Friday 8 October 2010

Towards Jerusalem

Day 3, and we’ve taken the road to the South through a rather commercialised Baptism site on the Jordan, through Jericho, and down to Bethlehem. We are actually staying behind the wall in the (comparatively) new Franciscan hostel next to the Church of the Nativity.

Today has seen close encounters with Holy Oil, A White-Robed Army of American Baptists being baptised among the fishes, and the security fence which was erected in 2003 to divide Israel from the occupied West Bank. People are trying to be polite aout it, but the contrasts between quality of life both sides are disturbing to many members of our party. Big basic issues of justice and equity arise, and the signs are not good.

We have also some up against the full force of today”s Religious Souvenirs market — wanting to help delightful people to turn an honest bob, but sonewhat blown away by some of the Holy Things on offer. After thirty years doing this job I ought to know what to go for in a religious tat shop, but have to say I found myself strangely confused on this score!

3 comments:

Richard Littledale said...

I used to have a competition running with my colleague to buy each other the most tasteless and inappropriate souvenir possible from our travels. It certainly led to some interesting results. His "camels in a snow-dome" from the Canaries was pipped to the post by my minarets & floating baubles paper weight, I think!

By the way, whatever were the gnomes doing outside the holy temptation restaurant, I wonder?

Doorkeeper said...

I was very disturbed by that wall - still am. But don't let's forget that we have one running through the heart of a British city - Belfast - still.

Doorkeeper said...

......but safe (I hope) on your side of the wall, the souvenir of choice is surely the carved wooden crib. The bigger ones are best because they are clockwork musical boxes which you wind up by energetically rotating the star...

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