Confusing-- Google Maps to The Rescue

Major changes have been happening in Jerusalem the past decade or so, and now hardly a week passes with another road being dug up resulting in changes in the bus routes. And when all this is complete, Gd willing I will live to see and enjoy it (it's no secret that I'll be 77 in a few months), we'll have more lines of the lightrail and changes in even the most veteran bus routes.

We don't have a car, so our transportation is public transportation. We can't trust that the bus routes we've known for decades haven't changed, so I check Google Maps when planning my trips in Jerusalem. 

When you open the app, you're asked to write your required destination and verify your "starting point." Then it gives you three basic options, private transportation, public or hoofing it- yup, walking. Each route option gives a time estimate, and walking-- including walking to/from the bus will offer routes. So, don't panic. Just click Google Maps.

Sometimes People are So Nice

 

No doubt I'm sometimes guilty of complaining too much, but when there's something really nice to talk/write about it's so important to let the world know.

Last Thursday on my way home from Jerusalem after seeing cousins, I had some wonderful experiences. While walking out of the Old City, I had checked the bus schedule and saw that if I hurried I could catch a bus to the Shiloh Junction. 

With still another couple of minutes' walk to the lightrail I saw a train coming. I had to hurry, since the next train might have gotten me there too late. As I huffed and puffed onto the train a young man slid out of his seat, so I could take it. I paid and then sat down. I guess he heard and saw my arrival.

I got to the bus stop with time to spare, and the bus actually came on time, which is quite rare. 

On the bus I looked up and saw those little "outlets" to plug in the phone for charging, which was needed, since my phone battery was getting dangerously low. The only problem was that no matter how much I tried, they didn't work, so I asked the driver about it. He couldn't fix it from his end, but a young soldier on the other side of the aisle offered me his portable charger. But he got off a few stops later, and I saw that my phone battery was still low. I thanked him and told him it was fine.

To my surprise the driver reached into his pocket and gave me his portable charger. Wow!

 Yes, Sometimes People are So Nice.

Two Nice People Stories from Same Train Ride

Yesterday I was in Jerusalem. I only took the lightrail only one stop, but in that short time, I saw two examples of how nice people can be on the train.

Story #1

A man, a bit older than myself got on pushing a walker. Quickly, a woman of about the same age, sitting right by the door, got up for him. And he protested. He didn't like the idea of a woman, not at all young, giving him her seat.

"But you have a wa..." she stuttered, not even able to get out the word.

She prevailed, and he sat in her seat. This happened so quickly, and the train was full of people needing  seats that nobody interfered in their little "argument."

Story #2

Seconds later to my left I noticed a young woman reach for the Ravkav (transportation card) of an elderly woman, who was having trouble getting it to "pay" for her trip. The young woman deftly placed it in the right spot. It lit "paid," and she returned it to its owner.

Too often, all we have are complaints, so I wanted to write about nice people on the train.