Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Caution WHAT crossing?!?

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Click any photo to enlarge
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I spotted this little red sign at the top of an Old City (Jerusalem) alleyway, just inside the Jaffa Gate. Odd place for a "tractor crossing" sign I thought to myself, and quickly snapped a photo. It was more than a little incongruous, since the alley in question looked like this:
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(alley shots were taken from the bottom looking up)
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Imagine my surprise a few minutes later when I saw this:
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What you can't see in this shot is that this little tractor was also pulling a small trailer behind it too. Turns out, this is how garbage is collected in the rabbit's warren back alleys of the Old City. Ingenious and quite unexpected. I didn't actually see him go up the steps so perhaps he just backed out again, though I can't imagine it would be all that much easier to try and back that rig up and around in those tiny streets.
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Heh. You learn something new every day. Jerusalem is just full of surprises.
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50 comments:

kelley said...

how clever, and if you weren't looking for a shot for your blog you might have missed it.

kayerj said...

oops--but in my other life I am the mom of the J family

Unknown said...

I think this is the most hilarious thing I've seen in a long time :D
That must be one complicated business driving around in those alleys :D
Well caught and thanks for the smile!

Dina said...

Cool find. I never saw a tractor sign.
Funny, just yesterday I watched a tractor and wagon trying for a long time to maneuver a tight turn in the Jewish Quarter. I wanted to photograph the scene but had mercy on the driver. Pirke Avot says not to even look on a person in the hour of his embarassment.
You can see the garbage tractor going UP the street here:
http://jerusalemhillsdailyphoto.blogspot.com/2008/11/old-city-vehicles.html

RA said...

That's quite stunning! I wouldn't believe it, if I not saw it here. Have a wonderful day, Robin :)

Robin said...

Oh wow, so they really do go right up the steps. Yipes!

Felisol said...

Thanks for beautiful pictures from old Jerusalem.
I think my leg muscles finally would get some exercise from walking there.
Those picturesque surroundings are so attractive.
The tractor tells us always to be aware of the unexpected.
I fear I could not have hidden a smile at the sight.
Please, give us more pictures from The Holy City.
They are wonderful.
From Felisol

Anonymous said...

Both good fun and interesting; isn't it what a meme is supposed to be?

aspiritofsimplicity said...

Well that is just a very clever idea. I can see that the tractor might be able to get down the steps but I'm not sure about the trailer of trash.

Gemma Wiseman said...

What a clever way to do what needs to be done! The tractor would certainly be a surprise at the top of a flight of stairs like this!

judi/Gmj said...

And I learned something new thanks to you and your sharp eyes!

Jientje said...

Talking of surprises!!

I would loved to have known how he proceeded his journey though!

PS: I read the comments and it seems it does go up? I have to see that!

Jientje said...

Unbelievable!!
But true!

Leora said...

That bright green modern tractor against the ancient steps is SO the Old City. Great captures. Wish I could spend hours there with my camera, just hanging out in the narrow streets and alleys. Love how you found the little sign first (probably thought Ruby Tuesday, too).

Unknown said...

very clever, and funny! what an interesting alley...

Gattina said...

Lol, that's real funny ! I also have seen funny signs in Morocco like a camel crossing, signs I had never seen here before.

Suburban Girl said...

That is great!

nonizamboni said...

Very clever posting. . .fact is usually stranger than fiction! Nicely done.

Eaton Bennett aka Berenice Albrecht said...

LOL, I loved these shots. The tractor is fabulous...and how true, Jerusalem is full of surprises. Thanks for sharing these shots with us. :)

Auntie E said...

What a Great Memory. I wouldn't have believed it unless you posted it.

This Eclectic Life said...

Now, I might expect a "tractor crossin" in rural Texas, but not in "the Old City!" What luck that you were there at just the right moment.
I love your photography!

Anonymous said...

Thank you! Thank you! I can't stop laughing! I didn't expect that there will be a tractor for real! I didn't. That was a cathartic surprise! Life is so rich - you just look around and keep going - it will reward you for enjoying it!

Daryl said...

What incredible timing for you ... what a fabulous capture!

Mojo said...

Talk about a rough ride! Yeah, I'd imagine trying to back ghat sucker out would be at least as tough as driving it up the steps.

Very inventive way to do the job though. Magiceye had a similar shot from Mumbai where the alleys are even narrower -- but don't involve steps.

Nukke said...

Thatis so big vehicle that that sign was well needed there !!!! But very odd place to drive tractor indeed.

Jay said...

Wow! It's pretty common to see those things cruising along on the country roads around here, but that's pretty wild to see one there. I would love to see it driving up the stairs.

Janet said...

Funny the things we see if we hang around long enough!

Carletta said...

Very ingenious! Love this suprise you've brought us today.
I'm with Felisol - more pics please.

Shannon said...

Wow! Who would have thought that picking up trash that way was even possible there? Too cool.

Annie Jeffries said...

Oh My, if there was an award for best post of the week on ANY blog ANYWHERE - this would be it. Necessity is truly the mother of invention.

Cheryl Pitt said...

LOL, sure didn't expect that!

storyteller's other blog said...

Kewl series ... totally caught ME by surprise too! Isn't it amazing what we notice when looking through our cameras with various themes (or memes) in mind ;--)
Hugs and blessings,

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh...how clever. I would have never thought. Like you say ya learn something new every day :)

Anonymous said...

Dang Robin,
that is too funny, the look on the drivers face as he sees you snapping pictures? What the heck! Hope you don't mind I am going to share your RT post for this week on facebook ok?

Phyllis Sommer said...

i don't think i've ever seen that before! thanks for teaching me something new about one of my favorite places:-)

Kate Coveny Hood said...

I would have laughed out loud. That looks CRAZY!

Dianne said...

I won't complain about tight turns for quite awhile!
wow!!

at the cottage said...

What an interesting photo! I have learned something here...haha the look on his face.

Raven said...

Great shots and an interesting story to go with them.

Unknown said...

if you go to unitedhatzalah.org, you can watch a video of an "ambulance tractor" called to help a woman in labor. It shows the ambulance maneuvering through the narrow streets, and going up the steps.

Robin said...

I'd completely forgotten about that video izzy, I'd seen it last year. Really amazing stuff, thanks for the reminder.

Here's the direct link:

Old City Crew Deliver a Baby in a Tractor Ambulance

Annie Jeffries said...

omigosh, Robin! That video is absolutely amazing. I have tears standing in my eyes. I'm so glad you drew it to my attention. Hugs from across the world, Annie.

Ivanhoe said...

Ingenious indeed! I love learning and seeing new things. It opens up my horizons - so thank you! :o)

Runny Babbit said...

that is so bizarre! i imagine he'd still be able to get over those steps though... :)

Irene said...

That is so funny! Oh I love it! This is one of the things about blogging: you don't get to see things like that anywhere else.
I have two shots of funny signs taken this year, I'll try to find them and post them for you to see in a future WW!

momcooksdadcooks said...

great timing, i must say. i would love to see Jerusalem myself in the future:) great capture of a place full of character:)

anymommy said...

Fabulous. In a very narrow alley in Marrakesh, we saw a "no donkeys" sign. Cracked us up.

maryt/theteach said...

Amazing, Robin! I can't imagine the little tractor going up and down the stairs, but I guess it does, Ha! :)

Jack Steiner said...

Nice pictures- that was very cool.

Grace @ Sandier Pastures said...

I like this set of photos! They look so "historic".