ISRAEL- LAST DAY OF OUR PILGRIMAGE

Today is our last day in Israel. We spent some time just looking out over the Sea of Galilee and reflecting. It is such a peaceful and healing place.




Caesar Hotel in Tiberias overlooks the old and new of the Sea of Galilee




Last morning at the Sea of Galilee




We will travel westward across Galilee, we visit Haifa and Mt. Carmel, the Biblical site of Elijah’s contest with the prophets of Baal.



Armageddon in the Jezreel Valley



Elijah vs. prophets of baal



We continue southward along the Way of the Sea to Caesarea, the Roman City of Herod where sights include Crusader fortifications and the Roman aqueducts and amphitheaters.



Roman aqueducts




 

Serious wind and sand storm. We had to hold on to each other to keep from blowing away!

Driving through the citrus groves and farms of the rich land of Sharon and Ancient Joppa on to the Sea where Jonah set sail, and where Peter raised Orcas from the dead we visit Joppa which was also  the home of Simon the Tanner.



Church of Annunciation



Sidewalk parking in Nazareth!

Our guide Johnny and family live in Nazareth.  We picked him up there on this last day.  Nazareth has one street.  That's right. One!  Traffic is a nightmare.  As a tourist, it is almost comical, but not so much to the residents. We visited the sight of Mary's well.





On the stormy Mediterranean Sea at Joppa; Tel Aviv in the background

Our last stop will be at a local restaurant for our Farewell dinner before departing for our late evening flight at Tel Aviv.



Our crew: Left to right: Driver and guide Johnny, guide Joseph and his driver.

As we watched the storm brewing from the window of our restaurant Dan noticed a tiny boat anchored.  It was taking a beating in the wind and rain as it was tossed about.  We thought of Jonah.  How frightened the occupants of that tiny boat were that night.  No wonder they threw him overboard.  It was just one of the many blessings God shared with us on this journey.  Yes.  Even amidst the storms!

ISRAEL- TIBERIAS, SEA OF GALILEE

IN SPITE OF PREDICTION OF HEAVY RAIN, WE MADE OUR BOAT RIDE EARLY THIS MORNING UNDER PERFECT SKIES. THE CREW RAISED THE AMERICAN FLAG NEXT TO THE ISRAELI FLAG. THE WIND CAUGHT AND TWISTED THE TWO FLAGS TOGETHER AS WE ROSE TO SING THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER  IT WAS A PRECIOUS AND EMOTIONAL MOMENT.

THE CREW PLAYED A PRAISE AND WORSHIP CD. ONE CREW MEMBER JOINED IN WITH HIS MANDELIN. IT WAS INDEED A WORSHIP EXPERIENCE SAILING THE SEA (WHICH IS REALLY A FRESH WATER LAKE 7X14 MILES IN AREA) JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES LOVED.



IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA, OUR GUIDE JOHNNY SAID WE WOULD BE STOPPING TO TAKE A WALK ON THE WATER. IN UNISION AS IF REHEARSED WE REPLIED, “WE WILL FOLLOW RIGHT BEHIND YOU.”



CHURCH OF MULTIPLICATION


WE CROSSED THE SEA TO CAPERNAUM TO VISIT THE ANCIENT RUINS OF THE FIRST SYNAGOGUE WHERE JESUS PREACHED. THEN ON TO THE MT. OF BEATITUDES WERE JESUS PREACHED THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AND ON TO TABGHA, THE CHAPEL DEDICATED TO THE MULTIPLICATION OF THE LOAVES AND FISH. WE NEXT HEAD TO UPPER GALILEE AND THE SITE OF PETER’S CONFESSION (WHEN JESUS ASKED WHO DO YOU SAY I AM) AT CAESAREA PHILIPPI AND TO MT. HERMON AND ON TO BEAUTIFUL PILGRIMS PARK AT THE JORDAN RIVER.



THE POURING RAIN DID NOT HAMPER OUR SPIRITS AS WE PAUSE TO
READ SCRIPTURE, 'WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?'


WE HAD A SPECIAL LUNCH TODAY. IT WAS ACTUALLY IN A VERY NICE RESTAURANT. WE ALL HAD GROWN WEARY OF ‘ISRAELI HAMBURGERS’. FALAFEL IS THE MIDDLE EASTERN VERSION OF FAST FOOD. IT BASICALLY CONSISTS OF CHICK PEA INSIDE OF PITA BREAD. THESE WERE GRABBED ON THE RUN FOR THE MOST PART. I UNDERSTAND MCDONALDS HAS THIS IN THEIR EGYPTIAN RESTAURANTS. NO SURPRISE AT THE NAME; MCFALAFEL. OH WELL, WHEN IN ROME AND ALL.



AT THIS RESTAURANT WE WERE GIVEN THE OPTION OF WHOLE OR FILET PETER’S FISH. THE MEAL RECEIVED RAVE REVIEWS. WE WERE EVEN OFFERED SOFT DRINKS, FOR A PREMIUM OF COURSE. THE LEAST EXPENSIVE BOTTLE OF SODA WE FOUND WAS $3.00. GENERALLY THEY GO FOR ABOUT $5.OO.



WE VISITED THE SYNAGOGUE OF CAPERNAUM AND THE RUINS OF PETER’S MOTHER IN LAWS HOUSE. AGAIN, THE VEGETATION HERE IS BREATHTAKING.



STATUE OF PETER





SYNAGOGUE RUINS



AFTER A SUPER, BUT STORMY AFTERNOON, WE HEAD BACK TO THE HOTEL OVERLOOKING THE SEA. TOMORROW, WE WILL PACK UP AND HEAD TOWARD TEL AVIV.

WHILE DAN NAPPED, I WALKED DOWN TO THE SEA SHORE.  I WAS LOOKING FOR SMALL STONES BUT RECEIVED A BIGGER SMILE FROM THE HEAVENS.  A PERFECT  RAINBOW APPEARED AND STRETCHED FROM ONE END OF THE SEA OF GALILEE TO THE OTHER.  IT WAS JUST A BRIEF FEW MOMENTS BUT IT WAS A PERFECT END TO OUR LAST DAY HERE IN GALILEE!

ISRAEL:OLD JERUSALEM,-BEIT SCHE'AN-GARDEN TOMB

I DID NOT WRITE YESTERDAY. OUR DAY WAS AWESOME BUT VERY LONG. WE WERE ON THE RUN FROM 5:00 A.M. UNTIL AFTER 8:00 P.M.

SOLDIERS AT THE WAILING WALL

WE BEGAN THE DAY AT THE WAILING (WESTERN) WALL. THE BULK OF THE DAY WAS SPENT IN OLD JERUSALEM. WE FOLLOWED IN THE FOOTSEPS OF JESUS THROUGH THE OLD CITY OF PILATE’S JUDGEMENT HALL, THE CHAPEL OF FLAGELLATION AND THE ECCE HOMA ARCH WHERE JESUS WAS TRIED BEFORE PILATE.

WALKING THE WALK

WE NEXT TRAVERSE THE VIA DOLOROSA  (THE WAY OF THE CROSS) TO GOLGOTHA, THE PLACE OF THE SKULL, WHERE THEY CRUCIFIED OUR LORD; THEN ON TO A VICTORY CELEBRATION OF THE RESURRECTION TOMB AND GARDEN.




FUN LUNCH BREAK IN OLD JERUSALEM




WE WORSHIPED TOGETHER IN SCRIPTURE,SONG AND COMMUNION. WE ARE CONTINUALLY REMINDED HOW "HE GATHERS HIS PEOPLE". WE ARE ESPECIALLY HONORED TO HAVE MET A PASTOR AND HIS WIFE, REV. AND MRS. CARPENTER, FROM OUR NECK OF THE WOODS. PASTOR CARPENTER LED THE SERVICE.



WE WERE GETTING THE TRUE MEANING OF 'THEY WENT UP TO JERUSALEM!"



DAN THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GRAND IDEA TO CLIMB TO THE BELL TOWER OF AN OLD JERUSALEM CHURCH FOR PHOTOS...LOOKING DOWN...DID I MENTION MY ISSUE WITH HEIGHTS?




VIEW FROM THE BELL TOWER


AFTER DINNER WE HAD A SPECIAL GUEST. HE HAS LIVED AND SERVED ISRAEL AS A MISSIONARY ALONG WITH HIS WIFE AND SEVEN CHILDREN FOR MANY YEARS.



THE PLACE OF THE SKULL-GOLGOTHA



IT IS BELIEVED THE DARKER COLOR AT THE TOP WAS ADDED (CHISLED OUT) TO ACCOMODATE THE TALLER JESUS FROM THE TOMB INTENDED FOR A SMALLER PERSON....INTERESTING.


TODAY WE LEFT JERUSULEM. WE BEGAN WITH A TREMEMDOUS BLESSING. WE WERE ONE OF THE FEW....VERY FEW TO BE BAPTIZED IN THE ACTUAL LOCATION WHERE JESUS WAS BAPTIZED-BY THIS LOCAL PASTOR. AS THE PASTORS WIFE SAID WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED HERE. DAN AND I BOTH WEPT WHEN WE ENTERED THE WATER AT THIS SPECIAL PLACE. HIS PRESENCE IS SO STRONG IN THOSE MUDDY WATERS.




DAN BEING BAPTIZED IN THE JORDAN BY PASTOR CARPENTER



BELIEVE IT OR NOT THIS IS ME..I THINK DAN MAY HAVE GIVEN PASTOR CARPENTER A TIP TO HOLD ME UNDER UNTIL I BUBBLED??  HMM



LAND MINES SURROUNDING THE DIRT ROAD TO WHERE WE WERE BAPTIZED. COURTESY OF JORDAN.




THIS SMALL AREA IS SURROUNDED WITH WIRE AND WARNING SIGNS BECAUSE IT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY LARGE MINE FIELD. WE WERE GRANTED PERMISSION FROM THE GUARDS, ISRAELI SOLDIERS, TO ENTER THE WATER. WHETHER THEY UNDERSTOOD OR HAD THE AUTHORITY---WE DIDNT EXACTLY CLARIFY THE ISSUE. WE WERE THRILLED AT THIS UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY.






ISRAELI SOLDIERS GUARDING 'THESE CRAZY AMERICANS' AT THE JORDAN RIVER  DAN LOVED THAT HE WAS THE SAME HEIGHT OF HIS SOLDIER--FROM CALIFORNIA  SERVING THE STATE OF ISRAEL



BEFORE WE GOT THE LAST MINUTE NEWS WE COULD BE BAPTIZED AT THE SPOT.  WE WERE HAVING A SPRINKLING SERVICE! :)



WE DROVE THROUGH THE JORDAN VALLEY ALONG SIDE THE RIVER TOWARD OUR NEXT STOP IN TIBERIAS.THIS VALLEY IS TRULY OVERFLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY. THE HILLS ARE GREEN STREWN WITH FIELDS OF ANY VARIETY IMAGINABLE OF FRUITS,VEGETABLES, GRAINS, NUTS, OLIVES, CATTLE AND SHEEP.


JORDAN VALLEY - LAND OF MILK AND HONEY





THE WIND WAS SO STRONG IT WAS BREAKING DAN'S HAIRSPRAY...FIRST CAP WORN IN PUBLIC EVER!



ONE OF THE COURTYARDS AT BEIT SCHE'AN

WE VISTED THE INCREDIBLE CITY OF BEIT SCHE'AN. THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN SIDES WHERE THE TALL GREEN GRASS WAVES IN THE BREEZE. AFTER SITTING IN THE RUINS OF THE COLISEIM AND BATH HOUSES, WE ENJOYED OUR LUNCH SITTIMG OUTSIDE SURROUNDED BY LOVELY WEATHER AND AMAZING ARCHITECTUAL DESIGN. WE HAVE HAD COOL BUT SUNNY DAYS. TODAY IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THIS IS WINTER IN ISRAEL.






OUR LAST STOP FOR TODAY WAS AT THE CHURCH OF THE BEATITUDES. THIS CHURCH AND GARDENS OVERLOOKS THE ENTIRE SEA OF GALILEE. WE READ JESUS' TEACHNG ON THE NAMESAKE BEFORE THE SHOWERS BEGAN.

WE REACHED OUR HOTEL AND CHECKED IN FOR A REST. OUR ROOM OVERLOOKS THE SEA OF GALILEE. WE WATCH THE FEW SMALL BOATS AROUND THE PIER AND THINK OF HAPPIER TIMES WITH JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES.




WATCHING BOATS FROM OUR HOTEL BALCONY SEA OF GALILEE




WEATHER PERMITTING, WE WILL SAIL THIS SEA IN VESSELS SIMILAR TO THEM AT 7:30 TOMORROW A.M. SHARP!