Driving in central Ramallah and being a relaxed wanderer.

I'm certain if I was a southerner, I'd have some great analogy for what it is like to drive in downtown Ramallah. My goal is to find a perfectly fitting one before I leave. In short, it is absolute madness. The whole downtown area can't be more than a half of kilometer square. Between noon and 5pm, it can easily take 20 minutes to get from one end of it to another. The main reason is the pedestrians....who walk in the road and not on the sidewalks. It is pure mayhem. Near the central roundabout on the only two-way street coming into the center of town (another crazy idea of some idiotic urban planner), there stands a lively policeman who provides the entertainment for the frustrated drivers. He mans the only real pedestrian crossing in downtown Ramallah and directs the stream of foot and wheel traffic in a lively dance. It is entertaining, I'm certain there must be a video of it on YouTube somewhere. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvSf6gqUcPw The more ruly pedestrians (mothers who don't want their children to become fodder for the front bumper of some crazy driver) use that one cross walk, the rest of the people cross the streets wherever and whenever they feel like it, slowing traffic down to a grinding halt. Not to mention, there are often shephards or horse breeders who also decide to traffic their herds through the central square as well. It is truly entertaining.

Last night I was at a friend's house around dusk when there was a power outage in her neighborhood. I looked out the window to see if it was a general power outage and I saw these trees glowing white in the yellow light. They were cherry trees that were in full bloom! I was so surprised - spring has sprung here! And I've barely had a winter.

When I was in the States in December, I went to see my accupunturist. I told her that since I always ended up sick in the spring (but rarely in winter - something to do with my consitution), I would appreciate any boost she could give me to get me through the spring illness-free. She recommended an herb and told me that with the seasons here, spring would probably come in February -I doubted that it would be that early. When she went to put in an order for a chinese herbal therapy, we both had a good laugh when she showed me the label....."Relaxed Wanderer". Ahhh yes, that sounds like my ultimate goal in life....to be a relaxed wanderer!