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20 october 2014, we made it !

An intense blush of the life personal and familial, as we really got away from it all and my other half and I tied the knot a little stronger. That was just the prologue to the wonderful story of my eldest son's coming of age, and all at what was once, and still is for so many, the centre of the world. Jerusalem was quiet, without a normal hair out of place for the sukkot holidays and the several dozen of our crowd wandered amongst the magnificent and the maligned, seeing all and imbuing the whole occasion with meaning and wonder, even awe. He was, as expected, unbelievably perfect, and the event itself on the lawn overlooking the old city was touchingly informal and magical. We even had an excellent party, with good food and whisky, as well as circus, speeches and a roomful of friends and family; we somehow succeeded. Off then to portugal for a week's r&r that was exactly that, with a healthy mix of relaxing by the pool, museums and monasteries, tripping along the coast and seeing, tasting and smelling the best of a rather downbeat lisbon. It all culminated with a frenetic tuctuc ride through the beautiful old streets up to the castle where we looked down through a spectacular sunset to the city's twinkling lights. The next day the gorgeous october sun bade us a fond farewell as we headed back to reality, all of us a little changed.