Blogs from Tiberias, North District, Israel, Middle East - page 3

With three mysteries down and sixteen mysteries yet to see on this pilgrimage, we will need to be covering almost two per day; but, there will be no mysteries today! Sharon reminded me that most will come in Jerusalem. It is nice not needing to repack our suitcases while staying in the Pilgerhaus for three nights. As I’m writing these words at two o’clock in the morning local time, I’m thinking, again with that stupid donkey. It wasn’t the ultra-annoying morning is here bray, but one that doesn’t belong in the middle of a sound sleep. Dennis had noted that he had seen them in the morning up on the hill behind the Pilgerhaus. I thought the image might be good for the blog, but Dennis continued “He had seen someone out there taking a picture ... read more

Here are some more photos from the day we visited Cana and Nazareth.... read more

This morning we began with a visit to the Igal Alon Museum which houses the "Ancient Boat', a 36 foot craft found in the mud of the Sea of Galilee. It has been dated to Jesus's day and is the very same kind of boat Jesus and the Disciples used on the night of the great storm when Jesus calmed the waves. We then walked over to the Ginosar dock where our wooden replica boat awaited us for a sail on the Sea of Galilee. It was a very windy day. The boat rocked and pitched in 3 foot waves. One of the group broke out in praise songs and believe it or not the wind calmed down. It was an mystical experience and made the Biblical story very real. Boarding the bus we went to ... read more

Yesterday we spent the day in the vicinity of the Sea of Galilee region. We began the morning with a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. From there, we headed to Capernaum to see ruins of a synagogue that dates from three to four centuries after Jesus and ruins believed to be the house of Simon Peter. We then headed to Caesarea Philippi. We finished out the day at Mt. Arbel which lies along the famous Via Maris, the ancient “Highway 1” that connected Egypt and Mesopotamia. More tomorrow!... read more

This was the day we had been waiting for - our first day in Israel. We left the dock in Haifa and traveled about an hour east through the Carmel Mountains across the Jezreel Valeey into the Galilee area. Our wonderful tour guide, Tali, and her husband both grew up in the Galilee and they still own large groves of olive trees there. She was very knowledgeable and quite passionate when she described the land, the people, the history and the culture. We were both impressed with the beauty of the rolling hills and lush fields, orchards and groves nestled in the valleys. The invention of drip irrigation revolutionized agricultural opportunities and practices in Israel and land which was once dry and barren now produces fruits and vegetables exported around the world. Our first stop was ... read more