2011- Israel.....amazing Israel

Loooong set of flights from Canada.....Halifax, NYC, London, Tel Aviv....arriving to Summer after minus 15 C on PEI.....what a difference 24 hours can make. Explored the Tel Aviv waterfront and nearby markets for a few days....pretty "white city", a WHL site....watched a woman sing and dance as she looked out over the Mediterranean Sea.        http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1096

 After joining up with our Canadian tour group in Tel Aviv, we headed straight for Caesaera on the Mediterranean coast.  Steeped in the familiar Roman history of 2000 years ago, the aqueduct system as seen below in the video and amphitheater re-emphasized the huge reach of this Empire....we've seen it from northern Britain and Hadrian's Wall and now south into Israel. Will we ever get to Petra which was the eastern-most reach of the Roman Empire? 

 

The above map outlines our travels, starting in Tel Aviv on the coast and heading north-east after leaving Caesarea.  Basically we did a clock-wise loop..our northern-most point was Tel Dan, then straight south to the Dead Sea and inland to Jerusalem. After the tour group left, we drove straight south from Tel Aviv to the Negev desert.

Driving through the Carmel Hills from the Mediterranean Sea,  we stopped first at Meggido, one of 3 designated UNESCO World Heritage biblical tels.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1108

This tel (prehistoric settlement mound), one of 200 found in the Middle East,  is composed of 26 layers of civilizations going back to Neolithic man.  Descending 250 stairs in to the well-cistern storage area, then 100 steps up to the aqueduct we were amazed by the ingenuity of man to store and disperse water.  This became a theme throughout Israel.
Admiring the Jezreel Valley on our way to tour Nazareth, where we enjoyed demonstrations by a shepherd with his sheep, a carpenter and a weaver.  As the sun set, we overlooked Nazareth from the Cliff of Precipice as Pastor Henry led us in prayer.

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Up early in Tiberias for a sunrise (above looking towards Jordan) over the Sea of Galilee and a boat ride...we relaxed  and meditated on the countless stories from the Bible which arise from this area's history.  After, we toured the so-called "Jesus boat", discovered when the water levels dropped and which has been dated to 2000 years ago.  

On to the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached his Sermon on the Mount, a beautiful church and garden area.  Close by is Caperneum, a town where Jesus lived and taught....full of Greek architecture in the synagogue (below) as well as the excavated first church of St Peter, the rock now protected by a glass floor (above).  Korazim, an excavated village of basalt, was another stop for us, overlooking the Sea of Galilee.

 After touring the Gideon caves, we stopped at a park to swim and picnic with our tour group...many families enjoying this wonderful area!

Quote of the day from one of our tour people:  "Education creates classes: Classes creates clashes" which reflected many of our learnings over the next few weeks.

Between Pastor Henry's calming readings from the Bible to describe our different visits and Samuel's talks on Hebrew, Israeli and Jewish histories we are absorbing such an education!

We headed north through the Hulu Valley (drained swamp and now one of the most cultivated areas of Israel...pomegranates, euculiptas trees, avocados) into the upper-most reaches of Israel, squeezed between Lebanon and Syria.  Within sight all the time was the snow-capped Mount Hebron from which most fresh water flows into the |Jordan Valley....key to Israel's survival and a source of conflict in this area.

After viewing the bunkers from the 1970's war with Lebanon overlooking the Golan Heights, we visited Caesarea Phillipi where Jesus preached about ONE God (in direct opposition to the |Roman beliefs) above the Banias Spring. The whole group hiked along a river to the torrents further along...and then were picked up by our bus!  Not quite the White Mountains!

Another stop at the tel of Dan   where Jesus also taught....

 

Then we toured over to an excavation from Abraham's time, almost 4000 years ago.  Below you can see how they are protecting this archeological site as it is made of fired clay brick.

More to this whirlwind day....a baptism for 6 of us at Yardenit's site on the Jordan River where John was baptized and which is now the traditional site for people to renew their faith.  Pastor Henry had coached us the night before, everything went smoothly and we received our certificates after....and yes!  there is a gift shop here.

 Our tour group stopped at Beit Shean  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beit_Shean , an incredible Greco-Roman, Byzantine complex, complete with major streets seen behind me (and below image) that once were lined with shops, baths, agora and amphitheater, places of worship.  Once under 40 feet of sand and soil, and devastated by a major earthquake 1900 years ago, it is being brought back to its days of glory 3000 years ago.  The baths (thermae) in particular were fascinating....as you can see from the above signs, first you wash off, then heat yourself up and have a massage, then cool down, all the while talking business and gossiping with your peers!  Above you can see the underpinnings of sauna area, where the hot water flowed between the stone supports.  

Sadly, we had to leave this beautiful area the next morning....and drove south along the Jordan River, an experience I will never forget.  Sandwiched between the Palestinian Territory of the West Bank (of the Jordan River) and Jordan on the east side of the ever-dwindling river, we were confronted with barbed wire double-fencing  on both sides as well as mine-imbedded cement.  The desert encampments of the Palestinian Territory as well as the Bedouin camps were desolate and intimidating.   We passed by the city of Jericho at the southern end of the West Bank, off limits to everyone. This is a shame as it is supposedly the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, dating back to 9,000 BC. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho

Swinging past the dead Sea we traveled west and to an amazing experience....a camel ride and a Bedouin meal at GenesisLand!   What fun and the whole group (Henry waving merrily!) was totally enjoying this great time....above I am giggling about the camel who was chewing on my foot and now looks so innocent!!  "Abraham" greeted us (originally from Australia!) and told us about the Bedouin ways. He then then introduced a 4 course meal (above)  that was full of yummy, Mediterranean tastes, served in a tent and at a low table while we sat on cushions...lovely!
 Stunning drive up the Kedron Valley towards Jerusalem, we were awed by our first views of this legendary city as "Shalom Jerusalem" played on our tour bus.  We went directly to the Garden of Gesthemane (now the Church of Agony) and the Mount of Olives 2000 year old olive tree (both seen above) , and we gathered for a moment of prayer in the Garden for our safe travels thus far.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/148
http://www.humanjourney.us/Jerusalem.html

Here is our tour group with Jerusalem behind us....Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the left, the Dome of the Rock as well as a view of the Western Wall.

 Quite the day out of the city , seeing the Caves of Quaran (above) where the Dead Sea scrolls were found (which we saw a few days later in a special museum in Jerusalem). After a short stop at the Huvla Cosmetic plant where cosmetics made from the Dead Sea mud and salts are made, we drove south towards Masada.  

Unnerving ascent by cable car (80 people up 800 metres in 3 minutes!!) to the top (Robert and I envying the hikers far below who were enjoying good exercise!) we came out to view Herod's castle.  We toured the synagogue, water cisterns, a recent church, the graineries....but above all, we listened to Samual's emotional rendition of the shocking end of Jewish resistance to the Romans almost 2000 years ago. We all wept.  Below you can see the attack ramp built by the Romans on the north side in order to breech the wall.

 Subdued and reflective as we left this place of remembrance, we drove north along the beautiful Dead Sea, stopping to see a watermark which shows how low the water has dropped in the last 30 years, at a rate of 1 meter a year.  The predicition is that the Dead Sea will be gone by 2050.   Plans are underway to open up a canal from the Red Sea to infuse the Dead Sea a bit. Here's a link to a BBC news item on December 9, 2013.  It is HAPPENING!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15938294

Stopped at Mineral Beach, into our swim suits (again!  this is the 4th time we've had a chance to swim and enjoy the water!)  slathered up with mud (can you spot Robert's Mt Washington hat or are you distracted by the mud?!) and then into FLOAT...wow!  Fun experience and a memorable day, full of sadnesses and joy.....
Day 3 in Jerusalem was physically demanding....we figured we must have walked 7 -8 miles, starting at the Jewish Quarter. Spent time outside the South and Western Walls, just soaking up the 5000 years of history from Samuel's well-presented talks.  

Wikipedia neatly sums up the two destructions, the multiple sieges, the countless invasions  and the vital link to 3 major Abrahaministic religions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem
One striking area outside the Western Wall is the newly excavated Roman road  and then a short walk around to the South Wall ( see picture of Robert and I above) showed the 3 portals through which Jesus would've walked on his way from the Mount of Olives, on the opposite side of the Kedron Valley.   Finally back into the city, to a view point to the Wailing Wall, very emotional, especially seeing the strong military presence. 

Quite the amazing day, exploring the newly excavated City of David, accidently discovered when an archeologist spotted a stone with the name of David's secretary on it!  The highlight was definitely getting ready for our "walk through Hezekiah's tunnel".  6 people, including Robert, donned water shoes, rolled up their shorts, turned on their flashlights and plunged into the "wet tunnel" with thigh-high rushing water, 800 metres long.....Gihon's Spring in the City of David emptying into the Pool of Siloam.  The rest of us side-slipped along the "dry tunnel", much shorter but narrow.....Robert and his group were ecstatic as they emerged at the Pool of Siloam!
Shuttled back to the Western Wall, we walked into the inner area after security screening....an amazing feeling of joy, energy, intensity. singing and chatter pervades this holy place, the last remnant of the ancient temple.  Touched the Wall, placed some prayers for my loved ones, walked backwards out of respect, spotted a bride and her entourage celebrating her marriage.  My, what an overwhelming experience with our tour group....each night we enjoy great food at our King Solomon hotel and debriefed our days events and shared stories/debated theology with Pastor Henry and the group members.
A very tough day....beyond horror,  beyond sorrow, horribly sobering, we spent most of the day in Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum.   Step by step we witnessed as best we could the systemic and organized murder machine of Nazi Germany. Knowing the story so well, having read many books and seen many movies we saw how Europe had "become a monster".  The Children's Museum was unbelievably moving, with the names of murdered children spoken as we walked through candle-lit passages ablaze with stars.  The Garden of the Righteous had plantings for the 6 million who were ruthlessly murdered during this insane rampage.  The horror went on and on....what stays with me is the train car, a real one, used to transport everyone to Auschwitz.
After lunch, we went to the Israel Museum......archeological artifacts from Neolithic and Canaanite times up to the time of Jesus.  Then our bus toured us past the Knesset and other government buildings, the University.  A very sad day....
Our tour group is holding up nicely but a few under the weather....off for a tour of the 30 layers of Jerusalem, of which 3 are excavated back to 3000 B.C. Lots of climbing and descending, then shopping!  in the Jewish Quarter!  After lunch at a kibbutz-type hotel ( a strange comment?!) we encountered the reality of Israel.  

Within Israel, there are several "off-limits to Israeli citizens" Palestinian Territories...West Bank, Gaza, a restricted Golan Heights.....and Bethlehem.  Thus, we had to drop off Samuel our guide and Shalom our driver and take on a Palestinian driver and guide.  Nice enough people who tried very hard to make our Bethlehem experience as pleasant as possible.  Nothing could have prepared me for the drive up to the grey wall covered with barbed wire fence that led us through a check point riddled with  security guards holding their machine guns and detectors.  
As we slowly drove through the gate an overwhelming sense of foreboding clutched me.

  I attempted to absorb the experience of the Church of Nativity.  It took a lot of praying to keep calm!! We went in lines of 10 to inch up towards the front of the church, then down a steep set of stairs underneath the alter area and there it was.....a silver star imbedded into the concrete, symbolizing the spot where Jesus was born.  We all took turns kneeling and touching it....a memorable experience, very moving.  Just to the side of this area was a small grotto lit with candles where the cradle manger had been placed.

Outside we took deep breaths of air, Robert spotted a Palestinian solder's moped and posed, very pleased with it all!   After, we went to a Baptist church, twinned with Pastor Henry's church back in Canada....now, here's a story which needs a glass of wine!
In 2015, here are snippets of the reality which is Bethlehem:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35155227

March 12, thinking of Mom all day as she celebrates her birthday back home, we went to the Pool of Bethseda and the Church of Ste Anne.   So many layers of civilization in these 2 areas....being peeled back one by one.  Over to the Mount of Olives for a great group shot with Jerusalem as our backdrop, as you can see earlier in the Blog.
  After lunch, we started the long trek along the Via Dolorosa, spending time at each of the 12 stations of the Cross.  The first 5 or 6 depicts the process of Jesus being condemned by Pontius Pilate, then where He picked up the cross, several areas where He dropped it, finally arriving at the church of the Holy Sepulchre. 

Steep, deformed stairs up to the loft area where Jesus was crucified on the Hill of Golgotha....taken down from the cross and then down to where He "could've" been laid to rest, all within the Church....as there is some dispute where the actual Garden of the Tomb was.  Packed full of people, such a crush, can't imagine what it would be like in high tourist season.  Went to the alternative location, a beautiful park with a gorgeous grotto....very moving experience again.  After we all visited the grotto, we went to a private area for prayer and communion.  Shocked again when we "shopped" from the Gates of Damascus in the Muslim Quarter....loads of sales pressure!

Now close to the last day with our tour group, dear Pastor Henry leading us on rampart walks along the inside Southern Wall, which allowed us to see the Armenian Quarter. Very enjoyable time relaxing with the small group of 6...others had gone earlier in the day.  Lovely dinner that night as we caught up on our future plans and signed the group pictures.
Pack it up, move it out...off for the Ben Gurion Airport with the tour group, quick goodbyes as they went off to their respective check-in counters.  Robert and I headed off to pick up our rental car...the adventure continues!  

2 hour drive south from Tel Aviv brought us quickly to the Negev desert....and what a difference as we left the fertile lands!  Sand, dunes, rocks, dry brush, with lovely oasis-type villages.  Explored a bit on the way and then settled into our self-catering apartment in the Sid Brokr  kibbutz.  Caught a magnificent sunset overlooking the desert from our kibbutz.....very memorable!  At the end of the video you can see the canyon which we walked up a few days later.  
Day 2 in the Negev was a drive straight south again to the Ramon Crater....a water-scoured erosion crater 50 miles long, 20 miles wide and about 2000 feet deep.  Goats and ibex scrambled around the edges, eager for a hand-out!  Can you spot the rock climbers at the top of the cliff?

The drive into the crater showed the desolation of the desert even more clearly....saw a few Land Rovers roaring around the off-road trails...we are never far from civilization!
I had always heard of the Silk Road, stretching from the Middle East and into China and India, first opened up by Marco Polo in the 12th century.  New to me was the Incense Route, recognized by UNESCO http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1107 as a series of tels which marked this route from northern Africa and up into Israel.  Here is a link to find out a bit about the different spices, such as frankincense and myrrh supplies in modern times. 


 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16282183

The main port for exporting the spices was Gaza.  The tels are located about 20 kms apart and we visited 2 of them.  Here is a video from Shivta tel, near the border with Egypt.  Check out the water system as the video swings left. 

Then we toured Avdat tel, which was a work in progress as seen above...it was a well-laid out village with wells, synagogue/Roman place of worship, terraces, protective walls.  And what a view across the desert....not hard to imagine the camel trains slowly making their way from one protective tell to the next.  Now, isn't this an amazing way to learn ancient history?!

Our last full day in the Negev was so good....first the Advat canyon walk  There are many trails radiating out from our home base but we drove down to the canyon entrance....so good to see school trips as well as young families enjoying the exercise and outing.  And yes, we had another picnic here!  Check out the below picture showing a group laboring up cliff's steep, cut-out stairs.

Later we did more exploring of our kibbutz, including a visit to Ben Gurion's grave-site.....what a magnificent view of the desert which he loved so dearly.  A quote from his teachings at the University that tells it all for me  "If you can farm the desert, Israel will survive."
That night, the Purim celebration preparations demonstrated the vigor and vitality of the young people as they sang, danced and created floats for the upcoming Purim parade. 
Our final day was an exploration of Be'erSheba, one of the biblical tels associated with the ones farther north, Megiddo being one. I hope you can make out what I am saying to describe this panorama as the wind was high on the viewing platform.   Fascinating to see how the archeologists peel back so many layers back to 3000 years ago.

Headed to Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv and we're off to France!!  Such an experience in Israel....really, beyond words, and I hope this missive tells just a bit of how we enjoyed our time there.