Sunday, August 8, 2010

If You're Going to Jerusalem on Foot, Be Sure to Take a Tel-Avivian Duck With You

The Preparation.

The drying up.

The 5:00 AM streetcorner.

The morning traffic.

The passing under a bridge the most difficult way conceivable because it was Anna's bright idea.

The Anna.

The roadside.

The raspberry juice served by complete strangers.

The right direction.

The snack.

The shofar.

The field where they grow milk containers.

The marshes of despair.

The legs that have just traversed the marshes of despair.

The evening walk.

The haystacks of a new day.

The flower I picked and brought home to Itka.

The laughing Catholic volunteer from Hong Kong named Ting Ting.

The mysterious home by the roadside.

The highway at Bab Al-Wad seen from above.

The yummy grapes.

The Elvis

The ditch I had to walk in.

The cupious amount of trash.

The twighlight in which I found myself again in the ditch.

The only road going into the city that didn't involve walking in a ditch.

The real gate of Jerusalem.

The first image of me in Jerusalem, taken by a little girl named Shoshana.

The arrival of the pilgrim at the temple (the Uganda bar and bookstore) and handing of the offering (Dakka 6 poetry journal).

The end.

BTW, while the title advice stands true. It's also advisable to bring a good friend along. I'm deeply indebted to Anna Wexler who sacrificed the wellbeing of her legs for this.

The story of the pilgrimage will appear in full in the Succot holiday edition of Israel Hayom. For more about the duck and its legendary creator Dudu Geva, read here.

6 comments:

Jael said...

Thanks for the preview;D

Eran Yuval said...

After all these years of staring through the window of a car on my way the Jerusalem, all I can say is bless you dear man. You are so alive!

Dakka's mommy said...

Dakka 6 sends her love and says she is happy in her new home.

Rotem said...

Great Scott- Great Post!

Anonymous said...

What a feat of endurance and bravery that appeared.
How long did it take? Looking forward to your Tel Aviv Tale.
As we are rambling…
I remember taking a wonderful walk one year (pre barrier) from Jerusalem to Bethlehem on a Christmas Eve. Reaching the brow of the hill overlooking Manger Square just as the most breathtaking dawn broke that Christmas morn. As we stood there looking down in hushed reverence upon a quietly lit Church of the Nativity we were greeted by the call to pray from a minaret. This beautiful sound echoed across the valley; I’m not religious in any noticeable way but, the whole experience was overwhelming and humbling.

Ayla Adler said...

the field of milk containers. Yuval, you're my hero, as always.