Okay, well to start things off I guess I should mention that Day One was spent relaxing with my bud Ryan Linstrom in Tel Aviv. This was great except for the fact that I lost my wedding ring in the Med. Sea. I knew I should have left it at home but thats that. Its gone and hopefully pirates will find it to add to their booty.

Then there's Jerusalem. Well, I arrived and discovered through a friend of a friend of Ryans that there was a guy on the Mount of Olives that took in people in need or those that simply dont plan ahead. That is not the category that I thought I fit in but evidently this is Ryans category for me. So, I meet the man Ibrahim. He is a curious man who has lived on the Mount of Olives all of his life. Actually, I learned the other night that he was born in a cave. The complexities of this strange man cannot be explained in one blog but in short, he is a man devoted to service and peace. He is not Jewish nor is he a Christian. He opens his doors to non-religious as well as religious. He has spoken with the most powerful men in the world for many decades. When I tell a Palestinian where I am staying, everyone knows of Ibrahim and the all say he is a very good man. He feeds us all. He gives us all beds to sleep in, showers to bathe in and access to a washing machine. He requires nothing in return but of course I must repay him when I go. He offers help anytime I ask him and has not misguided me thus far in my visit to Jerusalem.

The house is a mess with variety. I have met people from Great Britain, New Zealand, Korea, Canada, Poland, and who knows where else. There are Christians and non-believers here, activists and pacifists, criminals and honest people. To compare the folks I've met here in Ibrahims House of Peace to anything would be inaccurate due to their peculiarity but, I would most compare them to the characters in Voltaires "Candide." One lady from New Zealand "lives a life of leisure" at home, and has taken up painting. But, her art is that of a simple minded child. She is a wonderful kind Christian lady but hasn't an ounce of painterly skills in her hands, yet she tries to sell paintings at the auctions. Then there is my new Korean friend who knows very little English yet we talk about his dreams for hours. He tells me that he is not happy, and he will not be until he becomes an English translator in the military, a philosopher, and a psychiatrist. He thanked me for teaching him, but I simply told him that "life is not about becoming happy. Rather, it is seeking contentment. If you cannot be content in pursuing your dreams then when you succeed, you surely will not be happy." He is a very intricate person who asks very serious questions that cause me to think back on my life. I helped him learn how expensive Yale and Stanford are because he wants to study psychology there. This was hard to do because I knew he would be very disappointed. With Tuition at $52,000 per year who wouldnt be? Well, I think it was all for the better.

Then there is an old hippie jew from San Francisco who is an Israeli citizen yet has no place to live but here in Ibrahims house. He is very vocal and very aggressive and loud. A lot of what he says I like, but unfortunately he is all to often wrong or just abrasive. He quarrels with a guy from Canada who is also an artist, although the Canadian is very cautious and calm when it comes to issues concerning Israel and Palestine.