We started our journey to Jerusalem today. After breakfast, we loaded up the bus and made our way to Mount of Precipice. We walked up a path and got a beautiful panorama of Mt. Carmel, Haifa, Nazareth, Mt. Tabor and the Valley of Armageddon. It was a clear day and we were lucky to be able to see everything very clearly. While we were up there, there was a small Israeli group making some sort of arrangements of flowers and vines, had some twine and some rope, and some matches and perhaps some candles. I have absolutely no idea what they were doing, but it looked interesting. I was just thankful that it wasn't me attached to the end of the rope, or being cast off the mountain. First of all, I'm afraid of heights, and second of all, there wasn't nearly enough rope there to support me.
While my friend Naomi jokes with me about when Transfiguration Sunday is, I finally was able to see Mt. Tabor where the transfiguration took place. Hopefully from now on I won't confuse it with Christ the King Sunday...and I have a better understanding about what happened.
Which then got me reflecting on the wedding at Cana, and the renewal of vows that 4 couples on our tour chose to do. In all of the years that I have attended or played for weddings, I can honestly say that it was the first time ever that I was ever actually kicked out of the church... by a nun no less. That's a first.
I don't know if laughing about that is sacrilegious, or more sacrilegious to say there's no more beautiful a spot to have the final battle of Armageddon....what a way to go!
From Mount of Precipice, we went to the ruins of Zippori (which was not on the schedule of events for the day, which a few people were sure to note). The most interesting part of this abridged tour was the mosaics found along the streets, as well as in different ruins where merchant stores used to be. I have to admit that I have seen a lot of mosaics not only on this trip but others as well, but these were something to behold.
I cannot imagine starting to dig somewhere to unexpectedly find a BC mosaic, or column. I'm starting to believe that no matter where you dig your shovel in Israel, you're bound to find something ancient.
It's a good thing I don't live here AND garden.
The other thing I am discovering is the spacial relativity of all of the cities where Jesus visited. My vision of Jesus' life is changing. I always envisioned Jesus to have a pastoral/agrarian life, but noting all of the different cities he visited and walked, he very much spent a lot of his life in cities.
From Zippori, we made our way to Bet She'An, which is another archeological sight. What an amazing sight! From the forum, to the amphitheater, to the colonnade where merchants and shops were, to looking at the ruins where the acropolis was for the city, this ancient city is filled with Roman ruins during the 1st century AD. It rivals Jerash in scope and breadth. It was a glorious day to visit them, the sun shining all day.
After a quick lunch of sandwiches (falafel and chicken schnitzel served with a cabbage salad in pita bread which were absolutely delicious) we headed toward the Mediterranean.
The next stop on the trip was Caesarea Maritima, a beautiful set of Roman ruins immediately on the Mediterranean Sea. It was quite spectacular walking on the ruins of the Emperor's palace, and seeing it jut out into the sea. The water was fantastic, turquoise and a bit windy. Looking to the north, we saw old walls as well as a minaret from an old mosque. It's also where Paul was kept in prison before being shipped off to Rome.
After walking along the shore, and allowing some of us in the group to dunk our feet in the Mediterranean, it was back on the bus to head toward Jerusalem, which was a couple hours away.
While we got stuck in a bit of a traffic jam in Tel Aviv and again around Ben Gurion airport, we managed to make it to the hotel in Jerusalem about 6:10 p.m. While it was an action packed day yet again, it was very awesome yet again.
Tomorrow is the day I have been looking forward to (there are others too, but this day's a biggie), which is to visit Masada and the Dead Sea. It should be yet another interesting experience, and I'm sure it's going to be filled with laughter and fun.
This trip has been great on so many levels, and I look forward to what the next few days will bring here in Jerusalem.
A scary old elf indeed
13 years ago
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