Jerusalem Blue Sky, White Snow and More Ice

Stabbing attack, bomb on a bus, and a murder near the Gaza Border,

terror against Israelis is increasing.

But in Jerusalem this past week it was all about the weather.

photo String Bridge, Image Jerusalem bridge, picture top of new bridge

The sun is shining and sky is blue,

picture Palestinian abuse Israel, photo Palestinian women Israel, image Palestinian women Jerusalem

and people are walking again along Jaffa Road,

photo market Jerusalem, shuk photo, image Machana Yehuda, picture people eating in shuk

and eating and shopping in the Shuk, the Machane Yehuda Market.

For some in Jerusalem, Israel, the snow storm of December 2013 is history.

Meanwhile,

image snow blocking corner, photo storm in israel, picture snow in Israel, image clean up snow

 many street corners still look like this with heaps of ice and debris.

Nothing in Jerusalem is flat, so there are many steps,

snow in Israel photo, image Jerusalem steps, picture snow in Israel

 including this 99-step stairway that was icy this week. 

image large tree blocking steps, photo tree fallen on path, picture tree damage israel

But this fallen tree was blocking them at the top making them useless.

They are off one of the hardest hit streets,

where many were without power for a week because of the storm.

Now new wires are being buried underground.

I had to go around out of my way,

image two workmen, photo electric company workers.

but I had a chance to meet two of the hasmal electric company guys,

who wanted me to to take their their photo.

image snow clean up. picture snow on street, photo Jerusalem snow

It is a miracle that with blocked icy sidewalks and people walking

on dark slippery streets in traffic that no one was killed or seriously injured.

image snow Jerusalem, ice on streets Jerusalem, israel storm, picture cleanup Jerusalem

This week, a corner where many children cross

near a busy school was still covered with ice.

You cannot really understand Jerusalem streets from looking at a map

or even at photos, as it can rain on one street and be dry on the next.

This week you really feel and see the differences.

While some are out in the sun, 

image snow Jerusalem, picture snow, photo snow in Israel

others are still trying to get around the mess!

I almost fell today on an ice patch near the Windmill.

image clean up Jerualem, snow damage photo

The tree cutters are busy with lots more work to do.

People and buses are sharing same spaces,

image rose, photo rose bud, picture flower in snow.

but even with the snow in the background,

the last rose bud was still looking good.

First it was pretty, then it was clean-up time, 

now if they can just get the mess cleaned up before it rains…

After Jerusalem Snow of Century Clean Up Time

While the rest of Israel and world goes about its business, 

in and around Jerusalem it is not back to normal yet.

image Jerusalem snow, Israel snow photo, picture Jerusalem snow clean up

Snow and fallen trees are piled higher than a bus stop.

This is just #blizzrael – Blizzard – Israel – Unreal.

If you have lived through a large snow storm,

image snow Jerusalem, photo snow pile, Israel picture snow

then you are familiar with these grey piles of plowed mess on street corners,

image Jerusalem snow, picture snow Israel, photo how much snow Jerusalem, snow clean up

 trying to walk around them, 

image Jerusalem snow, Israel snow photo, picture snow cleanup

and sharing the space on the cleared streets with slow traffic.

But this is Jerusalem, Israel, not Boston, Buffalo or Brooklyn,

image snow in Jerusalem, photo snow Israel, picture snow

so there are plenty of palm branches on the ground too.

image snow Jerusalem, Picture snow Israel, How much snow photo

Another difference, people here do not leave a piece of furniture 

on the street hoping to save their parking spot.

Most of the pretty white images from yesterday are gone.

There was one pretty scene in front of Beit Hanassi, the President’s residence,

image streets covered snow Jerusalem, photo Israel snow, picture snow clean up

I guess the President’s staff gave up on clearing the sidewalk,

hoping the sun would do the work for them.

It was warming up finally,

image Jerusalem snow, picture snow Jerusalem, photos Israel snow

and this man was out in shorts.

image cat Jerusalem, photo cat after snow Israel, Picture cat on wall

The Jerusalem cats were back in their favorite spots,

image of snow Jerusalem, photo snow in Israel, picture snow cleanup

but the Paris Square Fountain was not flowing.

I have dozens more not-so-pretty photos of mountains of snow,

but I won’t bore you with so many of them.

snow Jerusalem image, picture snow cleanup israel., photo Bobcat

The clean up equipment was out, 

image snow cleanup Israel, Jerusalem snow photo.

only I always seem to find them on a break.

It is still a great time for tree-trimmers who work with large chain saws.

Along with the sounds of cars honking in blocked traffic,

is the welcome sound of buzzing of chain saws.

image Jerusalem snow, picture Jerusalem snow, snow clean up picture.

Just look at the amount and size of some of timber that was cut

and left in front of the Jerusalem Theater.

Now is a good time to collect wood for your fireplaces.

image Jerusalem snow, photo snow Jerusalem, picture snow cleanup

With so many scenes like this one on Emek Refaim Street,

picture jerusalem snow, image snowy steps, Israel snow

and these dangerous snowy and icy walkways,

image runners before race, photo runners ready, picture Afikim

it is no wonder that a few guys’ crazy idea to run to Eilat,

doesn’t seem so crazy anymore.

image Afikim run, picture Jerusalem night, Image race start

That is confetti not snow, as the runners 

left First Station at the start of their 36 hour, 360 km relay race.

Good luck guys!

We finally got full power back after a week,

so as long as it lasts I am going to 

keep my feet dry 

and hibernate.