June 15^th

Breakfast on the foot of the Herodian/ West Bank with my friends from Alexandria/USA and my Bedouin best friend

I am deeply moved. Here we are sitting together with the treasures of Fatima’s hands: wood oven baked bread made out of wheat from her garden that got milled in the next town and formed to a dough the night before. Sheep yoghurt, butter and cheese. Fakous, a hybrid of cucumbers and squash. Tea with mint or sage according to the taste buds of the tea drinker. But most of all: we are here together. The three chat about children and grandchildren, a topic I listen and can’t much contribute. I am enjoying the scene. I do have a dream: when I win the lottery (I do play every month in a save and play option of my German bank), I will spend parts of the money to bring people together to visit and inspire each other. In German we call centers for that “Begegnungszentren”, in English that would be centers for inter-cultural encounters. Center or not, this is happening in front of my eyes. Human encounters, interest and curiosity in each other, friendship growing deeper. The three had met when Fatima had come for a visit 2 years ago. We spent a weekend together at their house near the beach in Delaware and Fatima invited them back to her home. But that is a long way from Alexandria to the desert at the Herodion. Now we are here. Her grandchildren are hanging around, curious as well, watching. A few hours later the youngest is nestled in my friend’s lab. We don’t take photos from that time, just enjoy each other.
Later in the evening, we have a festive dinner on the roof. A taste for you below!

The world would be in so much better shape and a better place if human encounters would be the highest priority in a countries budget plan!