came to visit me from Tel Aviv. Haven't seen him for over a year. He came to tell me his wife will be having a baby in August ... their first baby. And he was so excited and came all the way here just to tell me. He brought me out to lunch ... luckily both of us are vegetarians so it was an easy choice .... salad for lunch. As we walked to my office ... I noted the scorching sun but cool breeze, the freshness of the air and remarked it felt so much like Tel Aviv ... the Tel Aviv air. My friend also agreed ... it was an unusual Tel Aviv feel in Jerusalem. And I liked it very much. So like in Tel Aviv, we went for an ice cream. It just was the right thing to do in such a marvelous weather.

... somehow I get the feeling the virus will soon disappear as this fantastic weather hits us for the next week.