Let me start with this picture. It is the majority of what I saw today.
The sun was blazing today! Very different from the wind storms of our arrival! We got to Bethlehem Manger Square around 11am and waited to be on the front lines where we would get the best view of the Christmas parade of Palestinian scouts. I didn't really know what that meant either...
Before the event got started, the mosque on the square spent the morning giving speeches from the tower. Then a group of about 150 men were let into the square, including most of the police, so they could pray. Friday is a holy day for the muslims and it was interesting to watch the christians unfazed by the sharing of this holy place. That has been the reoccurring fell here in Palestine; peaceful and co-existing.
At about 1pm, the sounds of bagpipes and drums filled the air. Group after group of kids came around the corner sharing their mad beats and bagpipe skills. Who knew Christmas in Bethlehem would have bagpipes!
The nightlife of Bethlehem was much different. I have to admit the crowd wasn't nearly as friendly and to be honest, there were quite a few creepers out. We didn't last very long, but enjoyed the energy. It seemed much more like a birthday party than the low key Christmas celebrations of the States.
As we were leaving, a group of Palestinian University students stopped us. They wanted an interview in English for a class assignment. He asked what we thought of Palestine, of the conflict and of the Bethlehem Christmas celebration. These are always my favorite moments. Getting to chat with the people here has been so encouraging.
And this is just a little something to make you smile. A couple of giggling boys on a donkey. Precious.
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