Steamed buns and chicken soup

What rains we're experiencing these 2 days! And cold! 5 degrees during the day, lower in the night. At 4am this morning we even had slight snow in Jerusalem. It quickly melted in half and hour though. And the wind was icy, cutting through flesh and bone. It's times like this that I feel like burning all my books to keep my room warm.

Homemade buns for lunch

I woke up at 3am to do my work prior to going off for my medical check 70 kms away. The rain and graupel was awful as I left the house at 5am. But it was a good visit and I rushed back to Jerusalem because I had a 40 minute lesson to teach ... quite ridiculous having to travel 140 kms, costing US$300 for the journey and medical cost just to teach 20 students who can't respond to a single question. Time to call for my retirement. And it was raining graupel and only 5 degrees and I had to walk another 2 kms to get home!!!

Traditional chicken soup
chinese style

As a consolation, Ah Ling of Mandarin Restaurant made veggie-vermicelli steamed buns and gave me some to eat. She also slow-boiled chicken with chinese herbs and gave me a big bowl to drink. It was nice to eat and drink this  in cold weather and after the medical checkup. I hadn't eaten in the last 24 hours. It certainly gave me back my energy.

So the morning was spent in Israel's coastal city for my medical checkup. In the afternoon I went to Palestine up in the Judean hill country - Bethlehem. It was raining and wet and I wasn't thrilled. All the shops were closed too. Had to go there to do several chores but went home empty-handed, cold and with a splitting headache. Luckily my arab friend and his family were there to help me.

Rain again

Dark rain clouds over the city

And the weather forecasters were right .... the past two nights rained. Today it continued to rain in the day. 6 degrees right now. Cold, wet, gloomy.

Students trudge to their exams. There's an air of tension and nervousness wherever students gather. It's that time of the year .... a necessary evil ... exams. The weather seems to reflect the students' gloom.

Aches and pain ... that's what this weather is all about. Us old folks are writhing in joint-pains. Young folk are all down with the virus or headaches. Can't wait for this winter to pass.

Tu B'Shvat

Today is the Jewish arbor day - Tu B'Shvat. It's a celebration of life and nature ... but the cold and gloomy skies don't invite barbeques in the parks. Some groups have gone tree planting - a good idea as most of our forests are slowly giving way to urbanisation. Rain forecast for the next few days.

Musakhan - the best!

Last night I had a lovely surprise. My muslim friend called to say his mum made something great and I must taste it. Later that evening he sent his brother to bring a huge plate over to me. It was a taboon bread baked with onions and sumac topped with the juiciest chicken drumsticks I've ever eaten. It was really good and I thoroughly enjoyed. The dish is a typical Palestinian cuisine called Musakhan. Have a look! I guess it was Mawled al Nabi - the feast of Mohammed's birthday so my friend's mum made this. I really like local food.

Today is also the feast of Blessed Gabriele Allegra. it's the first time a memorial Mass is celebrated in his name on his feastday. It was good. The professors here remember him as their teacher many years back. The new students have not the slightest idea who he is. So Osvalda our librarian and myself decided to do up a little exhibition of Allegra's works and life at the school foyer.

Hot is back

The weather is hot like summer today .. except for the occasional wind that reminds you it's winter. Oh I was referring to Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan area. Had to go for my checkup this morning. But had to wait till 12pm for my turn. Brought along a book so I read quite alot for my research. Jerusalem though is still cold.

Damascus Gate getting packed
with crowds this evening

Today is the muslim feast of Mawled an Nabi - the birthday of the prophet Muhammed. The Old City was packed with muslims on pilgrimage to the Al Aqsa mosque. Chants filled the air the whole day and night from the minarets. It was festive. For a 2nd time this week, local business did a brisk trade ... marking up their profits.

Meanwhile in Israel, the PM is meeting Lapid the leader of Yesh Atid party - a new kid in the block, founded only last year but is the party that won the 2nd largest amount of votes. Pretty tough party this one - wants to continue with settlements in Palestine and building the wall. I guess the Israeli public wants to hear that - what with the chaos in neighbouring Syria. It also addresses the economic problem ... something which certainly won them votes from the cash-strapped masses. And fear among the ultra-orthodox jews as this party aims to draft their males into the army ... something they have managed to escape for the past 40 years. The next few weeks are going to be interesting.

Chicken soup

Yesterday's Election Day was a great occasion for Israelis to enjoy the holiday. The Old City was packed - literally sardine packed with Israelis who came for a visit. And they're mainly secular Israelis. Whole families in the carloads. There was not a parking space available around the city. The Light Rail was jammed pack and the streets had no standing space. Election Day is certainly good for local business. Restaurants and little eateries made brisk business. Who cares if Netanyahu wins? Just organise an Election Day holiday once a month ... it brings in the money. That's what most local shopkeepers feel.

Chicken soup at Mandarin's

I went to Mandarin's yesterday for lunch with an Israeli friend. He was going off to vote but decided to stop by for a chinese meal. The restaurant was quite busy. Ah Ling the owner had just boiled chinese chicken soup with herbs and insisted I drink a huge bowlful in order to strengthen my constitution. It was good. Drank halfway through before deciding to take a photo. Ah Ling has a new menu done. Lots of new dishes - homemade dumplings and buns (bao). I guess I'll have to organise a reunion dinner here for the New Year. It's pretty costly so I'll have to work to earn something.

And here's a headline from a local newspaper:

Want to buy a home in Israel? Better get yourself a large fortune; Israel isn't quite as expensive as Hong Kong, yet. But going by a new international study, 

http://www.haaretz.com/business/want-to-buy-a-home-in-israel-better-get-yourself-a-large-fortune.premium-1.495758

Everything is expensive. The new govt. is not going to solve this anytime soon. The economy severely needs some chicken soup booster.

Election Day

The streets are full of soldiers. High security on Election Day as polling stations open at 7am throughout the country. But the arabs are disinterested. In fact they're resigned ... resigned to the fact that the next govt. is no more different than the previous one, that their lot will not get better but worse. The Israeli Left is equally resigned ... their agenda is lost and the public has abandoned them as the govt. moves further right. The public is resigned ... nothing has been mentioned about solving the economic problem, panic is on the rise as the govt. plays up the fear factor of Iran and arab attacks. Only the Israeli Right is excited. Exit polls show they've grown in influence and votes. Now they're jostling each other for power as Netanyahu starts looking for coalition partners from the far right. Everything was expected.

In the light of all this election fray, an insightful documentary is being screened which stirs up many emotions that recalls the 1948 war.  What happened to Palestinian books when Israel was created in 1948? Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper

"Gagou" on St George's Street

Meantime life goes on ... here's a pic of my favourite french pastry shop "Gagou". Nothing like a little sweet pastry to remove the bad taste of an election that wasn't. This time round, there was no need for a crystal ball to tell us the election results. There was no fight. It's like shooting fish in a barrel.

... where angels fear to tread

Another vote catcher today ... the Trade and Labour Ministry made an unexpected swoop on 140 restaurants and found everyone of them to be violating labour laws. Employees were underpaid or were unfairly treated ... so now they get justice. There's overall praise for this protection of the lowly workers. More votes for the incumbant govt.

Then the PM and other candidates are swearing to the Israeli public they'll never pull out of the settlements; the Defense minister today adds 3 km of fence/wall to divide Israel from Palestine just below the Mt. of Olives .... more vote pulling from the undecided public. Unfortunately what all these candidates missed is: no one is bothered with the defense issue. Everyone is worried over the economy ... rising prices of food and housing. So far no candidate has dared to broach this topic. Better stick to national security issues that are a time-tested election winner then to address the failing economy that's tearing the country apart. Only fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

Sunrise over the Kidron Valley
and Dead Sea beyond

In the deep of winter now ... the sun rises late, at 6.10am today. And it's from the south-east that the sun now rises ... just over the Kidron Valley and Dead Sea. The chemistry of nature over this unique region results in spectacular colours and hues. Too bad people prefer to sleep through it all. You get to see this only in winter. But anyone who makes the sacrifice to get up an hour earlier, he'll see this array of glowing colours and changing hues created by the vapours of the Dead Sea ... and there he'll see the place where angels tread. Footprints in the sky.