Ankle problems

Boy selling bread in the early morn

The weather is hot during the day but cloudy ... looks like a sandstorm because the sky is a dull yellow. Not good for asthma sufferers. And I realised that the sun is rising very early ... 4.30am and the sun is already up. A definite sign that summer is here. That means I have less time to sleep as I am  a sun-person. If there's sun, I can't sleep.

My ankle is playing up again today. 6 years ago I fell in Bethlehem and twisted it. I never saw the doctor but when I did which was a year later, it was too late and the ankle is messed up. I usually have pain when I walk down stairs or when I first get out of bed but today it's every step I take. And walking up and down the stairs is impossible. I hop on my right leg instead. I guess I need to wear my ankle guard again. We just had a very interesting talk by the archeologist of the Herodion fortress. Loved it. But I had to walk down 4 storeys and after that walk back up. Awful pain in the ankles. A professor had to help me up the flight of steps. I guess I'll have to avoid walking stairs for the next few days. Wishful thinking .... it'll be like my much-awaited vacation that never comes.

War drums continue to sound as US officials are quoted to have said that Israel is preparing for a war with Syria/Iran. Most people try to push it behind their heads and pretend nothing will happen. But I can tell you it's troubling everyone ... just that no one wants to face it.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-officials-say-israel-behind-latest-syria-strike-preparing-for-war-with-iran/?utm_source=us-officials-say-israel-behind-latest-syria-strike-preparing-for-war-with-iran&utm_medium=desktop-browser&utm_campaign=desktop-notifications

The Israel Museum is reported to cover up exhibits describing evolution and dinosaurs because it would upset the ultra-orthodox who do not believe in it. Yes the ultra-orthodox are influencing museum exhibits as well.  https://www.haaretz.com/jerusalem-museum-covers-exhibit-on-evolution-when-haredi-visit-1.6045697

Bicycle race preparations

Golden grevillea
in flower

It's May 1st ... Labour Day for most of you, St. Joseph's Day for us here. Unfortunately it doesn't get much publicity because May is also the month of Mary, so most churches are celebrating the start of the marian month. Gets confusing when so many things are rolled into one.

Yesterday was very hectic as I had to correct a last minute thesis, then there was a class, and then I had to go up the Mt of Olives to meet a group. I finished work and came home at about 9.30pm ... and I started work at 3am ... so that was 18 hrs of work. And I had eaten nothing. This morning I woke up early at 4am to complete correcting the thesis so the student can hand it in to the school. I walked the 2.5 km to the school to see the secretary and principal to discuss exam timetables and outstanding assignments of other students. Finished at 11.30am then was back in the other library for work.

Municipality Square and stage

On my way home I noticed a huge grevillea in bloom. It was at least 5 storeys high and it stood in the small park next to the tram station. I guess no one ever paid attention to it when it isn't in flower, but once it blooms the incredible golden flowers catch your attention. And of course the birds and bees love its nectar.

Tsahal Square building something
for the bicycle race

Going home too witness a massive preparation to lock down the New City. Trucks carrying metal barriers were at every corner. Tsahal Square had something being built there. Municipality Sure had a stage. I found out it was for the Giro D'Italia ... the bicycle race in Italy but this year it's starting in Jerusalem to Tel Aviv to Eilat before returning to Italy for the rest of the competition. It's a big affair and security will be super tight as international competitors will be coming. I guess I'll be staying home on Friday then ... as all major roads around the Old City will be blocked. My confusion is it's an italian bicycle race "Giro D'Italia" so why is it starting it's first 3 days in Israel?

Well ... time to go back to another job before I crash from fatigue.  I have a feeling there're a couple more assignments to be corrected ... they creep up behind you to surprise you. That will ruin the rest of my week.

Samaritan feast

Full moon over Damascus Gate

Yesterday's full moon marked the Smaritan Passover. This year, due to the addition of a month in the Samaritan lunar calendar, their Passover did not clash with the Jewish Passover by a month. That made it possible for the jews to go and attend the Samaritan Passover. I understand the crowds were so great the military had to come in to handle the crowds, Muslim, Christian and Jewish leaders from nearby Nablus came to wish the High Priest a happy feast. The slaughter of the lambs took place as scheduled when the story of the Exodus was read in public. The Samaritans are one of the world's minorities, with no more than 500 left and all live here in Israel. Too much in-breeding does not help. I think some students went to witness it. I decided not to go because of the crowds. Perhaps next year.

Beggars at Damascus
Gate

It's Monday .. class at 4am. I was utterly exhausted and wished I could sleep another hour. After class I had to open the library. Then a rush to the other library 1km uphill to open it and arrange the work for the librarians. Then it was a rush back home because one of the students sent his very very late thesis chapter for correction. I have sacrificed so much for these students but some are just beyond help. The dateline was a week ago but I think he asked for an exemption, Still it's 3 days late from the exemption dateline. Right now I'm so exhausted from english class and correcting 10 pages for a professor ... I just can't look at this thesis. It's just so depressing.

And talk about depressing ... I've noticed a rise in beggars at Damascus Gate. Since the 2nd Intifada and the stabbing Intifada 3 years back, fewer beggars dared to sit around Damascus Gate just in case a stray bullet might hit them. But these few months, a flood of beggars have returned to the Gate ... both inside and out. Most of the women we know ... they're regulars. 3 sisters with their children whom they drug with sleeping pills in order to draw sympathy and money. Now they cover their faces with veils so no one can recognize them. But after each day's begging they gather with their families and eat picnic style at the park along the City Gates.

Well I might just join them and beg .... beg for sleep, beg for free time, beg for a vacation  ....

Of burgers and full moons

Full moon over
Jaffa Street

It's Sunday again ... 5th Sunday of Easter. I woke up at 3am ... worried about work and classes. Did a bit of this and that ... till 6.30am when I went down for Sunday community Mass. We were only a handful ... I think only 7 of us. Everyone else is on a week long excursions to Jordan and others on conferences in Italy. It's a holiday week for the school ... but not for me as doctoral students need the library to finish their theses research. And suddenly this week lots of students from the Hebrew University are showing up at our library as well. SO it's like every holiday, everyone is off to enjoy and I have to work extra because more students are free to use the library.

Well I had to tidy my room which took all morning and in the afternoon I tidied up my files. It can be very mentally tiring. Anyway at 3pm I had to go meet some of my students ... they wanted to go to have tea and learn english at the same time. So we went to a nearby cafe and got 2 pizzas and spent an hour chatting and practicing their english.

Burgos Burger Bar

An hour later, I went out with another student who wanted to have dinner. I decided to try out the new restaurant round the corner. Found out it was a Burger Bar. But the ambience was great and the prices were reasonable. And the burgers are absolutely great. It's the modern burger bar type that lets you mix and match your own burger. It was a nice distraction from the worries swirling around us.

Well that's because there're warnings of a very tense May for our region. War drums seem to beating and everyone is on the alert. It's a question of when it will happen.
https://www.janglo.net/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&page=display&catid=99&tid=443316
and
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-braces-for-iranian-retaliation-for-syria-strike-1.6032454

Well that type of news just ruins the summer mood. An absolute wet blanket. The full moon didn't seem to reflect any joy. People walked pass in a hurry ... no one wants to lift up their heads. Everyone is in the "avoid" mode ...

Sandstorm after the rain

Collapsed separation wall ... (reuters)

The consequences of the great flood continue to affect us today. News came in that 2 ten yr old arab boys drowned in a pool near Hebron. Properties have been destroyed, infrastructure have been damaged ... but everyone is trying to get back to normal as much as possible. In the West Bank, part of the separation wall collapsed. What politicians couldn't do, Mother Nature succeeded ... one big rainstorm and the wall fell. Modern version of the walls of  Jericho. And just when the hail and rainstorm is over ... deep in the southern desert, a major sandstorm has broken out. The southern most city of Eilat was covered in a blanket of yellow dust. Visibility was a minimum. If the weather is reflecting our political situation here in the Middle East (and often it does), well we're in for a nasty summer.

Yesterday Friday saw another wave of confrontations at the Gaza border. Gaza's swarmed the border fences and tried to cut it open. Israeli soldiers opened fire and 4 were killed and many wounded. Things will only get more tense as the date for America's embassy move to Jerusalem in May.   https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Israel-uses-tear-gas-on-Gaza-protesters-amid-UN-condemnation-552903

Major sandstorm in the south

Well I must be very very stressed out because I am getting lost and confused again. This morning I spent half an hour searching for my spectacles. I was in a hurry to go out to the office and I couldn't find the specs. Finally wore an old pair (which gives me a headache) and went down to the library to final check on the workers there. Found my specs on my office table. And that's not all, I couldn't sleep all night because I'm getting worried about missing classes. I've had 2 sleepless weeks correcting theses and now I'm sleepless because I might miss classes. Like I'm in for a bigtime nervous breakdown ... either that or my brains are utterly exhausted.

I need a vacation. Have been saying that for the past 15 years. Dream on ....

Day after storm

Kittens & the
policeman

Videos are going viral on the Internet showing the torrent of flood waters and sewage sweeping everything in Ben Yehuda Mall down hill. Restaurant tables, chairs, shopping carts, garbage bins ... even a full size dumpster was swept away. It was an apocalyptic scene. Jerusalem .... and all the country ... is not ready for a rain storm. We've been living in a drought for so long we've forgotten to upgrade drainage and sewer systems ... and now just a few short hours of heavy rain and hail has resulted in a countrywide crisis. And the great tragedy is the death of 10 students at the Dead Sea because their guide and teacher ignored storm warnings. The dry desert land suddenly surged with 3 meter high gush of rain water coming from the highlands. It's sudden and ferociously quick. It's not the water that kills you but the stones and boulders it carries along that crushes you and pins you down below the water. What a dreadful tragedy. The victims were buried this afternoon.

There was one heartwarming story though in this storm. While going off to work yesterday I passed by the police kiosk at Palm Plaza. At the door of the kiosk was a little box with an opening, and 2 cups of milk for 2 small kittens. A policeman was standing there watching. It was good. Some tourists said it was very nice to give shelter to the kittens in this storm and the policeman asked if they wanted to keep the kittens .... the tourists walked off immediately. This morning I walked past again and the 2 kittens were still there, playing in the sun. They were very cute.

Well we're facing a bigger crisis than the hailstorm. Reports are coming in that Iran has 80,000 troops  near Damascus. It's very worrying for us.  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/world-news/the-israeli-connection/danon-iran-has-80000-militants-near-damascus-35573

And reports also say there's a rise in hate crimes against arabs this past 4 months compared to the entire last year. This is scary when you realize there has been very little arrests, charges and more dismissals.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-cars-burned-graffiti-sprayed-in-fifth-hate-crime-this-week-1.6029098?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=dlvr.it

Well despite the storm ... we're hoping against hope that things will be better ... not worse.

Hailstorm

Storm and huge hail fell yesterday

There was a hailstorm late yesterday afternoon. Thunder, lightening and a horrendous noise ... I thought a truck was rumbling through out tiny cobbled street. It was during class. After class I went out to find hailstones on our terrace. In Tel Aviv the streets were flooded and there's a video of garbage bins floating down the street. In Rehovot, another city near Tel Aviv, the roof of a supermarket gave way and there was a waterfall washing everything from the shelves unto the floor. In the desert city of Dimona, the hail were so big many cars were damaged. Other cities had a carpet of smaller hail ... like snow in winter.
 https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5241033,00.html

Sewage in the
street

Today in the late afternoon another enormous storm broke. The sewage system near Damascus Gate gave way and manholes exploded with gushing raw sewage flowing all down the streets. It was terrible ... and I had to wade through it in order to get home. There was thunder and lightening to add to the drama. Back home I saw news that the sewage system in the New City also crumbled under the fierce rain and hail storm. Nowhere is safe ... except my room. Then again ... the electricity has gone off twice so we're never sure if and when we have electricity.

Well it's better to stay at home in the dark than out in the hail and rain with sewage swirling round your feet.