During holidays, concern flows to the Holy Land important to many, generated by Christmas time. The writer remembered being in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, during the first Christmas of the New Millennium. On Christmas Eve, the writer took a taxi from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Substituting it looked that the landscape was milky and stony and it was December when warm looked from it. There was the usual bombardment of rain and nothing else. They did not see even a single person or one or two taxis that were parked. The loneliness was overwhelming them, this was such an odd way to be welcomed to such a famous town, on such a big day.
Bethlehem Journey Through Security
The writer therefore was forced to hire a taxi together with other Palestinian people. They also noted the presence of armed soldiers and red roadblocks there in the territories of the Palestinian Territory. A neon sign told them to bring papers for review. The second intifada was already in progress when the novel was set, cross-movement from one territory to the other was restricted and especially if one was moving from the Israel territory to the Palestinian territory. Though it’s easier when the writer himself has an Indian passport along with an Israeli visa. The soldier who must produce the passport wished them Merry Christmas. Now the writer has moved into the Palestinian Authority territory.
Celebrations in Manger Square
Walking towards Bethlehem, the writer saw the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Reverend Michel Sabah, entering the town with a grand ceremony. Finally, those on horse and with flags looked quite glamorous also. The town began, at last, to reveal itself: cream houses over green Earth. Almost all Christians of the Ottoman Empire were Arab, including the Patriarch, and intermingling with Muslims. Some of the things people recalled were the Palestinian women in hijabs moving through churches and lighting candles.
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