"For some, that includes enjoying the quiet of the residential Talbieh neighborhood. Or it might mean pampering oneself in the pool, gym, spa, or other amenities. Other adventures lie in the vast cultural and culinary experiences just steps away in the world’s holiest city."
I was in Jerusalem a year and a half ago and I never felt like I was pampering myself in any way. Of course I was staying in an Airbnb and couldn't even figure out how to use the washing machine. Maybe the fabulous hummus and salads could be considered "pampering," but when I wasn't eating I was counting the days until my return flight to America.
Why? Because the whole place is so damn noisy! Just after the constant street traffic finally dies down and you fall asleep, some Arab religious leaders across the city start prayer-wailing at all hours of the morning, loud enough to wake the dead. And many of the residents are super-religious Jews who walk around in crazy outfits I found disturbing, even as a Jew myself. For example, I steered clear of the men wearing long black woolen coats in 70-degree weather and hats that looked like lampshades.
Anyway, at home in Maine I'm wondering how to participate in the art of living. Being an artist, I guess I'm halfway there. But this morning I have to go to the supermarket; could that be artful? How can I make it so? Yesterday my husband and I cleaned out the garage; that was not the art of living in my book. How can I rise above just "living"? Must I move to Jerusalem?
The search goes on.
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