Hectic day

Empty street

Today is the total opposite of yesterday. From the moment my eyes were open, there were so many things needing my attention, not least trying to help a new student with serological tests, documents for Covid quarantine release ... it is as complicated as it sounds. Every website tells you a different rule, so you're never sure what is required. It's going around in circles, paying each time for this or that service and info. To play safe, you have to try all the options and all the maximum price.

With infections reaching a 6000 daily mark and 400 serious cases, the govt is mulling another lockdown. But really it's not necessary if everyone wears the mask, keep distance and wash their hands. But as I see in the streets, fewer people are wearing the mask than 2 weeks back ... most of these people are from outside the City. That's the major problem. The Covid police must enforce the rule on these outsiders.

And though the streets remain mostly empty, groups of locals still come to visit the Old City. But as I noticed one group in our compound this morning ... they don't wear the mask or keep distance. It's terrible. I'm not going down to out chapel for Mass or prayers since no one can guarantee that those visitors didn't carry the virus in there. Much better to celebrate Mass at the Ivrea convent ... it;s a lot safer as the sisters are double and triple vaccinated.

Tomorrow I return to hospital to see my results. No expecting anything good or bad. I'm just numb ot it. Every night I still wake up choking and wheezing. My stomach is still bloated and I'm always dizzy and nauseous. My BP is around 140+ now that I've taken the new medication. So let's see what the doc says tomorrow.

Quiet day

Quiet Zion Square

 I decided to take a day off. The cool wind has stopped blowing and the heatwave is delivering a punch. Physically I'm feeling too weak to trudge uphill in this heat. I've lost 5kg and the docs explained that it's not because I feel full and have no appetite but because the stomach is bloated. I feel tired and hungry but I can't sleep or eat. And the heatwave is not helping. The results from the hospital tests are not out yet.

Now we have news that yesterday saw 6000 new infections. The Delta strain is taking over the country and the govt has imposed some restrictions but everyone doubts it will lead to a full lockdown. Majority of the people are vaccinated so there's confidence in the vaccine. Let's hope the numbers will drop by this weekend and we can breathe easy. That's one reason why I avoid going out these days except to work. I don't want to catch the virus. The streets and squares in the City are also relatively quiet. Usually in summer they're packed with families and school children, but this year with the Delta outbreak and the heatwave, not everyone wants to come out.

August is almost halfway through. Tomorrow we celebrate the feast of St. Clare. It's a big feast for us, St. Clare being the companion of St. Francis who founded the Poor Clare Order in the 13th century. After the feast of St. Clare comes the Assumption on August 15th; and after that summer begins to end and school reopens in autumn.

National Day

Altar over Christ's Tomb

 The cool weather continued today. It's made going out pleasant ... as many people in the streets can testify. Still most shops selling fruit and vegetables avoid laying out their products in the streets, or they'll wilt and spoil. Kids are enjoying their summer camps as they get to go outdoors as the weather is cooler.

Empty street

I celebrated Mass inside the Empty Tomb this morning, as I usually do on the 1st week of each month. It's for all the benefactors, and families whom we remember here in the Holy Land, living and dead. That means all of you. The basilica was very quiet and there were barely 10 people there. It's a nice and rare opportunity ... until the tourists return and swamp the place again. Mind you, local tourists are flocking into the old City though. This morning there was a group of some 40 people, local jews with a guide, visiting our chapel. 

Today is Singapore's National Day. I hear it's a rather subdued celebration due to Covid restrictions. I guess that's the new normal. We'll need to live with it.

Healthwise I'm still giddy and nauseous, though much less than before. The new medication seems to be holding my blood pressure a little lower, but it does make me lethargic and sleepy. I try to rest alot more than usual as a result.

Sleep in

At the Holy Sepulcher

 The past 2 days were horrid ... I was quite ill. My nose was and is still bleeding and I'm terribly giddy. I guess my blood pressure has been high. I was back at the Clalit clinic to do more tests. It was hectic ... and to travel to the Mt Scopus clinic in this heatwave is an ordeal.

I was at the Holy Sepulchre Friday morning to pray for you. It was quite quiet. Only small groups of muslims and jews came to visit. Very few christians. And from today there will even be fewer people as new Covid restrictions come into effect. Masks are obligatory indoor and out now. Only 50% of indoor staff are allowed to work. Indoor customer are restricted to a handful each time, and outdoor gatherings should be no more than 100. 

Damascus Gate at night

And 2 days back Lebanon fired missiles into Israel ... and Israel responded by bombing Lebanon. There're fears of an escalation as Lebanon's govt is trying to avert attention from its internal crisis ... and Israel's new govt is yet to be tested militarily. In the wake of a year's lockdown and economic woes ... we really don't need another war. Lebanon's corrupt and dysfunctional regime should have gone a long time ago ... draining the country's and people's resources to enrich themselves while the people are impoverished.

The weather is surprising cool and cloudy this morning. It feels almost like autumn. In fact the cool wind continued to blow throughout the day. It really felt good. I decided to go for my 4km walk, visit Jungle petshop, had an ice cream to soothe my toothache and back home to sleep. I've not been sleeping well the past weeks, like 3 hours a day. Mentally I'm exhausted, physically I'm a wreck. A good long sleep is what I need to recover.

Heatwave

Summer fruit

 The heatwave hit 36 degrees today and the sweltering humidity was so oppressive I think most people chose to stay indoors. The only crowded place I saw today was at the Clalit clinic where I had to go for some tests. It was quite packed there ... the only place in the tension-torn City where Jews, Muslims and Christinas intermix and unite because of illness. Now I'll just have to wait for the results.

With the heatwave - which is causing forest fires in Greece, Turkey and Italy - farmers here are harvesting their fruit quickly before they shrivel in the heat; and village women are bringing them into the City to be sold. Prices are falling due to the surfeit of produce ... there's delicious mangoes and lychees in abundance. Grapes are also being sold though it's not quite the season yet. They're not sweet. Figs though are in their prime. I might just buy some tomorrow. 

Bedouin fruit on sale

Newspaper reports hint that the govt. might enforce a 2 month lockdown in the last week of August or 1st week of September. And it will be severe in order to stamp out the Delta surge. This Sunday compulsory mask-wearing will be enforced indoors and outdoors ... restrictions in the number of participants, shoppers or worshippers. It'll be back to total lockdown again. In one way I'm happy the govt is taking serious action on 2000+ new infections each day ... but to be locked indoors again will be quite unbearable for many shop owners.

Yesterday saw Lebanon firing some missiles into Israel. And Israel responded immediately. Now threats are being exchanged between the border. I hope it doesn't deteriorate any further. I'm not having a great summer health wise, nor can I have a vacation  because our house in Jaffa is fully booked, and there's a heatwave, a possible 2 month lockdown predicted ... I'm not ready for a war.

Excursion

Carmelites and MC sisters meet

 Despite the heatwave (36 degrees) and my general poor health, I brought 15 MC sisters to visit Nazareth as they requested. It was quite a drama in the beginning as the main group gathered at Damascus Gate ready to board our coach. The second group however coming from Bethlehem was stuck because there was a traffic accident in the tunnel. After waiting half and hour, I decided we go to Nazareth and told the second group to get there on their car as soon as they can. We'll meet up at the Basilica of the Annunciation. We wanted to visit the sites recalling St. Joseph ... since this year is dedicated to him.

Our first group first stopped by the village of El Bireh and visited the ruins of the Crusader church recalling Joseph and Mary meeting up and realising the boy Jesus was missing. It's a little-known church but full of biblical significance. The sisters enjoyed seeing it ... we prayed there.

Crusader church in El Bireh

When we reached Nazareth, it was already 11am. We went to pray at the Annunciation Basilica and then walked to the House of St. Joseph but it was closed. Nevertheless we prayed out side and read the Gospel. After that at 1pm we went up to the Carmelite Monastery where the nuns made a lovely sandwich lunch. The nuns baked their own bread. We were there till 3pm after celebrating Mass as well. Then we went up the Mt of Precipice to recall where the Nazareans tried to push Jesus down the cliff, 

By the time we got home, it was 7pm. I was exhausted and felt very sick. But at least the MC sisters got to visit some of the Josephite places. They work very hard and have little opportunities to go visit the sanctuaries.  Anyway I was so exhausted I had no appetite and couldn't sleep till midnight. Today I am trying to rest.

Portiuncola feast

Damascus Gate at night

Yesterday being Sunday ... I spent most of the morning resting and cleaning my room. It was very hot ... 35 degrees and the relentless beating of the sun is unbearable. I was suffering from a headache all day ... and my toothache made it worse.

The evening was busy though ... I went to the chinese sisters for foot reflexology to reduce my BP; then visiting some families to distribute aid. By the time I got home it was almost 10pm. I was very hungry as I haven't eaten anything so when I got home, I ate some leftover water melons. It was great because it cooled off the heat from the evening, and quenched the thirst. Summertime is always great to have refrigerated fruit ... they taste better than at other times.

This morning was equally busy, rushing from early morning Mass at the Ivrea convent to the hospital for my checkup and then up to my office for several meetings. Well the checkup was my worst fear as the doctor repeated independently what our infirmary doctor suggested ... there might be something wrong in my stomach or intestines that's causing all the diarrhea, which in turn probably causes my high blood pressure and embolism and fainting spells. I must do a cancer check for my gastro-intestinal areas. It's not exactly what I wanted to hear during the summer holidays.

Anyway today is the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels or the Porziuncola ... the little chapel beloved by St Francis. It's a big feastday for us all here ... except I'm spending the whole day in office.