Sitting at the Erez check point waiting for our taxi to Jerusalem. The return process is a series of gates and doors where you wait for the the green light to go through. It takes about 1.5 hours to get all the way through. Only heard one gun shot. It's nice and sunny, breezy once we finally get through. Feels good to be outside. I guess this is what it was like in Gaza if we were ever outside during the day to feel it and see it. Taxi is here.
Soheil took us to a beautiful hotel on the north coast for dinner last night. Fresh fish, calamari shrimp, I wish I had the appetite to eat more. We have been fed so well here as it is insulting to turn down food and they are very persistent. My pants are a bit more snug that when I arrived. The hotel was definitely a 5 star place. The manager gave us tour of the 6th floor suites still in construction. Reclaimed hand made tiles, and hard wood reclaimed and made in to head boards and trim. Antique wood doors and panel pieces, view of the Mediterranean across the street with the pool. There is a wedding going on in a big room off the lobby. Palestinian weddings are a big deal. About half of the people half their spouse picked by their parent here. The popular night for weddings are Thurs. and Friday. You will hear cars running up and down the streets honking, well you hear that most of the time in Gaza anyway. Some wedding celebrations have the men and women separated, but in this one, the men and women are in the same room, there is loud music playing, and the members of the wedding party can dance together. I take a peak at the door way and the women are serious about their clothes. Even with their heads covered the clothing is very embellished. Some of the young girls are dressed like little brides. There is some big money in this production. Soheil says the typical wedding lasts about 4 hours. It is a business. There are several big facilities just for weddings and you must book in advance.
So we make it to Jerusalem in a couple of hours. Our rooms at the 7 Arches are not ready so we walk down off of Mt. of Olives to the Lion Gate into the old city of Jerusalem for lunch. It's a bit touristy, but not too crowded today and how often do you get to walk in the steps of Jesus for shwarma and baklava? It's a beautiful day here also and the old city is great for people watching. Kevin and John try to get me up to speed on catholic history as we sit for Taybeh beer and tea, but it's pretty much useless.
My Google religion team in the square of the Holy Sepulcher.
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