We walked through Hezekiah's tunnel yesterday. I am always sorry half way through (I think the tunnelers made the height of the wall narrow on purpose!!!). Its refreshing (after the abject terror of small dark spaces has passed) to wade through the water. Its a womb-like space, dark, tight, and then a birthing experience. Its a baptism/mikvah every time. We walked barefoot and bare leg all the way. I forget every time how scary it is, and probably because seeing the daylight at the end of the 500m walk entombed by rock is miraculous and wonderful. We end up in the Gihon Spring. And pass back via the Pools of Shiloach (Siloam). In the wall of the cliff opposite we could see what remains of the tomb to Pharaoh's daughter. All Songs-ish ... but I cant find her here. Not really. I dont think she ever existed, and excepting the fact that she exists all the time.
Maybe like Cixous' Promethea, she is my Shulamith. She is the eery vestige spirit of peace in a land overwhelmed by cameras, guns, spies, suspicions.
We wound our way back into the old city via the dung gate. We sat in the plaza by the kotel (western wall) as the sun set. seemed like a wonderful meeting place, except the madman kept us all on our toes. Funny old man shouting in hebrew about apocalypse and all sorts. Shouting condemnation. Giving everyone frights. He refused to leave. No one made him go. The glass under the chuppah.
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