Sunrise this morning from Ecce Homo was spectacular. It's now my new screen saver. Sorry Luc, Bianca and Gabby - three Chocolate Lily students back at Croagh Patrick - I have been looking at your faces all month but I have just worked out how to change it.
We made a stop here about 30 minutes in on the road to Jericho. A place called Wadi ( a word that means "passage way for running water.... I know ... No water ... But great word to remember for scrabble ) Kelt. This was meant to be a stop for half an hour reflection, but contemplative views of the desert was interrupted by the reality of the Bedouin people who had come to sell things to tourists. They set up their table in the place where we were listening to our guide and then when we spread out over the surrounding areas they set themselves up behind us ready to approach us when we had finished reflecting. I was jolted out of my poetry writing by the munching sound of a donkey who had been strategically placed a metre behind me ... For maximum effect.
When he finally approached me , before I realised what was happening he had my hat off and a Bedouin head wrap folded and place on my head and explaining that the Bedouin people need our help. Then I asked for a price ... 200 shekels ... Or $60 . It was off in a flash, I offered 20 shekels and he was down to 50 shekels pretty quick. But by then I no longer felt inclined to haggle with this people who tore at the heart strings but were just after a buck like any shop seller in souk. I went to the bus and listened to the stories of what others had bought or had given without a second thought. I felt a little hard-hearted, but more than that I felt sad for the kids who were out here, learning a trade that seemed unnatural for these people who were once shepherds and nomads.
I softened a little more at the next stop, where I bought the head gear for 30 shekels.
Suits me don't you think. The funny story with this sale was that after I had bought it, another man told me that white ones were for women and would I like to buy a man's one. Considering the men's hats looked suspiciously like some K-mart tea towels we have at home, I declined the offer. I also said 'no' to buying one of the black rope ties that apparently were also a sign of manliness. At this second stop we had a look at a particularly curious monastery set in the desert hills in the middle of nowhere. It was a bit like a desert version of Rivendellfrom Lord of the Rings.
... Minus the water, the height and the elves ... says Joe
Next stop was Jericho, and the Mount of Temptation ... so called because of the great range of quality tourist items you could buy from the shop at the base. I managed to resist all but a very hot coffee. The mountain was quite high so I was very grateful for the cable car experience to the monastery near the top.
This mountain was so named as it is traditionally thought to be the place where Jesus was tempted three times in the desert by the devil. The location we went to certainly had a great panoramic view of the "known world" (said in a Monty Python accent) for Jesus to be tempted with...
Below is a hermit's cave found in the side of this mountain. Some hermits in times gone by used to come up to thes caves and chain themselves up in these caves to overcome the temptations of the body. Some were found here as mere bones and chains. Some life ... Or death .. Heh?
A favourite pastime of peoples of the Middle East is to sit around in the souk - and obviously on the side of desert mountains as well - and smoke these things... Presumably just tobacco... but who really knows.
The Elisha Springs. In Jericho ... Just a photo opportunity really and a chance to cool the feet. I didn't really hear the full story about this place . I was hot, tired and hungry.
I couldn't even be bothered getting out of the bus for this viewing of the Sychamore tree Zacchaeus was meant to climb to get a better view of Jesus as he walked through Jericho. Zacchaeus was short. We were hungry.
Luckily Lunch wasn't far away. A delightful restaurant in Jericho where Tony Mullins (Irish Tony) was also waiting patiently to be fed.
When we finally arrived home, we rested, washed and revived ourselves.
A late afternoon walk through the souk proved profitable and a coffee at the coffee shop we found the day before, run by a young 15 year old with a name that meant Thursday, proved a nice way to finish the day.
Oh that and the light extravaganza at the King David Museum later that night. No cameras allowed again ... Sorry.
11986 ... Pretty good
I'm so glad you are able to keep your faith and humour.
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