Nazareth, Zippori, and Caesarea: Long Day's Journey into Night

A household in Nazareth:
"Behold, I stand at
the door and knock."

Our feelings were mixed as we checked out of the Royal Plaza Hotel Tiberias and loaded up the bus this morning: it was exciting to think about another full day of educational and edifying sightseeing, but lurking in the back of our minds was the awful realization that the next place most of us would have a chance to unpack and lie down would be back in our own homes. But we'll have plenty of time to think about that once we get to the airport tonight; right now, we're heading to Nazareth.

Around the Sea of Galilee

The Sea of Galilee

Visibility was not good yesterday because wind kept roiling up the dust, and last night we were concerned that the blustery weather might prevent us from going out on the Sea of Galilee this morning. Although we saw an overcast sky when we pushed the curtains of our hotel room aside about 6:30 a.m., the wind had calmed considerably so the boat trip was on.

After breakfast, we drove from Tiberias on the western shore of the lake around to Ein Gev, a kibbutz on the eastern shore. The Sea of Galilee is nowhere near as big as the term "sea" implies; its longest dimension is less than fifteen miles, so circumnavigating the whole shoreline road doesn't take much more than an hour. This morning's route took us around the south shore, past some banana and date plantations operated by members of the kibbutz, and then to a small harbor where several fishing boats were moored.

Bet She'an, Megiddo and Yardenit: Centuries of Conquest

Ruins of Bet She'an

It probably has become apparent that this tour has not left us much downtime. Even last night’s dip in the hotel pool was circumscribed by our late afternoon arrival and a firm dinner time. Call time most mornings has been around 8:00 a.m., and we are expected to be on the bus, with our luggage already loaded, ready to go, at the appointed time. This morning was no exception. Nancy was in such a hurry that she forgot to take off her glasses and put her contact lenses in after breakfast, as is her habit. It turned out to be a fortuitous omission: the wind was so strong today that she probably would have had to keep her eyes closed half the time to avoid getting dust under her lenses.

Masada, Qumran and the Dead Sea: Wandering in the Wilderness

Masada (aerial view courtesy of Wikipedia)

This morning when we left the Golden Walls Hotel, we loaded all our bags onto the bus and said farewell to Jerusalem. Today's first destination was Masada, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name is derived from the Hebrew word for fortress, and that's what this is: a massive fortification built on top of a rock on the eastern edge of the Judean desert, overlooking the Dead Sea. The cliffs around the fortress drop about 300 feet on the west side and about 1300 feet on the east; three steep, narrow, winding paths lead from the desert floor up to the fortified gates. For miles and miles, Masada is surrounded by nothing but rock, sand, and a body of water that nothing can live in and no one can drink. So what is this fortess meant to protect?

Another Day of Ups and Downs in Jerusalem

Remembering Christ's last sermon near the treasury of the temple

This morning we returned to the Temple Mount yet again, but this time, instead of skirting around the sides or burrowing underneath, we climbed a wooden ramp to the top. Before approaching the Muslim shrines that dominate it today, however, we sat in an alcove where the temple's covered porches once stood. Here, learned men of the past discussed scriptures and disputed points of doctrine. Jim reminded us that this is where Jesus would have preached his last public sermon, calling attention to the widow who gave everything she had to the temple treasury as a fast offering for the poor.

Layers of Jerusalem

The outdoor terrace atop a cafe (left) overlooks excavated areas on the west side of the Temple Mount  

Jerusalem is a city of layers. Throughout its history, the city has been conquered, more or less destroyed, and then rebuilt at least seventeen times. As at Jericho, not only does this present archaeologists with the challenge of deciphering which layer they dealing with at any given location, but it also presents the challenge of deciding which layer to conserve. If they stop digging to preserve the features of one layer, then they prevent everyone from understanding and appreciating what might be found in the layers that lie farther down. And then there is the issue of what to do when historically significant ruins are discovered underneath the homes, schools, and businesses of the city's living inhabitants.