Later in the evening, I walked outside the walled city and down some other streets in town. Checking things out on a slightly chilly evening's meander. A large city garbage truck was on its rounds, emptying overstuffed dumpsters on a little commercial side street. Having nothing better to do, I pulled out my camera (thank you Erin) and snapped a shot, considering it was probably silly and I would likely be deleting it next time I previewed my pictures. The flash went off, and the gentleman in the blue coat suddenly went balistic -- in my direction. Screaming in a deep baritone voice in what sounded more like Arabic than Hebrew, I think he was not pleased, for a reason that sadly I still don't fully understand.
Being that as it may, he came toward me quickly and menacingly, as I put the camera away and stood my ground with the best smile I could muster. I let him yell, and told him that he'd have better luck if he could do it in English because I didn't have my guide books with me. He said something else with great dramatic flair, then threw his arms up a few times, and turned back to his work. I was wondering where my female friends were with their machine guns when you really need them.
Certainly not trying to be an Ugly American here, or offend other's sensiblities, whatever those may be. I was just thinking sanitation workers on their nightly rounds might make for an interesting and quick little photo op. Turned out....it did.
So, here is the photo that started a small and brief international incident. (Just don't forward a copy to his family. That might really send him out looking for me.)
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