BONNAROO 2018: The American Flag

BONNAROO 2018: She showed vigorous support for America with not only her outfit, but also her blanket as she sat in the midst of thousands of people walking from concert to concert.

Some may disagree as they were taught not to wear or sit on the flag. Others may high five her, which is the Bonnaroo way. 

"How do I look," she asked. The shutter shut, "Great," I quietly responded as she handed me her cellphone. "Would you take my picture with my phone," she asked.

Another shutter click and I disappeared into the crowd where I next came across a large shirtless man that had a "Lost Soul" tattoo across his stomach. He was carrying a unicorn... I will get to that photo later.

BONNAROO 2018: Tattoos and Unicorns

BONNAROO 2018: Never get between a large tattooed man and his unicorn. Never.

“Dreams are the playground of unicorns.”

— Unknown

BONNAROO 2018: Heading through the Bonnaroo Grounds

Be who you want and dress as you like.

“Follow your inner moonlight; don’t hide the madness.”

— Allen Ginsberg

Finding History

Tile by tile he was carefully uncovering history from well over 1,000 years in Israel.

The Place

Have you ever been somewhere that just made you feel as if you were standing somewhere great or amazing in some way?

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is said to be one of two of the holiest sites in Christianity. The church, referred to sometimes as the Church of the Resurrection, sits on the site of where Jesus was crucified.

The location of the church that dates back to the second century AD, you will find five representations of the final passage of Jesus. However, after the crucifixion the building did not start out as a church. It started out as a temple dedicated to the goddess Venus built by a Roman Emperor named Publius Aelius Hadrian.

The Roman Emperor built the temple dedicated to Venus to cover up the cave in which Jesus had been placed in and later arose from. It wasn’t until year 325 that Constantine the Great ordered a church be built in place of the ungodly temple. The church construction was finished in year 335.

Step inside for Sales 101

The mid afternoon slack, but if someone steps inside... it's on!

He has your favorite Popsicle, tourist books and maps of Jerusalem in multiple languages. Soda galore and even free wifi to entice the customers to enter. A small sitting area inside has your traditional plastic chairs that fold under American weight and more.

During the slower times of the day the sales speech increases while the customer base decreases. In America, that is opposite as part time teens use the slower portions of the day to SnapChat, post Instagram selfies and more. Part time in Jerusalem? Ha... What's that?

Step right in and I guarantee you will be sold something. If not, you will be block in for conversation about marketplace, the Old City and the age of the structures. But, if you just make that one purchase of a drink or a map, you will be out the door a little quicker.

But when it is busy... It is busy. Basiclly, it's GO TIME!

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“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.”

— Sam Levenson

Life

Life.

The face of the wise

Sometimes you see people in life who you somehow know, they have a better understanding on the world around you. They know the what's and the why's - but, you don't know why?

You can tell by the face, the way some hold in their statements to let you talk. You can tell by the way anger rolls away not even touching them.

“The art of being wise is the art of knowing that solutions don’t come from individuals, but rather experiences.”

— Shannon L. Alder

Greetings and welcome to Jerusalem

He was sitting on the roadside in Jerusalem with a small cart of goods for sale. If someone passed him by he refused to let it get to him as he smiled and told passerby's to have a great day in English and at times Hebrew depending on who was present. 

“Look at the sky. We are not alone. The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work.”

— A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Rest for the Day at the Store

“Rest and motion, unrelieved and unchecked, are equally destructive.”

— Benjamin Cardozo, (1870-1938)

It has been a long day at the store... in the Jerusalem marketplace area of Israel. May 2018.

Would you like some beads?

High atop a mountain sits a monastery with a statute of Prophet Elijah in Israel. He was said to be a miracle worker who lived in northern Israel during the time of King Ahab in 9th Century BC. He defended the worship of the Jewish God over Baal.

The man pictured was selling prayer beads as you enter and exit the area.

One Boys Trash is Another Boys Treasure

They were digging for treasures in a trash bin on a side street in Jerusalem.

I have heard many times over, “One mans trash is another mans treasure.” In this case, One mans trash is a boys treasure.

Rest After a Long Day

“We sleep, but the loom of life never stops and the pattern which was weaving when the sun went down is weaving when it comes up tomorrow.”

— Henry Ward Beecher

Rest after a busy day in the market is important, even if the day is not yet complete. 

Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre you see visitor after visitor make their way through the crowds to bend down and kiss or place their face against the sacred anointing stone. The church is said to be one of two holiest sites in Christianity. The church, referred to sometimes as the Church of the Resurrection, sits on the site of where Jesus was crucified.

Within the walls of the church that dates back to the second century AD, you will find five representations of the final passage of Jesus. However, after the crucifixion the building did not start out as a church. It started out as a temple dedicated to the goddess Venus built by a Roman Emperor named Publius Aelius Hadrian.

The Roman Emperor built the temple dedicated to Venus to cover up the cave in which Jesus had been placed in and later arose from. It wasn’t until year 325 that Christian emperor, Constantine the Great, ordered a church be built in place of the ungodly temple. The church construction was finished in year 335.

The Stone of Anointing is where Jesus’ body was laid to rest. It is one of the first items you will come to as you enter the church from an outside courtyard. Some have questioned the stone saying that it was placed in the church during an 1810 reconstruction.

Inside the church is a stairway that is regarded as the site of where the crucifixion actually took place. Also inside the church walls is The Altar of the Crucifixion.

A Maze of Streets, Steps and People

In the marketplace of Jerusalem you will find vendor after vendor selling everything from foods to fabrics. You will also find a maze of walkways.

The stairs and alleys throughout the area are second nature to local residents who don’t have any problem finding their way through the maze of crowds and paths. Children who walk home from school each day are equally knowledgeable to their common route.

Each afternoon it is likely that you will see hundreds of children running through the streets excited to head home after a day of schooling. The kids will sometimes stop for a cold Popsicle, a Coca-Cola or piece of candy on their walk home. Other times, they simply skip down the steps in an attempt to get home at the same time as their friends.

Head Scarfs - Buy Your Head Scarf!

He was selling head scarfs and he was posing for pictures after each sell with each buyer on the streets of Jerusalem. 

His competitors sit inside stores as opposed to cold calling customers on the streets. 

“The competitor to be feared is one who never bothers about you at all, but goes on making his own business better all the time.”

— Henry Ford

The Art of Negotiating

Attorney Herb Cohen stated, "Care, but not that much." In other words, you have to care what you are negotiating for, but not enough to get emotionally involved. You have to be able to walk away. As you walk away, you will likely be stopped by the opposite side of negotiating and that often equals winning. I think those are them most simple words to remember when negotiating. 

Life, You Should See It

“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of. ”

— Bruce Lee

I should write a catchy article on smoking, but I love the simplicity of this photo too much to distract from it.

What the heck, I might as well write something productive.

"All Smoked Out in Israel," can be my catchy title.

Smokers in Israel are no laughing matter. They are just about all smoked out… with taxes.

While the United States has problems with big tobacco, foreign countries have even a bigger issue with the situation.

In Israel, the Health Ministry decided to up the taxes on a pack of smokes by 20% in 2017. The increase was aimed at deterring people from lighting up. The decision to put the tax increase in place was due to a 2016 increase of those who are 18 or older and lighting up at an increased rate of 19.7%, according to an article in the HAARETZ.

In all, it looks as if 22.5% of the Israeli population over the age of 18 smoke.

Like institutes of higher learning in America, Israel also nipped smoking in the bud at such locations. A law that went into motion in 2016 banned smoking in all educational institutes in Israel.

Prayer on the Western Wall

Prayer along the Western Wall in Jerusalem is something that many participate in. From Jewish to Christians, you will see a variety of visitors. 

Many write notes to God and place them into the cracks of the wall. Sometimes, detailed secrets or confessions are placed into the cracks. 

During the late 19th century, there was not a separation between men and women at the wall. Today however, there is a partition dividing the male and female side of the wall.

Sharp Dressed Man

In the Old City Jerusalem Market - he was ready to shop and perhaps hit the club.

"They come runnin' just as fast as they can
'Cause every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man."

-ZZ TOP, Sharp Dressed Man