Saturday 26 January 2008

Oh Puhleeze!

One of the many fine achievements of the late Teddy Kollek was the establishment of the Israel Museum. Next to it, the beautifully designed "Shrine of the Book". It is aptly named, as the atmosphere both outside and inside invoke the kind of reverence normally reserved for a place of worship.

I visited the Shrine of the Book this week, and marvelled at the extraordinary discoveries in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The largest exhibit of all is centre stage, up a flight of stairs, and scrolled around a massive drum; the Isaiah scroll (in facisimile).

I took my time to walk around it, not of course understanding the script, but loving its age, its beauty and all that it represented as the oldest existing scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

That is until I heard a loud voice behind me boom through the gloom:

"I've just bought the whole collection of Harry Potter for my grandchildren.....blah blah blah blah". Talk about the sublime to the ridiculous.

The nationality of the lady concerned will remain anonymous.

It is the closest I have ever come to hitting someone over the head with a blunt object.

2 comments:

Hence said...

Have coming across similarities in numerous parts of the world, I can venture a guess and wonder if I'm also able to offer an apology by association...?

sparrow said...

Hi Sweetie, Nice to hear from you.

Apology accepted, but not required:-)

Lots of love