Tag Archive | Travel

Day #8 – Our Last Tour Day

This was my favorite day I think.

But it’s so hard to choose.

Visiting Joppa was more than I expected.

It took us a while to get there.

Even though it was the hottest day on our tour – we enjoyed it very much. (Thank God for well air conditioned buses on our return!)

But first …………….

Yitzhak Rabin Memorial
https://mfa.gov.il/mfa/aboutisrael/state/pages/yitzhak%20rabin.aspx
German Colony in Haifa
https://www.touristisrael.com/haifas-german-colony/4998/
Note the places for the kiddos to play and the adults to rest in the lower right hand corner. Sweet.
An outdoor bowling alley!
Who knew? Hey lady! Get off the lane!
A view of the new places, from the middle of the old places.

We saw these buildings from all angles in our travels – now here on the ground we could see their size!

We all really wondered about that twisty one!

Worldwide Center for the Baha’i Faith – Haifa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terraces_(Bah%C3%A1%27%C3%AD)

Jaffa, City in Israel – Description -Jaffa, in Hebrew Yafo and in Arabic Yaffa and also called Japho or Joppa, the southern and oldest part of Tel Aviv-Yafo, is an ancient port city in Israel. Wikipedia

This explains the discrepancy in spellings and pronunciations.

Old Joppa
Slow ascent.
Market Square
Made me smile. Want a ride?
Going up!
These three photos
Are where I pictured
Jesus’ life would be.
Ra’amses Gate Garden
Palm trees everywhere.
HaPisga Garden
Tirosh Amphitheater
St. Peter’s Cathedral
Jaffa Port
Did I mention it was hot?
Dare I say; The old man and the sea?
Inside a restaurant we ate in.
It was cool in more ways than one.
Another wall for free.
Busy Joppa street.

Shalom Tower

Tower in South City Centre (Tel Aviv)

This huge tower, the first skyscraper in Israel opened in 1965, is one of Tel Aviv’s major landmarks and a notable part of its skyline. It has permanent exhibits on the history of Tel Aviv in the foyer and on the 1st floor.

We listened to a guide that knew so many facts, had so much knowledge, and was funny to boot – It was hard to keep up.

We also got to see about twenty minute long documentary about Israeli/Tel Aviv history.

Our guide.
Exhibits
If you are a history buff, this is your place.

To find out what all those displays (and our guide) are talking about, you can click here; https://israelforever.org/programs/myherzl/who_was_theodor_herzl/

Our day of touring, our week in fact, was over, and we headed back to our hotel in Herzilya in time to visit the beach on the Mediterranean Sea.

Palms by the sea.

We stayed at a brand new hotel in Herzilya called Herod’s.

Closer and closer to the Mediterranean.

Just a ten minute walk to the sea.

Sun shiny ribbons on the sea.
Refreshing.
Beautiful.
Soothing.
Restful.

Sea wall.

It was much more than a ten minute walk when you decide to walk along the sea wall.

This is the actual sea wall, and the place we stayed, click here if you want to know more; https://econcretetech.com/seawall-units-herzliya-marina/

Aerial photo found on Google.

Our room was in the far left horseshoe shaped building.

Surfers, not sharks.
One last look back.

That’s it for now – but next time I will just share some random photos – neighborhoods, plants, walls, buildings and such.

About two more posts for our trip to Israel, I hope you’re enjoying them.

I hope to see you again next time.

Day # 7 – Israel

Good Morning Herzylia, Israel!
Our touring began with cruising along the Mediterranean Sea.
What a lovely drive – A different lovely than what I’m accustomed to.
Port of Acre – Crusader Halls
Just the beginning.

I have many photos to share from the Crusader Halls.

There was so much history here, I can’t possibly repeat it all.

Enjoy the photos, and if you like, check the link and get the history, and the scope, of this place.

http://www.akko.org.il/en/Old-Acre-About-Conservation-Fortress-Project

A fleur de lis for my collection.
Into the market
I love walls, and texture, and brick, and this.
How about you?
Walk this way.
Complete with a hologram of the crusaders!
Out we go.
On the way to Rosh Hanrika
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosh_HaNikra_grottoes
Here we are.
Taking the cable car down to the Grottos.

After leaving the Grotto, we went up the hill to the Lebanese border.

While we were here , our group reached our hands over the border and prayed for both countries.

After leaving Rosh Hanrika, we headed toward Haifa.

Not the clearest photos get taken from a moving bus,
But they help to tie the places together.
Like pieces of a puzzle.
Different parts of a whole.
Here’s a bonus wall.
Haifa – Worldwide Headquarters of the Ba Hai faith.
https://www.ganbahai.org.il/en/haifa/

At the end of this day, the eve of our last day, we celebrated at a farewell dinner at the Dan Panorama Hotel.

All ten buses met for an enormous dinner, and farewell remarks from Jane and several other of our leaders.

Then off to our separate hotels for a much needed rest.

Join me again next time for our last tour day. Day #8.

Day #6 – Israel

Gai Beach, Tiberias, Israel

Good morning from the Sea of Galilee. 6:49 AM.

This is my favorite photo from our trip.

It was so peaceful, and minus the modern embellishments, is a view that my Jesus saw a lot of.

Tiberias – by the Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee

The Sea of Galilee is essentially a large lake.

There is no Hebrew word for lake.

So it’s a sea.

http://jesusboats.com/

We were on the Sea of Galilee with ten of these “Jesus Boats”, where we all locked together and had a worship service, along with some Hebrew dancing before departing.

Quiet seas.

It was easy in some spots on our cruise to imagine Jesus walking across the water to one of these little boats containing some very concerned Apostles.

Close to the end of our trip.

We hated leaving the boats; but there was so much to see.

On to the Mt. of Beatitudes
Appropriate attire required for entry.
The view from here
Speaks for itself.
Breathtakingly restful.

Capernaum is next.

The walk to Capernaum.
Excavated synagogue close to Peter’s home.
Inside excavated synagogue close to Peter’s home.
Peter’s Home

Peter’s home – What you see above is a new synagogue built above it.

I had difficulty getting great photos here; so you can follow the next link if you want to see more clearly.

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/the-house-of-peter-the-home-of-jesus-in-capernaum/

Jesus resting?

This statute was close to the entry to Capernaum.

Made of black stone. Note the nail holes in the feet.

The view of the Sea of Galilee from outside of Capernaum.

Onward to lunch!

Choose one.
So not used to having my food stare at me!

This was so far out of my comfort zone!

But I ate it any way.

I was surprised at how good it was – Seconds?

Boat Museum – Ginosar, Israel
The Big Question
Great care was taken to keep the keel of this boat in tact.
Next stop – Magdala
An amazing archaeological find, actual floor tile.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdala
So much has been revealed.
Exciting to think that Mary of Magdalene walked here.

As we head down the pathway from this spot, we come to Duc In Altum.

Which means “Out into the deep”

https://www.magdala.org/visit/duc-in-altum/womens-atrium/

In this atrium, we all stood circling this fountain.

We all began to sing (Sadly I can’t remember what song) and as we all moved to the center, the sound seemed to fill the hall.

It was amazing.

We were surrounded by pillars.
Each with the name of an important woman from the Bible carved into it.
https://www.magdala.org/visit/duc-in-altum/boat-chapel/
https://www.magdala.org/visit/duc-in-altum/encounter-chapel/

This room, the Encounter Chapel, struck my companions and I perhaps more than anywhere else we visited.

We stayed here in silence for several prayerful moments before leaving with very quieted hearts.

Just one more stop today –

https://www.israeljerusalem.com/yardenit.htm

The Yardenit is the baptismal site located on the Jordan River.

I have no photos of my own from this site, as I was busy getting re-baptized myself.

That’s it for today’s tour.

I’m exhausted.

How about you?

Please join me next time for Day # 7.