Arrival & 4th Friday of Lent in Jerusalem

My first 2 days here have been very nice and relaxing thus far. I find I'm adjusting to the jet lag a lot faster then expected, or maybe it's also the excitement of being here that prevents you from sleeping half the day (lol).


Thursday, my first night here, cousins and I went to the movies at an Israeli mall and I was surprised to see they have lots of movies playing in English (thanks to the considerable English-speaking community/tourists here). The weather was absolutely gorgeous even at midnight, but I guess I feel I have yet to experience 'bad weather' here... On to food, as per tradition, we are eating foods without meat or dairy until Easter, so I filled myself with stuffed grape leaves and rice-filled red peppers... YUMMMM!!!! 

Friday the 1st, the 4th Friday of Lent, I got up late (we had been up until 5am talking and catching up on things) and I had delicious home-made zeit za'atar for breakfast... goodness nothing compares to home-made food!!!! and that bread, so soft and mushy.... <3!!!!!! I need to muster up the discipline to rise at the break of dawn and make my own bread too... I vow to bring some recipes home with me... and learn how to make them. Or just have my dad make them LOLLLL

In the afternoon we went to Arabic Orthodox mass at St. Jacob's Church in the Old City, to hear the mass entirely dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It is literally right next to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. As with most religious places in Jerusalem, many churches will have different 'sections' depending on the denomination (ie: Catholic, Coptic, Syrian, Armenian, Orthodox, etc.). So for those who want to hear mass in a certain language, they have only to go to the appropriate area to do so (if available). I thought it got pretty full but according to what I heard, that was not even considered packed. As I enjoy ancient architecture, I definitely appreciate seeing these old, cave-like places where one can pray, sing and meditate. In many ways it's amazing to think they have survived throughout the ages. 

In the evening my soul was finally at peace when I was reunited with bigger-than-usual falafel and sesame bread!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to say that this fasting thing is not being hard on me in the LEAST. I am enjoying everything and eating plenty of it, so i have zero complaints. Family members always make me laugh when they seem to think I'm not 'eating enough' but I am definitely not one for starving myself EVER so there's no need to worry about that :)

One pleasant, if not random, surprise comes in the form of SAMA FM. It's a Palestinian radio station that plays AMAZIIIING house/dance/trance/ambient music that would give any major American/European club some serious competition. I don't know if they also play Arabic music, but if so far I've only heard the likes of house music play on there. I have been trying real hard to find the name of a track I heard playing on there at 2am (how typical; it's always in the middle of the night that these things happen lol). I will have to keep digging through that website (http://www.fmradiostationz.com/arabic/sama-fm.html) and/or give good ol' YouTube a visit when I get a chance... 

'Tis all for now +

Pictures of the church:

just outside the church:

this is looking out into the courtyard; if exiting, on the left is the Holy Sepulchre