Overlooking the Sea of Galilee, the Church of the Beatitudes sits at the high point of a natural ampitheater where Jesus gave the sermon on the mount. The natural setting allows those at either end of the area to hear a speaker clearly. The beautiful gardens provided a wonderful spot to start the morning and review that sermon and contemplate that we now sat close to where Jesus once taught. Carolyn took the opportunity to continue her travel sketches.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Israel - Tel Aviv to Galilee
After waiting 45 minutes for a pilot to arrive after our change in aircraft at LAX, we set off for Altanta where our two hour layover became a fifteen minute sprint to make our connection to Tel Aviv. All 50 of us made it, and we arrived in Israel around 6 pm Tuesday, May 1 after leaving Monday in the early afternoon.
We met our big purple bus and Ilan our tour guide and headed off to the Dan Panorama hotel on the shore of the Mediteranean. Attempting to reset our internal clocks, many of us walked along the seaside to the old port of Jaffa and held out until about 10 pm before hitting our beds.
With our suitcases outside the door by 6:45 and a buffet breakfast, all of us were on the bus for our first day of touring (a pattern that would continue almost every day). So, Wednesday morning we first stopped at Caesarea where Herod the Great had a summer palace, ampitheater, and hippodrome for chariot races and other competitions.
Herod's Ampitheater
Exit from Ampitheater
Herod had a fresh water pool as part of the lower palace that has since been lost to centuries of storms.
Beyond the Hippodrome, the remains of a Crusader's fortress from the 11th and 12th centuries lay at the edge of the sea. The vaulted entry required a quick ninety degree turn which would expose an attacker to the arrows, spears and hot oil of the defenders. This fortress architecture was one we'd see often in the remains of various battlements.
Touring other Roman historic sites, we made a short stop at a two-level aqueduct that provided running water (hot and cold - just kidding) to Caesarea. Then it was on to Mt. Carmel and the spot where Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal. What an unfair fight that was!
This was the view from Meggido of the valley of Armeggedon, perhaps the spot for the final battle of all battles.
After a full day of touring, we finally arrived at the Sheraton in Tiberius a full 211.06 meters below sea level on the Sea of Galilee.
We met our big purple bus and Ilan our tour guide and headed off to the Dan Panorama hotel on the shore of the Mediteranean. Attempting to reset our internal clocks, many of us walked along the seaside to the old port of Jaffa and held out until about 10 pm before hitting our beds.
With our suitcases outside the door by 6:45 and a buffet breakfast, all of us were on the bus for our first day of touring (a pattern that would continue almost every day). So, Wednesday morning we first stopped at Caesarea where Herod the Great had a summer palace, ampitheater, and hippodrome for chariot races and other competitions.
Herod's Ampitheater
Exit from Ampitheater
Herod had a fresh water pool as part of the lower palace that has since been lost to centuries of storms.
Beyond the Hippodrome, the remains of a Crusader's fortress from the 11th and 12th centuries lay at the edge of the sea. The vaulted entry required a quick ninety degree turn which would expose an attacker to the arrows, spears and hot oil of the defenders. This fortress architecture was one we'd see often in the remains of various battlements.
Touring other Roman historic sites, we made a short stop at a two-level aqueduct that provided running water (hot and cold - just kidding) to Caesarea. Then it was on to Mt. Carmel and the spot where Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal. What an unfair fight that was!
This was the view from Meggido of the valley of Armeggedon, perhaps the spot for the final battle of all battles.
After a full day of touring, we finally arrived at the Sheraton in Tiberius a full 211.06 meters below sea level on the Sea of Galilee.
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