Dear Mother,

The boat ride here wasn’t bad at all. I never even got close to being seasick like I was afraid I might. I didn’t want to be the only one hanging over the side, fouling Neptune’s realm. We arrived in Joppa and marched to Jerusalem. The centurion who did our orientation, said the ancestors of the locals called this place the “Land of Milk and Honey”. HA! How anyone could call this Jupiter forsaken place the “Land of Milk and Honey” I’ll never know. Maybe it used to be nice at one time. There are a few gardens and olive groves that are OK but the rest is pretty barren.

I’ll write more later mother. I have to get settled in and I’m told that there is a local religious festival coming up very soon, something called Passby, Passthrough, Passover or some such. They say not much happens around here that needs our attention but large crowds are expected in the city for this festival so we will be out in a show of force to keep things peaceful.

Your loving son,
Octavius