Jerusalem
Work has sent me to Jerusalem right at the beginning of the war between Israel and Hezbollah. The war was not too far away: just a few hundred miles, but it seemed more distant. Life went on as usual in Jerusalem. For the most part, people talked about it like a political problem, though there were moments when I could sense worry. Each night, I marked the location of Katusha strikes on my map of Israel.
In the week-long trip, we had a free day. Despite the war, we were able to travel through a bit of the West Bank and visit the Dead Sea. Along the way, we met a Bedouin selling camel rides. When I was a kid, I always had trouble with horse rides. I figured the camel would be even worse, so I skipped it. Many of the Bedouins seem to live in a very primitive way. While we drove to the sea, we passed Bedouins riding camels and donkeys through the desert. They herd sheep over essentially desolate hills and live in shacks apparently made out of scrap metal. Water appears to come from a tanker-truck parked outside each shack.
The Dead Sea was a very unusual experience. We were 420 meters below sea level. The air was very hot. Evaporating pools slowly concentrated into orange toxic pits. Despite every appearance of hell, the water was enjoyable and it seemed peaceful and relaxing to be in a little oasis of human life in the middle of a seemingly uninhabited desert.
The sea was refreshing. As advertised, the water buoyed me as if I were on a water bed. Under the water was a bit of mud covering a layer of crystalline salt. Copying the others, I coated myself with the mud and let it “bake”. It really did do something odd to my skin. For a few weeks afterwards it was smooth, oily and soft-feeling.
The day after we visited the Dead Sea, the West Bank was closed. I think that this state lasted just a short time, since many people pass across the border each day to get to work. A suicide bomber was caught near the Jafa Gate, just a couple of blocks from our hotel. After this, breakfast was served in a part of the ball-room away from the outside windows.
Jerusalem is surrounded by steep hills. Every location around the city has a wonderful view. On the other hand, the city itself is under rapid development. Everywhere you look, there is upheaval as buildings are constructed, sewers are upgraded and trains installed. Details of city life that are taken for granted in the states are missing. The landscaping and litter-cleanup of the parks is neglected. Despite a large amount of new construction, many older buildings remain abandoned or neglected to the point of being safety hazards to their occupants. It seems that the some of the primitive aspects of the Bedouin neighbors of Jerusalem has rubbed off on the city itself.
