Bethlehem: First Impressions

By chance, if chance you call it, I managed to visit Bethlehem a few days before Donald Trump's announcement about Jerusalem kicked off some trouble in the West Bank. I haven't visited there since (although the trouble wasn't as bad as the impression often given by the international news), so these first impressions are based on one visit only so far. Hopefully I'll be there for the Christmas Midnight Mass, however.

Bagpipes
As we were driving into Bethlehem I noticed a shop selling musical instruments that had one whole window taken up with an advert for bagpipes. That was the first indication I had that bagpipes are a thing in Bethlehem. And as it happened that day there was a special procession celebrating the beginning of Advent, where I saw that their marching bands clearly owe something to Scottish influence.

Banksy
The famed undercover graffiti artist has left his mark on Bethlehem, although it's often hard to be sure which is his work and which is just inspired by him.

Beer
It so happens that my visit to Bethlehem featured my first taste of beer in the Holy Land (wine being the main drink on offer in the Jerusalem friary). I recommend this Palestinian brew:

Door, small
I had of course heard of the rather small door that one has to stoop through to enter the Basilica of the Nativity - the idea being to remind us that in the Incarnation God was "stooping down from heaven to earth". But it was still surprising to see people queuing to enter such a large church through such a small opening.

Ecumenism, Franciscan style
Because of the aforementioned celebrations for the beginning of Advent, the Franciscans of the Holy Land were out in force. We had a good chat with some brothers from different branches of the Order in the courtyard of St Catherine's Church (next door and attached to the Basilica).

Hills
Jerusalem is hilly enough, but Bethlehem and the country around it seems even more up-and-down and rugged. One can easily see how grottoes in the hillsides would frequently lend themselves as shelter for people like shepherds or a travelling family.

Occupation
Although life in Bethlehem can seem sort of normal, there were occasional little reminders that it is in occupied territory. Like having to drive through checkpoints, of course. Or a banner welcoming us to Bethlehem and asking us to pray for a free Palestine. Or this little banner informing us about some of the ongoing consequences of the occupation:

Tartan
As you may have seen from the videos above, bagpipes weren't the only Scottish element left behind after the British Mandate in Palestine.

Traffic
While not quite being up to Indian levels of hair-raising, the Bethlehem traffic was quite crowded, pushy, and noisy. And pedestrians seemed quite happy to compete with cars for space rather than be so boring as to walk on the pavement.

Wall
OK, so Jerusalem has walls as well; but this Wall separating Israel (or annexed Palestinian territory) from Palestine is rather different. It is big, grey, forbidding, and obviously has a big practical impact on the lives of the people in Bethlehem. It also had a practical influence on us, as we got lost trying to find the way along it to one of the few checkpoints.

Water
I mentioned the shortage of water among my first impressions of Jerusalem. But the problem is even more acute in Bethlehem. The Presentation Sisters (whom I have to thank for the beer mentioned above) told us that when the water comes on they have to fill their water tanks, because you never know whether the supply will continue.

Wine
From water to wine (via the normal, everyday miracle involving vines, photosynthesis, and fermentation): on the way into Bethlehem we stopped at a vineyard belonging to the Salesian Order, at a place known as Cremisan, to buy some wine. Their 'Star of Bethlehem' dry red wine is our favourite table wine.