Well, I made it.  Flights on time, no problems.  Finished The Accidental Empire.  Got into Sleeping on a Wire.  Watched two free movies.  Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to watch “Body of Lies” with Leo DiCaprio.  It’s about CIA collaboration with Jordanian secret service.  Hopefully, they won’t ask about my recent movie watching when I cross over into Jordan next week.

Miraculously, I got to the hotel driving through Jerusalem in pitch black and pouring down rain using only the Hertz map. Jerusalem is probably not an easy place to get around in broad daylight;  it’s interesting at night.  Went past lots of interesting looking theatres and museums;  maybe I’ll get to see some while I mtn. bike around Jerusalem with my guide—he made me bring my cleated shoes.

Had dinner at the hotel.  Old world meets Middle East:  hummous and other middle eastern choices or right from the shtetl: smoked white fish, gefilte fish, personal mini-challahs, tsimmes (finely chopped carrots with onions).  Topped off with a rather young and markedly tart Merlot from the Golan Heights—not quite ready to compete on the international market.

Each room in the hotel has its very own individual mezuzah on the doorpost.  Yes, it’s a Jewish country.