Jerusalem Day 1 - Trip
Shalom, vänner! I have safely arrived in the Holy City. Apart from a view from the sherut (a mini taxi that brought us from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for 64 NIS, New Israeli Shekel), I haven't seen too much of Jerusalem yet, as we directly went to the Swedish Theological Institute where we will stay for the coming ten days and this afternoon we have mainly been relaxing and sleeping after our long trip. (Lund - Cph - Istanbul - Tel Aviv - Jerusalem.)
The STI seems to be a strange safe Swedish harbor within this busy town, with quiet white rooms, offices where Haaretz and some Swedish paper lie next to each other and a beautiful innergarden. Me and Anna share a room which is either named after or sponsored by (or both) Växjö Stift. I have said it before in Dutch: thanks to Svenska Kyrkan for sponsoring my trip. Very kind to give such a welcoming present to a newly confirmed member. (Just for clarity's sake: obviously the two have nothing to do with each other.)
The trip here was not the most delightful ever, ghehe. I got sick on Wednesday and as my flight left on 01.50 there was no way to 'sleep a long night to recover' as I had to pack and round up many other activities. Bad planning. Fortunately I felt gradually better during the travels and have started eating again.
My stress levels were also enforced by a Lundanian bus driver that wasn't as punctual as the average Swede. As I didn't want to put my bike at the station, I took a bus that would arrive at Lund C (the station) at 23.07. With my train leaving at 23.13, this seemed a safe planning.
The dear driver, however, met a friend at Botulfsplatsen and engaged in a lively conversation. When he, about four minutes after planning, still didn't seem to feel like leaving, I finally decided to get up and tell him that I NEEDED to make it to my train as to make sure I'd make it to my flight. Before I could do that, the guy's eyes and mine met in the mirror and as we would say in Dutch: "If looks could kill he wouldn't have been very much alive" He immediately took off, racing up Stora Södergatan over the cubblestone streets. We were at the station at 23.11 and in some strange way I managed to get a ticket, find which track to run to and make it into the train. In hindsight it was funny...
In half an hour we get some welcome dinner here, so it seems time for a shower. Tomorrow the program will really head off with classes about Judaism and a visit to a synagogue and Shabbat meal. More later!
NB. 1 NIS is 2 SEK or around 0.2 (but not completely) euros. I'm already confused.
The STI seems to be a strange safe Swedish harbor within this busy town, with quiet white rooms, offices where Haaretz and some Swedish paper lie next to each other and a beautiful innergarden. Me and Anna share a room which is either named after or sponsored by (or both) Växjö Stift. I have said it before in Dutch: thanks to Svenska Kyrkan for sponsoring my trip. Very kind to give such a welcoming present to a newly confirmed member. (Just for clarity's sake: obviously the two have nothing to do with each other.)
The trip here was not the most delightful ever, ghehe. I got sick on Wednesday and as my flight left on 01.50 there was no way to 'sleep a long night to recover' as I had to pack and round up many other activities. Bad planning. Fortunately I felt gradually better during the travels and have started eating again.
My stress levels were also enforced by a Lundanian bus driver that wasn't as punctual as the average Swede. As I didn't want to put my bike at the station, I took a bus that would arrive at Lund C (the station) at 23.07. With my train leaving at 23.13, this seemed a safe planning.
The dear driver, however, met a friend at Botulfsplatsen and engaged in a lively conversation. When he, about four minutes after planning, still didn't seem to feel like leaving, I finally decided to get up and tell him that I NEEDED to make it to my train as to make sure I'd make it to my flight. Before I could do that, the guy's eyes and mine met in the mirror and as we would say in Dutch: "If looks could kill he wouldn't have been very much alive" He immediately took off, racing up Stora Södergatan over the cubblestone streets. We were at the station at 23.11 and in some strange way I managed to get a ticket, find which track to run to and make it into the train. In hindsight it was funny...
In half an hour we get some welcome dinner here, so it seems time for a shower. Tomorrow the program will really head off with classes about Judaism and a visit to a synagogue and Shabbat meal. More later!
NB. 1 NIS is 2 SEK or around 0.2 (but not completely) euros. I'm already confused.
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