Last week I introduced a new feature on this blog--a quiz. The question challenged readers to determine which of four US cities is closest in population to Ramallah. The most popular answer was that Ramallah and Milwaukee are closest in population. The other options were San Francisco, Akron, and Palestine, TX.
In fact, the correct answer, with a population just under 20,000, is Palestine, TX. Although the census figures are not clear, Ramallah's population appears to be roughly 30,000--a few hundred thousand short of the population of Milwaukee.
My darling wife and I live near a neighborhood in Ramallah called Tahta, and my daily walk to and from work takes me directly through that neighborhood. It is the 'old city' of Ramallah and has the highest concentration of Christians in the city...which means plenty of liquor stores and churches. (Maybe that's the connection to Milwaukee that my loyal readers made.)
Walking through Tahta takes me past a bevy of vegetable vendors, butchers, bakeries, coffee shops, and restaurants. Other sections of Tahta host a museum, gas station, and bank. Tahta is filled with aromas (freshly baked pita bread, spices, nargilla (hooka), fresh fish, etc.), sights (men playing cards, mounds of brightly colored fruits and vegetables), and activity (people shopping, cars navigating the narrow streets). I feel lucky to have these aromas, sights, and activities accompany me in the morning and evening before and after my busy work days.
So, although the number of people living in Ramallah is modest, the population is vibrant. And because Ramallah is the de facto capital of Palestine, it serves as the hub of cultural and commercial activity--thus, acting like a much bigger city while keeping its small town charm. I'm told by Palestinians on a regular basis that living in progressive, bustling Ramallah is not representative of the typical Palestinian experience. I don't take that to be a critique but simply an observation that life in Ramallah is unlike life in the village. Just as life rural parts of the US can be strikingly different than urban living.
Apropos of nothing, I will end this blog by mentioning that yesterday as I sat at my desk at the end of the workday, I heard an ice cream truck near our office belting out a medley of holiday hits, including "Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Santa Clause is Coming to Town." It's true that the Arab-Israeli conflict might be mired in intractable political wrangling, but I don't think anyone can argue with the logic of promoting a frozen treat on a hot afternoon in Palestine by singing the praises of a mutant flying deer and a fat, bearded white man.
In fact, the correct answer, with a population just under 20,000, is Palestine, TX. Although the census figures are not clear, Ramallah's population appears to be roughly 30,000--a few hundred thousand short of the population of Milwaukee.
My darling wife and I live near a neighborhood in Ramallah called Tahta, and my daily walk to and from work takes me directly through that neighborhood. It is the 'old city' of Ramallah and has the highest concentration of Christians in the city...which means plenty of liquor stores and churches. (Maybe that's the connection to Milwaukee that my loyal readers made.)
Walking through Tahta takes me past a bevy of vegetable vendors, butchers, bakeries, coffee shops, and restaurants. Other sections of Tahta host a museum, gas station, and bank. Tahta is filled with aromas (freshly baked pita bread, spices, nargilla (hooka), fresh fish, etc.), sights (men playing cards, mounds of brightly colored fruits and vegetables), and activity (people shopping, cars navigating the narrow streets). I feel lucky to have these aromas, sights, and activities accompany me in the morning and evening before and after my busy work days.
So, although the number of people living in Ramallah is modest, the population is vibrant. And because Ramallah is the de facto capital of Palestine, it serves as the hub of cultural and commercial activity--thus, acting like a much bigger city while keeping its small town charm. I'm told by Palestinians on a regular basis that living in progressive, bustling Ramallah is not representative of the typical Palestinian experience. I don't take that to be a critique but simply an observation that life in Ramallah is unlike life in the village. Just as life rural parts of the US can be strikingly different than urban living.
Apropos of nothing, I will end this blog by mentioning that yesterday as I sat at my desk at the end of the workday, I heard an ice cream truck near our office belting out a medley of holiday hits, including "Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Santa Clause is Coming to Town." It's true that the Arab-Israeli conflict might be mired in intractable political wrangling, but I don't think anyone can argue with the logic of promoting a frozen treat on a hot afternoon in Palestine by singing the praises of a mutant flying deer and a fat, bearded white man.
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