Stromata

So finally Israel is crawling out of the telecom Stone Age and entering the fire-optic age .... something you might find very strange as the rest of the world has been on fire-optic for many years now. Well ... that's the Middle-East for you. And that doesn't mean that things will be better for us here in the Old City or East Jerusalem. I lost internet connection and/or wifi for over 2 months now. Had to go the carpark outside the City along the boundary of the East and West, sit under a tree and use the free wifi from the carpark office. Miserable.

Colourful globes along
the Jaffa Gate promenade

And we're not just poor telecommunication-wise; the newspapers are highlighting the physical poverty of the children in the country ... something that govt. officials deny. 63% of ultra-orthodox jewish children and 86% arab children live under the poverty line .... the social policies of the State have failed.  Very sad. http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.540908   Social protest leaders of the past years have given up hope and are emigrating overseas.

The Perseid meteor shower came and went. Saw nothing. It was too far south along the horizon for us to see. Those who went to the Negev Desert and the crater Mitzpe Ramon had a celestial show of their lives. Well, here we're satisfied with huge colourful globes placed all along the Jaffa Gate Promenade. No idea why they're there ... like they're part of an exhibition.

Anyway ... more work ahead. I've not had a day off this whole summer. Am absolutely exhausted.

Another hot day

Another nondescript day. Hot as ever. And I had lots of work to do. Was rushing from one spot to another. Even the workers indoors complained how hot it was. At one moment I felt really faint and had to sit and rest. The stomach was holding up well till late afternoon when the cramps and diarrhea returned. That was after I ate several kebabs cooked by Khalil. Nothing wrong with the food ... just that I can't digest anything anymore.

My friends - the security team

Had several minutes free when I went downstairs and chatted with my jewish friends who work as security guards opposite our house. It was a good break. Laughed alot, chatted, drank Cola with them. They're a pretty fun lot - more relaxed and less suspicious than the previous team. One of them is going to finish his contract in 2 weeks and he'll be off on a holiday before starting engineering studies. I think they'll be throwing a party for him.

Tourists have trickled to a very minimum. Mainly Indonesians and chinese. No more than 10 groups visiting the place throughout the day. Miserable. All the shop owners are complaining of poor business.

However festivals continue in Jerusalem. I think the Arts and Crafts festival is on. Also lots of concerts. And many more impromptu performances at various spots throughout the City. Locals crowd to these events ... no tourists in sight.

In a Russian monastery

A lovely fishpond in the
Russian Monastery

The weekend passed relatively peacefully. A couple of shootings ... nothing spectacular. No fights, no riots ... quite an anti-climax to the fever pitch celebrations of Eid el Fitri.

The weather has been as unrelentingly hot as before. It drains the energy ... just a walk up the road not only saps the life out of you, the very thought of walking out weakens the knees. And I'm not the only one who is saying this. Just about everyone else says so.

Nevertheless yesterday my prof and I went to visit the famous Russian Orthodox Monastery and Compound just outside the Old City. The State of Israel had expropriated the entire neighbourhood during the war of 1968 but now it is slowly returning the various buildings back to the Russian Orthodox Church ... thanks to the intervention of Putin. Inside the rather drab and characterless facades of these square buildings are surprising oases of serenity and beauty. Sr Ekatarina who's our student, invited us to visit the cathedral and the Russian Orthodox Mission in the Holyland. The chapels and churches were nice but the courtyards inside the monasteries - hidden from public eyes - are really the great surprise. Beautifully kept, with ponds and fish, shady trees, a patio ... it was absolutely incredible. These russian monks and nuns sure know how to create a spiritual oasis in the dead centre of the city surrounded by the city jail, criminal court, municipality admin centre.

Sr. Ekatarina and prof.
in the patio

Big excitement tonight as the Perseid meteor shower will be falling over South Israel. Many people will be heading to the Negev desert for this spectacular show. I think I'll pass. My stomach has not been too good, as usual ... and the general fatigue of daily 8 hr work is draining me. Need to sleep. But if I do wake up at midnight because of the unbearable heat, I'll be looking out for the meteors ... and make a wish upon a falling star ...

Quiet Friday

A very quiet Friday on the 2nd day of Eid el Fitri. No crowds going to the mosque in the morning. Later in the afternoon muslim families began visiting relatives and friends ... making the City a little livelier. Tourists trickle ... it's low season especially under this heat.

Ktayyif pancakes with
fig jam

One good thing about Ramadan is hawkers are selling ktayyif - pancakes filled with walnuts or cheese. But they also just sell the pancakes. Got half a kilo, filled them with fig jam and shared it with the workers in our kitchen. Very yummy.

Work however continues back in school. Dateline to finish the project is 3 weeks' time. Have to keep a sharp eye so that no corners are cut. My biggest preoccupation is how to protect users in the library near the windows because last year 2 bullets were shot through during riots. Bullet-proof glass is too costly. This is giving me a big headache.

Spent the last few days painting the ceilings of 3 offices with my friend. Didn't do a good job in the last office so I'll have to give it a second coat. Feeling exhausted just thinking about it.

Eid el Fitr

Ramadan has finally ended. Yesterday the streets were packed with people for the morning prayers at Al Aqsa mosque but by afternoon only a trickle remained. All the temporary stalls at Damascus Gate and the surrounding streets packed up and left. In the afternoon, young muslims were packing the jewish shops buying new clothes and shoes. But by sunset, everyone was going for the Eid el Fitr banquet back home. The canon fired 7 times to announce the end of Ramadan. And then silence in the muslim quarter and east Jerusalem.

Ginko and chinese dates 

I had a tiring day yesterday as 3 teams of workers came at the same time, working in 3 different places in the library. Was rushing from 3rd floor to 5th floor for over an hour to make sure everything was done without mistakes. baby bulbul needed feeding every 15 mins. I didn't have the time so this morning I found him weak ... actually almost dead. Forced fed it with 2 spoons of handrearing mixture, left it in the sun ... and it bounced back to life. It recognises me now .. and often jumps out of its nest to be near me. Problem is I get asthma attacks with baby bulbul around. But no one will take care of it so I just have to wear a mask and prepare my ventolin all the time.

Ah Ling at Mandarin's has been doing abit of cooking lately and I've been there several times these few weeks. She boiled gingko nuts with chinese dates in rock sugar ... something I haven't had for decades. It was delicious.

On the homefront, israel is slapping Europe in the face for having issued guidelines against goods made made by Israeli firms in jewish settlements that occupy Palestine land. Israel's answer? - build 1000 more settlement houses in Palestine. On a another strange note - the news of beef grown from stem cells in a petri dish is getting excited reception in israel because it is not considered real meat or dairy. Cheeseburgers made form this meat would now be kosher!!!  http://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-Features/Has-the-era-of-the-kosher-cheeseburger-arrived-322419

Baby orphan bulbul

Today was alot calmer and quieter in the streets. Everyone was out in the mosque praying all night, by sunrise everyone was home asleep ... and a tranquility enveloped the City for once in 4 weeks. But mind you, prior to sunrise, the crowds continued to pack the streets, eating, chatting ... while others remained in the Al Aqsa praying. I called my friend at 3.30am to see how the situaiton was in the streets and he was on his way home to sleep. He said there were scuffles and fights with the police at Damascus Gate. The streets were heaped with rubbish and reeked of urine ... and the public workers had a hard job cleaning up. In 2 days Ramadan will be over ... as many muslims have been remarking to me with relief.

Baby bulbul

I decided to take lunch time off to visit my friend Sari and his brother Elias. Their family invited me over for lunch - warraq dawali and mashi kusa (stuffed vineleaves and zucchinis) - one of my favourite arab food. As usual I had a crazy time with the 2 brothers. They made a bookshelf for me but I could not bring it back to Jerusalem with me on the bus ... so I guess they'll bring it over for me instead.

My workload was added yesterday when the workers in the courtyard brought in a baby bulbul. Apparently the cat destroyed the nest but the baby fell off and escaped. Still not able to fly ... so now I have to handrear the baby till he's big enough to fly away. Well at least for this baby bird, God had heard its prayers on Laylat al Qadr and gave it a new lease of life. Now Im waiting to see if God had heard mine ......

Laylat al Qadr

Damascus Gate jammed
with people and stalls
for Laylat al Qadr

Tonight is Laylat al Qadr (Night of Destiny, Night of Power, Night of Value, the Night of Decree or Night of Measures) when muslimes commemorate the giving of the first verses of the Koran. They spend the whole night in prayer and reciting of the Koran. The gates of heaven open and God hears every prayer, granting every wish and forgiving every sin. Right now thousands upon thousands of muslims from all over the country and overseas are flocking into the Al Aqsa mosque. The City Gates are jammed pack. And there'll be little sleep not just for them but for us too as prayers will be broadcasts over the megaphones of minarets throughout the City.

The weather has been unforgiving ... over the 30s during the day. Muslims fasting this period find it very difficult ... and many have taken to drinking water which is overlooked by everyone. Many also begin eating before the canon is fired (announcing the end of the Fast each day).

The past 3 days have been bad healthwise. Severe diarrhea and cramps. I've stopped taking milk tough it soothes the stomach ulcers. Sr Vicenta and Nadia boil some chicken for me so I have a little something to eat. It helps. But work doesn't stop ... am still spending 10 hours or so with the renovation and other jobs around the school. I need a holiday after this. Maybe if I pray hard tonight on Lailat al Qadr, God might hear my prayers .....