Blossoms

Almond tree blooming at
New Gate

Another weekend has begun. I will be terribly exhausted with work even though I'd love a quiet relaxing 24 hrs. I think I'll have to preside the Armenian Mass again this Sunday.

The weather is still warm and the almonds and Judas trees continue to bloom. Utterly amazing ... the pinks and deep violet flowers on bare branches. I noticed even the hazel and oaks are flowering their long spindly bunches of dull yellow petals.

Thee's the alarming news that the cash-strapped govt. has got the high Court's ok to claim taxes from the churches in the Holy Land. Strange that mosques and synagogues are not covered. From the Catholic Church alone it wants to claim 11 million shekels.  I think this is from back-taxing. The Anglicans must pay about 7 million and the Armenians 2 million. And very strangely the Greek Orthodox Church which is the largest private land owner in Israel pays only half a million. Something smells here ... if you consider my past posts regarding the Greeks selling large tracks of land to jews. http://www.janglo.net/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&page=display&catid=99&tid=437596#.Wnbct9zO3aE.facebook

The american army is here and a very large scale drill with the Israeli army is underway to simulate a massive missile attack. That makes us all nervous here ... if indeed a war is imminent.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-troops-arrive-for-drill-simulating-massive-missile-attack-on-israel/

Almost weekend

The tea man

Yesterday was a very busy day. I had no time to update the blog but I'm still alive. You see, the purpose of the blog isn't simply to inform you of life here in the Holy Land ... actually it's a track on whether I'm alive or not. If it's not updated for some time ... that means you can come to my funeral.

The weather has been very pleasant as Spring weather should be. In the midst of my rushing from one place to another, I noticed the arab tea seller at Damascus Gate, with his umbrella up and him dressed in his turkish costume carrying his huge container of tea and selling cups of it to passersby. That is a sure sign Summer is on it's way ... if not already here. The usual tea he sells is common tea but you can add fresh mint or sage leaves for the aroma. But in mid-summer when it gets really hot, he sells cold traditional drinks like almond juice, date juice and lemon juice. Well by now he's an annual icon for summer and tourists never fail to stop and take photos of him ... or with him.

Security tower is
almost complete

Newspapers are reporting of the spreading control of the ultra-orthodox jews in certain cities and towns. In the beautiful city of Bet Shemesh, the ultra-orthodox have published and distributed a code of conduct in public places. That includes segregation of males and females in buses and even at work, if things were to be passed between one sex to another, the thing has to be left on a table to be picked up, males and females cannot sit together or joke,  etc... Sounds almost like the muslim Taliban. The City council is afraid of these ultra-orthodox but fear also a backlash from the rest of Israel so it tries to ride on the fence. All I can say is that this will all implode. As it is, the 2 security towers built at Damascus Gate is causing great unhappiness among the arabs as they are symbols of israeli surveillance over them. The towers are almost completed and the soldiers are ready to be stationed there.     https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-west-bank-settlement-issues-modesty-code-for-municipal-workers-1.5793397

Meantime the israeli army has said it will not be taking control over the arab East Jerusalem areas though the media has said otherwise. That should at least allay some tensions and violence.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Israel-Police-IDF-wont-take-over-east-Jerusalem-enforcement-540909

It's almost the weekend, the weather is great ... let's hope nothing will happen to spoil this moment.

Flowers in bloom

Crocuses in bloom

The weather has gone very warm ... up to 19 degrees. But the sky remains cloudy and dark. At times it seemed it would rain ... but nothing happened. Most of the almond trees have blossomed and so are the Judas trees. Other early Spring flowers are also in bloom especially crocuses. They usually open a day before it rains and is known as the rain forecaster. Anemones are also in bloom. They are those lovely red flowers that spring up in the wilderness and sidewalks.

And as the weather warms ... so does the violence. They seem to go hand-in-hand. Yesterday I mentioned the arab leaders in Gaza and the Israeli army leaders have both sounded out the imminence of a war. Today the Israeli Defense Minister contradicted them and said no war is in sight. At the same time the Israeli Navy leaders claim it's on high alert because Hamas' marine warfare has reached a very sophisticated level that poses a major threat to Israel.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Israels-Navy-concerned-about-increased-Hamas-threat-under-the-water-540727

And WHO has announced that Gaza will run out of fuel in 10 days ... the crisis will erupt into violence since the people have nothing else to lose.  http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/WHO-official-Without-supplements-Gaza-to-run-out-of-fuel-within-ten-days-540742

Re-paving New Gate

We'll just try to stay out of trouble's way. It's easier in the western part of the City but we here in the eastern part are right in the heart of any violence or clashes. Let's hope for the best that nothing happens. Meantime life goes on ... and I saw the road works - actually re-pavement - at New Gate are almost complete. The workers have begun paving the final stage of the road, i.e. several meters inside New Gate, under the gate and several metres outside the Gate where it reaches the light rail tracks. It will look very nice until the cars and trucks start to enter and destroy everything. I give it 2 weeks ... before the stones get broken and potholes begin to appear. Everyone here thinks so too.

Drama

Accident ...
road closed

What a dramatic 24 hours. A car rammed into some people in front of Damascus Gate and at first everyone thought it was a terrorist attack. Police were swarming the place, the main road was closed off, the traffic jam behind was unbelievable. I just happened to be at Damascus Gate at that moment. I thought it would result in bigger violence. Thank goodness it was quickly determined that it was only an accident.

Well you can't balme us because not only is Hamas in Gaza warning of an impending war, this morning even the Israeli arm forces are warning the same thing because Gaza is collapsing from lack of basic essentials. The situation is so bad things will come to a head.   https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israeli-military-chief-gaza-on-verge-of-collapse-bringing-war-closer-1.5788886

The old train station

Then there's a a video going viral ... it shows a robbery in broad daylight in Nazareth. While a driver was unloading boxes of cigarettes for a shop when 2 masked men held him up and stole thousands of shekels worth of cigarettes. It's frightening as they carried guns.

Then 2 hours ago the new flashed that an israeli rabbi was stabbed to death in the central bus station of the town of Ariel. The assailant is still on the loose. There's going to be a huge manhunt tonight and all the neighbouring villages will be raided. We're not told if the assailant is jewish or arab though the police fond his ID in the backpack he left behind. More tensions will rise. It all seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy ... a war is imminent.

Old rail tracks

Well yesterday was a busy day. I had to end work quickly at midday to join a group of students because one of them who is sick will be leaving for home. Then at 4pm I had to bring 2 other students to visit the Iron Age tombs on Bible Hill and then the Byzantine ruins of the Hill of Evil Counsel. Being winter, it got dark by 5pm. We ended our excursion at the old train station which is now converted into an entertainment park with lots of pubs and restaurants. It's really a delightful place ... a family playground with carousels, game corners and lovely lights. The old rail tracks are still preserved and the old wooden station is also well preserved, integrated with modern architecture and reused as shops and restaurants. It's a really good work of conservation that pays itself. Self-sustaining conservation.

It was a nice end to an otherwise upsetting day of violence.

St. Blaise

Sunrise

Yesterday was an incredibly busy day. I had to meet 3 students who are writing their theses with me, correcting their work, suggesting changes and guiding the direction of the research. That took the whole morning. I was mentally exhausted. In between sessions I rushed off to buy some buns as I hadn't eaten dinner the night before nor breakfast in the morning. I bought a sausage bun which is the usual because it's the cheapest and it fills the stomach. But feeling extra hungry I decided to get an omelette bread as well. It's a typical arab pastry ... round pitta with upturned edges that hold an omelette with minced mutton. But I got a shock when the guy told me the bun cost 5 shekels and the omelette bread 10 shekels. Everything has gone up by 2 shekels. Things are getting so expensive here. Soon we'll not be able to afford to buy bread.

Sausage bun &
omelette bread

Yesterday was also the feast of St. Blaise. After Mass the celebrant blessed our throats with 2 candles. It's suppose to be a blessing against asthma and the like. Well I've had this blessing for over 25 years and I still have the illness. Only thing helping me now is the change in medicine. My heart is still weak so I've slowed done a lot in doing everything. I really feel old. And my memory ebbs back and forth. But St. Balise can't help me with that. Maybe St. Anthony can help me ... he's the patron of lost things ... I lost my memory.

After the massive storm we had last week ... with waves that flooded all the streets along the coast ... Israel has installed a tsunami alarm system. Signs are put along the streets of Tel Aviv and that alarmed people!!  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5081085,00.html

And another more alarming news ... Hamas in Gaza are warning of an impending war with Israel in the coming weeks.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Report-Hamas-believes-war-with-Israel-will-break-out-in-the-coming-days-540620

Presentation Day

Super blue moon over Damascus Gate

It's the feast of the Presentation ... that means one month after the birth of Jesus - a period of purification - Joseph and Mary brought the child to the Temple to be dedicated to God in accordance with jewish Law. The Church dedicates this day also to all consecrated peoples. There was a solemn Mass at the patriarchate and many religious went to participate. I couldn't go because I was overloaded with work.

Goodies from Gloria

In fact I could not even concelebrate our community's Mass as there was too much to do. I celebrated alone at 5am. Then it was a rush to get documents which higher superior wanted ... while in the meantime trying to call the spanish sisters (they never answer the phone) frantically because the parish in Jaffa needed hosts for Mass and I had to get them there in the morning and the car was waiting. Rushing between 2 offices and the shop that the sisters work in, I finally manage to catch Sr. Regina who was carrying a bag of hosts. I took it from her and she shouted that it's for Gethsemane. Well mine was an emergency and the car was waiting so she gave them to me and I rushed off to Jaffa which is 60 km away. Being the weekend there was no traffic and once there I got to meet my friends Mair, Rudy and Shlomi who are vendors in front of the church. It was very good to meet up with each other again. Then it was doing some chores and handing the hosts in the sacristy before going home. I had to return before 12pm before there are no workers in the library today and I have to get back and man the reception.

One nice surprise at Jaffa was a visit from a filipina, Gloria, who leads the migrant community in Jaffa. She had returned to the Philippines and on her way back to Israel, she transitted at Bangkok and bought me some goodies. It was very nice of her. Freeze-dried durians and Tom Yam shrimps.

The weather has warmed up a lot. Jerusalem was 15 degrees and Tel Aviv was 19 degrees. Lots of locals wearing T-shirts already. I miss summer ... I hope it comes soon.

February begins

Our landmark bedouin begger

It's the first day of February. Unbelievable how fast time flies. Students here are still having their exams so time for them seems to drag. The weather is still the same - cold but very sunny during midday. The temp. hovered around 10 degrees and with the sun, you could just wear a t-shirt. The only problem is the occasional wind that is very cold. For the past few nights I could not sleep because it was freezing. It was around 2 degrees and we had that kind of temp. before but it never felt so cold like these past 3 nights. Both my small heaters are on but I still have to cover up with 2 blankets to stop from shivering. And I'm not sick.

St. Stephen basilica

This morning on my way to work. I passed by the old bedouin lady who begs by the walkway between Damascus Gate and New Gate. She is old ... like 80 something ... and very very small like Yoda. She's been around for some 15 years and usually when we pass her by we give her a shekel. In summer she would sometimes ask me to buy her a bottle of water .... or coca cola. She's an expensive beggar. We have a regular joke that she collects so much money she could go to the Bahamas during winter while we freeze here. Anyway this morning we chatted about the weather and she liked the cold sunny day.

Yesterday I made a rare visit to my former school - the french Ecole Biblique runned by the Dominicans. I can't remember the details of the school 20 years back ... but it felt good to be back there ... the enormous gardens, the old basilica and belfry. It's the place where the first martyr St. Stephen was buried. There's a statue of the martyr kneeling in the middle of the atrium of the basilica.

We just heard the news that a family in Gaza was killed because of a family feud over inheritance. 8 dead including children and 20 injured. Greed and avarice kills. The suspect brought canisters of cooking gas and lighted them, blowing up the entire house.    https://www.timesofisrael.com/seven-gazans-killed-in-gas-explosion-after-family-row/

And talk of a summer war is getting more urgent. The US army is in fact here on a drill with the Israeli army in the event of a massive missile attack. The soldiers are prepared for such an attack ... but for people like us, we'll probably die.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-troops-arrive-for-drill-simulating-massive-missile-attack-on-israel/

What a way to start Spring and February.