Israel the Holy Land

I spend the night in Bethlehem, ten kilometers south of Jerusalem. Dafne informs me that she will not be joining the travel group to the hotel. Because she is Jewish, she is not allowed to enter the Palestinian territories. She leaves the bus at an intersection. Viraz takes me to Bethlehem. To do so, I have to cross the border. High fences mark the boundary. An eight-meter-high wall separates the Palestinian area from Jerusalem. A bizarre sight. Just past the border, the streets appear more chaotic, which is heightened by the darkness. I'm relieved when I can step off the bus and enter the hotel.