Cool

Major road works

The weather has cooled alot today ... and it even drizzled this morning. Yes drizzle in August. Utterly unheard of. The morning was chilly with rain clouds covering the sky. The ground was wet with dew. You can smell the moisture in the air. Men are wearing long sleeve shirts instead of T-shirts. Definitely the weather has changed ... autumn is on the way. My anemone and ranunculus bulbs are budding so it's definitely cool enough.

Major road works have been going on for the past year, and it looks like it'll take another 2 more years to be completed. The major artery Suleiman Street that runs across East Jerusalem along the City Walls has been reduced to a 2 lane street. Pedestrian walkways however have been widened 100%. Now my question is if there's an emergency like an ambulance or police car, how will it overtake the traffic in such a narrow street? There's simply no room, no shoulder to ride along. 

We're still seeing a lot of violence on all levels. Summer is turning to autumn and there is no let up. It'll be very unpleasant if this spills into winter as well. It'll be Christmas time and we don't want road blocks and border closures to Bethlehem.

Assumption

Dormition icon in procession

The annual procession of the Dormition icon (Mary falling asleep / died) took place early on Friday morning at 5am. The Holy Sepulchre bells were ringing loudly and thousands of christians - orthodox and catholic were in procession down to the Tomb of Mary in the Kidron Valley. There were two long rows of Greek and Romanian and Russian nuns and monks holding candles while the bishop carried the heavy silver icon. The Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches keep the Julian calendar and the feast of the Assumption (Dormition for the Eastern churches) falls on August 26th.

Geez rite catholics at Mass

On Saturday I had to celebrate the same feast day for our Ethiopic catholics. It was a nice crowd, with lots of Geez hymns and prayers chanted and sung. There were many children, which is a good sign for the future of the Geez Rite community.

Next week the school year begins for many primary schools. Some secondary schools will begin a little later. University begins even later. Summer holidays is over. Sunrise is later and autumn has set in. Soon another year will pass.

Monks and nuns in
procession

Thousands participating

Summer again

Julius Caesar in the park

It's my first summer after my opration ... and it takes a lot of getting used to. For one, I'm not as mobile as I used to. Summers used to be full of concerts and events, visits to Tel Aviv, the beach, having asian food in the asian centers of Tel Aviv. All that is no longer possible. The heat and my health are the major impediments. Walking uphill and climbing stairs are nearly impossible for me. And the memory losses are not fun either. It's been very depressing trying to adapt to my new lifestyle. There are days when I just don't want to even leave my room.

But yesterday I was determined to not let summer pass by. The weather was alot cooler too. It was the last performance of Julius Caesar. Every summer the public performance is organised at a park and is free for all to join in. I had thought I'd miss this performance, as Iflt I couldn't walk the 1.5km uphill to the park. But I didn't want to be depressed nor regret not going, so I walked there slowly in one and a half hours. It was a fun performance ... adapted for outdoor performance. I've been attending these summer performances for many years now. Yesterday it felt like my summer was normal again.

New Gate bazaar

After the performance I walked through New Gate which was having its own celebration ... international stalls selling their countries products. The new Christian cafes and restaurants were also highlighted, and many people were there. It was a festive atmosphere ... though police were everywhere. There's fear extremist jews will come to attack christians.

The slow walk back at 9pm was cool and the streets filled with people. It felt normal. Though I was limping and hungry, I was very happy. It felt like summer again. I had enough money to buy 3 peaches and 6 figs. Eating them with Kiki and JJ made me happy. It was like summer again.

By the way, yesterday  there were 107 views, today 97. The trolling hasn't stopped.

Christian crisis

Street performers

The trolling is restarting ... yesterday 202 and today 120. It's been the usual 20+ the last months since the last attack. Must be my content the past days that's drawing attention.

Anyway there's an article in a local newspaper saying the International Christian Embassy - a zionist evangelical "church" - is facing problems getting visas for its workers, because the hardline govt which this "church" supports, has turned and bitten the hand that feeds it. Evangelical zionist "churches" here are realising that jews have seen beneath their veneer of pro-zionism to a hidden agenda to convert the jews as the ultimate aim. All the money they donate to the State is not free nor without strings attached. The newspaper heading for this article was "christian exodus."

Musical quintet

Meanwhile 2 days back the Orthodox Churches could not celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor for the 2nd year running because the govt did not grant permission for such a huge gathering. Tens of thousands of pilgrims who went up the hill had to come back down with no prayers or liturgies. Well the orthodox churches will have to fight this battle out for themselves. I'm just glad we don't share the same calendar so our feast days fall on different dates and because our community is very small, we can celebrate our feasts without restrictions. The Tourism Ministry was aghast by this and warned that christians will stop coming to Israel.

And talking about feasts, the summer events in the streets at night are numerous and fun. There're street performers, musicians and singing bands at many street corners. Concerts take place at Sultan's Pool ... and there's the weekend events at New Gate. Too bad my health is impeding me from joining any of it. It's not just the walk to those venues with my swollen feet; it's also losing my memory and losing my way. This summer is sad ... I'm mostly homebound.

Desert day-off

Our sisters in the desert

The weather has cooled alot. It feels like autumn now. It's very cool in the nights, and the mornings are very foggy. The humidity is high. But daytime is still in the 30s.

Violence continues to rip through the country: gangland killings, military raids and terror attacks. Several people have died these past few days. Things will get more tense in a month's time when the jewish feast of New Year, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. I guess the checkpoints and border with Palestine will be closed during that period. It will not be convenient to travel about. Even right now, police have stepped up stop-and-search checks in the streets.

I may be tired. I'm forgetting things again .... names, places, why I go where. It's the confusion of names that's worrying me. One whole morning I was struggling to get a name right and kept saying "popcorn" when the sisters kept correcting me "cornflakes." Now that I'm practically alone at home - everyone else has gone for summer vacation - I try to take my daily walks along my usual routes so I do not get lost in the streets. Hands and feet continue to be swollen ... but I'm making mulberry tea which people tell me helps heal the kidneys. I might also have a cataract on the left eye as it is very blur and I cannot rub it out.

Talking about summer vacation, our 2 sisters working in the kitchen and sacristy have not had a day's break this year. So our superior told them to have Sundays off. Last Sunday they spent the morning in the desert, visiting the famous monasteries of Mar Saba and Mar Theodosius. I'm glad they enjoyed themselves and got away from work. They have been overworked. Our vice-superior drove them there in our monastery car so the sisters travelled in comfort and safety. In this heat the desert is not a good place to go alone.

Tomb of the Assumption

Tomb of Mary

The weekend and start of the week sw more violence ... from gangland to military. People continue to die. Anti-govt policy protests continue to grow. Ultra-orthodox coalition members threaten to break up the govt if they don't get what they want - which is exemption from military service. Another bedouin community is forcefully moved from their terrain. Jews continue to spit at us and get away with it even though the presseoident and police chief met with christian leaders to assure them of govt support. All talk. Show some action - arrest and charge those perpetrators. This is a summer to remember ... implosion like never.

Yesterday was the Assumption of the BVM. There were prayers all day at her tomb in the Kidron Valley. Mass was celebrated at Gethsemani basilica next door with procession. Few people know that Mary died and was buried, and from her tomb she was assumed into heaven. People think she just floated into heaven one day without dying. No one is exempt from death ... not even Jesus Christ. So she had to die. But after that she was assumed into heaven. Ancient christian celebrations have been taking place here since the first centuries of Christianity. 

The weather continues to be above 38 degrees. It's sweltering because humidity is 80%. it makes the weather even worse. There was so much fog last night I couldn't see the Dom of the Rock from my window. The ground is covered with dew mixed with desert sand ... making marks all over and very slippery. I had to be very careful this morning when the janitor and I did gardening and avoided slipping in the courtyard.

Summer colours

Summer fruit

Weather forecasts predict soaring temp this wekend. Today and tomorrow should go up to 37 degrees and above. The govt is warning elderly and sick people not to go outdoors. Well I'm just out to celebrate Mass for the Eritrean community, after an earlier Mass for the MC sisters ... and now I'll trying to get home as soon as I can to avoid the full last of the sun. As it is, the sun is already bashing down hard. 

Summer fruit have ripened early due to this heatwave. Lots of peaches, plums, nectarines and figs, even grapes! The colours are amazing! In this heat most of the fruit spoil by evening if they're not consumed, so hawkers sell them cheaper in the evenings. The figs go very squashy and slimy but they're very sweet. I love eating summer fruit, as I lose my appetite in the heat. However the hospital has been warning me to avoid certain fruit so I either have to give up some, or to eat them in very small amounts.

My left hand is still swollen and hurting alot. I can't write much with only one hand. And so I've taken advantage of my injury to rest for the past 2 days.

Injured

Blazing sun in the evening

It can only happen to me ... my luck. It's not ebough that my hands and feet are swollen and I fell down Damascus Gate last week, now I sprained my left hand while closing the door. Don't know how my hand got so tangled in such a awkward position. My brain and hand coordination is not working. Is that the start of Alzheimer's?

More violence throughout the country. When will it all end?

My hand hurts too much. Can't type ... so I'll leave it for now.

Prayer

Coptic monk in prayer

It was a violent weekend - many dead in various attacks. One terrorist attack even in Tel Aviv center. It's a disturbing summer .... the heatwave only exacerbates the tension. 

While the thermometer registers 34 degrees, it actually feels much more. Though I'm trying my best to stay in bed, I still have to go out some times to celebrate Mass or collect documents such as medical insurance. My hands and feet are still swollen. Walking is difficult but if it's flat land, it's alot easier. Govt advice in the newspapers is old people and those who have heart problems should avoid going out during the day. And truly it's serious ... when you walk out you can feel the oppressive heat.

One morning last week, I saw a Coptic monk walking in the shade of the huge cypress trees of Damascus Gate park, praying his prayer book. It was a good sign for the jews and muslims who walk pass. Well the heat was terrible even at that hour, so the monk did good staying in the shade. I guess at this moment of great upheaval, we can only pray.  

Waning moon

Full moon over
Dome of the Rock

The days continue to be very hot but the nights are a little fresh, with temp falling down to the 20s. We'll see how August will be. I'm preparing to stay indoors all August if the weather continues to be this hot. As it is, I've a splitting headache for 3 days now because of the heat. And my swollen hands and feet are not helping at all especially since I have to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. It's a vicious cycle.

I spend my time trying to read and write some work. But the heat and headache prevents me from doing too much.

One thing I couldn't put off was pruning the plants. Mid-summer is the pruning season for roses, trees, rosemary and lavender, even the basil and other herbs. I try to do it in the evenings when it's cool and the plants have the entire night to recuperate from the trimming. And they need plenty of water to keep from drying out. The roses have already responded by budding. I'll take some photos when they fully bloom.

The super moon is waning, but it nonetheless is still very bright and impressive. That's a little something to cheer us up. Evenings throughout the City are filled with activities - concerts, events, next week we have Shakespeare in the Park performing Julius Caesar. I'll definitely go ... except I have to see which day will be coolest. It starts at 5.30pm and the sun is devastating. 

Full moon

Full moon over 7 Arches

We had a brief respite from the heatwave on Monday as temps fell to the high 20s. But Tuesday the temp began climb again to the 30s and today at 7am you can already feel the sun scorching your skin. It was so hot the palm trees in our monastery in Bethany caught fire and fire-engines had to come and put it out.

A man died of dehydration in the Jericho desert after getting lost while hiking. His brother died under the same circumstances 20 years earlier. It's always dangerous to go into the desert in summer as the heat can strike you down suddenly. 

The full moon - a red super moon - was fantastic last night. It rose over the 7 Arches hotel at the end of Mt. of Olives and was utterly awesome. It was reddish yellow and very bright. The 7 Arches was built as a palace for Jordan's king before the State of Israel was founded. From there you can get a beautiful view of the Dead Sea, Mt. Nebo where Moses died and all the southern desert from Bethlehem onwards. 

My fall 2 weeks back has created a severe sciatica problem on my left side. It's painful to sit or lie down for long. I'll need to do some self-manipulation to get it adjusted. Meanwhile the wrist and ankle still hurt though it's not swollen as much as before. For a couple of days now I've been staying in my room to avoid the heat and also any further injury.