Perdecost

Happy feast day Church!

I was at Christ the King this weekend for Pentecost. After 10.30 Mass one of the children presented me with her artwork. Being half-term there was no Children's Liturgy, but she had still got really involved, and put her thoughts into this picture. As you will realise that is me, Farther, in the middle celebrating Mass in the red vestments of the feast of "Perdecost".  The Holy Spirit is in the air and love seems to be falling from the heavens - very profound!

But it's what is coming out of my mouth that amused and inspired : "Good News". She certainly got it, and as always - "out of the mouth of children..."  So I hope that Love falls out of the sky for you, and that inspired by the Holy Spirit of Perdecost, you will speak, and be, Good News.

Post Easter post

A day of feeling a bit miserable with a cold. I made it through the winter without one, but at last the lurgy caught up with me...  So I'm taking the opportunity to catch up here.

Well, first - back to Holy Week and Easter.  My favourite service this year was the Easter Vigil at St Brigid's. It was a truly joyful celebration - why? I'm not too sure, other than the fact that we are remembering and underlining that Jesus lives! The singing, the candles... everything was just right and I came away fully immersed in the joy of the Resurrection. 

Then, there was Celebrate at Corpus Christi School last weekend. This too was great, and my lasting memory will be of the number of children and young people present, 98 out of 300 I'm told. And two of the three speakers were under 40 too, including Will Desmond aged 23 (right) and telling it like it is to the crowd. Great weekend if very tiring as I have to fit it round my parish duties. 

Next - the election.  I could have made a lot of money on this one as I predicted that the Conservatives would win with more seats than before. Why? Because I think there are a lot of what one article this week called "shy Conservatives". There are many areas of life where it's not done to not be leftish... including parts of the Church. I think that many people if asked by friend or pollster wouldn't "own up", but then vote according to what they really thought. By the way, I'm not necessarily including myself among them, I usually don't disclose my voting. It reminds me a little of the election of Pope Francis. How may cardinals would have owned up before the election to how they were thinking, even if Cardinal Bergoglio wasn't specifically in their sights?

Lastly, two reviews, the first for a long time. The Penylan Pantry in Kimberley Road just outside our 3 Churches area. Went for coffee there with some parishioners, and enjoyed it a lot. A small place, on a corner of Blenheim Road, very.um, Penylan with a deli as part of the set-up. I'm amuse that Penylan, an area I just think of as my childhood home, is now very much des-res territory. Very friendly and welcoming, though my fruit loaf/bara brith took quite a while to come...

And then there was Il Pastificio where I was invited to supper. Currently number 3 in TripAdvisor this is a wonderful Italian restaurant at the beginning of Wellfield Road where the Globe Cinema was several lifetimes ago. A little small, like the Pantry and unprepossessing from the outside. Also a little tight inside to get everyone in - but this place must go straight into my top ten, right from the welcome when you arrive, the guided tour of the specials from the head chef (below), but most of all the quality of the food - simply scrummy. But be careful, book, because it's become very popular very quickly - and quite rightly so!

A mother and her Son

The Lord's Supper

At the Mass of the Lord's Supper I emphasised that we are to find ourselves in the Holy Week story, to make connections with our own lives. I recalled how feet have played a big part in my last twelve months or so. I have worked my way through 1 GP, 2 practise nurses, 2 podiatrists, 1 ulcer specialist, 1 insole person and one shoe person. So the idea of Jesus wanting to tend to my feet has been pretty close to home. And he is there all the time...  Again I recalled that I had renewed my priestly promises at the Chrism Mass on Wednesday on my anniversary of ordination, and that over those years I have celebrated Mass around 15,000 times. At every one of those, any priest worth his salt is overwhelmed with a sense of unworthiness. 

For the Watching until midnight our good flower ladies in St Brigid's, where I was, create a kind of shrine where we place the ciborium in full view, rather than in a tabernacle. I find this has a great impact on us all, somehow much more direct.  Coming up to midnight I lead a time of intercession for our parishes, the Church, and the world, with an opportunity for people to ask the Lord to remember those whose names they mention out loud. Then, with the kiss of Judas barely audible in the midnight silence, we all depart.

Judas and priests

Today, traditionally known as Spy Wednesday, I spoke about Judas. So why did Judas do it?  It's hard enough to understand our own motives sometimes, let alone those of others. "Wolf Hall" recently challenged many people's view of St Thomas More, for example, and gave a more nuanced view of Thomas Cromwell himself. So how hard is it to get inside the head of the Betrayer?

We have only the Gospels as our sources, and two of them were written by apostles who were there... Was it because "Satan entered him",  and what about that dipping of the finger? Was Judas predestined to do the deed - and, if so, can he truly be blamed... And, of course, he threw the money on the floor - a hint of repentance/remorse? In the end, he seems to have lacked hope, to me the forgotten of the three virtues of faith, hope and charity. After all, Peter betrayed Jesus in a way, too - but stuck with it...

Judas was a mess, but perhaps in that he tells us something about ourselves, and about Jesus. After all, he was one of the apostles throughout those three years of Jesus' ministry. The Word became flesh in the human race, despite its messiness, to shine a light, that in the light of knowing Him we might know ourselves too, find faith, build hope and show love.

Today has been the 37th anniversary of my priestly ordination April 1st 1978 here at St Brigid's. Later in the morning I had the enormous pleasure of taking part in the Chrism Mass with our archbishop, priests and people. Along with all the priests present I renewed my priestly promises undertaken at ordination. A fitting way to celebrate the anniversary...

Monday, Tuesday - Peter, John

Monday at Mass I offered some thoughts about Peter in the Passion.

At the Last Supper Peter doesn't want Jesus to wash his feet, and perhaps we would not want it either. Then whenhe "gets it" he wants a whole bath... until he rashly promises to follow Jesus anywhere, and learns the hard truth. He does his best in the Garden but falls asleep and lashes out. Then, fatefully, as he warms his hands in the glow of anonymity and Jesus shivers in the cold prison, he denies Him. It is then that we are told their eyes met as the cock crew and Jesus is led away. The tears that follow speak of the impossibility of being forgiven, or so Peter thinks. To be denied the chance to say sorry is a crippling human experience, and Peter believes that is his fate. The Rock crumbles. But it will be reconstituted at a breakfast on the beach in Galilee, but that is for later.

Today I moved on to John the Apostle. He was a co-worker of Peter and Andrew and James in Capernaum. With Peter at Tabor and Jairus' home, he is next to Jesus at the Supper, the "beloved disciple".  Peter asks him to ask Jesus who will be the denier. John leans back against Jesus to ask. Alone among the apostles, including the Rock, he does not crumble, at least not outwardly. He will stay with Jesus to the end. At the end he receives a new Mother  - on our behalf, and looks after her, so tradition tells, perhaps in Ephesus. Perhaps he writes the Apocalypse/revelation not far away on Patmos. His Gospel will be different - more thoughtful, poetic, theological. Where Matthew and Luke have Bethlehem, he has "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us". 

On Easter Sunday these two heroes, Peter and John, run together to the Tomb, but the younger (traditionally) John gives way to Peter to look inside. Some have said they represent the heart and the head of our faith. I love them both. They both love Jesus.

Palm Sunday

A powerful start to Holy Week.

This Palm Sunday I preached on the young man who ran away naked in the garden of Gethsemane. Some believe he was St Mark, who wrote the Gospel used this year. Strange how the Passion draws us in... we have to watch even though we want to turn away or even run away like the young man. 

And he is naked. I recalled another garden, Eden, where God was accustomed to walk with Adam and Eve, until they sinned. Then they became aware of their nakedness and hid from God. He came looking for them, but they had run away. They were afraid of being exposed to God just as they were - just as we are - just as the young man was.

To benefit fully from Holy Week we must be prepared to be fully exposed to the God who hangs (naked) on the Cross for us.  To be truly present to Jesus who is present to us. He loves us, and died for us, just as we are, not how we would like to be, or think we should be, or are told we must be. Just as we are, naked before the Lord. No need to run away.

2. You and I

So where is this image then? Simple - you and I. We are the place where that image may be found. Doesn't Genesis tells us in its very first pages... "Let us make man in our own image...

"God created man in the image of himself, 

in the image of God he created him, 

male and female he created them" (Gen 1:26-27).

This amazing thought underpins so much of our Christian thought and teaching. The dignity of each human being, a theme beloved by Pope St John Paul II, and much else finds a basis ultimately in this belief. Yes, things went wrong in the Garden of our world, but that image surely remains, maybe cracked, perhaps covered with cobwebs or dust and grime. But its is there in my neighbour - and in myself.  The God who made it is the same one who can heal those cracks, blow away those cobwebs and clean away the grime.

1. In His own image

On Sunday 19th October it was the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time in the liturgical calendar. The Gospel was the one about giving to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's. Jesus asked for a denarius coin to make his point. The image of  Caesar was on it, as that of the Queen is on our own coins, stamps and elsewhere. But the thought occurred to me as to where we might find the image of God? The resulting thought has stayed with me and has developed into something of a theme in the days since then. I thought I would share it here...

Back again

I'm back after a break from posting. It's amazing to see how many hits the blog still gets, where they come from and what they are searching for.

Needless to say, lots has been going on...

My toe problem is still not fully resolved. The ulcery thing filled up but is still sort of blistering - they're working on me getting an insole to prevent it coming back. 

I had a nice break in August staying with my brother and sister-in-law...

I became a great-uncle for the first time last week!

We are celebrating 50 years since the opening of St Brigid's church in 1964 - 21st September was the first Mass and 1st December was the official opening. We had a special Mass and Jubilee Lunch in September, and the Archbishop is coming in December...

The Synod of Bishops has been meeting in Rome - very interesting, especially as it touches on my canon law work with annulments etc...

Baptisms, weddings, funerals, meetings, visits - all as usual. 

So just to get things going again - first some nice restaurants I went to in August with family - Momenti,  Eleven and  Rivercross - very good Italian, French and Indian food all in Leamington Spa/Warwick and the very unusual Svea in Cheltenham - a Swedish restaurant, where I had Smörgås Platter. This was a sample selection of a Swedish traditional Smörgåsbord: herring, gravad lax, meatballs, Falukorv, egg halves with kaviar, new potatoes, beetroot salad, skagen and more.... . 

All of these are TripAdvisor and/or Michelin, for those who are into those things. 

Lastly a video too -  a gang of American marines enjoying singing a modern hymn "These are the days of Elijah"

 

Summer arrives

Been taking a little break from posting, after my series on our Holy Land pilgrimage. Not that there hasn't been anything happening!

On July 6th we had this year's 3 Churches Mass, which was centred around the Sacrament of Baptism and the theme of "Living Stones". It included the baptism of two babies, Sebastian and Mary Anne, but led all of us to reflect on the importance of the Sacrament and our living out of it.  Photos can be found here.

This was held, as always, in Corpus Christi High School (left), and a week or so later I was pleased to be asked to celebrate a special Mass there marking the leaving of no fewer than 13 staff, including the Acting Headteacher, Dave Cushion. Nine were retiring, and most of them had given long service to our school. We also had our usual end of year Masses in Christ the King, or primary school. By now the hot weather had come, and the hall, crammed with kids n mums and dads, was sweltering.

Well, when the schools finish, thing quieten down and people take their holidays. However, on the parish front we keep going - and July was something of a record for Baptisms in the 3 Churches. I'm mystified when colleague clergy talk about a dearth of baptisms - we get plenty!

However, in August things do go quiet, and I try to use the time to catch up on stuff that somehow has got left by the wayside in the busier earlier months. I also get the time to follow up connections or links that I wouldn't have been able to earlier. I discovered on another priest's blog a video of a priest called Fr Larry Richards from Erie, Pennsylvania (not to be confused with another Larry Richards, a Protestant Bible guy). Fr Larry delivers a good strong talk, many of them on Youtube, including a series addressed to priests on a retreat last year. I've listened to them all - only 30 minutes each, and both enjoyed and got a lot from them. He really makes you sit up - and also laugh! This is the one I saw on the net.

 

However, this year has been kind of dominated in a strange way by a tiny half a centimetre hole under my toe right where you press on when standing and walking. This little devil appeared in January, but had probably been there a while. My local nurses tried to get rid of it, but referred me to a podiatry clinic in March, who then referred me on to a specialist clinic for foot ulcers at the University Hospital of Wales in May. They fitted a strange contraption called a slipper cast, whose purpose is to hold in place a stout piece of felt with a hole cut around the ulcer, so that pressure is relieved, and the thing can heal. So In June my daily pain from every step eased and now, at last, the end is in sight as the hole has filled and there is just a little scar thing there. I've had this cast for seven weeks, but hopefully the end is in sight. Just amazing how a little thing like that can cause havoc... and I'm sure there a few sermons in that!

The smile of faith

As I write, the airport in Tel Aviv is shut because of the current troubles. It was to that airport we had to journey on the last day of our pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We were all up early as we decided to repeat something we did on our last trip there - early morning prayers by the Sea of Galilee. And so we gathered for half an hour at 7a.m on the hotel terrace by the lake (right). We sang a little, shared a little about what we had experienced during our wonderful pilgrimage, and, of course, prayed a little.

After breakfast we climbed aboard our coach for the last time, and headed south west to the Mediterranean coast. We stopped for a while at the ruins of ancient Caesarea, centre of the Roman forces at the time of Christ. Here can be seen the aqueduct bringing that precious commodity water. Here is the well-preserved theatre, and various other buildings. Then we continued south through Tel Aviv itself, the largest city in Israel. It is modern and very western. Now swamped by the modern city is what is left of Jafo, ancient Jaffa (left). We drove through the old part and on to a restaurant near the sea, for our last meal together. The last day of our pilgrimages is always a strange experience. Everyone is trying to enjoy the visits,

but we all know that soon it will end.

The flight was a little late, but not too bad. Soon we were back at Heathrow - and Cardiff. And so ended our 2014 pilgrimage. But the memories then have to be sorted out. In Jerusalem and Israel, like Rome, it all comes at you fast and thick. It takes a while to get to grips with what you have seen. Was that really where Jesus was born? Was I really standing on Calvary? Was it here that Peter and the others enjoyed breakfast on the beach? 

Luckily we have our fellow pilgrims to help us remember. And, just a few days ago we received this year's memento. We used to get a video, then we moved on to a DVD, but since last year we have gone for a photo-book. The wonderful Bernard sifted through 6,000 photos taken by members of the group, and organised about 500 into a book that we can buy. It's a wonderful idea, and everyone who has seen my copy is wowed by it. 

As I look at the pictures I notice something very simple, but something that warms my heart. In every single picture, people are smiling. To walk in Jesus' footsteps, with brothers and sisters in faith - to eat, laugh, play cards, sing along, pray and worship together indeed brings a deep joy, a profound peace. And the result is that smile of faith.

Blessed are... those who were here

Our last full day in the Holy land was spent on and around the Mount of Beatitudes, overlooking the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. We made first for the Domus Galilaeae, or House of Galilee, a sight new to us. This is a brand new spiritual centre built on top of the Mount of Beatitudes by the Neo-catechumenates.

It comprises a study centre, convention centre, library, chapel (left), seminary and much more, all housed in a building of stunning modern architecture. We had a 30 minute guided tour from an enthusiastic young Colombian seminarian. Many noticed to what a high quality finish it has been built, with many interesting features. There was a lot to talk about, some finding it extravagant, our guide finding it a bit too Jewish-influenced, but most just amazed. It was my idea to visit the Domus, to remind everyone that the Holy Land is not just about holy places from the past.

Here young men come from across the country and across the world for study and spirituality - the Church of today and tomorrow. The Neo-Catechumenate is not everybody's cup of tea, as it were, but it is present in about 40,000 communities in 900 dioceses in the world. It was a fascinating beginning to the day - and, I found, an inspiring one. Pictured right is the bronze Sermon on the Mount on top of the oratory that has been built for the local Church. Many of our group were very inspired by this group.

We now moved down to the flat area t the foot of the Mount to the spot marking the Feeding of the Five Thousand, at the Church of the Loaves and Fishes. Here in a beautiful Abbey built by German monks we can see the ancient mosaic set into the floor which gives the place its name (left). 

Lastly we went back up the slope of the Mount of Beatitudes to the place where tradition says the Sermon on the Mount was given. here we celebrated another outdoors Mass overlooking my beloved Sea of Galilee. As we heard the immortal opening words of Matthew chapter 5 we renewed our determination to follow the words of Our Lord in our daily lives. We enjoyed lunch at the cool, clean convent attached to the shrine, and returned, inspired, as we were every day, by the sights and sounds of another wonderful day. The picture shows the Church of the Beatitudes with the sea of Galilee just visible in the background.

Climb every mountain

With only two full days left of our pilgrimage to the Holy Land in May, we set off for two of the "high points" of our trip (sorry about that). Mount Tabor is about ten or twelve miles west of Tiberias, and rises up like a child's idea of a mountain (below). It's the traditional site of the wonderful event we know as the Transfiguration, and a church sits right on the top, where we have celebrated Mass several times before. Access to the church via about twelve hairpin bends is only via taxi minibuses, whose drivers seemed less anxious to scare the pants off us than some jokers from previous pilgrimages. This time, when we got to the top, we were invited to have Mass outside, in the shady ruins of a previous ancient church. It was beautiful, allowing us to gather at Communion time around the altar. 

The Transfiguration is an image of pilgrimage. For a short while we are perhaps lifted out of our normal life and routine, and experience a little more clearly some of the wonders of our Creator and Redeemer. The veil is pulled apart just a little... and maybe, like Peter at Tabor, we want to "freeze-frame" many of the moments. But no, we have to go back down the mountain and return to Life. Having listened to the Lord, we must now get on with living his words.

Safely grounded we continued westward towards the Mediterranean and the long ridge that is Mount Carmel. Here we made a stop where Elijah beat the priests of Baal in a my-God-is-better-than-yours contest. Here's a real children's book picture of the scene - great stuff.

Unlike on some previous pilgrimages, this time we didn't go on to Elijah's cave overlooking the Med, but headed off for lunch at a Druze restaurant that was bigger and more organized than the small, squashed but rather more charming one we visited last time. The series of dishes once again tempted and tested our palates. Yum.

Francis shakes them up down south

On Saturday evening Pope Francis celebrated Mass down in the "toe" of Italy, and during the homily caught everyone's attention with these words:
"When one does not adore the Lord, one becomes an adorer of evil, like those who live by dishonesty and violence. Your land, which so beautiful, knows the signs of the consequences of this sin. The ‘Ndrangheta (local version of the mafia) is this: adoration of evil and contempt of the common good. This evil must be fought, must be expelled. It must be told no. The Church, which is so committed to educating consciences, must always expend itself even more so that good can prevail. Our children ask this of us. Our young people ask this of us, they, who need hope. To be able to respond to this demands, faith can help us. Those who in their lives have taken this evil road, this road of evil, such as the mafiosi, they are not in communion with God, they are excommunicated!"
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, he had suddenly asked his driver to stop...

Around and on the lake

The beautiful Sea of Galilee - it forms the background to so much of Jesus's ministry. On our first full day in Tiberias we set off for Capernaum, Our Lord's base for his ministry, home to several apostles (artist's impression of the town in the time of Jesus, left). The ruins have been well excavated, and here and there reconstructed as in the Synagogue. A new church has been constructed over the supposed House of Peter, and since my last visit the whole place has been tidied up with a lovely esplanade overlooking the lake. 

Next we made the short journey to the spot known as Mensa Christi - the Table of Christ. This has been a favourite of our pilgrims - and mine too - since our first visit in 1992. Tradition places here the meeting of Jesus and his Apostles on the beach after the Resurrection. We have come to call this the "Breakfast on the Beach" incident in our churches... The Franciscans, faced with just a small stone church previously, built an out door Greek-style theatre for Mass, facing the lake through the foreground of a spreading tree and a beautiful statue of Our Lord with St Peter (below). What a memorable spot! Here we remember how Peter heard the forgiving and restoring word of the Lord, and so we pray for his successor, Francis, and for the whole Church. As always, Mensa Christi worked its magic and we left with a beautiful and powerful memory.

We now travelled further around the lake to its eastern shore, under the Golan Heights, to the area of Kursi, scene of the famous incident of the Gaderene Swine. An ancient church has been excavated here, and after a visit there, when my poor old toe took some punishment on knobbly cobbles, we repaired to the nearby kibbutz for some traditional St Peter's Fish. Suitably nourished, we embarked on the boat that would return us to our hotel in Tiberias. This trip on the lake is also always memorable, with thoughts of all those moments in the Gospel that take place on the waters. As usual, the captain obliges by turning off the engine and for some minutes we find ourselves afloat on the Sea of Galilee. We remember how the Lord calmed the waves, and of course another Peter incident, when the fisherman walked on the water, and was grabbed by Jesus. We too can walk on the waters of life, and as long as we keep our gaze on Him, the storms will not sink us. Even if we do go down, we can call out to him who held Peter - and he will hold us too.. 

Get Up and Walk

The new video from Outside da Box.  A great take on the paralytic let down through the roof...

And so to Galilee

First - happy feast day of Pentecost to everybody for yesterday!  Second, Sister Cristina went on to win The Voice Italy on Thursday...

But now back to the Holy Land. After arriving on Monday, by Saturday it was now time to leave Jerusalem for Galilee. As with each time I leave the city, I wondered if I would ever be back. Who knows?..  Jerusalem is hustle and bustle, a city modern and ancient, Jewish, Moslem and Christian - everything and everybody all wrapped up into one, with the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus embedded at its centre. Galilee, on the other hand, is calm, soothing, beautiful and largely rural.

We set off along the vastly improved modern highway system, north out of Judaea, dropping down to the coastal plain and then turning north towards Nazareth. Eventually there it was rising up on its hilltop, and soon we could see the huge modern basilica of the Annunciation rising up from among the bustling town centre (left). We were expecting to celebrate Mass in the church of St Joseph in the grounds, but when we were in the Basilica, a friar told us that the main altar in the big church was available, so we had Mass there instead. Our group gathered around the altar and many other people took part from further down in the church. We thought about Mary and Joseph, and how Mary heard the Word and made herself available to the Holy Spirit, so that the Word would become flesh. We too are to listen to the Word and put flesh on it through our lives.

After Mass we strolled over to St Joseph's and found a new statue of St Joseph in a garden that I found very inspiring (not very good pic right). Then after another lovely lunch all together, we moved on towards our destination Tiberias, via Cana, of wedding feast fame. Usually we have a time of prayer here, remembering deceased husbands and wives, or those we have left at home; we pray for the separated or divorced; we recall other vocations too - single life, including those in vows or or holy orders.  Those who are on pilgrimage as a couple have the opportunity to renew their vows. When we got to the church there was an extravagant, beautiful and moving Ethiopian marriage going on, with much music, dancing and devotion. Our group loved it - a real blessing and gift. We still had our prayers, though out in a corner of the forecourt instead, but it was still a lovely moment on our journey, when we each considered how we have answered the call of the Lord.

Eventually we pulled into Tiberias on the wonderful Sea of Galilee, where we would be based for a several more days. I found my room, opened my window onto the lake and thanked God for being able to return to one of my favourite places on earth.

(Pic is someone's Google Earth off-season shot from our hotel)

Peacocks, cable cars, mines and fresh orange juice

STOP PRESS - Sister Cristina - the Singing Nun - has made it to the final of The Voice Italy tomorrow! See my posting of  21st March...

 

On the Friday we took a trip out of the city to visit Jericho in the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. We hadn't devoted a day to Jericho before, but it is a place with a long history - possibly the longest continuous habitation of anywhere on earth!  There are many excavations in the area around the city, which is one of the main towns in the famous West Bank are of the Palestinian Territory. 

We headed to the Franciscan church in the town (left), where we were told that a bevy of bishops had arrived whom the Franciscans felt should have the church for Mass. We are banished to the garden, which turned out to be a blessing, as it was a lovely day, we were under an awning and a proud peacock strutted his way behind me through the celebration. In the Gospel, Jesus told us that he was and is the Way, the Truth and the Life. If we are to listen to the voice of the Lord, well, then, we must also act on it, making his Way, Truth and Life truly our own.

In 2000 a cable car was built to reach the Mount of Temptations which overlooks the town (above). We all went up in groups of six, swaying high above the dry land. The Monastery on the mountain was shut, but we enjoyed a relaxing interlude and cold drink gazing out over the huge vista.

Back on terra firma we headed for an open air restaurant for lunch and then drove out of the town in blistering heat to the site of the Baptism, south towards the Dead Sea. The West Bank side has only been reopened to visitors recently after being mined. It was good to visit this after several visits to the "imaginary" site way up by the Sea of Galilee, which is very attractive, but nowhere near where the event happened.  We renewed our baptismal promised, and I signed each on the forehead with Jordan water and poured some over their hands. A very hot stroll back in the 90sF to the coach and we were off to the Dead Sea.

I'm no big fan of the DS. I don't like the feel of it, and while it's good to have the experience of floating in it, on this occasion I opted for a gorgeous freshly-squeezed-in-front-of-you orange drink or two. Beautiful. And so back to the city for our last evening in Jerusalem, where the hotel put on its weekly Sultan's Banquet, where David excelled as sultan, Tania starred as his, er,.sultana, and Norbert stunned us all by his, um, exotic dancing (no pics alas!).