Ascension Day

The Mt of Olives was buzzing with people ... everyone was going up to the Imbomon for the Vigil of the Ascension. Strange name "Imbomon" ... it's the octagonal area where once stood an octagonal church but the muslims have taken it over and made it into a mosque. However the ancient name "Imbomon" remains although modern tourists know it as the "Chapel of the Ascension". From Byzantine times, the Imbomon was the gathering place for all processions on feastdays. No one knows why but the early christians always gathered there to start a procession. Well Ascension Vigils was chanted up there at midnight and then masses celebrated all through the night till morning. Very crowded affair. But it's the Ascension so everyone had their fun up on the Imbomon.

Jerusalem Day yesterday saw concerts in every Square and street corner of West Jerusalem. But in East Jerusalem there were demonstrations and scuffles. Massive military presence throughout the City. In the evening Damascus Gate was closed as Israelis marched down the Gate and El Wad street to the Wailing Wall. All the arab shops were closed and not an arab in sight. They're afraid even though they make a big bravado show not to be.

Nadia putting the
chicken pieces on the
tahboun

One good thing about Ascension Day is it's a holiday - no school, no library. I was totally lost as usual. Got up early, did my chores and then opened the library. Then found out it was not meant to be opened. Wanted to go back to sleep but my asthma came back. I'm off Pred now but the asthma immediately returned. Awful. Anyway I thought I'd treat myself by making a "sort of" msahan. Bought one tahboun (thick grainy round bread) which was not fresh ... kept crumbling. Didn't have time to roast a chicken so used a leftover cold chicken from the fridge. Didn't know how to bake the onions so decided to have it fresh. Only thing original in the recipe was the sumac (red sour spice). Enjoyed it though. Had an awful diarrhea and nausea afterwards ... which is usual for me whenever I eat ... especially after a course of Pred too.

Jerusalem Day

The streets in West Jerusalem are festive with buntings and lights. School children are coming into the City by busloads on excursion to learn how Israeli forces captured East Jerusalem and united the City. Unfortunately the arabs living in the East don't see it that way. There were clashes in the Al Aqsa area, demonstrations in Damascus Gate and Lions' Gate. Surveillance helicopters fly overhead. Soldiers amassing in the streets.

I wasn't feeling well as usual. tried to clean my room but only managed to do abit as I was too weak. So I watched youtube while correcting a paper ... and by chance came across the film "The Syrian Bride". It was so sad, but so real in this conflict world. Then "Lemon Tree" was lined up next, something which I wanted to see for a long time,  ... very upsetting viewing but again so very real. I can feel every pain and grief in the movies ... because it's so very real around me. I see it again and again everyday.

It's been an upsetting day ... but that's the reality check. Welcome to the real world of the Holyland.

Still sick

I'm just so exhausted. No energy at all. Can't eat due to the severe diarrhea and nausea. Wish I could just go to my Jaffa community and sleep there the whole day with no class or work to do. I need to get away.

Mounted police at
Damascus Gate

Well this lousy feeling is on a bigger scale throughout the country today. Israel's alleged bombing of Syria yesterday is drawing tensions in the streets ... everyone is afraid a war may start in the north soon. But frankly I don't think it'll happen. Israel would be too foolish to draw Syria into a war right now as Israel needs Assad more than a new Islamic govt. at its borders. Some reports say that Israel fired the missiles in order to force America to make a move, knowing full well that Syria is in no position to start a war right now.

On the homefront there's been a series of tit-for-tat attacks between jewish settlers and arabs. It's been tense at the borders. And we hear there were problems in the Holy Sepulchre on Saturday between the orthodox as well. There were hundreds of soldiers marching out of Jaffa Gate after the "Holy Fire" "descended".

If you have any patience, watch the Youtube below on the Holy Fire. It actually is passed out from the Tomb at about 38.00

Orthodox Easter Sunday

Well it's not much of a celebration like us ... the Orthodox put all their attention on the Holy Fire yesterday and Easter Sunday is very very quiet. In fact all the pilgrims were rushing into their buses to get to the airport and home. Such an anticlimax.

The weather is terribly hot. In fact the last few nights I could not sleep as the room was boiling hot ... like in August. Tried to rest in the afternoon after a morning's shopping for the week's needs. Exhausted. But the phone kept ringing. Had to go out for this and that. Drove me mad as I still have severe diarrhea and nausea. And the depression is equally awful. I hate this withdrawal symptoms from Pred. I still have several more days of weaning but the symptoms will linger a little longer. And I must wake up at 3am (solar time) for class. Aaaggghhhh how can I ever recover from my sickness if I don't have a minute's rest?

Sushi at new Sakura

Anyway as part of my chores I had to bring a friend out. Walked around in the City and went to Sakura's (reopened under a new management) for some sushi as I had nothing to eat the whole day. Good to eat some simple food. Then Ah Ling form Mandarin's called to say she cooked chicken porridge and asked me over. So I had chicken porridge as well. Good for my tummy but had a severe diarrhea reaction. So much for a Happy Easter.

Orthodox Holy Saturday of Fire

Ethiopic monk on the
streets

The entire Old City except for the Jewish Quarter was closed off. All streets leading to the Holy Sepulchre were blocked off. Roads surrounding the Old City from the outside were also closed to traffic. The crowds of orthodox christians coming into the City was overwhelming ... waves and waves of white. That's because the vast majority of them are Ethiopic christians ... a very rare sight in Easter because the Russians and Greeks usually outnumber everyone else. But due to the economic crisis, Greeks and Cypriots have virtually disappeared, Russians and slavs were also very few this year. The Ethiopics were the largest number, followed by the Copts of Egypt.

Today is the Easter Vigil or rather for the Orthodox it's the Holy Fire. It's a weird devotion among all the Orthodox in the HolyLand because it actually becomes more important than the Resurrection of Christ on Easter. They believe that in the Empty Tomb darkened with no light, the Holy Fire suddenly appears and flickers about. Problem is only the Greek, Armenian and Coptic patriarchs are inside the Tomb to witness this and they're keeping mum about what actually happens. This "divine" fire is then shared among the people who bring it home or to their parishes. I guess it's the Orthodox version of our "Blessing of Fire" ritual on Holy Saturday. They do not have this tradition liturgically so this "miracle" of the Holy Fire takes its place. Mind you our Latin Rite in the Holy Sepulchre also has this "Holy Fire" moment ... but it is so low key that no one ever notices it. It's when the candles of the Tomb's Main Altar are lit just before the Gospel reading. The sacristan comes out of the Empty darkened Tomb with a lighted candle and lights all the candles and lamps around the Altar and Tomb.

Spinach Porridge

Ah Ling from the Chinese Restaurant cooked me some spinach porridge yesterday evening. It was simple, cleansing and nourishing. It was good to eat something warm again. My severe diarrhea, cramps and nausea are reactions to the medication I'm taking. And the depression caused by withdrawal from Prednesone is hitting me hard. Am just feeling so very sick. Not even the Holy Fire today could pick me up. Luckily I don't have live as long as the famous death of King Farouk's Tortoise, reportedly between 217 - 280 years old. It is a living lesson that despite all the political, economic and social upheavel from the Ottoman Empire through the World Wars, Bristiah Mandate, Nasser's presidency ... the tortoise survived till its reported death last week .... a true survivor and symbol of hope. Until that is, it's death ... people are saying it died of a broken heart, seeing it's country overcome by the Muslim Brtherhood. But that's what I got from the newspapers, of course.  http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/neri-livneh/mourning-king-farouk-s-ancient-beloved-turtle.premium-1.518802

Orthodox Good Friday

Israeli soldiers surround the Stone of
the Unction in the Holy Sepulchre
for fear of fighting among the Orthodox

The heatwave still lingers ... but we had an unexpected shower during the evening several days back. It was a relief. Huge drops of rain fell and sent everyone scurrying for cover, shopkeepers rushed to keep their outdoor chairs and tables ... it was quite a sight. But just as the rains suddenly came, it also stopped suddenly. As Good Friday begins for Orthodox today, the bell of the Holy Sepulchre is tolling the death knell.

A lot of happenings in the local scene. Here's a list of tit-for-tat attacks between settlers and arabs this week  http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Shots-fired-at-Israelis-east-of-Jlem-none-hurt-311899  And the cheek of it all is when victims of a racist arson attack are told to pay the bill to fire-fighters. The govt is also going to make tourists pay taxes (VAT) for hotels and services which so far have been exempted. That will make visiting the Holyland more expensive by 16%. Palestinians will of course be very happy because this means more groups will chose to stay in Palestinian hotels and eat in Palestinian restaurants because VAT does not apply in Palestine. A new strain of SARS has killed 5 Saudis in the kingdom and with the start of Ramadan in July, fear is that muslim pilgrims to Mecca will be spreading the virus worldwide.

Ethiopics crowding into
the Flagellation

Healthwise I'm getting the withdrawal symptoms from using prednesone. I hate it but it does efficiently stop my asthma and in this case, to stop the breathing difficulty due to the peanut allergy I developed. Pred is used for SARS, avian flu, swine flu and other such drastic viral attacks. Am weaned to 10mg now. Another week to go before I'm off pred totally ... but the withdrawal symptoms are absolutely awful.

Feast of St Joseph

Massive cactus blossoms this
morning in the courtyard

Another dreadful heatwave day ... 30 degrees or so. Everything is wilting ... people included. Someone passed out at the Municipality Light Rail station. Police on bikes sped along the rail tracks to get there ... then ambulances arrived. If this is anything to go back, the summer will be even hotter. Not very nice if you're stuck here in summer. Only the cacti are enjoying this heat. An explosion of blossoms surprised us all this morning in the courtyard ... 13 blossoms in full glory. But by 2pm the heat withered them to a jelly mess. But it provided a moment of awe and wonder ... everyone enjoyed the show and of course they took photos and posted it up on facebook.

Yesterday was a typical "Prophet of Doom" day ... newspapers reporting Jewish students beating up some arabs only to find out they were undercover police. An arab shot and killed an Israeli north of Jerusalem. Israel bombed Gaza and killed a Gazan. Gaza fired rockets into Israel. Massive military exercise suddenly called up at the Lebanese border ... but the Minister of Defense was not informed. Ultra orthodox Jews are up at arms over the secular zionist new govt over compulsory drafting to the army/cutting of finance to orthodox institutes/allowing liberal jewish women to pray at the Wailing Wall .... and despite all these, the pope has accepted President Peres' invitation to come visit the Holyland. A scenario collage of apocalyptic dimensions. St Joseph should have alot of interceding to do.

I on the otherhand have no class yesterday and today. What a relief!! I could finally rest .. or so I thought. Had lots to do as usual but was really fatigued and the heat did not help. Managed to sleep for half and hour yesterday ... which is quite a success. Am still going for my medical checkups and injections ... my arms are still blue and black from the injections but at least I'm breathing better. And am very very careful with the food I eat. Otherwise St Joseph will be busy preparing for another good death.