Jerusalem’s Light Rail

Jerusalem’s light rail system is the perfect way to get around the city.

The city has an interesting history of planning for a light rail system.

Early plans for an electric tramway were drawn up by a Greek Lebanese engineer, George Franjieh, in 1892, who had been involved in planning the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway. The tram would connect the city with Ein Karem and Bethlehem. In 1910, a tender for a tramway was published by the Ottoman authorities.

In 1918, the British army built a rail system linking the German Colony with Al-Bireh, on the outskirts of Ramallah, traversing Jerusalem along a winding route. It was built by Rail Builders Company 272 of the British Engineering Corps, commanded by Col. Jordan Bell, with some 850 Egyptian and local Arab laborers, about half of them women. The railway was used by the British army, and for a few months it supplied Allenby’s troops. It was dismantled shortly after the front moved northward in late 1918. Some of the city’s streets may have been paved along its route. Click here to learn more.

If you are planning a trip to Jerusalem, you can find information about the light rail system by clicking on this link.

 

View this video and watch everyday commuters and tourists in Jerusalem.

My book, On Our Own in Jerusalem’s Old City, might be a helpful for those who are planning a trip to Israel.

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Moon River

In my book The Legacy, two main characters dance to the song Moon River. Which characters enjoyed this song?

Today I thought it would be fun to take a trip back in history to learn more about this classic song.

 

“Moon River” is a song composed by Henry Mancini with lyrics written by Johnny Mercer. It received an Academy Award for Best Original Song for its first performance by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s.^[1] It also won Mancini the 1962 Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Mercer the Grammy Award for Song of the Year.^[2] Since its original performance, the song has been covered by many other artists.

It became the theme song for Andy Williams, who first recorded it in 1961 and performed it at the Academy Awards ceremonies in 1962. He sang the first eight bars at the beginning of his eponymous television show and named his production company and venue in Branson, Missouri, after it. Williams’ version never charted, except as an LP track, which he recorded for Columbia in a hit album of 1962. Click here to learn more.

 

 

Frank Sinatra singing Moon River.

 

Click here to listen to Andy Williams sing Moon River.

If you prefer the Audrey Hepburn version, click here.

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Speaking Engagements

Hello,

Recently, I spoke at the Bellview College Chapel.

I am scheduling speaking engagements now for the rest of the year. If your ladies group, Bible Study, retreat, or any other group needs a speaker, please leave a comment in the comment section with your email address and I’ll contact you.

Thank you.

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Jaffe Gate History

Hello,

I enjoyed the video I’m featuring today. It describes a bit of the history of the Jaffe Gate in the Old City in Jerusalem. The memories flooded back to me of my visit to Israel.

Many of you like to travel and I would recommend a trip to Israel. If you go, I’d recommend visiting the Jaffe Gate. This is a short video and I hope you enjoy it. Click here to view.

If you would like to know more about my adventures in Israel, click here.

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Leesa’s Story And A Courthouse

In my book Leesa’s Story, I researched locations for various settings. One setting in the beginning of the book is a Los Angeles courthouse.

Los Angeles is the location for a new courthouse. Construction is slated to last three years and the new building is just down the street from Walt Disney.

After years of debate and delays, construction is about to get underway on a $319-million federal courthouse along 1st Street in downtown Los Angeles down the hill from Walt Disney Concert Hall and a block from Los Angeles City Hall.

The new 10-story tower will rise on 1st Street at Broadway on a block last occupied by a state office building that was demolished in 2007. The parcel is now a fenced-in lot, conspicuously empty with deep, vast pits and nearby mounds of dirt and gravel. Construction is expected to take three years. Click here to read the rest of this interesting article.

Did you know that an old courthouse in Los Angeles served as a post office in its early days? For a look back in history, follow this link.

How did Leesa deal with her adventures in Los Angles? Click here to learn more.

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Pegnitz River

Pegnitz River is near the Rhine-Main-Danube. I studied the geography of  Europe before settling on using Nuremberg as a setting in my book, Lyza’s story. Why was Lyza in Nuremberg? What was she hoping to discover or solve while she was there? Click here to learn more.

The Pegnitz is a small river in Franconia in the German federal state of Bavaria. The Pegnitz has its source in the city of the same name at an altitude of 425 m (1,394 ft) and meets the Rednitz at 283 m (928 ft) northwest of Fürth. From that point on the river is called Regnitz.

The Pegnitz is about 115 km (71 mi) long. The river is inhabited by numerous ducks, coots, swans, and gulls. Click here to learn more about this beautiful river.

If you are planning a trip to Germany, this link displays some beautiful photos of the river.

Have you ever been to the Pegnitz River?

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