Back in The Old World
We have been quiet for a while – but that is what happens when you are sitting on a cargo ship that is crossing the Mediterranean Sea. We embarked in Israel and headed for Italy – it took us a week. A week of relaxation, good food and time to work – we had thought. Hell no. It was a week of poor food, sleep, nausea and us watching The West Wing…
But we are here now, in the land of Parma ham, Parmesan cheese, pasta, pizza and frescos. Spent the day in Bologna, admiring the buildings of the Old World, savouring on pasta Bolognese (the real one) and real Italian ice cream. It is not bad in the Old World after all 
Israel was an interesting place – but not very friendly. Not until arrived at a campsite at a beach and we suddenly heard: I saw you in Long Street!
Sometimes there are words that you hear and understand – and yet you don’t. This was one of those moments. What on earth did he mean by: I saw you in Long Street.
Well, it meant exactly that – he had seen us in Long Street in Cape Town in January, and he was the owner of Mama Africa and he chatted and invited us for a beer. And suddenly it felt very homely and friendly again.
What else from Israel? Well, it is an interesting place that could have been a great place for showing that history does in deed teach us a thing or two. It could have been a fantastic place to show that reconciliation and tolerance is the key to development, cooperation and peace. It could have been. It is not. And we fully understood why when we saw the so-called security wall that Israel is (unlawfully according to the UN-tribunal in The Hague) is building to seal off the Palestinian territories from Israel.
Whatever the reason – a wall that is more than eight meter high is not the solution to peace and stability. Isn’t that obvious?
