We both slept really well last night, too well in fact.  What we didn’t realize was that our telephone was dead, so we did not receive a wakeup call.  I woke up at 7:30 AM, noted the time, and woke Kay to see if my watch was correct; it was.  Our tour routine was for the guide to arrange wakeup calls for everyone at 6 AM, breakfast, then departure at 7:30 AM.  After hurriedly dressing and throwing things into the daypack, I rushed downstairs to find everyone else waiting for us for a 7:30 AM departure.  I explained the situation, and our guide rushed off to get the phone fixed, and find us coffee and pastry.  Lesson learned:  don’t trust wakeup calls.
We drove towards Bethlehem, but stopped short to let our guide off the bus; he holds an Israeli passport, and the Israeli government will not assure his safety in Bethlehem.  Bethlehem is under Palestinian control, and security is provided by Palestinian authorities.  We were surprised to find that Bethlehem was in the ‘West Bank’ area (formerly controlled by Jordan, and now controlled by Palestine).  We crossed from West Jerusalem through a wall/gate not too dissimilar to the Berlin Wall and entered East Jerusalem also controlled by the Palestinians before traveling less than 30 minutes to Bethlehem.  The wall was built in 2003 because of numerous suicide bombings of Israelis.  After passing through the checkpoint, we picked up our Palestinian Christian guide, who is not allowed in Jerusalem.  He told us he is basically a prisoner within the walled-in city.   Bethlehem is a modern Palestinian city with a population of 80,000, only a few hundred people lived here in Jesus’ time.  About 25% of the current population is Palestinian Christian, and the remainder Muslim.  At the time of Israeli takeover, about half of the population was Palestinian Christian, but many young adults have moved out because of the severe restrictions of their movement in other parts of Israel; once they move out, they are never allowed back in.
Bethlehem.  Our first stop was at a Palestinian Christian store for olive wood gifts, jewelry, etc.  Street vendors awaited us right outside the door with scarves, bags, beads, and even musical camels. 
As we continued in Bethlehem, we waited in line after line for viewing items in the Church of the Nativity.  This old church is visited by millions of people, and has been modernized over the years; the Crusaders installed a higher ceiling and raised the roof—wooden timber trusses—to protect the mosaic floors and marble columns painted with scenes from Christ’s life.  The inside of the church was dark and many of the features were stained from the use of olive oil lanterns. The pilgrims were lined up to go under the the sanctuary/altar area to a grotto area where a hand-sized rock was available to touch that indicated where it was believed that Jesus was born.  Much of the ruins are protected because previous visitors broke pieces off as mementos for their use in worshipping.
The first evidence of a cave in Bethlehem being venerated as Christ’s birthplace is in the writings of Justin Martyr around 160 AD. The tradition is also attested by Origen and Eusebius in the 3rd century.  In 326, Constantine and his mother St. Helena commissioned a church to be built over the cave. This first church, dedicated on May 31, 339, had an octagonal floor plan and was placed directly above the cave. In the center, a 4-meter-wide hole surrounded by a railing provided a view of the cave. Portions of the floor mosaic survive from this period. St. Jerome lived and worked in Bethlehem from 384 AD, and he was buried in a cave beneath the Church of the Nativity.  The Constantinian church was destroyed by Justinian in 530 AD, who built the much larger church that remains today. The Persians spared it during their invasion in 614 AD because, according to legend, they were impressed by a representation of the Magi — fellow Persians — that decorated the building. This was quoted at a 9th-century synod in Jerusalem to show the utility of religious images.  Muslims prevented the application of Hakim’s decree (1009) ordering the destruction of Christian monuments because, since the time of Omar (639), they had been permitted to use the south transept for worship.  The Crusaders took Jerusalem on 6 June 1009. Baldwin I and II were crowned there, and in an impressive display of tolerance the Franks and Byzantines cooperated in fully redecorating the interior (1165-69). A Greek inscription in the north transept records this event.  The Church of the Nativity was much neglected in the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, but not destroyed. Much of the church’s marble was looted by the Ottomans and now adorns the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. An earthquake in 1834 and a fire in 1869 destroyed the furnishings of the cave, but the church again survived.  In 1847, the theft of the silver star marking the exact site of the Nativity was an ostensible factor in the international crisis over the Holy Places that ultimately led to the Crimean War (1854–56).  In 1852, shared custody of the church was granted to the Roman Catholic, Armenian and Greek Orthodox churches. The Greeks care for the Grotto of the Nativity.
Mount of Olives.  After departing Bethlehem, we stopped atop the Mount of Olives where views of Jerusalem were breathtaking.  Most of the Holy places in Jerusalem were visible from this location, and we could only imagine what lay ahead.  Immediately in our foreground was a huge cemetery; from the 3rd millennium BC until the present, this 2900-foot hill has served as one of the main burial grounds for the city.  Separated from the Eastern Hill (the Temple Mount and the City of David) by the Kidron Valley, the Mount of Olives has always been an important feature in Jerusalem’s landscape.  The two-mile long ridge has three summits each of which has a tower built on it.

Church of All Nations (Basilica of the Agony).  The Church of All Nations, officially named the Basilica of the Agony, is located at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem next to the Garden of Gethsemane. It enshrines a section of bedrock in the Garden of Gethsemane that is believed to be where Jesus prayed on the night of his arrest (Matthew 26:36).  The Basilica of the Agony was built from 1919 to 1924 using funds from 12 different countries, which gave it its common name, Church of All Nations. The domed roof, thick pillars, and floor mosaic give the church a Byzantine appearance. The architect of the building was Antonio Barluzzi, who also designed the nearby Dominus Flevit Church.  The symbols of each country that contributed to the church are incorporated into the inlaid gold ceilings of each of 12 cupolas. The 12 cupolas rest on six monolithic pillars. The front of the church features a colorful façade supported by a row of pillars. Themodern mosaic above the entrance depicts Christ as the link between God and humanity.  The Church of All Nations is run by the Franciscans, but an open altar in the garden is used by the Anglican community on Maundy Thursday (the day before Good Friday).  The Church of All Nations lies on the foundations of two earlier churches: a 12th-century Crusader chapel abandoned in 1345 and a 4th-century Byzantine basilica, destroyed by an earthquake in 746.
Dominus Flevit Church.  Built in 1955 to commemorate the Lord’s weeping over Jerusalem, Dominus Flevit features a beautiful view of the city through its distinct chapel window.  Excavations during construction of the church uncovered a number of ossuaries (bone boxes) from the time of Jesus with numerous inscriptions.

Garden of Gethsamane.  Early Christian pilgrims located the Garden of Gethsemane at the bottom of the slope of the Mount of Olives opposite the Temple Mount.  Byzantine, Crusader and a modern church were built successively on the site where it is believed that Jesus prayed to the Father hours before his crucifixion.  Adjacent to the Church of All Nations is an ancient olive garden.  Olive trees do not have rings and so their age can not be precisely determined, but scholars estimate their age to anywhere between one and two thousand years old.

Photos of this trip may be seen at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/DunnGoneTravels/IsraelAndJordan2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIL-g8GBjtb-Lw&feat=directlink

Bet She’an National Park.  Bet She’an is a wonderful Israeli National Park in the northern Jordan Valley, and includes the ruins of the ancient city, Bet She’an-Scythopolis, and the small mountain known as Tel Bet She’an (tel means hill of many layers).  Bet She’an guarded the eastern entrance to the Jezreel Valley.  Archaeological excavations reveal that the site has been occupied since the 14th century BC, including the Canaanites with Egyptian rule—six Egyptian temples have been discovered here; the Philistines who displayed the bodies of Saul and his sons on the city walls; King David’s rule; King Solomon’s reign; Assyria; Greece; the Hasmoneans; the Roman Empire whose population here consisted of pagans, Jews, and Samaritans; the Byzantine Empire in which the city became mostly Christian; the Arabian Empire; the Crusaders; the Turks; and finally the modern state of Israel.  During the period covered by the New Testament, Scythopolis was the major city of the Decapolis. The Gospels record that Jesus went through this region (Mark 7:31). Only about 10 percent of the 400 acres has been excavated, but the ruins displayed a magnificent city. Visible are portions of the theater, bathhouse, public toilets, other public buildings, colonnaded street, amphitheater, and other ruins from the Roman and Byzantine periods. The city was complete with its own water and septic systems, and even included an underground tunnel providing a shortcut for residents to get from one area to another. It was obviously a very lavish and affluent city.

During the Late Bronze Age (16th–12th centuries BC), the Egyptians made Bet She’an the center of their rule over Canaan. According to the Bible, the Israelite tribes were unable to capture Canaanite Bet She’an. After a battle at nearby Mount Gilboa, the Philistines hung the bodies of King Saul and his sons on the city’s fences.  King David conquered Bet She’an together with Megiddo and Ta’anach, and in King Solomon’s day it became part of an administrative region encompassing the country’s northern valleys. In 731 BC, the city was destroyed by the Assyrian King Tiglathpileser III.  In the second half of the fourth century BC, at the time of Alexander the Great, Bet She’an was reestablished as a Greek polis, with all the trappings of Greek culture in the East: colonnaded streets, temples, theaters, markets, fountains and bathhouses.  Later in the Hellenistic period, the city was named Nisa Scythopolis. The name derived from Greek mythology according to which Dionysus, the god of wine, interred his nurse, Nisa, in the city, and settled it with Scythians, tribesmen from what is now southern Russia, who were his personal guards.  In 107 BC, the Hasmoneans conquered Scythopolis. The pagan inhabitants, who were given the choice or converting or leaving, chose exile, and Jews resettled there, restoring the old biblical name Bet She’an. In 63 AD, the Romans took the city transforming it into an important member of the alliance of cities called the Decapolis.  During the Great Revolt of the Jews against the Romans (66 AD), the Jews of Bet She’an were murdered by their pagan neighbors, who took over the city and gave it back its pagan name. It developed greatly during the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117–138 AD) and Marcus Aurelius (161–180), and during the Late Roman period, Jews, pagans and Samaritans lived together there. Grand public buildings were built, adorned with inscriptions and statues.  In the fourth century, when Christianity became the religion of the empire, the city’s life-style changed again. The amphitheater where gladiators had fought was neglected, although the theater and the bathhouses continued in operation. Churches were built, but the center of town retained its pagan character for a long while.  In 409 AD, Bet She’an became the capital of the administrative region known as Palaestina Secunda. The city extended to 1,300 dunams (325 acres) and prospered, mainly thanks to the linen industry, and its population reached an unprecedented 40,000–50,000.  After the Arab conquest in the first half of the seventh century, the city gradually declined, losing its hegemony to Tiberias. Then, in 749 AD, an earthquake rocked the region and devastated Bet She’an––its evidence was prominent everywhere in the excavations. The name Scythopolis was eventually forgotten and the place became known as Beisan, recalling the ancient biblical name.  The Abbasid period saw a village established here. In the Middle Ages, settlement focused mainly on the rise to the south of the old city center, and the Crusaders built a fortress east of the destroyed amphitheater.  After the founding of the State of Israel, Bet She’an was reestablished and began to grow as a part of a modern city.

Nazareth.  On our way to Nazareth, we traveled once again through the Jezreel Valley.  Nazareth, boyhood home of Jesus, is now a modern city of some 80,000 people, including both Palestinians and Jews.  During Jesus’ time, the city’s population was only about 200. It is much more a Middle Eastern city in terms of its culture than was Tiberius.  After entering the city we walked through the Church of the Annunciation, so named to reflect the angel’s announcement to Mary that she was with child and would have a son who would be named Jesus. The church was filled with artwork from all over the world depicting Mary. Below the church are ruins which some believe to be that of Mary’s home. Following the church tour we visited a local pastry shop, then had lunch at a local restaurant.

Megiddo.  Our next stop was at Megiddo, an archaeological site reflecting some 25 layers of civilization and 7,000 years of history. The site was replete with hilltop ruins of stables, a sacrificial site, an independent water system, a grain storage site, and other features necessary for commerce and military protection. Many ancient kings fought here.  Solomon and other Israelite kings used this as a major center. From atop Megiddo, one has a broad view of the Jezreel Valley.

Strongly fortified throughout the ages, Megiddo boasted a stone Syrian-type gate in the days of Canaanite inhabitation.  This gate was straightened to accommodate chariots, was later than the bent-axis gate, constructed as a defensive measure, and earlier than the famous "Solomonic" gate, part of the construction of King Solomon described in 1 Kings 9:15.

Part of a large religious complex from the third millennium B.C., this sacrificial altar is striking in its size (10m diameter) and location (behind the temple). A staircase leads up to the altar, a small temenos fence surrounded it, and large concentrations of animal bones and ashes were found in the vicinity.

Needing secure access to its water supply, Megiddo utilized different water systems over its history.  In the 9th c. B.C., Ahab constructed a massive system with a 30 meter deep shaft and a 70 meter long tunnel. This Iron Age tunnel connected the bottom of Ahab’s shaft to the spring.  Before its construction, Megiddo residents had to leave the city walls in order to get water from the spring.  This tunnel was hewn from both ends at the same time (like Hezekiah’s Tunnel) and its builders were only one foot off when meeting in the middle.  This continued in use until the end of the Iron Age.

Emmaus.  Our final stop before entering Jerusalem was at Emmaus  The site contained ruins and is believed by many to be where Jesus broke bread with his two apostles who were on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection (Luke 24:13-35). The author of Luke places the story on the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection. The two disciples have heard the tomb of Jesus was found empty earlier that day. They are discussing the events of the past few days when a stranger asks them what they are discussing. "Their eyes were kept from recognizing him." He soon rebukes them for their unbelief and gives them a Bible study on prophecies about the Messiah. On reaching Emmaus, they ask the stranger to join them for the evening meal. When he breaks the bread "their eyes were opened" and they recognize him as the resurrected Jesus. Jesus immediately vanishes. Cleopas and his friend then hasten back to Jerusalem to carry the news to the other disciples, and arrive in time to proclaim to the eleven who were gathered together with others that Jesus truly is alive. While describing the events, Jesus appeared again to all who were there, giving them a commission to evangelize. Then he took them out as far as Bethany and blessed them before ascending back into heaven. Many of the travelers on this tour, including Kay, had been on the “Walk to Emmaus" and this was a poignant time in their pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Jerusalem.  Our plans were to visit the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem prior to checking in at our hotel. However, the Jewish Sabbath was only an hour away, and no parking places could be found for the bus, though our driver drove completely around the walled Old City. Consequently, it was off to the hotel, and a really good dinner. Tomorrow, we are off to Bethlehem.

Our travels today took us to upper Galilee, called the “land of Naphtali” in the Bible.  We would end up being within 1/2 mile of the Lebanon and Israel border and only hundreds of feet from the Syria and Israel border.  We passed by Hazor, a large Canaanite and Israelite city; Hazor is mentioned in the Bible with respect to the Israelite conquest of northern Canaan (Joshua 11:10-13) and in the story of Deborah and Barak (Judges 4:2).  Hazor was also a city of King Solomon (1 Kings 9:15).
Tel Dan.  Our first stop was at Tel Dan.  Tel means an unnatural hill, a layering of historical levels.  We walked through the Dan Nature Reserve, enjoying the rushing streams and quiet pools. We continued our walk to the ruins of Tel Dan, another important Canaanite and Israelite city. Ancient Dan was first excavated in 1966, exposing sections of imposing walls and gates, and a ritual site dating to the time of the events recounted in the Bible in Judges 18:27-29. The Israelite gate (Proverbs 31) was from the 18th century BC, and was discovered completely intact with an arched entry, considered one of the oldest complete arches in the world. The one item I found most interesting was a replica of a fossilized tablet found in the ruins containing an inscription of Hazael, King of Damascus, bragging about his victory over the king of Israel and the king of the House of David; this fossilized tablet dates from the second half of the ninth century BC. This is the first time that the words, “house of David” were found outside of the Bible.  Dan was our closest proximity to the Israeli/Lebanese border, and our walk through the ruins revealed bunkers and trenches left from the war.
Caesarea Philippi.  Our second stop was Caesarea Philippi, ruins of an ancient pagan city, and more importantly to Christians as the site where Jesus visited with his disciples and where Peter identified Jesus as the Messiah, also known as the “Great Confession” (Matthew 16:13-20). Caesarea Philippi includes the ruins of many altars where false gods were worshiped; most prominent of these are found in the Grotto of Pan.
Nimrod’s Fortress.  Next, we ascended a mountaintop where we viewed the ruins of Nimrod’s Fortress.  The Fortress was about 8 acres in area and was quite impressive, with many stone spiral stairs, secret passages, pools, and towers. The “castle” is one of the largest and most impressive fortresses surviving in the Middle East since the Middle Ages. It’s difficult to remember, when in Israel, that much of the early civilization was that of the Mediterranean, i.e. land was controlled over time by numerous empires, including the Israelites, Canaanites, Mongols, and Crusaders, and then in 1947, Israel.

Mas’ada and Valley of Tears.  After a brief tour of Nimrod’s Fortress we drove through several mountain towns including Mas’ada, shelled over and over through the numerous battles between Syria and Israel; Mas’ada was a clean town, with modern shops and infrastructure, and inhabited by Druse, a religious sect some 1000 years old. We also drove through the valley of tears where hundreds of Israeli and Syrian soldiers were killed in the Yom Kipper War, on the Israeli/Syrian border. Tanks, armor, and other war debris were visible in the area.

Sleep came easy last night after traveling over a full day to get to Israel. Our wake-up call was at 6 AM, followed by breakfast, and boarding the bus at 7:30 AM.
Cana.  Enroute to the Valley of Wind and Doves, we drove past Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine.
As we drive the highways of Israel, we are surprised at the number of mosques.  We have seen them in every city which we have passed.  Also to our surprise is that Muslims make up about 50% of Israel.
Valley of Wind and Doves.  Our first stop was at the Valley of Wind and Doves, home of an ancient 22 mile road/trail between Nazareth and Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus would certainly have walked.  As part of Jewish custom, we broke bread and ate it sprinkled with salt.  At the Valley of Wind and Doves, we had our first of many Gospel readings, devotionals, and prayers. (Note:  This was the norm at all of our stops, and provided us an opportunity to “live” in Biblical times.)  It was a bit overwhelming to think that we possibly walked along the same path that Jesus may have taken in his early days and ministry, and perhaps even stepped in his footsteps. 
Magadala.  Departing the Valley of Wind and Doves, we drove past Magadala, home of Mary Magdelene, towards Ginnosar.
Ginnosar.   Next, we visited Nof Ginnosar, home of an Israeli National Museum, where we saw a 2000-year-old boat discovered in a 1986 drought.  Boat size and type, carbon dating, and types of wood used for construction and maintenance indicate that it is likely this boat would have sailed the Galilean Sea during Jesus’s time. After viewing the ancient boat, we boarded a tour boat and traveled across the Sea of Galilee and saw, from the water, where much of Jesus’ ministry took place:  including traditional sites where Jesus fed the 5000, met Simon Peter, Andrew, John, and James, where he had them cast their nets with results of an overwhelming of the nets, despite their just having cast the nets and coming up empty, and the Church of the Beatitudes commemorating Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
Church of the Beatitudes.  After the boat ride we traveled to see these areas from land.  The first was the Church of the Beatitudes, which preserves the memory of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:7).  Interestingly, the Church of the Beatitudes was ordered built by Mussolini, even though he was an atheist.  This Catholic church is in the shape of an octagon—8 sides—to reflect the 8 beatitudes.



Church of the Multiplication of Bread.  This Catholic church is at Tabgha.  An altar inside this church is thought by some to be the altar where Jesus placed the 5 loaves and 2 fish, feeding the 5,000 men, beside women and children (Matthew 14:13-21).  (Note:  While the altar is in the Catholic church in Tabgha, Bethsaida is the geographical location thought to be where the crowds were fed.)
The miraculous feeding of five thousand people is described in Mark 6:30-44, just before Jesus walks on water. The Gospel account of the loaves and fishes does not specify where it took place; only that it was in a “remote place” (Mark 6:32,35) on the shores of Galilee.  According to Mark’s account, Jesus and his disciples had gone out in a boat to this remote place for some peace and quiet, but the crowds ran ahead “from all the towns” and met him when he landed. By then it was dinnertime and they were not in a village where food could easily be bought, so Jesus fed them all by miraculously multiplying his disciples’ five loaves and two fishes.
Church of the Primacy.  Next we visited a third Catholic Church, thought to be near the site where Jesus had breakfast with the apostles following his crucifixion and resurrection, and where Peter was asked three times by Jesus, “Do you love me?” and directed by Jesus to “Feed my lambs … Tend my sheep” (John 21:15-17).  (Note: we couldn’t help think of Randy’s sermon this past Sunday, which covered this very scripture.) 
In John 21, Jesus appears to his disciples for the third time after his resurrection on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The night before, Peter and several other disciples had sailed out on the lake to fish, but caught nothing. In the morning, a man appeared on the shore and called out to them to throw their net on the right side of the boat. Doing so, they caught so many fish they couldn’t drag the net back into the boat.  At this point Peter recognizes Jesus, and promptly jumps out of the boat to wade to shore to meet him. The other disciples follow in the boat, dragging the net behind them. When they land, Jesus has prepared a charcoal fire for the fish and provided bread, and they have breakfast together (John 21:9). This is believed to have taken place on the mensa Christi, a large rock incorporated in the chapel.  After breakfast, Jesus reinstated Peter (after his three-time denial of Jesus at the crucifixion) with the words “Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-19).
Capernaum.  Our next stop was the ruins of Capernaum on the ancient Via Maris, road to the sea.  Capernaum is frequently mentioned in the Gospels and was Jesus’ main base during his Galilean ministry. It is referred to as Jesus’ “own city” (Matthew 4:12-17; 9:1; Mark 2:1) and a place where he lived (Matthew 1:13). He probably chose it simply because it was the home of his first converts, Peter and Andrew (Mark 1:21, 29).
Capernaum is home to an old synagogue; the ruins presently seen date to 300 to 400 A.D.  Kay read scripture inside the ruins.
Also of significance is that Capernaum is the site of Peter’s home, part of which is shown below the floor of the modern Catholic church built on the site, and where Peter’s mother-in-law was healed.  Capernaum was also the site where the sick man was passed from rooftop to rooftop and lowered into a room for Jesus to heal, because the crowds were too thick on the streets.
Many familiar Gospel events occurred in this village. Capernaum is where Jesus first began to preach after the Temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 1:12-17) and called Levi from his tax-collector’s booth (Mark 2:13-17). It was while teaching in the synagogue of Capernaum that he said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:54)  Capernaum is where Jesus healed a centurion’s servant without even seeing him (Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10), Peter’s mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15; Mark 1:29-30); the paralytic who was lowered through the roof (Mark 2:1-12), and many others who were brought to him (Matthew 8:16-17). And it was Capernaum that Jesus had set out from when he calmed a storm on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:23-27).  Jesus was harsh with his adopted home when it proved unrepentent despite his many miracles (Matthew 11:23-24).
Yardenit.  We crossed the Jordan River near where it enters the Sea of Galilee, stopped for lunch, and made our last tour stop of the day, Yardenit, where the Jordan River leaves the Galilean Sea.  Yardenit is used by large numbers of “pilgrims” from all over the world for baptism or renewal of baptism.  All of our group had a service of renewal of our baptism, in the Jordan River.
We returned to our hotel in Tiberius for some time in the spa, dinner, and an early bedtime.

Photos of this trip may be seen at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/DunnGoneTravels/IsraelAndJordan2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIL-g8GBjtb-Lw&feat=directlink

More Flying.  We continued flying through the night, and neither of us slept much—perhaps a couple of hours each. Both of us had window seats, and had not sat together on any of the three legs of the flight. Having a window seat made it difficult to get up and stretch our legs and use the restroom as frequently as good health would dictate.

We arrived in Tel Aviv at approximately 12:45 PM, and had no trouble de-boarding, picking up our luggage, and going through Israeli customs.

Caesarea Maritima.  Our guide met us at the airport where we boarded the bus, and had enough time to visit Caesarea Maritima.  Caesarea Maritima was built by Herod the Great in the time period 25-13 B.C., and was one of King Herod’s most complete architectural projects and likely the first and largest man-made harbor in the Mediterranean Sea, complete with lighthouse.  It was the capital of the Judean Province, and was the residence of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilatus.  It included a large aqueduct, a hippodrome where chariot races and other events occurred, and a coliseum-type theater.  Affluent residents lived here and the area contained numerous shops and public places.  It was here that Cornelius was the first Gentile convert to Christianity and was where Paul, as a prisoner for 2 years, boarded the ship for his trial in Rome (Acts 10).  Caesarea Maritima became the center of early Christianity in Palestine after the Jewish revolt in the first century, fell to Muslim control in the 6th century, the Crusaders in the 11th century, back to the Muslims, and lay in ruins until modern times.
Enroute to Tiberius.  After touring Caesarea Maritima, we made the hour and a half road trip to Tiberius on the the Sea of Galilee, our home for the next three days and nights. Along the way we crossed through the Jesereel Valley, and saw the area where prophets predicted Armageddon to occur (Revelation 16:14-21).  We arrived at our hotel, the Gai Beach Hotel, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in new Tiberius about 7:30 PM.  (Note:  the Sea of Galilee is freshwater, is 700 feet below sea level, and has a maximum depth of about 150 feet; its circumference is about 32 miles.)
Our big challenge of the evening was finding out how the converter worked for Israeli electricity. Luckily, both the CPAP machine and laptop computer will work off of the higher voltage current in Israel, using only an adapter for the plug.

Photos of this trip may be seen at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/DunnGoneTravels/IsraelAndJordan2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIL-g8GBjtb-Lw&feat=directlink

It rained all last evening, and we awoke to rain this morning, getting up before five o’clock. Since we had not eaten dinner last night, we went down to the breakfast bar for some rather stale eggs, good coffee, and assorted other items. We caught the shuttle to the airport at 7:45 AM and had no problem getting our electronic tickets and checking baggage, except that Kay was unable to get credit at this time for the mileage because the name on her Delta account was slightly different than her passport name. Even a phone call did not resolve the problem; now we remember why we quit flying Delta.

At the airport we met most of the other people who would be taking the same tour. As is always the case in Arkansas, either Kay or I knew the person or knew someone who knew the person.
A Day of Flying. We flew from Little Rock to Atlanta, from Atlanta to New York, and departed New York’s JFK airport at about 8:00 PM for Tel Aviv, Israel. There is a seven hour difference in time between New York and Israel; Israel is seven hours ahead, thus making it about three o’clock in the morning, Israel time, when we departed New York.The flight appeared to be full and included a large number of young Jewish man, several with families, that had been to New York to celebrate Passover.

Photos of this trip may be seen at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/DunnGoneTravels/IsraelAndJordan2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIL-g8GBjtb-Lw&feat=directlink

Kay began packing earlier in the week and had everything ready to go by Friday, while I delayed packing until yesterday, Saturday, the day before we were to leave for Little Rock. We both packed rather conservatively, getting everything into two relatively small suitcases plus our carry-ons. People who had traveled to this part of the world told us to dress very casually and not take too many clothes.

We attended both the Cross Roads service and the traditional service this morning, singing in both, and Kay sang the special during communion. We opted for lunch at KFC, then drove home to finish preparations for leaving. We left the house shortly after 2 PM, driving south to Little Rock. At Cabot US Highway 67/167 was closed because of high water. We finally made it to the hotel in Little Rock about 5:30 PM, where we plan to leave the car during the duration of our trip.

It’s going to be a great day today, as we’re heading towards home.

We awoke relatively early and after a cup of coffee, began final preparations for our trip. After hooking up our toad (towed vehicle), the Honda, we departed the campground at 7:20 AM. It has been a good week, but we are glad to escape all the excitement, rich Cajun foods, rain, and bad roads. The morning began with overcast skies and an increasing northwest wind. As we proceeded north we had a couple of options for stopping for the evening. One was to drive 365 miles to the US Army Corps of Engineers Park, Maumelle, in Little Rock, or continue driving just over 500 miles to home. We didn’t make the decision early on, leaving our options open. But as we got closer to home, the more we wanted to be there. As it turned out we made two fuel stops and arrived home shortly after 5 PM.  It’s so good to be home.

Today is Fat Tuesday, aka Mardi Gras, in southern Louisiana. This is one of the area’s most celebrated holidays and few businesses are open. The day is filled with parades, while the evening is reserved for coronation ceremonies. Having been to large parades in New Orleans, I opted to stay in the motorhome today while Kay attended a morning parade. We already have tons of beads, but a few more will see us through the year! The parades today are the best of the Mardi Gras season, and Kay saw some of the best floats greater Southwestern Louisiana has to offer.

She gave away most of the beads she collected today and the morning parade was enough for her. For me, a little bit of Mardi Gras goes a long way. We spent the afternoon putting things away and getting ready to leave for home tomorrow.

The Ozark Ridge Runners had a short meeting at 4:00 PM and discussed the evening’s activities, future rallies, and assorted other minutiae.  The meeting reminded me of those we had at work and now I know once again why I retired.

At Kay’s insistence we attended the coronation ceremony for the greater Southwestern Louisiana Mardi Gras King, Queen, and court. We sat in the balcony with the rest of the ne’er-do-wells while the other “subjects" sat on the main floor in their evening gowns and tuxedos. The coronation was replete with jeweled costumes, crowns, and other paraphernalia of pseudo-royalty. It was definitely a site to behold.

We arrived back at the motorhome at about 9:30 PM, and finished preparations for an early departure tomorrow morning. We’re both ready to return home and some semblance of normality.

Once again, we were up too early, at least for us, to visit a crawfish farm north of Crowley.  The purpose of our trip was to tour the farm, learn about crawfish farming and rice farming, and eat lunch.  We go a true-to-life Cajun storyteller that presented an overview of crawfish and rice farming, and told story after story about his life, marriages, and hobby of collecting toy tractors and farm implements.  He constructed a building specifically for the purpose of serving Cajun food, telling stories, and showing his huge collection of farm toys; one room was devoted specifically to John Deer toys.

Lunch consisted of chicken and sausage gumbo, potato salad, and dump cake.  The gumbo was okay, the potato salad very bland, and the dump cake good.

We briefly saw a crawfish farm boat after lunch, then returned to the campground for the remainder of the day.