‘Soap, knafeh, cafes...that’s Nablus’, said our tour guide for the day, teeing up the places he would take us. It was a rainy Saturday in January and we had come with several other families for an insider’s tour around Nablus. In keeping with the generous spirit of Nablus, our guide was actually not one but … Continue reading Why I love Nablus
As the weather starts to cool a little, it's time to start writing the adventure list! Below is my roundup of the best underground adventures, with a cave or experience to suit a range of people from the thrill seeking to the small kids. The Best Cave Ever The Best Cave Ever - Haritoun Cave … Continue reading Going Underground
Walking along Edinburgh’s prestigious George Street, on an August afternoon with the wind and drizzle whipping my umbrella around, Palestine was far from my mind. That was until I stumbled across Hadeel, a Palestinian Fair trade craft shop, nestled inside one of the grand Georgian buildings. Stepping inside, I was astonished to see almost identical … Continue reading Finding Palestine Abroad
On a hot summer’s day, the sea started to beckon, and we set off for the picturesque town of Jaffa, that holds a special place in the hearts of many Palestinians. Jaffa is an ancient port town on the Mediterranean coast, that has been inhabited for thousands of years. It features in several Biblical stories … Continue reading Jaffa
On our way to Zabuba, the most Northern village in Palestine, I vowed that we would never return. We were already running late before we got lost following the woefully bad navigation app, we scratched the car turning an impossibly tight corner through narrow streets and we were bickering and in a bad mood. Then … Continue reading Tobacco picking in Zabuba
Walking in the Red Canyon felt pretty much like being on Planet Mars. I wouldn’t normally write about hikes in Israel as I regret too much that they aren’t accessible to everyone, but this natural wonder deserves a special mention for its sheer beauty. Israel's border with Egypt The Red Canyon is situated in the … Continue reading Hiking on Mars
On Saturday evening the Christmas lights were lit in Bethlehem in a small ceremony which was streamed worldwide. Despite the challenges of this year, there is still something magical about spending Christmas so close to where the action happened 2020 years ago. Bethlehem is only 10km away from Jerusalem although, as if often the case … Continue reading Oh Little Town
If you are looking for famous gates (and I don’t mean Bill and Melinda here) you’d struggle to beat a stroll around Jerusalem’s Old City Gates. Just like a dysfunctional family, each one has its own personality and some fascinating historical tales to tell. I was amazed to learn that the Old City Walls of … Continue reading Meet the Gates
This week’s blog has been submitted by Samaher and gives a fascinating report of life for the Bedouin communities living in East Jerusalem. Samaher is Palestinian and says that you can’t talk about East Jerusalem without referring to the Bedouin. Her knowledge comes from a combination of working on Bedouin issues as well as personal … Continue reading The Bedouin
The other day my three year old asked, ‘are we Palestinian?’ Sadly, for us, we are very much British, but it was sweet to see that she understood a bit about where we are. The next day she said ‘I just heard a Palestinian’ when she meant the call to prayer, so her definition was … Continue reading Locked In
This Friday is the start of the Jewish High Holiday season. Over the coming three weeks there are three major festivals to be celebrated: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. Unfortunately, this year they will take place during a three week national lockdown in Israel. If you are new to Jerusalem, then the range of … Continue reading High Holidays
The Old City in Jerusalem is a world class sight to behold. Within the city walls lie three of the most important religious sites in the world: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall and the Al Aqsa mosque compound (‘Dome of the Rock’). There are seven gates that lead into the Old … Continue reading Old City
This week we spent a memorable evening lying underneath the stars in the Judean Desert. If it sounds idyllic: it really was. We had heard that the annual Perseid meteor shower was taking place and decided to head down to a site near Nabi Musa with a gang of friends to check it out. Nabi … Continue reading Stargazing
Last week we went on holiday. Grounded by the prospect of a two-week quarantine in the UK and a two-week quarantine in Israel, we opted to stay put. It wasn’t where we thought we would be spending this summer, but it was interesting and memorable for many reasons. We stayed in the Upper Galilee, which … Continue reading Tracing the border
We live in the neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah, nestled in amongst the consulates and old Palestinian elite families. It is part of East Jerusalem but not representative of East Jerusalem. What I didn’t know, was that the word ‘jarrah’ in Arabic is derived from ‘healer’ and Sheikh Jarrah was the personal physician of Salah ad-Din. … Continue reading Sheikh Jarrah
Ka’ak has ruled supreme as the Jerusalem bread of choice for thousands of years. It is eaten across the Middle East, but the Al Quds (Jerusalem) variety is known to be especially good. So, what is the secret to this stretched ring-shaped bread? Ka’ak is a popular breakfast but also makes a good brunch, lunch … Continue reading King Ka’ak
July has started and with it the second half of 2020 is underway. Days and weeks blur into one and the news headlines come and go. Elections, annexation, covid, occupation, it can be difficult to see the history being made in front of our eyes. This week, I’m taking stock of 2020 so far, a … Continue reading Half a year down
My favourite sound of Jerusalem, and one that has me excitedly running to the window, is the drilling of the Syrian Woodpecker in the trees beyond our house. If I am quiet and fairly still, I can often spot the woodpecker high up the trunk of the tree, beak poised and ready to drill. It … Continue reading Birds
Nowhere is language and identity more complicated than in Jerusalem. Since I arrived last year, I have been treading carefully to try and use the right language with people so as not to offend or worse, antagonise them. I will often refer to ‘Israel and Palestine’ however, knowing full well that the two things do … Continue reading Being Palestinian
Walking into the American Colony Hotel is like stepping into a green sanctuary in the middle of Jerusalem. The courtyards are immaculately tended and the gardens offer a calm oasis for people to meet and relax. I’ve not had the pleasure of staying here but a cocktail in the garden, or down in the cellar … Continue reading Behind closed doors
The American Colony Hotel is both grand and iconic. It sits near the green line between East and West Jerusalem and considers itself part of the ‘no man’s land’ where everyone is welcome. I knew the hotel had enjoyed a string of illustrious guests over the years, but I wasn’t prepared for quite how startlingly … Continue reading The colony behind the hotel
Last week my kids returned to school and nursery after eight weeks of lockdown and we all breathed a big sigh of relief! They were just as delighted as us to have something to get up for in the morning, a place to go, people to see, experiences to live. The bags were packed the … Continue reading The ‘Back to School’ dance
Mohammad Khawashki - the founder Many people living in Sheikh Jarrah will be on very familiar terms with Mr Automatic, or the family of Mr Automatic’s that make up the popular Automatic Grocery shop. It is something of a miracle in how they manage to stock so many products in a modestly sized shop. Fancy … Continue reading Meeting Mr Automatic
On Saturday we went for a walk. It wasn’t just any walk. It was the first walk in nearly 6 weeks where we were allowed to go further than 100 metres, and latterly, 500 metres, from our home for the purpose of exercise. We dared not take the car and set out on foot from … Continue reading The Walk
Last week saw Ramadan kick off across the Islamic world, and for the pre-dominantly Muslim population of East Jerusalem, it is a time of both celebration and sacrifice. Ramadan is one of the five core pillars of Islam which requires healthy Muslim adults to go without all food and water from sunrise to sunset for … Continue reading Ramadan
It can feel like a game of lockdown top-trumps at the moment, where everyone competes for the most difficult situation. Locked down by yourself – unlucky, locked down with young kids – unlucky, locked down with kids and trying to work – extremely unlucky, locked down with your partner – unclear. Have some outdoor space … Continue reading Lockdown Top Trumps
Jerusalem is the heart and home of Easter. It is here that the action happened. The city is steeped in the narrative of Jesus carrying his cross through the Old City streets to the point of his crucifixion and death. You already know how the story ends, three days later the stone outside his tomb … Continue reading The Rolling Stone
And just like that, Wednesday marks a year that we’ve been living in East Jerusalem. I would say it has whizzed by in the blink of an eye, but the past month has put the brakes on life in a way that has given a lot of time for reflection. In many ways this new … Continue reading One year here
I’ve not got a diary to share this week. Who has? Life has gone virtual and despite being cooped up, you’ve probably zoom called your way around the world and never felt so connected. It doesn’t make for riveting reading though, and for now we can only dream of how amazing springtime must look in … Continue reading Milking it
There is only one story this week and that is Corona Virus. There are currently 213 known cases in Israel, and 38 in the West Bank. None in Gaza so far, thank goodness. This is not yet in the same league as many Asian and European countries, yet the country lurches closer daily towards complete … Continue reading Fever Tactics
East Jerusalem Diaries 