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I have so much to write about, I don't know where to start. I DO intend
to tell you all about the meeting of the Northern California Journalists,
which I just got back from (so I'm still a bit tipsy and all inspired). I
also intend to write about Todd and Leigh and the visit I had with them
last night. But, as I was just checking my email just now I got an email
from my sister, Holly. And I need to post here, on the main page, because
the way she describes this part of the world blows me away. Maybe it's
just thinking about my baby sister in this violently rocking cradle... the myth moves on I am in Jerusalem now. YES Israel. The holy land. and let me just say, "om and shalom!" this place is vibrating with tension like Salome's hips during the dance of the seven veils. This is the dance. The last veils are falling folks and everyone is making bets on what's lurking behind the final undulating satin. Last night we went busking and it was incredible to sense the different vibrations going in every direction. I wore my belly-dancing costume and at times we had a really polite and happy audience and other times I found myself surrounded by gawking arabic men who kept closing in on me while i danced. Finally, we just stopped. We decided that I would not show my mid-drift anymore until I was in a more european country again. It really blows my mind! Here I am, a little american girl, in a middle-eastern country dancing a bastardized and mutated form of middle-eastern dance and these people look at me like they've never seen aything like it. Although I did get a sangrit (ie. "key ley ley ley!") from some woman walking by. We would do really well busking if we could keep the dogs, i mean, men at bay. Well, so anyway, after we decided to stop busking we started walking around the square and there was a group of Japanese people singing Christian songs and doing sign language. hmmm. interesting, but dry. Then we walked further down and there were some energetic Italians singing and clapping and having fun in the street. We joined them and had an excellent time. They even asked to hear what music we played. It was great fun to hear a bunch of Italians singing cheesy rainbow chants. When we left, every single person shook our hands. The little old ladies liked pinching my cheeks or my chin. They were really great. Well, on our way back towards home we passed the japanese christians again, but they weren't singing anymore. A large group of young jewish men had crowded into their space and were singing jewish songs. Many people were arguing. Basically, the Jewish guys didn't like the christian stuff so they sabotaged it. One japanese woman was speaking calmly to a jewish man, "so I'm christian! I don't want you to be christian! I don't care if you're jewish!" The young man was literally plugging his ears and singing really loud. whoa! to see that was like watching the whole world's problems boiled down to one simple picture.
I'm not gonna be in Jerusalem for the millenium. no
way jose. i'm not gonna be anywhere near here. In
Lifta valley, a valley of old beautiful arabic ruins
where we are sqatting, there is even tension. One
evening Helger and I needed drinking water so we left
the little rainbow family area after dark and walked
to the nearby spring. I jumped when I saw a man
crouched next to the path wearing army camouflage with
a gun in his hand. (Ever since this incident Helger makes fun of me for asking the guy if he was gonna shoot us. what can i say? i was a little freaked out) As we walked to the spring we realized there were many of these men with guns hiding everywhere. apparently they do practices there at night. On our way back there was a whole group of them blocking the path and when we approached they politely moved out of the way. crazy. there are many guns here. many soldiers. you see them everywhere. You can tell they are gearing up for an incident if an incident were to happen. So, tomorrow we go to Bethleheem. There is a group of about eight of us that are making a pilgrimage there. We have been going over maps and figuring the route. Its only like 15 kilometers. After Bethleheem, the hot springs at Ein Gedi and then Eilot where we will attain visas and cross over into Egypt. We are hoping to spend the winter solstice, also a full moon, on Mt. Sinai, where Moses got his commandments.
So I am healthy and happy and being a good girl
keeping my profile low. (ok, so I dance in the streets
So I am healthy and happy and being a good girl
keeping my profile low. (ok, so I dance in the streets
now and then) I'll write more later, I promise. | ||
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