Prices

Saturday was a relaxed and fun day. The Rumanian students and an Italian came over to visit me and spent the night over. They have all completed their studies and will return to their own countries next week, so it was sort of a goodbye visit. We spent time at the beach, they brought some barbecued meat and bread for lunch - and 2 of the Rumanians got badly sunburnt. Had to go to the pharmacy to buy medicine that evening! Later in the day we had a nice walk along the tree-lined boulevard that runs through the heart of the city. Had a coffee break along the way. Sad to say goodbye to these guys - they really look out for me when I'm sick. That's the price to pay for having friends - saying goodbye and trying to move on. Two of them will be married before their ordination - they're Orthodox so priests there can get married.

Evening we had a lovely dinner at a Thai restaurent. They serve Char Kway Teow - authentic stuff (without the cockles). And of course there's perfect Tom Yam. Photo: Thai chicken curry with long beans and rice. Prices are no more than what you get in any other restaurent. All in all, everyone was happy.

But going out for me is always a logistic nightmare because of my diarrhea and nausea. Trips have to arranged in such a way that every two hours I have access to a washroom. Believe me, while the Char Kway Teow was fantastic, I had to pay a price with awful stomach pains and diarrhea the whole night.

Meantime the price of Cottage Cheese in Israel has sky-rocketted. Inflation is big time running the economy - everything is getting more and more expensive. The people are not happy. We expect some unrest in the near future.

Laila

Baby Laila enjoying chinese noodles at the Legacy.



Thanks to the Cavero family and Christine Lee for their support.

OrGanic Illumination

Was down again with bad stomach cramps and diarrhea. Couldn't sleep for 2 nights. It's crippling me. But the Mass readings on Thursday were a great comfort to ease the pain.

The explosion in nearby Netanya has shocked everyone. Meanwhile the Saudi ban on women driving cars is stirring up debate here. And finally Jerusalem will get proper trash disposal instead of dumping it in the nearby village of Abu Dis. http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=225455  And things get even more bizzare when a rabbinic court sentenced a dog to death by stoning because it was the reincarnation of a secular lawyer who insulted the court 20 years ago. http://www.straitstimes.com:80/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_681206.html

While the days are pretty hot, the nights here are cold - 16 degrees or so. But the Old City is bustling with excitement because the summer festival has begun. This year's theme is lights and is entitled "OrGanic Illumination". It's a play of words in hebrew "Or"=Light and "Gan"=garden. Throughout major parts of the Old City, lights displaying various themes illuminate the streets and buildings.




Photo - fuzzy pic of lights at Damascus Gate (top) and Jaffa Gate (bottom).

Back again

Have been out of action the past two days. Utter exhaustion and acute diarrhea. Should be due for my gastroscopy but still can't confirm time to get it done.  Thanks to Hilda and her gang - I finally got the portable aircon because the heat is so bad we can't sleep anymore. And thanks to all the rest of you for the prayers and help.

Yesterday was the Feast of St Anthony - a very big feast among Cahotlics because he is the patron of the Holyland mission. There was a solemn Mass at the parish of St Anthony in Jaffa and lots of people joined in. St Anthony is the patron saint of lost things - well I lost my best friend last week. Wish St Anthony could do me a miracle. I'm devastated and utterly lost. Only 6 months ago I lost Sr Rania.

Yesterday Hidri was upset because of the first ever volcano explosion in his country Eritrea. Here everyone is very concerned because the ash cloud is drifting towards us. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/eritrean-volcanic-ash-cloud-heading-toward-israel-1.367613

Well for the past two weeks I've been invited out by the 1st and 3rd year students for a drink in the New City's pubs. The first was a thank-you and goodbye session for Prof. Mark Avila and the second was to fete Prof. Volgger. As I don't drink alcohol, it was Sprite all the night. And it was my first time out as well - never believed how the conservative city turned alive with young people after 10pm. Certainly fun for them - as for me and the profs ... oldies get tired easily. And I had my diarrhea as well ... so I certainly couldn't enjoy the evening. But the students are a great group - nutty as any university students are, but very caring. They've been keeping watch on me the entire 2 months to make sure I'm not in pain or need of help. And when it got real chilly in the open air pub last week, Vasile took off his coat and wrapped me up in it while he froze in his T-shirt and summer scarf.

More thanks

Thanks to Yvonne, Vincent & Glenda, RISE 2011 and many others for the gifts and well-wishes.

Pentecost

The City remains tense after Friday's violence. Soldiers remain on the alert, stationed at all key junctions inside and outside the Old CIty. Meantime the Palestinian authorities is trying to curb "honour" killings ... everyone thinks it's too little too late. Fanatic Islamists will push ahead to maintain this "tradition" and continue killing men and women whom they think "shamed" their families.

The Vigil for Pentecost was celebrated yesterday. The Last Supper Room was busy with liturgies and 400 Brasilian pilgrims marched through the Old City last night, holding candles and singing hymns. Must be a miracle in itself because no Jew or Muslim spat at them; at least as far as I know. Easter ends today with Pentecost. Let's pray the Holy Spirit will guide everyone toward their journey to the Kingdom.

Exams are well underway and students are all tense and nervous. Some are shaking this off by going to the beach today. But the response I think is poor because Monday sees another major exam and few think they can afford a day off just now. Another one is planned for Thursday. Maybe that one will be more welcomed by more students. Another group of students are planning to walk the desert route from Wadi Kelt to St George's monastery today - a fantastic scenic route along the King Herod's ancient acqueduct. But I think the response is equally poor.

The weather is really heating up now - 31 degrees in the afternoon. But the nights get very chilly. Summer is rolling in.

Hiatus

Days have past since the last entry. Was back in hospital. Got a bag stuck to my arm filled with fluid and electrolytes and 3 huge injections of I-don't-know-what. Obviously something was missing in my system so the docs had to fill me up. They even got a specialist from Haifa to come down and see me. I'll be going back for a gastrocopy soon.

Friday today saw the worse violence in the Old City for over a year - Israeli military had to enter the Al Aqsa mosque esplanade to fire stun grenades while muslim youths rioted. The temp. is picking up and we foresee worse things ahead for September.  http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=224455  and  http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israel-police-and-palestinians-clash-at-temple-mount-in-jerusalem-1.367002