I’ve been listening to Pete Seager songs all afternoon in order to get some courage for demonstrating tomorrow. Suddenly I am very afraid – of horses and stun grenades. Before, I was only afraid of walking too much and standing too long, but as the situation isn’t changing, the protests are becoming more extreme and the opposition is more and more violent. And I’m scared to go.
chicken – march 3, 2023 Read Post »
No one wanted to talk politics in Barcelona. We concentrated on paella and Spanish grammar. But as soon as we stepped into a taxi, the conversations began.
This driver proclaimed himself rightist from the beginning, just after he asked for more money than the standard fare because of the demonstrations. It was almost midnight and the demonstrations were pretty much over, but what the heck – we had money left over from the trip. And he entertained us the whole way by proclaiming his disappointment with Netanyahu. It was remarkable how we agreed on almost all the issues, despite the fact that he was definitely screwing us on the fare….
back to reality – march 2, 2023 Read Post »
We’re almost leaving Barcelona but we suddenly decided to check out the Jewish Quarter even though everyone had told us there was nothing there. Well, almost nothing, it turns out – but enough to whet the appetite to learn more. There’s more on the web than there is available to the eye. And it’s a good story. Check on the web. I have to pack.
Jewish Quarter Barcelona – Feb 28, 2023 Read Post »
How did she say it – Hilary – “when they go low, we go high?” When has anyone won anything that way? Still, I can’t go there. I refuse to sanction that kind of behavior no matter what the reason. We have no right to be violent against a people we’re responsible for.
when they go low – feb 27, 2023 Read Post »
I’ll be back soon, but in the meantime, I’m only talking with people about where to eat today, where we ate that was enjoyable. and what to eat tomorrow. Nothing about the two people killed today in the west bank, nothing about political upheaval, nothing about ministers of environment not believing in climate change. As me about tapas. Ask me about parks. Ask me about poetry.
That’s it.
Tomorrow you can ask me about how the Jews were eradicated in Barcelona.
don’t ask me – Feb 26, 2023 Read Post »
Everything you dreamed Barcelona to be, it is. .0th warm people, the great food, th=impressive sites – the Gaudi – etc.
But everywhere we also found protests – against Russia, against Ukraine, against animal consumption. At the same time, there are homeless people sleeping in the street and the other standard problem we find everywhere.
From here it looks worse for Israel than any time in history. But from here it looks like our judgements about other countries are strange. Do we really know enough about Ukraine and Russia to take either side? Some Russians in Israel are saying that Ukraine 1s Nazi. Some people say the opposite. We think we know everything. Once we get closer it is fuzzy.
0
Take the story of Barcelona and it’s generousity. “Dont go there” I’m told when I mention I’m heading over to the Jewish quarter. ” There’s nothing there.” Someone says, “They chased the Jews out in the twelfth century.” Chased. I know they killed them or /converted them. 0
barcelona – feb 26, 2023 Read Post »
The discussion of Jonathan Wilson’s book, The Red Balcony, last night, was really fascinating and I’m sorry so many of you missed it. It seemed that when I transferred hosting to Michael, he didn’t realize that he had to admit people and maybe the requests got lost.
Anyway, I had been nervous about speaking and allowing people to enter at the same time before Michael turned up and as soon as he came in, he decided my microphone was no good so he muted me.
That made for a strange interview.
Nevertheless, the book is fascinating and the discussion was even better. The subject I wanted to discuss was the interrelationship between the political confusion and the romantic one. It is a subject close to my heart and this blog – the way a personal life is inseparable from its political and cultural environment. That’s why I write about my day-by-day life and the events determining this life as one. I would welcome your thoughts on this.
Arlozoroff – Feb 24, 2023 Read Post »
The Lion’s Den. Even though I was there once in the early seventies, I don’t remember it being any more dangerous than any other casbah, like in Algiers. The danger was developed by us over the course of years. And even though most of the people killed there yesterday were clearly planning to kill us, we have to find a way to negotiate, to organize a separation,
nablus, the casbah – feb 23, 2023 Read Post »
