A stretch of windy, rainy weather kept us at home most of last week. Sunnier weather on New Year’s Day was reason enough to get out of the apartment and do the Ramparts Tour in the Old City. After fortifying ourselves with some falafel sandwiches, we took to the ramparts and got in about 12,000 steps when all was said and done.

Zoom in to see the pigeons roosting out of the window.

The Umayyad Caliphate only ruled in Jerusalem from 660-750, but apparently they brought donuts.

DONUTS!

Getting down to rizz-ness.

Post-Christmas decoration carnage.

Was this undulating rooftop the world’s first skate park?

‘I twirl my mustache in your general direction!’

Discuss.

Huh.

Near Damascus Gate in the Old City.

Snapped this on my way to church this morning, walking in from the Damascus Gate around 8:15am.

We (well, Christy and Sadie) participated in Christmas Eve worship at Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. Lots of tasty treats afterwards. Then, a stroll down to Manger Square to hear a local band sing, among other tunes, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”

Today, a joint worship service at Church of the Redeemer, and then back home to open present and graze our way through all the holiday crunchies.

For all who celebrate, Merry Christmas from the Holy Land. May your day be filled with good cheer and great company. We hope that the rest of the season, and the coming New Year, bring you the blessings you deserve, and the peace the world needs.

I still owe y’all photos of our new apartment, though Christy has posted some already on her Facebook page.

With Christmas only two days away, there are plenty of festivities for us to attend near home and in the area. Among the events we attended included two concerts at Beit Ibrahim, one of which was followed by a rousing game of Bingo.

We also attended a concert at Dar Al Majus Cultural Center (near Manger Square in Bethlehem), where they unveiled a new Nativity scene painting by a local university student artist. There was also a post-concert dinner featuring Italian (the center is affiliated with the Sisters of Mercy) and Palestinian dishes that helped raise money for one of their special needs programs.

Then last night we attended a staff party that featured lots of great food, some serious style statements, and more Bingo. Christy and I were both one number away from winning a Santa doll that was about as big as the kids…but it was not meant to be. Womp womp.

We’ve moved into longer-term digs. More photos to come, but I’ll put this here for now. That is our cat Sunshine under the blankets, whether for warmth or because it provides comfort in new surroundings.

On Friday, we returned to Bethlehem to meet a colleague and explore more of the city. During a visit to the Church of the Nativity, we saw stained glass feature that delighted us when were visiting in 2015. It’s one of the most expressive camels we’ve seen outside of the animated film The Star. We were also delighted by the tile mosaic on the steps leading to the Dar Al Majus community center.

One of the realities of life in the area is buildings with older plumbing or septic systems that can’t handle flushed toilet paper. You have to use trash bins instead. So, signs like the one below are not uncommon…if not necessary with the same bilingual vehemence.

On Saturday, we did some impromptu hiking, found some interesting rock formations, as well as a rustic cafe with some cute and cryptic decor (and some great fried zucchini).

…when I learned about “Carrot Jeans”.

These are the days of miracles and wonders.

Last night we were back at Ascension Church on the Mount of Olives for an evening of spoken word and music provided by musicians playing cello, piano, organ, and oud.

Riley decided on getting a haircut after worship today, so we got a colleague’s recommendation for a nearby barber shop nestled on the Via Delarosa.