December 28, 2000

Madonna and Child mosaic donated by Thailand; at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Israel.

OK. This is the story with travel in these times - we've made numerous references, but here's the details: we needed to go to Nazareth to meet Elizabeth's brother (he was taking a bus from Tel Aviv to Nazareth) - but to do that means we have to leave the West Bank. We must take a taxi from here to the border, convincing the Israeli soldiers stationed several miles before the checkpoint to let our Palestinian driver take us there. Then we walk across the border (convincing the soldiers there that we are no threat to the security of Israel), meeting our waiting taxi from Nazareth. Added to this is the cellphone nonsense - the Palestinian and Israeli cellphone companies do not have working agreements, so we cannot call our Palestinian driver when in Israel (and vice versa) - add to this that the pay phones have been removed from Arab neighborhoods in Israel, and you begin to get the picture.

Israeli pay phones out of commission in Nazareth.

Nevertheless, we traveled. We visited two Churches of the Annunciation (one Latin and one Greek). The first contained mosaics representing madonna and child from all over the world. The place was empty, more evidence of the decimated tour industry in these two lands.

Neighbor child playing with his new toy gun.

Elizabeth's brother arrived safely and joined us for some more of Zababdeh's almost belligerent hospitality. Our danger here seems to be limited to menacing toy gun-wielding infants.