Alright, Alright

I know many of you are wondering what I did for Haloween,

The answer begins, on Oct 30, with a groups failed attempt to go to the Tower of David museum (we were 8 minutes late). Oh well no matter I'll try another day. The group split away and was left with Andrew Zenger, Jeff Nuckols, Taylor Crane, and myself - we all agreed we wanted to go to a pizza place and then to the acclaimed "Ghost Tour" (spooky right?) Well we got there and we took some pictures of some pretty epic costumes featuring the provided lanterns for the tour (2 ghosts, a mummy, and myself). I mainly was excited for the historical backing of all these true stories. [[graphic stories follow]] The first story told that many occupants of the city were buried in stone graves too short so to compensate they would be buried without heads (an then an expanded story of a lost head of a dead architect whose head was sent to England for examination). Next was an further explanation of the  "Valley of Hell" which I already knew was used to burn trash all the time and was typo-logical of Hell. But I learned from this man who must have said the word 'blood' like maybe 15 times during the 2 hours we had- that the valley was also used to sacrifice children to a strange God. Also that the same french fellow who tight roped walked 8 times between the two towers went only once across a cable which runs over the "Valley of Hell" (which cable was used during a war to transport supplies). Next explained a bit of history during the period when the walls of the city enclosed quite a bit of the populous, a set of buildings were built near it and promised to be protected but the people would not leave the city not even for a free living space - eventually they were paid to live there but they would still run to the Jerusalem city walls during the night to feel safe. Next was a general retelling of how much of paranoid person Herod was and a retelling of much of his killings near his family tomb (not his own tomb). Next a story about a Scottish man during some period of crusades or some such. He requested at his death that his heart be taken to Jerusalem and buried there however it was lost and buried instead in Scotland over much bloodshed.

On Halloween itself we were graced to watch the silent movie Phantom of the Opera while Pres Ohman played the organ to accompany (as organs should be played to silent movies). It was more different from our modern Phantom than I thought it would - kindof makes me want to read the book or the original story to see the true story. I dressed as a tourist for my costume. That there was basically the climax there were also treats and a dance. Enjoyable? Yes.

(Several days ago I walked down the Ultra Orthodox lane which is outside the old city. There was a sign saying "Girls please do not dress immodestly in our neighbor hood". There were plenty of lock laden black hat wearing men there. Pretty cool to see)