Friday, May 11, 2012

Israel Day 3 and 4










We spent the last two days with the most excellent guide who picked us up at our apartment early yesterday morning.  Our first stop was Caesaria where we walked among the ancient ruins by the sea and had the luck of seeing the young boy become a man as he made his Bar Mitzvah.  The history of this place is much to long to go into here. 
There is wine in them thar hills...Grapes grow in many places in this country and wine is big industry.  We saw the grapes growing in the Golan Heights and tasted the wine at the Carmel Winery.
We spent the evening in a beautiful hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee which is really not a sea at all but a fresh water lake...Who Knew..NOT ME!
Turns out this lovely hotel was actually part of a Kibbutz and also on the property was the Museum of the  Boat of Galilee.  This morning we learned of an archeological discovery of an ancient boat discovered by two brothers, one who just happened to be at the museum and we had the pleasure of meeting.  He told us about his discovery and about his life first as a fisherman,then a discoverer and then an artist and his life dream for peace in this country.  The dove was a section of tile work on the site of the museum.
We visited a monestary where I captured the man in prayer and an ancient synagogue (sorry the pics are out of order) were we learned that the true symbol of Judaism as declared in the bible was the Menorah, a symbol of enlightenment.  Also on this ancient stone is depicted a shofar and a shovel which was a symbol for the incense used to hide the not so happy smell of the animal sacrifices.
Our travels took us over the Jordan River and to the Golan Heights were sadly mines are still under the ground as left by the Syrians in the wars for the area. 
Druz who were living in Syria and now in Israel still tend to their goats.
Our day ended at the Gardens of Ba Hai in Haifa a rather large coastal city...YAY ME....I actually created a Panoramo and it only took  a few trys.

5 comments:

  1. Great captures...love learning and traveling with you!!!

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  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. One more try then I give up - hope this one posts. Thank you for sharing your trip here, I am enjoying your photos but everything you are telling us about your trip as well.
    Be safe and have fun.

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  4. OMG - it posted!!!!!!!!!! LOL

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  5. Excellent images, great reading. What an experience!

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