A View to a Checkpoint
Tag: west bank
Ibex Crossing
Downtown Ramallah during Ramadan
I loved seeing the lights that were up around Ramallah over Ramadan last year; on streetlights, across streets, strung from minarets…
This was taken in downtown Ramallah right before the evening call to prayer (but after yoga – Farashe had a special Ramadan schedule and many of the classes were designed specifically for those who would be fasting all day), when the streets were practically deserted because everyone was home (or out) waiting to break the fast with a date, a cigarette, food, or all three.
Ramadan Mubarak everyone!
The Sights and Sounds of Hebron
Hebron is the largest city in the West Bank and is second only to Gaza City in the Palestinian Territories overall. It is also one of the most hotly-contested cities in the West Bank. I visited Hebron a couple of times during my year in the West Bank.
The Tomb of the Patriarchs / Ibrahimi Mosque is in the middle of the old city. It is currently divided, with restricted access and separate entrances for Muslims and Jews. As with many religious sites in the Holy Land, tourist visitors are also restricted and, in this case, Christian tourists (like myself and my companions) were only allowed to enter and exit through the Arab entrance.
Once inside, the tourist ladies were required to put on robes and we were all required to remove our shoes.
I Don’t Trust This Camel’s Smile
Things I’ll Miss About Living in Ramallah
As my time wound down in Ramallah, a lot of people asked me what I’d miss about it. There’s a lot…ranging from the unique, like the friends I’ve made, to the banal, like the weather. Here are just a few, in no particular order:
1) The birthday song.
This amazing song can be heard nearly every night you go out in Ramallah. It is accompanied by the delivery of a cake with a giant flare sticking out of the top. Since the outdoor bar opened across the street during Ramadan last year, Jon and I have heard this little ditty more times than I can count. I love it.
Guaranteed: I’ll play it for your next birthday if I see you.
I was finally at a table recently where the birthday song was played and a flare-cake delivered. It did not disappoint.
By extension, I include all the nightlife in Ramallah, which is surprisingly robust — I’ll miss the ability to have fresh hubbly-bubbly with my glass of wine and, whenever it’s someone’s birthday, (a) hearing this song and (b) seeing a cake with a flare on top of it.
Continue reading “Things I’ll Miss About Living in Ramallah”
Everyone Loves Harry Potter
For my birthday this year, Jon and I are headed back to London! I’ve already booked us tickets for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter. For this reason, Jon and I are re-watching all the Harry Potter movies. We’re onto number four, Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, already.
Over the summer I saw this van on the drive back into Ramallah — proof that everyone loves Harry Potter.
Pop of Color
#preach
With Jenelle, I revisited Bethlehem’s walls. A couple of times. I love me some street art — here are a few of my favorites:
IDK 