I still find it hard to believe even as I typed it – I’m in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. It’s certainly true that you never know what’s around your next corner of life.

Last evening there arrived here at the hotel a group of about 50 people from the Ivory Coast in Africa. Most of them had on bright blue shirts and dresses with huge motifs on the material saying they were from the Catholic Diocese of Ivory Coast. Today they have on red coloured shirts and dresses with big motif pictures of Jesus riding on a donkey with palm branches and “Palm Sunday”. Wonder if they have different outfits for every day of Holy Week that they’re here in Jerusalem?

Another interesting group I saw today was Arab Catholic Scouts. I would never have guessed that combination. This is their outfits which they wore proudly.

We woke this morning to church bells ringing. It’s probably not polite, but I find bells much more melodious than the Muslim call to prayer.

After breakfast we had to wait to meet a taxi driver we need early tomorrow morning. Discuss the price and then shake hands. Now it is considered a taxi booking.

We rushed to then make it in time for church at the Lutheran Church in the Old City of Jerusalem. Got there, huffing and puffing. Have I mentioned before just how steep the hills are? My leg muscles are certainly feeling it! Fortunately the narrow, cobbled streets weren’t busy at that time and we didn’t have to navigate people. And we knew where the church was.

We got there just as they were processing into the church with palm and olive branches. The church was decorated with palm branches. Because it is Palm Sunday.  It’s a small chapel built of stone. The church was very crowded. I sat next to a very helpful young man. A Mennonite from Kansas who is volunteering in Israel for a year, working with Palestinian and other refugees.

We really enjoyed the church service, focusing on the narrative of what happened to Jesus in Easter week. The service was simple and there was great congregational participation to make it very moving and meaningful.

On the way back we stopped at an Armenian cafe for drinks. Next door at the Armenian church they were just finishing their church service as we slipped in. On the steps of the church these children were displaying their special Palm Sunday treasures. Beautifully and skilfully braided palm branches to hold flowers and Easter eggs.

There’s a big Palm Sunday procession through the streets of Old Jerusalem this afternoon with hundreds expected. It has a vague starting time. This is the Middle East who have different ways of doing things. We saw lots of smaller Palm Sunday processions in groups as we walked back this morning from church. Walking the Via Delarosa with their palm branches and singing or praying together.

We’re having a restful afternoon. Tomorrow is a long day. We’re leaving for Petra in Jordan. We are both saying that Petra had better be spectacular! Because the tour that we booked on (with Israel Tourism) has frequently changed the dates, times, transports, costs. It has become a real juggling act. Even yesterday they were making changes.  And every time there’s a change, the cost goes up!

Now we have to catch a taxi from here at 4 o’clock in the morning to drive to Tel Aviv – over an hour’s drive . To catch a small plane to the Red Sea. To catch our transport into  Jordan and then drive to Petra. Hope our eyes are still awake by then! I’m sure it will all work fine. And that it will be worth it. Because Life often turns into an Adventure!