Daily Archives: 30/01/2010

Jan 30 2010

Bethlehem – journey to birthplace of Christ part II – nuts on Christmas

Parts 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Ok, which food reminds you of Christmas?   Turkey? mince pies? Christmas pudding?  Ok, some of these will depend of regional customs that different Christians celebrate Christmas, ie: Christmas pudding is largely a British thing I think.

Now think which food really actually could be found in the Holyland during Christmas?   I have blogged before about Pomegranates before, but how about nuts?

More specifically almonds.

One of the group pointed out this tree, its got ripe nuts on it!   So after shaking it quite a bit, most of the nuts fell onto one of the metal shelters next door (duh)   after a few times, I got a few on the ground, and after breaking them open with a big most of them were quite nice.

Before leaving the grotto park, the garden also had strangely lots of small holes and tunnels in the ground.  Didn’t see if these were natural quirky bits of geology or if they made by someone.

Below Christmas is in full swing here, decorations were mostly quite discrete and tasteful.  Tourism from Christians of course is the life blood of the economy of Bethlehem.

more soon….

Parts 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Jan 30 2010

arm break… two weeks after operation..

Two weeks after my operation and I went back to hospital to have my stitches removed.

After the nurse undid the bandages and cut out the stitches, it seems its been a success!  I now just have a scar and some bruising, my arm is still very sore and I cant lift anything heavier than a cup of tea, I have trouble sleeping, doing things like getting up from sitting on the floor or out of the bath I have to pull myself up one-handed as I must not put any pressure on it.  In theory I could probably drive now, but decided its not worth it for the cost of getting tax and insurance for my car when I want to return to the middle east as soon as I am fit.

I am thankful to God and to people who prayed for my recovery, its gone well so far.

I have to return in another 4 weeks (25th February)  for another check up, they have not said if I need physio, but apparently the wires in my arm do not need to come out now, they are neatly tucked inside the muscles so they are there for the rest of my life.   Means I can make a nuisance of myself going through security doorways!

I do want to get on and fly back soon, but will plan this as soon as I get the next hospital consultation.