Ironically, I can attest to how pleasant it is in Jerusalem now - after sweltering in Vienna, it is just downright dry and warm with a nice breeze, and pleasant dry nights. Before all this violence in the north broke out, I was really looking forward to a few nice foggy/cool summer nights in the north, but have changed those plans to Eilat, which will still be more pleasant (hotter, but dry) than Alabama

Hope you all stay safe north of here.

And additional irony from here is the Cyprus vacation commercials that have been playing on TV (either CNN or Sky) saying something like it is the "land for all seasons". Flying just south of it, looking at Cyprus out the window, I couldn't help but think of all the displaced persons there. As for the rest of Israel, hotels seem FULL and in fact, the Eilat hotel emailed me yesterday to make sure we'd be arriving. I'd never had any Starwood hotel ever make such a request.