We gathered at The Jerusalem Hotel in their sunny garden restaurant for our initial meeting. We enjoyed a typical Palestinian meal:
two or three kinds of wonderful hummus, multiple salads, and labaneh, a thickened yoghurt sprinkled liberally with sumac and za’atar. Over cups of thick Arabic coffee, the hotel proprietor shared his deep knowledge of Jerusalem. This city belongs to everyone: citizens from multiple ethnicities make their home here and multiple faiths are rooted in its history.
We piled into two mini vans after lunch.
after two or three hours’ journey over hills festooned with barbed wire, past ancient cities and new settlements, we arrived at Hotel Yasmeen in the old city of Nablus. The Mayor and other members of the city council welcomed us for dinner. They each had a focus: finance, utilities, planning, etc. Our guides Abdoul and Noor are in the international relations department.
Besides Boulder they have 11 other sister cities. Lots to share between Boulder and Nablus! I speak for all of us when I say we are privileged and honored to be here.
