Cold Sunday

Blossoming almonds

It's International Women's Day today .... and ironically it falls on the anniversary of the murder of Hypartia the Alexadrine philosopher and mathematician ... one of the last Neo-Platonist non-christians ... the emblem of the ancient pre-christian world in 415 AD. And a woman. Christian mobs murdered her simply because she was not a christian. Such enlightenment. Though it cannot be proven, scholarly circles still think Cyril of Alexandria, saint and patriarch, had something to do with it.

Yesterday thousands of tourists trapped inside Palestine were allowed to leave the enclave but Israel won't accept them so they were immediately driven by coaches directly to the airport.  Mind you Israel did more than required, booking flights, switching flight arrangements etc... to make sure everyone was safely aboard. Now it's a waiting game .... 14 days to see if anyone else is infected by the virus.  https://www.ynetnews.com/article/036Q4U076?fbclid=IwAR3iw7odcnndQX4_OTlJm8pahi-Wz4Ahje0A_9g1j_V5ZL_-NonaHbEbxS4#autoplay

Deacon and Acolyte

I've been avoiding crowds at all cost as I was having the chills and sniffles yesterday. It was very cold and wet. This morning I had the armenian Mass but I was coughing because of a dry throat. I think some people were worried. Anyway Mass went ahead. My deacon and acolyte were great helps. They've learned some armenian prayers and hymns so they could respond to my prayers. And the usual congregants were there. It's always so good to meet them. I've to start learning the special Easter prayers. It takes some time because its not only the right pronunciation but the right tune. Everything is chanted in the armenian tonal system ... which is not always easy.

I guess what I need most is sleep. 3 hours sleep a night is killing me ... but I wake up worried about work, or am too cold ... Maybe an early summer vacation is what I need. I'm considering retiring. That's even a better prospect.

One day worse

Storming night

Things are turning for the worst as schools in Jerusalem have all been shut today. Municipality has issued warnings and so this morning we even received news that the revered Dominican Bible Institute "Ecole Biblique" will be closed for 2 weeks. Our faculty immediately followed by issuing a notice that our school and library will be closed for 2 weeks. And rumours are going around that the entire Old City will be locked down on Monday as well. People have started panic buying. Everyone is tensely waiting for the decision and announcement.

Anemones and Irises

Last night a friend called to say he was stuck in Jerusalem because being Sabbath there was no public transport, and he had no money to get a taxi and there was one of the hardest storms ever to hit our area. He wanted to walk home 4 kms in the tempest. I quickly went out to meet him 1km away to lend him some money to get a taxi. But I was totally soaked to the skin. The last time it rained like that was 30 years ago. Temperatures dropped to 6 degrees. I got home by 9pm shivering and hoping I won't catch another cold again.

This morning the sun shone like nothing happened last night. The wind is still very cold but it was a bright sunny day. All our library staffs ... from both libraries went out for a long walk to the southern mountains to see the wild flowers. It was a very nice excursion. The wild anemones were blooming everywhere ... and there were wild irises as well. Almond trees were profusely flowering and the barley are just packing their heads with starch. It was good to get out of the Old City that's still packed with tourists ... and you never know who's sick and who's not. Out in the open with sun and strong winds, there's no fear of the virus ... especially when there's no one else around.

Tomorrow morning I have the armenian Mass but I think soon the Archbishop will also suspend public masses here in Jerusalem. It's incredible how a microscopic virus can bring a City to its knees ... which even no war we've had so far been able to do.

Hailstorm

Storm over the City

Hail and thunder today ... the weather turned very stormy by mid-morning. Very dark skies with strong gusty winds. And the 26 degree afternoons we've been having dropped to 9 degrees. This seesaw flux in temperature is making everyone sick ... and not helping one bit the spread of coronavirus. I didn't go to the other library to work today ... didn't want to risk catching another cold in this storm.

And talking about the virus ... the entire West Bank is under lockdown. The Archbishop had to send a second pastoral letter at night to inform all the parishes and schools in Palestine to suspend Masses and other meetings, maintain hygienic practices etc... Tourists who have been sent out of Bethlehem last night found out that Israeli hostels didn't want them either ... so many have flown home. Hopefully not to spread the virus to their own countries. A poor tour bus driver caught the virus from a group of greek pilgrims and he is now in hospital with pneumonia. Unfortunate casualty.

Cold wet night

Today is Friday and I started out fasting like last week ... meaning no food ... but by noon I was feeling faint. I hadn't eaten since yesterday when I only had 4 small buns for the whole day. So today I ate some rice to prevent a fainting spell. Too bad. I've decided not to join any Way of the Cross on Fridays ... because of the danger of catching the virus ... and wisely the Custody has suspended this devotional on advice by the diocese. Likewise I'm not going to the Saturday night vigils at the Holy Sepulchre ... pilgrims kiss the stones and touch the stones ... it's definitely not safe there.  

Meantime the political wrangling over who will form the new govt is sharing headlines with the virus. Goodness knows how it will end. There's been clashes at the Gaza border today I hear ... with some casualties. Hopefully with the fouling of the weather ... things will lessen in tension. Mother Nature has ways to deal with humans ... from hail and storms to viruses.

Corona in Bethlehem

Empty Damascus Gate

Catastrophe!!! This afternoon news broke that the 1st 4 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Bethlehem. The Palestinian Authorities took immediately steps to close the borders, banning all foreigners from entering the West Bank, all Bethlehem hotels must stop accepting foreign tourists ... and most importantly all religious places of worship are closed for 14 days. That means the Basilica of the Nativity will be closed to the public. It is very drastic and has surprised everyone. Then again we all expected the virus to affect Bethlehem ... a major tourist site that draws millions from all over the world. It was only a question of time. Even the arab bus company that brings people from Jerusalem to Bethlehem have been issuing notices not to let asians board the buses. We're keeping a close eye on the development in Bethlehem.

Municipality Square ... empty

Meantime Israel has banned visitors from Germany, France, Spain, Austria and Switzerland from entering the country. As more and more groups are being turned away, hotels and restaurants are hurting. The Passover feast will be very low key and foreign jews will not be able to come and celebrate. And Purim next week should be very festive in the streets. However Israel has banned crowd events. But it's not very effective because no one seems to pay any attention to self-quarantine ... students, basketball teams, synagogue congregations still go ahead with their planned gatherings. That's scary when means to control the spread is ignored .... it's an epidemic waiting round the corner.  Tourists groups to Israel have trickled and in the evenings, you can feel the silent tension when iconic spots like Damascus Gate are empty of people.

Meantime Israel bombed Syria along the northern border and the syrians responded. Definitely not a good time to start a war when internally the virus is chewing away the structural fabric of Israeli and Palestinian society. Citizens from both areas are badly divided on how to deal with the virus ... and disunity is not a good foundation for a fight.

Iran while battling major coronavirus contagion, is now faced with floods in some regions and a plague of locusts in other regions. It is biblically epic.

Of fish and flowers

Blooming almond tree

The weather is so unbelievably fine ... sun shining, bright blue skies, cool wind. The almond trees all around the Old City are finally blooming. Stunning pink flowers with deep fragrance. Days like this should be spent outdoors and not stuck inside the classroom or office. Here we all agree on that ... and still remain in our classrooms and offices. Yes .... there're responsibilities and obligations. And the virus epidemic to worry about.

And Iran is on the warpath .... not with America or Israel ... but on coronavirus. Almost 100 have been infected and it's the only country where the govt. leaders themselves are infected ... from the vice-premier to the minister of health .... of all the ironies. And even America has no time to spar words with Iran as it tries to control the epidemic in it's own soil.  They have been too laxed and have now realized the virus has entered the country 6 weeks ago. Who knows how many thousands are now carriers! Catching up with e virus in such an expansive country will be difficult ... and the easy-going attitude of the people will only exacerbate the contagion. It's exactly what Italy has and is going through ... people who simply laugh it off and dismiss it as exaggeration. Well Italy is now the world's largest exporter of coronavirus ... thanks to stubborn ignorance. Prudence is not panic.

And talk about prudence or lack of it ... a teenager who has the virus didn't bother to quarantine himself but went to a football match last night. Now all 5000 spectators must be quarantined. You can be sure more than 50% of them will not do it, so they'll spread it another 5000. It's unbelievable ... they're like the italians.

Fish for sale

Several nights ago on my way home from work I passed by the open market at Musrara and they were selling fish ... as they always do on Fridays. There was a large variety that I've never seen before ... including swordfish. Must have been very expensive! I have always wanted to buy a fish head and cook curry with it ... but since I have no access to a kitchen, I've put it off.   

Some day'll I'll cook the curry. Famous last words.

Sunny day

Yesterday - crowds in the street

The elections yesterday was swift and the result was equally quick ... the PM's Party won by quite a big margin and the opposition party whom everyone thought would win actually suffered a significant lost. Now we'll see if the PM can form a coalition govt. For sure he will ask the ultra-orthodox parties  for support.

With all the news focussed on the elections, we hear nothing about the war at the northern border. Perhaps ignorance is bliss. Israelis and palestinians are only concerned with what the new govt will look like and what the future holds with such a govt.

And we've seen news of a singaporean student beaten up in London because of coronavirus racism. We know it could also happen to us here. So we're keeping a low profile and avoid going out in public.    https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singaporean-student-in-london-seeks-eyewitnesses-after-coronavirus-related-taunt-and?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=STFB&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR0XVX3d2YdFf1xJIkHXEkZRjNU_q2UJgvZhyXYjQGNpg7oGEJdHRe-f_zU#Echobox=1583199972

Red anemone and pink cyclamen

Meantime the weather has warmed up a lot .... a high of 16 degrees at noon. But forecast is a cold wintry weekend ahead. I went to see some wild flowers in the southern hills of Jerusalem. They were beautiful ... wild cyclamens and anemones everywhere. And yesterday's holiday saw lots of locals taking advantage of the right sunny weather to come out to the wilderness to see this incredible sight as well. The Sea of Galilee has risen unbelievably high ... so high that another week's rain or melting snow from Mt, Hermon will warrant the opening of the dam otherwise flooding will occur. Strange as it may sound ... that's good news for us. We finally have lots of water after decades of drought.

Though I've recovered from my cold, I'm still avoiding crowds at all cost. It's not good to fall sick at this moment. Not for fear of catching the virus ... but from anti-asian attacks.

Recollection and racism

Polling Station today

Up at the Syrian-Israeli border, a syrian terrorist tried to shoot into Israel and was bombed out by Israeli helicopters. Apparently in the last few days Israel had been bombing syrian targets as syrian terrorists tried to set up terror infrastructures at the border. Tensions have definitely risen at that spot and summer might see more violence.

Rolling the dough

It's Election Day and the streets are packed with families and locals taking the day off. In fact the road to Jaffa Gate has been cordoned off by the police so that cars cannot drive through .... and it has turned into a pedestrian mall. Shops are opened and doing brisk business. It looks as if coronavirus is all forgotten. There's been 2 new cases this morning but the holiday spirit has taken over. Still if you see some photos in the newspapers ... there're polling stations for the quarantined with attendants in full medical gear.

Dumplings ready
for boiling

And talking about coronavirus ... several Israelis who have returned from banned countries have not observed the self-quarantine. They go out and wander about .... causing panic in the streets and shopping malls. Police are out searching and arresting these people .... and one guy actually fought back the police by spitting and coughing. How irresponsible is that? Wait till half the population os infected ... but still those selfish individuals won't feel guilty. It's the local arrogance thing. Or just call it the biblical name: stiffed-neck people. And by the way .... it's not China but Italy who's the world's major exporter of coronavirus right now.

Yesterday the chinese religious spent an afternoon in Lenten recollection. It was a good opportunity since all of us are cooped up in our houses .... not daring to go out. We've been harassed, mocked, spat at, cursed even driven out of shops because of racism resulting from coronavirus. We discussed some biblical passages and then celebrated Mass before cooking dinner. There was homemade dumplings ... my favorite. After dinner we went back to our own homes ... in the winter darkness ... to avoid people harassing us. That's what life is like now here in the Holy Land. Never in all my years living here have I felt anti-asian racism as aggressive as these few weeks. We asians here have to watch each other's backs.