yesterday evening and today

Those who stayed in Jerusalem went for a second night to the best eatery in East Jerusalem -- Askadinya. Some of us met up after meals with the families for a brief Western, Protestant impromptu service for Easter Day (any there had been had happened by 10.30am and those of us in Beit Sahour missed them all).

Then Samer took twelve of us to the Three Kings Hotel in Beit Sahour. Egyptian Christians on a tour were anxiously watching news about attacks on three churches back in Cairo.

We went upstairs, there were the hubbly bubbly flavoured tobacco pipes, the most bizarre G&Ts ever, vodkas, a huge plate of lemons and much hilarity. Photographic evidence was collected.

Between the nineteen of us there are many and various plans for this last full day. Peter, Joan and Margaret are going to hit the Israeli Museum. Sian, Will and Carley are off to one of Herod's palaces. A crowd are staying in Bethlehem and another are going up to Jerusalem for various bits of shopping.