It’s a Small World

Back in Abu Dis the weather remained cool and sprinkly. Outdoor plans got cancelled and we ended up spending some low key days, visited the Israel Museum, and even slept in a little! The guys visited the Mosque in Abu Dis on Holy Day, but us ladies didn’t bother. We weren’t prepared with headscarves and long skirts, and tho we would have probably been allowed in, it would have felt a bit disrespectful.

We had one lovely Jericho Day, since Jericho is almost always sunny. There’s a cable car up the Mt. of Temptation that we rode, torturing Lois the whole way by doing little gasps or threatening to rock it. We had coffee at a little shop at the top, sitting at a table right at the cliff edge overlooking the city, the dead sea, and the mountains beyond. Ruth had a coughing fit and the shop owner suddenly appeared with a cup of lemon, mint and cinnamon tea. It looked very classy and provoked Randy to have a small coughing fit in hopes of getting one too. The guy got a real kick out of that and ended up bringing us all tea on the house.

I wasn’t quite as relaxed as the others, so I spent my time strolling around and talking to the guy that owns the souvenir shop up there. He was so happy for an ear that he stopped me as we were heading down and gave me a keychain that said Love on it:).

As we were exiting through the gift shop, I spied a journal that I wanted. After the usual jolly banter the guy suddenly said “I just really like how you take life, so lightly!” I told him I was happy because I was in Palestine and he looked at me and said “No, It’s cause you have Jesus in your heart”. I was fairly taken aback. This was coming from an Arab in a Muslim country. I assured him I surely did have Jesus and it was the best!

There is a cave near Jerusalem that is considered Samson’s cave. We hadn’t been to it and heard it was just a short hike up from the road to see it. What they don’t mention is that to get to said road, you drive through a concrete plant and have to cross a big mud/concrete puddle. You park at a nice spot and walk down a beautiful road towards the cave, but when you turn to go down the path you realize you have to cross a fairly boisterous river! For sure if it’s been raining inches. Half of the crowd gave up at this point and elected to just enjoy nature from below. The rest of us weren’t ready to concede defeat, so forged across. There were big boulders to cross on, with a fairly large waterfall to span. There was a metal railing that was drilled into the rocks, so that helped alot. It was also loose and wobbly, so putting your whole weight on it felt a bit like a gamble, but it held up and we barely got wet! Also not mentioned is that tho the hike is short, its also incredibly steep. I was puffing shortly but determined to reach the cave. It was getting on towards dusk, the spring birds were singing their beaks off and the flowers were gorgeous! The climb was totally worth it. The cave was fairly large, but you weren’t allowed to explore down the tunnels leading off the back for fear of collapse.

And let me not forget the flat tire we had! All that horrible driving with the other group never gave us problems, but when we decided to stick to proper roads, kaboom. Or maybe more like, fizzle, since we never noticed until someone tooted and motioned to us. We pulled over on the skinny highway, and while people flew by continually the guys changed the tire. They appeared to be experts, as it only took about 12 minutes! There was a nail in the damaged tire that matched some others we’d seen at Fadwa’s. How sad. But how nice that it also only took about 12 minutes to get it patched at a tire shop in Abu Dis on the way home! About the same amount of time it took to get three coffees from the neighboring Coffee House.

We spent our last afternoon and evening around the house. Randy popped over to the barber across the way and got a haircut, much to his delight. Some people went for a walk and came back with an enormous, ugly tray that is used during Ramadan for something. Sadly it didn’t fit in the luggage. I trotted up to visit with the sisters in the evening and we had a good chat curled up on the couches. They are so very special.

And so ended another delightful month in Israel. Heath and I stayed another day after everyone left and explored a bunch of places we’d never been in Old City Jerusalem, spent some time on a tour with our favorite individual Yehuda, who works at City of David, and ate Nutella crepes on the steps at the Damascus gate. It was dark by that time and the street was bustling with hawkers, shoppers and police. We soaked up every sensation, knowing it would have to last us almost a year.

The security lady who checked us at the airport asked if we had any friends in Israel. So many, we told her. We feel so incredibly lucky to have such people in our lives. Kind, funny people who make the world a better place.