Day 3: Wonderful Mosaic...

Next, we went to Bet Alpha to see what was once a Byzantine synagogue from the 6th century. All that remains is an amazing mosaic floor depicting the signs of the Zodiac that was unearthed in 1928 while digging irrigation ditches. We watched a really good multimedia show offering a possible explanation of how a synagogue might have ended up decorated with Roman and Greek mythological symbols.

Below the Zodiac was the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac. Although these photos don’t do it justice, this was definitely the most interesting and best preserved mosaic we saw on the trip.

Israel Day 3: Jordan River...

We packed up to leave the hotel as it was time to begin our journey to Jerusalem. Our first stop was along the banks of the Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. We were surprised how commercial the location seemed, but based on the number of tour buses we’ve seen over the last few days, we shouldn’t have been surprised. When we realized there was no one getting baptized, we tried to talk Al into donning a white robe, but no such luck. As the only man in our group, he was a very good sport. He had a quiet manner with a great sense of humor; I especially loved hearing his “scientific theory” of how he can predict rain based on how many cows are sitting versus standing in a field.

The large nutria or river rats looked ready to join anyone considering a dunk into the water. They might be herbivores, but didn’t look like fun swimming companions.

Day 2: Wine Tasting in Golan Heights...

We had pizza for lunch, stopped by a shoe outlet, then headed to the Golan Height Winery for a tasting. We weren’t impressed with the style of the tasting (merely dropping off all the glasses at once with little explanation), but did like the wines. My roommate Andrea and I bought a few bottles to share for happy hour over the next few nights. I also bought Jimmy some olive oil.

This might not be the best photo, but it shows how we spent our evenings: in the cafe (the only spot with WiFi) at the hotel drinking wine while on our screens connecting with our families. I failed to take a photo of the buffets at either hotel, where we ate all of our breakfasts and dinners, but it’s still worth bringing up. The meals were very good and always kosher. Breakfast contained no meat other than fish and dinner contained no dairy or pork. There was always a lot of vegetables and salads at both meals. I especially loved the grilled eggplant!

Day 2: Conflicts with Neighbors...

As you know, Israel is a very small country that has problems with neighbors on several borders (to put it lightly). In the northeast is Syria, which could be vaguely seen in the haze from a viewpoint in the Golan Heights.

I must admit that just before leaving Holland I got quite nervous about whether it was actually safe to visit Israel. I was worried that there would be a heavy military presence as a constant reminder that there is not peace in the region. Luckily, I was wrong and never felt in danger. We did see two groups of soldiers that appeared to be doing training, but otherwise didn’t see any armed guards until we went through a checkpoint on the way to Jerusalem. 

Day 2: Banias Nature Reserve...

I was really looking forward to our hike in the Banias Nature Reserve. Unfortunately, it was raining (there’s been a drought so at least the locals were happy) and our hike was cut short. Here you see the ruins of the Temple of Pan.

This is the Banias Spring which feeds into Herman Stream, one of the tributaries of the Jordan River. We took a short walk along the stream to an old Roman bridge and flour mill.

Israel Day 2: Safed...

Ancient Jewish Texts -- Many of the Horribly Damaged are Awaiting Burial

Art Galleries of Safed

We had a rude awakening at 5 a.m. when someone knocked on all the doors in our hallway screaming, “Morning prayers!” Thankfully, Batya was assured that that particular group of Christian pilgrims was leaving that day and it shouldn’t happen again. Our first stop on our second day of exploring the Sea of Galilee area was the highest city in Israel, Safed. In the 50s an artist colony was established in the old city; it was fun walking around the many galleries. We also visited the Yossef Caro Synagogue, named after one of the most important and influential Jewish scholars of the past thousand years. It was rebuilt in 1860 after earthquakes destroyed the two earlier synagogues.

Day 1: Nazareth...

We stopped in an Arab bakery for a snack. The assortment was a bit overwhelming, so I just stuck with chocolate.

Don’t even want to think about why they sold ski masks in the market. Check out the boxes: Raisins of California. I was going to buy the kids some chocolate-coated nougats until I realized they were made in Holland.