Out and About

I'm back in Jerusaelm after a bit of travelling. Friday I did a bit more nosing around the Old City, and among other stops I went to the tower of the Luteran Church of the Redeemer, climbing the 177 steps to get a view. Here is the reverse view of the tyocial postcard shot of the Dome of the Rock. This time, in the background, you can see the Mount of Olives and the green of Gethsemane as it disappears behind the Dome into the valley.

I did a bit of shopping as well, but always under high pressure. I'm thinking of getting a piece of jewelry of Christa. Any suggestions?

Friday afternoon, after some travelling adventures/hassels, I arrived at the home of Dr. Yigal Sitry, the foremost authority on woodworking in Israel during the Roman era. In the photo, he's the one on the left.

Before sitting down with his family for the sabbath evening meal, we discussed woodworking, both ancient and modern. Here's his basement shop, with a mighty fine German tablesaw with a massive sliding table.

Here is a wooden bowl he purchased from a bedouin some time ago. It was used for milking camels, with a thumb rest handle on one side soe the bowl could be held securely with one hand while the other was doing the work. Yigal said, perhaps the bowl is 50 years old, perhaps 200.

I spent the night at another (new) friend's house, David Jacobs, our guide from the tour last week. After a late breakfast, we spent the day at the beach on the Mediterranean coast. We returned in the mid-afternoon, but I had to wait a few hours more before leaving because the public buses do not run until the Sabbath is over, at dusk.