Mid-Autumn Festival

Full moon

 It's the Mooncake festival ... but this year there're no mooncakes. It's pretty sad. But our little Chinese community in Jerusalem will meet up and celebrate in our own little way ... eat some home-cooked Chinese food. That's the best we can do. 

The past few evenings I've been working late, so on my way home I could catch the full moon over Damascus Gate. It's beautiful. The area has been quite tranquil after the capture of the 6 prison escapees. Police presence is less and so is the tension. However last evening saw crowds of Jews going to the Wailing Wall to pray for Sukkot. This morning too the street from Damascus Gate leading to the Wailing Wall was full of Jewish families carrying the 4 species (palm, myrtle, citron and willow) to wave during prayers.

Last night I had a long sleep ... about 7 hours. I was really exhausted. But when I woke up at 4am, I couldn't breathe. I was struggling for 2 hours, almost blacking out due to lack of oxygen. But it finally passed and I was back to normal. I went to the pharmacy just now to see what I can take but the pharmacist told me to see the doctor. I did get a nitroglycerin spray for heart attacks though ... I always carry one with me because I won't die from suffocation but a heart attack provoked by the suffocation. That's a handy spray to have in the pocket.

Well I guess everyone will be having a great Mid-Autumn festival despite Covid restrictions. Enjoy but stay safe!

ps* Yesterday's viewers to my blog reached 931. Don't these people have something better to do? Stalking me online is a waste of time. 

New sisters

Patriarch with new sisters

Wow ... so out of the blue there're 918 viewers to my blog today. Another scary hint at I'm being watched. I usually have only 20 - 40 viewers ... so it's very revealing why numbers shoot up like that all of a sudden.

Been feeling really sick for the past 3 days. Last Friday for a few minutes both my arms were paralyzed ... twice. I really felt sick then ... nausea and fainting. Later that day the chinese sisters pricked my fingers to release blood and did some reflexology massage to lower the blood pressure and promote circulation. Nights are dreadful with pain in my abdomen. I planned to go to hospital tomorrow but transport will be very difficult because it'll be a major Jewish feast - Sukkot.

In a few hours it'll be Sukkot ... the feast of huts/booths. Everything stops for 24 hrs till tomorrow sunset. Jews will eat all their meals in those huts which are found in every house and street. It'll be quiet again tomorrow like on Yom Kippur. A nice change from the hustle and bustle. But inconvenient if you need to travel.

It's Monday ... I had class last night from 9pm to 10pm ... then class at 4am ... then I had to bring a new convent of sisters to visit the Patriarch and get their visas done. I arranged for them to come and take charge of the Caritas Baby Hospital since the last congregation of Franciscan sisters left last year. This group of Indian sisters are all nurses and well trained for obstetrics and gynecology. Caritas Baby Hospital is the only such hospital in the entire Palestine.

Anyway I'll feeling unwell. Will be off to sleep early.

Back to normal

Sunrise on Yom Kippur

The country's back to normal today ... Yom Kippur ended at sunset and public transport resumed in the night, shops reopened in the night, people started coming out of their houses. Today they are busy putting up their huts on their balconies and terraces and sidewalks. Its for the feast of Sukkoth that begins in 6 days.

The weather has gone even cooler than at the beginning of the week. Last night was 16 degrees. Chilly. And today was 26 degrees. It was slightly cloudy and a cool breeze was constantly blowing. Feels very much like autumn. Sukkoth is the same day as Mid-Autumn festival ... so it's really autumn. I think after Sukkoth the leaves on the trees will turn red and fall. And this autumn feel usually sets the tone for Christmas ... which right on cue, shops in the Old City's Christian Quarter are selling Christmas decorations!

Tomorrow I have to celebrate the Konkani Mass. Their chaplain is back in India for holidays so I help out. I do that for the Ethiopic Mass as well; I love the ethiopic singing. So I'll go prepare my sermon now and have an early sleep.

Feast

Blooming Jerusalem artichokes

 Time flies. It's already Thursday and I haven't updated the blog. There was work to do, but also I was trying to get some rest as I've been having bad headaches and general weakness. I avoid going out except for work as infections have again risen, and police are entering shops to check on vaccination certificates.

It's Yom Kippur today. The City is dead. No cars, no noise, no people in the streets. Even the Muslim Quarter is rather quiet as I went to work in the morning. Only soldiers were stationed at every corner. Majority of the Jews are fasting and in prayer at home. By sunset today, they'll break their fast and preparations will be made to celebrate Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles/huts in 7 days time. They will be busy building wooden huts with palm branches for a roof. For 8 days they will eat their meals in these huts and not indoors. But till then, Yom Kippur is a solemn quiet day. No public transport, no media, no music, no work allowed.

Today's garbage

Well for me it's another day of work, though our workers are taking a day off. Without public transport and road closures, our workers cannot come to work. But I came to the office because I needed to consult some books. Also I had class with the Sydney Youth, and in one hour I'll have a talk with MC sisters followed by confessions and Eucharistic adoration. Then I hope to find some food to eat. I couldn't find any food today ... neither breakfast nor lunch and I'm terribly hungry. I ate some fresh dates that I bought yesterday but they're not enough to fill my stomach and give me energy to work. And this morning's work ... throwing the garbage ... was difficult. There was so much garbage which I had to carry from the kitchen down 5 floors to the road outside. Let's see if there'll be as much garbage tomorrow. I'll have to call for help.

Again

Fallen unripe dates

 There were 2 stabbing attacks today. Earlier in the morning there was an attempt in the town of Gush Etsion just south of Jerusalem, but the police foiled the attempt. Then an hour ago another attack at the Central Bus Station with 2 injured and the stabber killed. I guess these unrest will continue for a while when the Jewish feastdays take place till the end of the month. It's very tense  and I try to walk home from work through the alleys so as to avoid crowds. Crowds are always the target of attacks.

Gaza continues to fire into Israel. And the latter retaliate ferociously. Somehow the Gaza authorities don't understand their military action is counter-productive. The Gazans will suffer in winter without heating, electricity or medicines. Peace will allow the borders to be opened and essential goods will flow in.

Pruning palm branches

The palms at Palm Plaza were pruned yesterday ... mainly because the branches are needed to build booths or tabernacles for the Feast of Sukkot (Booths/Tabernacles/Huts). Poor Jews can't afford, so the Parks Authorities cut public palms and distribute them to the poor. The unfortunate thing is the unripe dates are also cut off. Parakeets love the ripened dates as they're sweet and full of energy. Already flocks of Indian ring-necked parakeets have been munching on the few ripe dates. Now everything has fallen on the ground and thrown away. Pity.

The weather continues to cool down. Nights get chilly at 18 degrees. Buddy and JJ are shedding their summer feathers and growing winter ones. We had a good day together yesterday. I cleaned out my room and both were very involved ... walking on everything, wanting to see everything. They're very curious by nature.

Attack

Empty plaza at Herod's Gate

 2 hours ago there was a stabbing attack near our house. A 50 yr old arab tried to stab an israeli police but was seriously shot. A police was also wounded by a ricochet bullet. It's something we've been trying to avoid. It occurred near the 5th Station of the Cross ... and catholics were just making the Way of the Cross just then. 

My walk home after work saw empty plazas at Damascus Gate and Herod's Gate. Police were everywhere and people tried to stay home to avoid problems after the stabbing. There was a road block in front of Notre Dame Centre's main entrance. It's very tense to say the least.

The past nights saw demonstrations and rioting by arabs in support of the 6 escaped terrorists. The general disturbance all around areas of the country with arabs serve to divert military forces from tracing down the escapees. Here we're just about 650 meters from the riotings. 

Apart from the general chaos around us, I must say the weather is getting cooler by the day. it's down to 22 degrees right now and a strong cool breeze is blowing. I wished I had a thin hoodie with me. It was a cold walk home.

Great curry

Lamb curry

 Tensions continue within the country and around its borders. Clashes occurred at Damascus Gate yesterday as well as all the borders with Palestine. Shots were fired as well from both sides. I think tonight will be worse. Police presence remains high. Because I wear a mask and cap, it's not always obvious I'm a foreigner and police have tried to stop me ... so I have to pull my mask down each time I pass police street and road blocks.

The pharmacy's recommended cream for the midge bites are very effective. It has reduced the swelling and itching and my fever has gone. However I still need to spray repellent in order to prevent future bites. It's horrendous how a tiny midge the size of a pinhead can cause so much pain and infection. Next Spring I'll keep frogs and chameleons in my room to eat those insects.

Yesterday was the feastday of our Indian sisters' congregation "Maria Bambina" (Baby Mary). Sr Clara the superior cooked lamb curry and biryani, and gave some to me. It was very delicious. She managed to find the ingredients from an indian grocery somewhere in West Jerusalem, which I don't know of. I loved the curry and rice. I'm missing asian food alot. The curry and biryani made it feel like a real feastday ... special food for special occasion. And there was also a piece of apple cake in my tupperware!

The change of my BP medicine from Novasc to Exforge has helped keep by BP at 145 to 125. I realised that every few years, the medicines I usually take become ineffective and I have to change them. The thing is I never know when till I get severe symptoms. That's dangerous. I'll need to be careful and be on the constant lookout for any slight changes to my health.