Heatwave

Tired old man

It's the 2nd day of Eid al Adha and the streets remain eerily quiet. It's nothing quite like it. Police presence is definitely heightened. During midmorning a couple of food shops open and some people hurriedly buy their fruit and veggies and bread and rush home.

The weekend lockdown of shops, malls and places of entertainment is still in place ... but many shops and restaurants refuse to comply. And the police are not enforcing the closure. Newspapers are suggesting tat this weekend lockdown is a ploy by the ultra-orthodox parties to enforce observance of the Sabbath (no work to be done) instead of purely medical reasons. Like I've said before, these small political parties are very powerful as they carry the swing of any coalition govt. What they want, they get.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/some-stores-set-to-open-doors-in-defiance-of-weekend-shutdown-regulations/?fbclid=IwAR17D7WgLDnoYlKIdPApALdFr6h0OPmQjlQgQAyTt7Z3rrKuwIy1Vs1sLOU

This morning I had to rush off to the office to write a draft of a contract and then pass it to the lawyers for changes. I really did it in a hurry as I didn't want to stay out for too long. It's strange but with this pandemic, mentalities and lifestyles have changed ... and I prefer to stay inside my room where I feel safe. On my way home I saw an old man sitting at a doorway. It must have been tiring for him to climb all the stairs. he had a walking stick. And the heatwave is not kind to elderly people. I've not seen him before ... he's probably a pilgrim from another part of the country ... came here for the feast of Adha at the Al Aqsa Mosque which contains the spot where Abraham tried to sacrifice Ishmael/Isaac. Anyway I pitied the old man. He was hunched over. I know how it feels ... I myself must stop twice along the road on my way to work, to rest and breathe. Wearing  mask with asthma and under this heatwave is definitely not easy.  

Pigeons bathing in the fountain

I came home at lunchtime but fell asleep immediately. Totally exhausted. I didn't do much studying today ... just slowly cleaned the room and played with Buddy and JJ. They have been chatting a lot ... and I don't understand them. But it doesn't matter .... just mumble back a few words and they're happy and continue talking their chirps and words like "eat', "sleep" and "Bud-Bud". They're lucky to be staying with me indoors in this heatwave. This morning I saw lots of pigeons and crows cooling down in the fountain at Palm Plaza ... then sunbathing in the pavement.