Sandstorm

Sandstorm at dusk

Already 3 days since I last posted? Unbelievable. Well that's how busy I am, I've lost all track of time. Also because I've been feeling very sick with asthma the past 3 days. There's a sandstorm blowing and today was especially harsh. Even in my room, I'm choking. I couldn't sleep for the past nights as I couldn't breathe. Was sitting up on my chair and struggling to get some oxygen into my lungs. And my eyes are itching because of the fine desert dust blowing over the country. And I have a terrible headache as a result of not sleeping. I stayed in my room all day till 6.30pm when I needed to go to the bakery and buy bread. Ran out of it. I walked very slowly, climbing all the steps at Damascus Gate to get to Musrara open market. The bakery is the last stall at the end of the street. I bought the bread and walked the long way home through Herod's Gate. I needed to stretch my legs but the sandstorm is not doing my lungs any good. Anyway the forecast is rain tomorrow. I sure hope so. It'll wash away the sand and dust from the air and my asthma would get better.

Sea bass and octopus!!

At Musrara, all the shops and restaurants were opened. Crowds of muslims were eating and milling around ... it's Friday and most have come from outside Jerusalem to pray at the Al Aqsa mosque. Passing the butchery, there were lots of fresh fish on sale, as usual on Thursdays and Fridays. There was a huge octopus and 2 huge sea bass. And there were crabs and prawns ... I was thinking of all the dishes I could cook. After daydreaming ... I walked off. It's too expensive. 1 kg of prawns or crabs costs over US$15. Exorbitant.

Infection rates have dropped to its lowest since December (after the 2nd lockdown). It looks good. We might not have to be locked down again. Fingers crossed. More public places will be opened ... but only to green pass holders or recovered covid people. I'm not both ... so I'll be kept out from everything, including church services over 10 people. Holy Week will be quite a personal affair for me as I can't join the community

Back to normal ... almost

Life back to normal

An utterly exhausting day ... I can't even think straight. Just a numbing headache and not aware of my surroundings. Woke up at 3am for class at 4am. Then 7am doing the Way of the Cross for recording and editing. Then it was work right through the day, plus a bit of studying. But honestly I was so tired I nodded off to sleep several times during the day. I couldn't keep awake. There were queries for instructions from the other library, payments for bookbinding to be paid, a volunteer needed instructions ... actually I thought volunteers were here to make my work lighter ... but reality is they add on a lot more instead.

Holy Sepulchre
altar

Life is almost back to normal. Yesterday's walk to the New City, many small businesses and restaurants opened ... with outdoor sitting. It was good to see some semblance in normality. But 40% of businesses are permanently closed down. Owners have gone bankrupt. It's tragic. Hopefully the govt can create more jobs, give financial assistance for business re-starters, and get debts cancelled. It's imperative. 

This morning at the end of the Way of the Cross, which ends at the Empty Tomb, I went there to pray for you. And I guess I needed some prayers for myself too. 

Now I must sleep. I'm a zombie ... my brains have gone to sleep already though my fingers are still typing.

Exit lockdown

Damascus Gate yesterday

3 days have passed since I last updated the blog! Can't believe how time flies. As usual Fridays and Saturdays I'm busy writing my weekly homework. There was no time for anything else. I finished my paper yesterday evening in my other office ... which is a lot quieter as I don't have Buddy and JJ playing on my keyboard. It was 6.30pm by then and I still had to go to the bakery to buy bread and then get back home by 7pm because we have Lenten meditation with vespers.

Mounted police

The sky was a terrible yellow ... a sure sign of a sandstorm. No wonder I was having problems breathing. It's very bad for asthmatics. The crowd at Damascus Gate and the Musrara open market were a little larger than usual. Jewish worshippers were many ... rushing down the Gate to get to the Wailing Wall. And there were 2 mounted police at the top of the staircase. They were probably anticipating some trouble, since they're deployed only when riot dispersion is necessary.

Today our 3rd lockdown ended. Shops reopened, restaurants opened, all who did not give up reopened. Sounds like good news ... except when we see so many other shops closed, we remember they did not survive: businesses wound up, collapsed, bankrupt. It was a bitter sweet day. Let's hope we don't have to be locked down again. It's up to the people to continue being vigilant, wear masks and keep distance. Otherwise a 4th lockdown is inevitable. And don't be mistaken ... if restaurants, shopping malls and shops are opened, it means only for green passport holders, meaning those who are vaccinated, or who have recovered from Covid. Those without it, cannot enjoy these facilities. That means me. I'll be left out in many things ... including church services.

Hailstorm

 What a cold wet day! I almost expected it to snow again! 4 degrees felt like zero. And the wind was biting cold. The coastal cities ... usually warm and humid ... were struck with heavy rainstorms, floods and even hailstorm. The southern coastal city of Ashkalon was was caked by a layer of ice after the hail melted. Amazing sight.   https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rks79NCzu?fbclid=IwAR3RNIbqwBfdjF7XTlBuDj_-WWILVx7AHhFUr-7pJLkbMyGzZLH6hQ76ImA#autoplay

Sr. Ann - photo from Facebook

Everyone is talking about Sr. Ann, the Burmese nun who intervened in front of armed soldiers to spare protestors from being shot. Many have shared the stunning and touching photos on social media. No one can ignore it. Even non-catholics are sharing it. She was ready to sacrifice her life. And that summarises the ultimate christian call ... to die for others. 

I was home all day because of the cold. It was only at 4.30pm that I went to M. Teresa's convent for confessions, adoration and Bible talk. It's always good to be with the sisters. Always joyful and thankful. But mind you even though the walk to their convent is only 200 meters, I got a severe bout of asthma. It was just too cold.

Another week is ending. Tomorrow is the weekend. I feel as if I'm trudging ... or limping through 2021. There seems to be so much to do, so little time to do it ... and I am so very tired. I've been promising a month long summer holiday in Jaffa ... but it's been 8 or 9 years since I've actually done that. This year I simply must. My body is breaking down ... and I think my mind already has.

Filipina sisters of D&D grocery

We're one year this week since the corona pandemic touched the country. It's been tough for everyone. We've struggled and battled to stay alive ... physically, spiritually and mentally. One thing I'm thankful for are all those people who cared and provided me with food and called to check if I was alright. Last week 2 filipina sisters who run an asian grocery gave me and a filipino student packs of biscuits and food to make sure we have something to eat. It was very nice of them.

Church attacked

Spring flowers in our mini-
garden

Another strange statistic in my blog ... yesterday there were 106 views. Something is fishy ... someone(s) is stalking my blog.

Now for the good news - infections dropped to its lowest today since December 2020. I guess the vaccinations are working, and people are developing a resistance to the virus despite the great crowds during the Purim holidays. However there is great fear that returning citizens could bring in foreign strains which the population is still not immuned. The govt wants to reopen the airport this Sunday for israelis so they can come home to vote ... and medical experts are crying foul that it's a political decision not based on science. They fear infection rates will rise next month.

Tons of garbage

The Israeli TV came and did their shoot in the library. I brought out 4 interesting ancient books from the 14th and 15th centuries: 2 illuminated psalters, a pilgrim's diary to the Holy Land, a phamaceutical book and a recipe book of a chef who cooked for popes and royalty. I guess they were all happy. 7 hours of hard work ended in 10 minutes. Took another half hour to put them back in the shelves. 

Ultra-orthodox jews have vandalised the Romanian Orthodox church for the 4th time in a month, this time setting the door of the church on fire. The police has done nothing and Christian leaders are now protesting loudly. Of course nothing much will be done ... it's election time and you don't want to upset the electorate with arrests and charges. https://www.lpj.org/posts/catholic-churches-condemn-repeated-attacks-on-romanian-church-monastery-in-jerusalem.html?fbclid=IwAR3xFd8aDHPE-_EDWNC0jRqrMEzcMEG6T4tkjalQCwZYfpfHRainoIlnaI4

The filming of the Way of the Cross tomorrow morning has been postponed. The weather forecast is rain. And it'll be only 6 degrees. I don't want to get sick and the Media Center doesn't want their equipment to be damaged.

I've been terribly stressed. And with the little sleep that I've been having, it's not helping me focus on my work during the day. I guess I'll go to sleep early tonight.

Oil spill

No more seafood here

A terribly busy day ... much more than usual. I had an unscheduled preparation for a TV shoot of some of our ancient books tomorrow. It was a mad rush to search for manuscripts and books which they wanted ... while also running back and forth from the Finance Dept to deal with financial payments of our workers for last month. And then I tried to do some studies but it was quite impossible. I was on call with Milan asking for help from our library team there to find manuscripts which I don't recall having ... and I was right. We don't. It was probably in the archives.

Praying in the
Holy Sepulchre

Today was warmer than yesterday, strangely enough. I think it went up to 20 degrees under the sun ... but in the shade it was like 10 degrees. Forecast is tomorrow is rain and cold again. I need to be prepared.

The terrible oil spill has destroyed all the beaches along our coast. Tons of tar contaminated the sands and lots of sea life died ... even a baby whale. Now the govt is banning all seafood ... Well seafood is not kosher anyway but muslims and christians can eat them so there's still a market. Last week I saw some fantastic crabs, squids, mussels and prawns in the open market. I couldn't afford to buy them as half a kilo costs US$10 or more. So I feasted it with my eyes for 5 minutes ... then I walked on.

With all the pressure of work, I've been sleeping only for 3 hours. Well last night was because I forgot to close the window and it was 4 degrees. Was shivering tough the heater was on ... till I figured the window was open at 4am. A little too late to go back to sleep.

Cold and colder

Adoration & recollection

 A day of unease ... more bombings in Syria suspected to be carried out by Israel, and an arab driver ran over an israeli, claiming he was escaping an attacked by israeli lynchers while israelis say he's a terrorist; and yesterday over 200 jews entered the Al Aqsa Mosque under police protection to pray - which is not allowed since 2001 during the 2nd Intifada. A lot of tensions and expected revenge attacks.

Meantime the inoculation programme seems to be working in Israel: cases needing hospitalisation have fallen. And arabs are going in larger numbers to get vaccination ... though the infection rate is much higher. Because of the tens of thousands who broke the social distancing rules on Purim for 3 days, it's likely the upcoming Passover feast will be locked down. Well, on paper at least. Everyone knows it'll be business as usual and the law will not be enforced.  https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/covid-19-hundreds-party-in-jaffa-many-without-masks-as-curfew-looms-660405?fbclid=IwAR2dOG8b_tuK_iraH_LszYMffFC-kGGGdF2ollL5ND692135O5lDR2By_t0

Ethiopic at
prayer

Yesterday the english-speakers in my house gathered for our monthly english day of recollection and adoration of the Eucharist. I started this 2 months ago because with a year of lockdowns, we've not had any retreats or monthly recollections. Our 2 indian sisters came to join us. One of our Nigerian students preached. 

The weather again was made a downturn ... temps rose no higher than 14 degrees during the day, and it rained in the late morning. More of such days for the rest of the week. I had gone to work while it was warm and sunny, just wearing a pullover and hoodie. But as I got home at 6pm, it was so cold I had to wear another thick hoodie over all that. I'm not sure if I'm ready cold plunge ... my brain is already on summer mode.