C18 - ~ Wednesday, December 16, 1981 - North Shore News

Remmeber, a while back,
I told you about our Alaska
cruise and the great group of
people we met? One of the
group arrived on our
doorstep last week - and a
welcome sight he was -
complete with a magnificent
case of jet lag.

What can you say to a guy
who has just arrived in
Vancouver from Russia when
your house is fresh out of
vodka? Wes, a moderate
drinker, developed one
helluva thirst for the Russian
product but lucky for me, he
also developed a taste for
tea. I had lots of that.

Was he sold on Russia!
Since none of us had been,
he found an eager audience.
Moscow was OK - but once
was quite enough for Wes.
But. Leningrad? Couldn't
shut him up!

Wes. is one of those for-
tunate, Canadians who is
bilingual - his other language
is Ukranian. “You don’t pick

rti

up everything but enough
that you can communicate”.
He added that it was very

trayel-
wise

by Barbara
McCreadie

A YEARLY GATHERING FOR PEACE

Bet

BETHLEHEM, JUDEA: -
“And she brought forth her
firstborn son, and wrapped
him in swaddling clothes,
and laid him in a manger;
because there was no room
at the inn.”

These simple, spare words
are the very essence of
Christmas. According to
tradition, Jesus’ birth took
place 1,981 years ago - but
most scholars now date the
actual birth in the years 4 or
© B.C. But whichever is the
correct’ year. the annual
celebration of the birth has
hecome a yearly gathering of
peace and brotherhood in
the Land of Israel. And this
Christmas of 1981, a record
fifty thousand Israeli and
foreign visitors amongst
them more than ten
thousand Amencans are
expected to attend.

Standing in the — fields

Hunter goes fishing for deer

PESHTIGO, Wis (UPD) -
A determined hunter suc-
ceeded in netting some deer
venison without using his
gun, but he had to strip pants
off his pants and take a
plunge in the Icy Peshtigo
River to do it.

The Department of
Natural Resources Wed-
nesday said the unidenufied
man and his) companions
were hunting along the river
Tuesday when they saw a
buck fawn break through the
thin ice and disappear

The hunters were sure the

ilehem set

which surround this small
town in the Judean Hills just
south of Jerusalem, it is not
hard to imagine that night

two thousand years ago
when, the New Testament
tells us, shepherds saw a

bright star in the heavens,
heralding the birth of Jesus.
Sheep still safely graze here
in the shade of ancient olive
trees. The pretty stone
houses and spires of the
town still rise up the hills on
the horizon.

Bethlehem in Hebrew.
means ‘House of Bread’. The
town received its first
prominence 3,500 years ago
as the burtal site of Rachel,
wife of Hebrew Patnarch
Jacob. The site of Rachels
Tomb has been a place of
pugrimage ever since and
the book of Genesis (Chap.
YS. Verse 9) describes it
almost ain travelogue terms
thus. “And Rachel died and

deer had drowned, but they
decided to recover its carcas

after calling the local
warden.

When the warden arrived.
the man stmpped to his

shorts and socks, tied a rope
around his waist, and walked
hghtly over the ice to wherc
the dcer had gone through

However.
the

plunged

water

neither his luck
wce held. and he
Into waist deep
But he found the dead
tacd @ rope to it and he
and the buck were pulled to

aE

deer.

BRIN ING TOILET PAPER TO LENIN aD

useful when he politely
discouraged one of the
“ladies of the night”. See.
Canada, there’s a_ certain
amount of free enterprise
even behind the Iron Cur-
tain!

Wes didn’t do much
shopping. With typical
masculine tunnel-vision, he
bought himself a $9 balilaika
and an ornamental plate
(which he gave tous). | hope
his wife kills him quietly
when he gets home to
Saskatchewan. Oh well, at
least he came home without
the Russian equivalent of
loud applause.

I've heard that the food in
Russia is unique - invariably
lousy. Wrong. Wes is a
fastidious eater and “‘if it isn’t
cooked properly - take it
away!” He enjoyed every
meal in Russia and was
amazed at how much meat
was served. “Not what I'd
expected - (lots of fish and
pork). The beef was great

for Christmas

was buried on the way to
Ephrath, which 18
Bethlehem. And Jacob set a
pillar on her grave: that is
the pillar of Rachel's grave
unto this day.”

Five centuries later. also
in Bethlehem, now a city in
the area allotted to the Tribe
of Benjamin, David, Son of
Jesse, was born... the David
who was later to slay
Gohath, the Philhstine giant,
and who was to become
Israel's second king.

In 1981, the majonty of
Bethlehem’s 32.000
inhabitants are Christians.
Christmas Eve festivities
commence on December 24
at 12:30 P.M., when “His
Beatitude the Latin
Patriarch” departs Jerusalem
for Bethlehem. The cortege

will stop first at) Rachel's
Tomb, and then continue
into the town to Manger

Square for the procession

shore.

On land, however, he
faced a legal problem. The
deer was still the property of
the state, since tt had not
been taken legally. And the
hunter did not) have a
hunter's choice permit to
allow him to possess a buck
fawn

But the warden, who had
watched the drama. said he
would not take the animal
and sold it to the shivering
hunter for the $3) minimum
foc

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and we had lots of chicken.” with and do the same when, “black ”.

Naturally, I asked him you leave. Dollars (US and  _—s‘'ll pass, thanks.
what he missed the most. Canadian) are prized but Anyway, Wes flew Finnair
Other than Sherry his wife, it your neck is in a noose if you out of Seattle and found the

had to be toilet paper! He’s
been all over the world and
made-do with what was
available. Not in Russia!
Take your own and plenty of |
it! (Note: toilet paper is a *
nuisance to pack. Kleenex is”
far more versatile and
doesn't look so funny when
your suitcase is opetied at 3
customs. ) ,

get caught dealing on the’ whole visit “super”.

=
% a iy i

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Disco is the “in thing” in
Russia. One night they
hailed a cab and went to four
of the things. Quite an ex-
perience and he was glad
that he could speak a bit of
Russian through his
knowledge of Ukranian.
Confidentially, he led me to
believe that the girls are as
ugly as hell!

Your money is watched
very closely in Russia. They
tally-up what you arrived

: . Wine Tote

This attractive, portable
from the Church of St. beverage carrier is designed
Catherine to the  under- to maintain the temperature

ground cave Grotto of the (either chilled or at room

Nativity, traditional site of Soh eght anil washable,

Jesus’ birth. they make great com.
At 4 P .M . Pro testants panions for outdoor ac-

gather just outside the town tivities, travelling, boating,

in “Sbepherds’ Fields” for skiing, etc

their Christmas Eve service.

At 8:30 P.M. excitement

builds as the International $17.95

Choir Festival commences in
Manger Square, with choirs
from Israel and around the
world, plus the Israel Police
Band. performing sacred
music and Christmas carols.

Don't torget to ask any travel agent tor
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And at 11 45 P.M. comes
the solemn yet joyful climax

of the day, the Midnight
Mass in the fourth century , .
Basilica of the Nativity.
broadcast five to those
outside the church in
Manger Square. and beamed
by satellite around the
world

“After all he went
through, | couldn't see
confiscating the deer.” the
warden said “But I sure
would like to see how he

explains it to his wife ~

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