Day 2 - Like a chick in a garbage depo.

The second day was in the lack of a better word brilliant.

In the morning I went to see the company which is literally on the other side of the road.

They have just moved in so the office is a work in progress, the people were very friendly and the work looks pretty good.

After the walk around I came back to the Hotel and spoke on the phone to my childhood friend Uri who moved to Tel Aviv when he was about 10 and with whom I had lost contact in many many years ago, we are going to meet again as old geezers which will be pretty interesting.

The rest of the day was dedicated to tourism, my camera was almost shooting on its own. I am not posting the pictures for now because the internet time in the hotel is expensive but as soon as I can I will

The old city of Jerusalem is THE most interesting place I have ever visited, one can see everything at once in the same moment and place. Haredi Jews, Arabs, Christian priests, Neo-hippies, tourists from every corner of the world, children, old people.

History, recent and ancient just breathes, through every street.

There is the tourist hassle, but nothing as bad as India. There is almost no visible poverty.

The Palestinians and Jews were much more tolerant towards each other than I imagined and one does not feel hostility in the air. I mean.. I am not naive.. there is hostility... but it is definitely not on the surface.

The positive thing is that it seems at least that people want to carry on with their lives and no one really wants to get themselves or their children hurt. The down side, I think, is that the divide is so internalized that it may never be solved. Perhaps this is good in a way... in the U.S. ethnic communities live totally apart and the country seems to be getting on well.

Brazil is a different case, the people mingle and get along, perhaps better than anywhere in the world, the ethnic divide is not such a big deal, it is more about who has money and who does not.

But the crime rates are terrible over there.

Anyways I must admit that the everyday Palestinians deserve more sympathy from Israelis, as well as the Israelis deserve more sympathy from the world. I was here before as a boy in the mid seventees and remember it being poorer and more tense.

The economy has improved and it seems that most people have grown up and know better than accusing each other for their misery, and want to get on with their lives. I feel most people on both sides would be willing to give peace a chance.

In many ways the western media is responsible for magnifying the problem by demonizing people and caricaturisation the situation, the people involved in the conflict are human and want to improve their situation.

The old city is a community and a world of its own, it's mechanics work, it is organic. Hopefully this will spill out in form or another, lets hope sooner than later.

After walking for hours discovering the old city, lunch time! The shwarma and the Hummus I had was the best in my entire life. I stuffed myself it is true, but for a good cause!

Came back to the hotel and slept the walking and the food away. Someone has to do the hard work sometimes...