Eventful Day

Women's Day event at the park

It's International Women's Day today. There was an event at the Damascus Gate Park ... arab and Israeli women gathered to talk about peace. Well when I walked past, it had just ended and workers were removing the chairs under the olive trees ... but there was still a small group remaining and chatting.

Well that was one event .... but the really big one that is happening now is the thousands of ultra-orthodox jews demonstrating and blocking traffic in and out of Jerusalem for almost 3 hours. Happening right now as I write. Border Police have tried to remove the demonstrators but it doesn't look like they're succeeding. The ultra-orthodox are protesting the compulsory drafting to military service of their young men and this is one of the largest mass protest organised. Their leader the 100+ yr old rabbi died last week and people thought these extremists would be too disorganised to do anything ... but how wrong they were. A council of 4 of the oldest rabbis now take control of the community's leadership and they have pulled this one off .... so massive the police could do nothing for 3 hours.  http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Haredim-protest-in-Jerusalem-over-proposed-draft-law-544605   and   https://www.timesofisrael.com/ultra-orthodox-draft-protesters-block-entrance-to-jerusalem/   and   https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5150846,00.html

Calla lilies blooming in our garden

And still another event to disrupt our lives tomorrow is the Jerusalem Marathon. Thousands are expected to participated in this event. Half the City will be closed and traffic will stop all morning. Already people are worried ... those who need to get to work or to the airport or to go home from night shift. I am confined to home ... thank goodness. Still on medication and feeling sick, though I can breathe a lot better. The 2 antibiotics that 'm taking are very strong and seem to be working. Yes it's a cocktail antibiotic course ... not something I like but doc thinks I need a super cocktail to kick this infection. The heart is still weak and I fatigue easily climbing up and down the stairs. I would have loved to go out and take photos of the protests and marathon ... but for not this time.

Midweek

Sunset over Notre Dame de Zion

Today is the 3rd Wednesday of Lent. That means a pilgrimage Mass at Gethsemane. It used to be at our Flagellation but because the following Wednesday the pilgrimage Mass would have been also our Condemnation Chapel, we have to shoulder twice the responsibility, so they changed the Condemnation for Gethsemane. I won't be able to walk down the Kidron Valley and up again ... so I'll stay and rest at home. But that's always a utopia ... whiten one hour of rest, phone call comes to say a chinese group is downstairs and wants to see me.

Still feeling very sick. There's this heavy pressure on the chest for a week now and makes my walking the staircase or long distances very difficult. Today I'm mainly confined to bed with minimum movement. Sheer lethargy or necessarily recuperation? Later I'll have to go to the pharmacy to get medicine. So much for rest. As the doc and nurses said ... I must leave Jerusalem otherwise I will never recuperate ... I guess they're right.

Waning moon over Damascus Gate

Traffic entering or leaving Jerusalem is in total chaos as the main junction is under major construction. Buses have been rerouted and many people found themselves going to places other than their destinations. And to top it off, the buses no longer accept cash or top-up payment cards. Suddenly people found themselves entering and leaving buses immediately because they cannot pay or top-up. Fixed centres to top-up the cards have queues so long people complain waiting 3 hours for their turn.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/jerusalem-bus-drivers-will-stop-accepting-cash/

The war in Ghouta is still continuing and I have no more news from Damascus ... apparently our hospital has been bombed. UN aid convoys were not allowed to bring in medicines. The situation is terrible for our christians. Let's hope there is at least some respite from the bombings.  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5146364,00.html

And everything was about pig yesterday. There was a news article about malaysians laughing at a foreign celebrity because she called her father in her own language "babi". Then within 12 hours a wild boar charged into a malaysian mosque and allegedly attacked a worshipper. Here in Tel Aviv a restaurant sold and cooked pork instead of advertised beef and was made to serve free food for 30 days to all customers as a penalty. I hope to go there soon for free lunch.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-tel-aviv-eatery-settles-to-pay-hefty-price-over-pork-scandal-1.5868960

Check up

Pineaaple tarts at last

The day started really early. I was up by 3am to clean my room and shower because at 4.30am I had to start my long journey first to Tel Aviv and then to Nazareth. Luckily at that time there was little traffic so the one hour journey to Tel Aviv was smooth. I had to meet a group that bought some home-made Chinese New Year cookies .... yes the New Year is quite over but cookies are always valid anytime of the year. There were pineapple tarts among them ... my favourite.

4.30am journey

After that it was an hour and a half journey to Nazareth up in the north. I had to go for a check up as I haven't been feeling well since the last allergic attack. A whole series of tests and results which lasted 4 hours. I was quite tired I actually fell asleep. I guess I must have been quite a mess because as I was drowsing, the guy who brought his old father in for a check up in the opposite bed, came over and pulled the curtains so I could sleep without getting constant peeks from strangers passing by.

Anyway the results came in and I was able to go home again. It was already noon. I slept for most of the trip home. I've a severe lung infection and will continue the heavy dosages of of medicine. That makes me very sleepy ... so the rest of the day I was asleep. Let's hope I can rest a little for now.

Journeys

Religious sisters gathered in
the German chapel

Continuing to recount my 36 hour sleepless day ... yesterday morning ... the hour long walk to the German Sisters' convent was lovely, the sun was shining, a cool breeze was blowing and the wild flowers were swaying all along the streets. I preached what I had prepared to the religious sisters from the Judah region gathered for the Lenten recollection. There was quite a crowd but not as big as last year. After morning prayers in 4 languages, the sisters broke into their respective language groups and the talks began. I finished mine in an hour although we were given 2 hours.

Coptic deacons
incensing our altar

After that at 12pm, I walked home to Jerusalem Old City. But my knee was hurting too much so I stopped and rested at my office in the library. After an hour a student came to pay me a visit. I decided to go for a walk in the New City to breathe fresh air instead of book dust and silverfish. I walked very slowly around the Ben Yehuda Mall when I passed by Eretz' optical shop. It's been 3 years since my last optical test. So I stopped and Eretz the owner got an assistant to test my eyes. Everyone was surprised that after 3 years my eyesight and astigmatism did not degenerate but remained the same. However I needed a new pair of frames as I had broken 2 previous glasses by accidentally sitting on them (old age problems ... forgot where I put them ). Then I realised I didn't bring any money with me ... but Eretz was kind enough to let me come back any other day to pay for you. I didn't feel alright with that, knowing how forgetful I am, so I walked home 1km to get the money and back to Eretz's shop 1 km uphill and then back home again. I think all in all yesterday I walked almost 15 kms.

Armenian orthodox incensing
our altar

I'm still having breathing difficulties this morning ... very shallow breathing. The burning sensation in my stomach area continues. But today my throat is very very sore. The doc who saw m last week insists I go to the northern hospital and I think I'll do it. Problem is transport ... I need to go by car due to my IBS problem. But it'll cost US$200 to go and US$200 to return. And if the car waits for me at the hospital, it's another US$150 per hour. Believe me ... seeing the doctor is very very expensive here ... and it's just transport cost. Today I'll just stay home and try to rest. No energy to do anything.

Anyway I've posted 2 photos of orthodox deacons incensing our altars inside the Holy Sepulchre basilica. 5 times a day deacons from the various churches take turns in incensing all the altars inside the basilica. It's very ritualistic ... well choreographed and timed so no church will have to wait for the preceding one to finish the rite. If you haven't seen .... you should.

Night stroll

Musrara night market

I slept for 2 hours last night and was awake by 2am. I didn't go to the Vigil at the Holy Sepulcher as I really felt weak. But staying awake all night wasn't very nice ... it was warm last night, just about 12 degrees. And the moon was full. But I couldn't watch the moon all night ... so I began to play mental games just to pass the time. Well by 3.30am I was getting bored ... so I decided to walk to the all night shops at Musrara to buy bread. Most of the guys who went for the Vigil and celebrated the Mass were on their way home. The road was quite crowded ... as muslims were also coming into the City for daybreak prayers. Like I said, it was warm so the slow walk was pleasant. I am still very breathless and the medicine was upsetting my stomach so the walk took my mind away from that.

The amazing pink
tree in the park

And I met many people ... at 3.30am outside Damascus Gate. The night market was gone, the street was cleaned. The security guys were making their rounds and I had a short chat with them. They reminded me that my best friend Sharfi, who used to do security, is celebrating his birthday today so I quickly send him a message. Then further up near the grocery  several men were drinking coffee and chatting ... one of them the mute grave-digger at the Muslim cemetery. He was signing to the grocery owner that he knows me and he once found a small snake and gave it to me ... which is true. That was about 4 years ago and I released the harmless snake into the Umayyad cemetery south of Jerusalem. Anyway I went further down the street to the bakery to buy 3 "kaik" which are long sesame seed bagels. At 3.30am they're piping hot from the oven.

I walked back home as the streets began to fill with pilgrims ..... 4am. But before I could go home I received a call from a neighbor who needed to talk. He was arrested the day before and later today at 10am he has to go to report at the Police Station. He was upset and nervous so I spend half an hour being with him, chatting and listening. When he felt better, I went home and ate a small piece a "kaik" with Marmite before taking the dreadful medicine which leaves a horrible bitter aftertaste.

It was almost 5am and it was time to shower and clean the room and prepare for Mass and then it was a very long walk to the German Sisters' convent in the German Colony to preach the retreat. But I'll leave that for tomorrow's blog. Right now I just want to sleep. It's 36 hours and I slept only 2 hours. I am utterly exhausted. I hope tonight I can sleep so I don't need to make night strolls again ... hoops I forgot ... tomorrow is Monday: class at 4am. Nightmare.

Recovering

Full moon over the City Walls

I tried my best to rest today ... there was nothing more I could do as I felt very drained and fatigued from the medicine. Still I had to work 3 hours in the morning in the library and then an hour's class in the afternoon. The chinese sisters brought some noodles and dumplings but I hadn't appetite to eat. My stomach is burning and hurts. I sure hope it all goes away by tomorrow because I must give a conference in the morning and then go to Tel Aviv to collect some things that some visitors from home have brought. I'm not sure if I'm strong enough to go to the Vigil at the Holy Sepulchre tonight ... as it'll last from 11.40pm to 1.30am ... and then face all the Sunday schedule. Perhaps I won't go then. The conference is 2 km away and I have to walk there at 8am, then Tel Aviv is 60 km away and I have to travel by whatever that gets me there. It'll be a tiring day.

Marmite

One thing though I thought would help me gain some strength ... I bought a bottle of Marmite. Yes it's actually available here in Jerusalem. What a surprise. And the full moon is amazing. It's still a superman and yesterday was the full moon of Purim as well as Yuen Xiao (Chap Go Meh) festival. It was so bright it was like a light shining into my room all night. Just as well the medicine has made me an insomniac ... I can admire the moon when I am sleepless.

Well whatever the case ... I'm never going to Kenya to see a doctor!! News going viral that a surgeon performed brain surgery on a wrong patient in Nairobi. Absolute horror. I don't even want to fathom how it was all possible. Makes my next trip to the arab hospital here a lot scarier ... believe me the only catholic hospital in Jerusalem is not above this type of mistake!!!

The coalition govt. is once again in crisis as the budget appears to be blocked by the ultra-orthodox ministers who vowed not to pass the bill if the compulsory military service law is not amended to exclude their followers. Zionists ministers on the other side of the spectrum vowed to fight it to the end and get the budget passed.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/amid-draft-bill-bickering-kahlon-says-hell-fight-to-the-end-for-budget/

The ultra-orthodox jews have gone so far in threatening the govt. they have hung an effigy of a soldier in a road corner in their neighbourhood. This is utterly unthinkable as the army is an institution held sacred by the country ... the very existence of the State lies with the army and anyone who would dare to make such a mockery is a traitor ... unless you're an ultra-orthodox jew because the govt. fears their political and religious power.  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/haredi-extremists-in-jerusalem-hang-effigy-of-idf-soldier-34866

Hospital again

Seminarians at Purim festival

Last night Purim began. Children in costumes and disguise filled the New and Old Cities ... the atmosphere was very festive but more muted than last year. Later in the evening the adults came out in their costumes and the parties began. Groups reading the Book of Esther in public took place in every street corner while everyone was taking photos of everyone in costume. I took a very short walk in the Ben Yehuda Mall early in the evening ... and was accosted by 2 guys in masks. Found out they were our seminarians. And there were more seminarians from the other 3 seminaries coming to the Mall to see the festivities. Well they need a break ... right now most of them are stressed with writing their theses or term papers.

Cocktail of medicine
pumped into my arm

It wasn't a good day for me yesterday. I had been suffering a pressure on my chest and difficulty in breathing and dizziness. At times the pain was quite bad. I thought it was the onset of a heart attack. Still I worked through the morning ... at the Printing Press, at the Economato, with the lawyers, at the libraries then class at 2.30pm. From there I went to the M. Teresa's convent for adoration and bible class but I was so sick the sisters brought me to hospital immediately. After lots of tests and injections, the docs said it was my asthma that caused my heart to overwork for lack of oxygen ... which was causing my dizziness. It must be some infection in my lungs because the doc wants me to take 2 types of antibiotics as well as continuing my regime of prednisone for another 10 days. I dread that.

But I must say the nurse who did the injection was pretty good .... the first who actually inserted the catheter into my arm without much pain. But the concoction of medicines was huge. Today I hope to rest .... which is of course a dream. Staying by the beach in Jaffa would be a great opportunity to breath fresh clean sea air and recuperate but a journey there costs US$100 and same for the return journey. That's how expensive Israel is. I'll just keep living a dream.