Rail against railing

Damascus Gate & ugly railing

It's my turn this week to celebrate Mass at the Ivrea convent. I rather like that ... the walk there is very pleasant especially in summer. Though it is not so far, I take at least 25 minutes to walk there because of my asthma and also because of the heat. It was 28 degrees today. I'll enjoy this week's masses. The sisters there are also very kind. And they provide a simple but delicious breakfast of cheese and bread.

The Municipality has put up an ugly railing along Suleiman Street facing Damascus Gate so that no matter how you take a picture of the most beautiful and famous gate of the Old City, the railing is there to mar the view. That's certainly one way to chase away tourists. I really have no idea what those people are thinking when they do these ugly things. No doubt they'll say it's for security reasons ... to prevent terrorists. But the jump from there to the plaza below is 4 meters and not a single terrorist has ever used this area to commit a crime. It's simply too high up and far from the Gate. I would hope that a movement be started to pressure the Municipality to remove this railing.

Lily in my garden

Infection rates continue to soar and the govt and the corona-commission cannot decide what to do other than to pull the brakes on further easing of the lockdown. They need the economy to get back to  normal but at the price of more deaths and infections. Are the hospitals prepared for an influx of patients? Are there enough masks? Testing kits? Ventilators? What the officials say is true ... all it takes is for people to be civic-minded and responsible: wear masks, keep distance, wash hands ... and the pandemic will be under control. But unfortunately there are those who actually believe the pandemic is only a media invention; no one has died, there is no proof anyone died ... yes, someone actually told me this this morning ... and just now I read another similar idea on social media. It's shockingly unbelievable that people in this day and age can remain in a fantasy.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/ministers-permit-events-with-up-to-250-but-expected-to-delay-other-reopenings/?fbclid=IwAR3tSMNuOfqhOPQkkVfKwGYCUT99pVmvnklm4sn-uwzHkfPSKDuW8X5FshI