Politics and Monasteries

I'm really enjoying my time in the West Bank, despite the realities of the Middle East. Here are people whose political views, on the whole, do not mesh with mine and whose violent extremist party would just as soon see the State of Israel disappear. But the typical Palestinian is no more a gun-toting extremist than is the typical observant Muslim. Their take on the history of the region is colored by three generations of rigid historical indoctrination and firsthand experiences with geographic expulsion. Nothing excuses the provocation of violence. But the youngest generation is boiling with resentment and implacable in its view of international politics. I've noticed no optimism for a resolution by either Palestinian or Israeli. This is the time of another historical pivotal point for the region, with the status quo wearing thin.

And yet the residents here in the West Bank couldn't be more gracious and genuinely welcoming. Clearly, the U.S. tourist dollar is a big factor. But despite America's support as an ally of Israel, there has been no overt animosity during our time in the West Bank. Here there is desert hospitality and a comfort level I didn't anticipate.

THE WORLD CUP
This afternoon, the World Cup competition began in South Africa. Enthusiasm for this event throughout the Middle East can only be compared to the bastard coupling of Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl, multiplied by a factor of ten. At least half of all the network newscast time on CNN International and the BBC Network has been dedicated to preparations for the first game. I'm very happy for them. Here on the West Bank, Brazil is clearly the favorite (politics again? Brazil now supports Iran), as the Palestinian citizenry proudly sports T-shirts and green and yellow flags.

TEMPTATION AND MAR SABA
Trust me. There are lots of steps in the Middle East. Yesterday we took a cable car from the Tel Jericho excavation site to the "next mountain," Mt. Temptation, so named because of a purported altercation between Jesus and the devil. (Hometown advantage: Jesus won.) It was midmorning when we started up, and the temps in the Judean Desert were getting there. After disembarking, we proceeded to climb some 200 often steep steps up a mountainside to a Greek Orthodox church commandeered by a very nervous little man who preferred that no photos be taken. Here's a photo from that experience.









BTW, there were also 200 often steep steps down.

Today, we visited the beautiful Mar Saba Monastary, said to be the oldest Christian monastery in existence. Another cliff dwelling Once again, steps. But what a place.









Regrettably, only four of us could enter: the site is exclusive to male plumbing, as women entering the cliff-clinging hermitage would be too distracting to resident monks. A monk with perfect English (originally from Connecticut) brought us to the tomb and various sacred locales of the patron saint of the monastery, Saint Sabas. He was a 5th Century ascetic monk whose remains remain on view inside a glass case. For someone who's rested there 1,600 years, he's remarkably (de)composed.

Next: Nativity, Patriarchs and another Farewell Dinner