Last day of July

The sun rises at 4.45am (ie 3.45am
solar time) and is blazing hot

So I'm resigned to the fact that I'm an insomniac. Just simply can't sleep. I'm analysing my sleeplessness to find the cause ... the heat, my headaches, post-op pain inside the sinuses, the war in Gaza ... all are possible candidates.

The Gaza war is spiraling out of control. Over a thousand have died for nothing. Then we learn that the Israeli soldiers are being besieged by christian missionaries preaching and handing out New Testaments. Then the soldiers get attacked by their own jewish ultra-orthodox citizens. Now we learn that Gaza extremists were trained in Malaysia for parachute assaults.

It's the end of July. I was resolved before the summer holidays to brush up my modern greek and hebrew during summer. Also to read up on egyptian hellenistic literature ... which is my main interest in research. But till now I've not even opened a book. I underestimated the recovery period of the operation. Like the docs said, being an internal head surgery, the recovery will take alot longer and the pain and discomfort will last longer. I'm feeling so out of action ... like an old car in the scrapyard. Inside my head is messed up. Can't think, remember, focus ..... I think the docs removed some of my brain in the process.

Sleepless in the City

Yesterday afternoon at about 3pm we received news that our catholic school in Gaza was bombed. It's some distance from the parish Church where the priests, sisters and handicap children are taking refuge. So far we don't know if anyone was injured.

The streets remain deadly quiet ... with only a handful of chinese/indonesian groups visiting. Even muslims are hardly in the streets. Only towards evening did some life return. Balloon sellers were out in the streets, cotton-candy hawkers also. Several families were passing through the Damascus Gate bazaar area. Hardly any sales though. There were still some police stationed at strategic points along the streets.

Home-cooked lunch

The weather remains hot but a cool breeze blows now and then. After working in the morning yesterday, I had to come home to rest because I was feeling very weak and the headache was bad. Cooked some rice, boiled some lettuce and frozen fishballs and warmed up a pack of precooked herbal soup. Nice lunch. Then I tried to rest as my head and feet were hurting so much. But every time my eyes closed, a call would ring. Absolutely frustrating. Finally gave up resting and went downstairs to chat with the israeli security guys. Nice surprise ... an old friend was working there on emergency call. Good to see him again. We chatted for awhile before I went off to work again in the evening. Am absolutely exhausted. All I want is to sleep ...

Eid el Fitri

A tray full of Qattayef
just for me!

Muslims in Israel/Palestine were still unsure if it wsa Eid el Fitri even though many other countries have already declared it. By yesterday evening there was no word from the Grand Mufti and the canon was not fired to announce the feast. Later in the night when Jordan announced the start of the feast, then Jerusalem joined in. It was a very muted affair ... what with the war  going on and heavy police presence throughout the City. This morning at 4am then canon sounded several times announcing the feast and for a couple of hours the City was packed with muslims going to the Al Aqsa. Then everything went quiet. The bazaars packed up, nargile hawkers disappeared, the streets were empty. Even the police packed and most left the City.

The few acquaintances that I met along the streets exchanged greetings "Eid Mubarak", "Kull sane we inte salen" ... there were no balloons, fire crackers and fireworks, no candies ... It was very subdued. You can imagine everyone here having a relative inside Gaza and how they feel about celebrating the Eid when their relatives are suffering or died in the war down south.

Tomato braised chicken by
Sr. Munira

I had to go to work as usual. It was very hot and I was afraid of my nose bleeding again. Had the same throbbing headache. But coming home I found a nice surprise waiting for me .... a tray full of qattayef, my favourite arabic dessert of pancakes stuffed with walnuts or cheese. And there was also tomato braised chicken! A gift from the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul in Sheyagh on the  Mt. of Olives. Your kind gifts throughout these years have not only helped them care for the orphans but now also the medicines, torchlights and money you donated have helped the persecuted christians in Syria whom these sisters are also helping. Sr. Munira, who cooked the chicken, is syrian and returns often to help her fellow villagers escaping persecution from extremists. The food was their thanks for all the help you have offered. Unfortunately I can't send them to you so I'll eat them on your behalf!!!!

Eid el Fitri tonight?

Even Independence Park is quiet

Last night passed with no major incidents in the Old City. There were minor scuffles in other places but nothing of significance. But what shocked everyone was the jewish attack on 2 arab youths that left them in a coma. And it took place just a short distance from the northern train line of Jerusalem. We're used to hearing arabs throwing stones at jews ... with minor injuries but no deaths or critical conditions. But the recent rise of jewish attacks on arabs have been peaking in number and violence ... often leaving the victims in coma. The war in Gaza may be very far from us but emotions have no boundaries. Jewish hatred for arabs have now boiled over and there're attacks almost every day.

Tonight, if the Grand Mufti is able to see the full moon, he will declare the start of Eid el Fitri and the end of Ramadan. It'll be very festive, with the Ramadan canon blasting 7 times .... but from the political situation, we expect little celebration. People don't want trouble that will disturb the feast ... but you'll never know what those at the mental fringe will decide to do.

Roads remained
empty today

My left eye is still swollen from the allergic reaction. And with the post-op recovery - the docs say I need another month - I feel easily fatigued. And slowly discovering the modifications to my nasal system that the docs did. One thing for sure - I can breathe so much better now ... with no asthma attacks so far. In fact there's so much oxygen going into my head, I get dizzy most of the time. Tried to sleep this afternoon but my headache was too much. Did a bit of cleaning my room but was too fatigued to continue. The thought of having to work tonight and tomorrow makes me sick already ... wish I could go away on vacation like everybody else.

Lull

My allergic reaction to the stink gas and chemical water has mostly gone. No more rashes or nausea but the left eye is still a little swollen. Have been sleeping the whole of yesterday due to the antihistamine I've been taking. This morning I thought I could sleep alittle more but workers decided to come and work so I was in the library from 7.30am to 7pm. Am so exhausted, no wonder my eye is still swollen.

Empty streets today

Ah Ling of Mandarin Restaurant called yesterday asking me to go over for dinner .... but with the violence in the streets I told her I'll be staying home. The roads are closed off anyway by the police so there's no guarantee if I went out, they'd let me come back in again. Today was horrifically quiet. It's the lull after the storm. The streets were totally empty of people. Eerie. Tomorrow evening begins Eid el Fitri ... the last day of Ramadan. Let's see what happens in the streets....

Despite my exhaustion from work today, I decided to take advantage of the lull and went to Mandarin's this evening for dinner. Ah Ling boiled herbal chicken soup with white rice. Managed only to eat half of it as I was too tired and nauseous. Doggie-bagged the leftovers so tomorrow I can have something to eat.

The bombing of Gaza is shocking ... people call it disproportionate. All I know is innocent people are killed and made homeless and hopeless. Some of Mother Theresa's sisters are trying to enter Gaza tomorrow to join their community of sisters in there caring for handicap children. I gave them US$2000 from your kind gifts to me for my medical fees. The children in Gaza need it more than me. Right now I'm watching the news ... there's a man whose skin was peeled off his face from the bomb blast that destroyed 20 family members ... he kept saying "All I do is sell chickens in the morning and then go home ... I've done nothing against Israel. I'm not from the resistance movement". I have no words.

Last Friday of Ramadan

Had a tiring day yesterday ... should have ended with a visit to a group in the hotel but police began closing down the City due to Laylat al Qadr. Multiple blockades from our house to Damascus Gate and even into Nablus Road. Incredible. You can feel the tension as men below 50 yrs stood at the barriers jeering, arguing and provoking the soldiers who barred them from entering the Old City.

Muslims praying in
Via Dolorosa

As I tried to get home, through the multiple blockades (they let foreigners through), Via Dolorosa was totally blocked by praying crowds of muslims who were forbidden to enter Al Aqsa Mosque. As the prayers ended, riot police charged to disperse the crowds. Stun grenades were fired. Crowds retaliated with stones and fistfights. Then more stun grenades and shootings from inside the Al Aqsa esplanade, all the area of Bab Hutta, big fire behind St Anne's church, all the way to Herod's Gate and into Damascus Gate. Running battles. Even right now, 3 hours after the prayers, there's massive shooting in front of our house ... actually directly below my window.

And to make matters worse, I developed an allergic reaction to something. Whole body breaking out in rashes. I managed to stop an asthma attack though. Just took an antihistamine but not sure if it works. And the heat is stifling. Plus the war outside my house ..... it's a perfect recipe for being sick.

Laylat al Qadr

This evening begins Laylat al Qadr ... the 25th night of Ramadan when muslims believe God revealed the first passages of the Quran to Muhammed. Traditionally muslims pass the night at the Al Aqsa Mosque chanting the Quran. But because of the political situation, Israel has closed off the Old City to all muslims below 50 yrs of age. Barriers have been put up in all the alleys and streets. Heavy military presence. No tourist groups except chinese ... By 4pm arab youths are protesting the ban on their entry into the Mosque. Pushing and shoving with military. Scuffles and fist-fights. Things will get worse tonight. And tomorrow? It's the last Friday of Ramadan so things will get more heated up.

Work continues in the library where carpenters and electricians are doing up 21 new tables. Problem is no one knows when they come and when they leave. Definitely stressing me out. I've been dissembling and assembling bookshelves, transferring books and cleaning up after workers. Then the nose began to bleed. I'm feeling so tired ... and everytime I sleep, I don't want to wake up.

Papayas in Israel

One happy note: 2 weeks ago on the way home from hospital, I found the wet market "Mahane Yehuda" selling papayas! After 20 years I've finally seen papayas. They're very small though, the size of a mango. But very sweet. It was so good to eat it after chilling it in the fridge for a day. I know the govt. has an experimental kibbutz growing papayas and have a filipino franciscan friar who is an expert to direct this project. But I think one of the Thai workers was killed yesterday by a Gaza missile ... so papayas will be very expensive as production stops.